MATTHEW CHATFIELD

EMPLOYMENT

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL

Parks & Countryside Manager, Isle of Wight Council; since June 2006

Responsible for countryside management, parks, beaches and allotments across the Isle of Wight.

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL

Countryside Manager, Isle of Wight Council; 1999-2006

In charge of the Countryside Section for the Isle of Wight unitary authority. Apart from management of council countryside sites responsibilities included protected trees section, estuaries project, Leading Wildlife project, ecology team.

BASILDON DISTRICT COUNCIL

Manager of Countryside Services, Basildon District Council, Essex; 1997 - 1999

Responsible for countryside service throughout Basildon District, including direct management of Wat Tyler Country Park, Norsey Wood LNR, The National Motorboat Museum, Wat Tyler Marina and other sites, plus advisory and strategic role in planning and other district-wide activities

THE NATIONAL TRUST

Property Manager, Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, 1995-1997

Responsible for managing an internationally important nature reserve, tourist attraction and residential education centre. Experience included reorganising working practices, appointing new team, coordinating research and species reintroduction programmes, grant and lottery funding bids, undertaking major building projects, large scale restoration and development of wetland landscape.

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Site Manager, Westwood Woodland Park, 1991-1995

Developed ranger team to manage urban fringe countryside in Southampton area. Experience includes development of education programme, reclamation of 200 acre landfill site, heathland and woodland restoration, community arts projects, working closely with district and city councils, resisting adverse planning applications.

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Countryside Ranger, Westwood Woodland Park, 1989-1991

Gained a wide range of practical and interpretative skills, particularly in woodland management, community liaison and urban fringe work.

BTCV (The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers)

Voluntary Field Officer, West Sussex, 1988-1989

Established local conservation groups, led training courses and projects on reserves and sites throughout the county.

EDUCATION

SOUTHAMPTON INSTITUTE

1992-1993

Postgraduate Certificate in Management.

UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

1985-1988

BSc (Hons.) 2(ii) Zoology, specialising in Ecology & Entomology

BAY HOUSE 6TH FORM, ALVERSTOKE, GOSPORT

1983-1985

A Level Biology, Chemistry, Geography.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Wide practical knowledge of conservation techniques and equipment
Background in direct management of a diverse range of lowland habitats
Good written and spoken communicator
Experience of budgeting, financial control and fundraising
Broad knowledge of local authorities at County and District level
Competent in preparing reports, committee work, and public speaking
Up to date experience of close working with statutory agencies and other organisations
Excellent record of publicity successes in many media
Successful in community work and outreach to urban populations
Trained manager, experienced in handling sensitive personnel issues
Experienced educator and trainer
Experience of ecological surveying techniques
Computer literate, including hardware maintenance and upgrading
Experienced Internet user and web administrator

TRAINING

Certificated courses:

1995: Certified operator of cross-cut and circular bench saw, National Trust
July 1994: First Aid at Work certificate, Hampshire Ambulance Service
1993: Class IV Qualified Person under the Electricity at Work Act
Sep 92-Jul 93: Postgraduate Certificate in Management, Southampton Institute
1992: NPTC Chainsaw Certificate units 10, 12, 14, 16

Other relevant short courses:

Financial planning and budgeting, National Trust 1997 (2 days)
Performance Assessment & Counselling, National Trust 1996 (4 days)
Risk Assessment, National Trust 1995 (1 day)
Transport and the Countryside, Countryside Management Association 1994 (1 week)
COSHH assessment, Hampshire County Council, 1994 (1 day)
Risk Assessment, Hampshire County Council, 1994 (1 day)
Creating a Health and Safety Policy, Hampshire County Council, 1994 (1 day)
Computer use, Hampshire County Council, 1994 (1 day)
Living History, CEI, 1994, (1 day)
Storytelling, Countryside Education Trust, 1994, (3 days)
Dealing with Aggression, Hampshire County Council, 1994 (1 day)
Interviewing Skills, Hampshire County Council, 1993 (2 days)
Doorstep Countryside, Association of Countryside Rangers, 1993, (1 week)
Management Skills for Countryside Staff, CEI, 1992-3 (2 weeks)
Volunteer Leadership, BTCV 1988-9, (8 days)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Full member of the Countryside Management Association since 1989. Hampshire representative for the Countryside Management Association 1991-1994. Organised annual conference in 1994.
Full Membership of Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management achieved in 1997.
Gained Chartered Environmentalist status, 2006.

OFFLINE PUBLICATIONS

In 'Wicken Fen: the making of a wetland nature reserve', Harley Books 1997, Ed. LE Friday, with LE Friday, 'The Next 100 Years', chapter on the future of Wicken Fen.

From 2001-2006: regular column 'Comment' in Isle of Wight Council magazine 'Wight Insight'.

AWARDS

The Princes' Award, from the European Environment Agency, for the best audiovisuals on Europe's environment, 1997 overall winner in the category Multimedia

Runner up in Yell.com Awards 2001, community category, for the website Naturenet.

Runner up 'Best Rural Enterprise Website', Hantsweb Awards 2007.

INTERNET AND OTHER IT EXPERIENCE

Broad experience of Internet usage since 1995. Editor of Naturenet since 1996, the first and still the largest independent non-professional nature conservation web site in the UK. Experienced in writing and using HTML, PHP, CSS in various situations; competent with Dreamweaver, generating web publicity and administering a website. Established the newsgroup uk.environment.conservation in 1996.

Established and maintains websites for the Countryside Management Association; Countryside Training Services; and many others

Experienced moderator of mailing lists.

Competent in graphic design and printing.

Director of Pinkeye Graphics Ltd, web design and print company.

INTERESTS

Practical conservation; church bellringing; computer use and maintenance; design; British spiders; storytelling; music and croquet.

REFEREES

On application.

Last compiled December 9, 2007

Matthew Chatfield: Curriculum Vitae

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