I enjoy public speaking, facilitating workshops, and convening events, and have done a great deal of all three over the years. I come from a family of educators and love the creative and intellectual process of shaping a talk or workshop around a clear narrative — one that informs, engages, and invites people to think together.
I aim to make talks accessible, well-informed, and a little provocative in the best sense: opening up new ways of seeing, rather than closing debates down. I am always happy to adapt content to different audiences, from birders and students to professionals, policymakers, and the wider public.
I am open to invitations to speak, facilitate workshops, or help curate events.
Current talks
Conservation and ornithology need vision – shared imaginings of futures we might collectively aspire to create. This talk introduces rewilding as both a science and a practical approach, and invites audiences to reflect on how bird communities in Scotland might change as ecosystems recover.
Drawing on rewilding science and practical examples this talk explores how landscapes might change and what species might rebound or return. Rewilding invites a new “recovery ornithology” that poses new questions and offers fresh ways of studying, conserving, and appreciating birds: and of thinking about the future of birding itself.
Rewilding Scotland: New horizons for ornithology and birding
Conservation and ornithology need vision – shared imaginings of futures we might collectively aspire to create. This talk introduces rewilding as both a science and a practical approach, and invites audiences to reflect on how bird communities in Scotland might change as ecosystems recover.
Drawing on rewilding science and practical examples this talk explores how landscapes might change and what species might rebound or return. Rewilding invites a new “recovery ornithology” that poses new questions and offers fresh ways of studying, conserving, and appreciating birds: and of thinking about the future of birding itself.
The talk is suitable for bird clubs, natural history societies, conservation organisations, and mixed public audiences.
From conflict to colour: how birds and people are shaping a new Colombia
Drawing on recent travel and birding experiences, this talk explores how birds, birding enterprises, and everyday encounters with nature are helping Colombians express pride, creativity, and a renewed sense of national identity after decades of conflict.
Through stories of local guides, street art, small businesses, and community initiatives, it paints a picture of a country being reshaped from the ground up — in colour, culture, and birds. It is a hopeful, story-led talk about nature, recovery, and the social power of birding.
The talk works well for public audiences interested in travel, geography, and nature, and can also be adapted for academic and professional audiences with interests in geography, ecotourism, community conservation and post-conflict societies.
Convening and facilitation experience
Alongside giving talks, I have frequently convened and facilitated public events and professional workshops, including:
Rewilding film evenings and panel discussions in Oxford, organised around new documentary releases, bringing together scientists, practitioners, and the public (four events in total).
Facilitating Rewilding Europe workshops, including a landmark meeting in Cuenca, where participants co-developed core rewilding principles, and a workshop in Vienna focused on scaling rewilding across Europe.
Designing and facilitating workshops that blend presentations, structured discussion, and collaborative problem-solving.
Invitation
If you are interested in inviting me to speak, facilitate a workshop, or help curate an event, I would be very happy to discuss ideas and formats.