Second Nature

Laurence Couldrick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Westcountry Rivers Trust an amazing organisation dedicated to the protection and restoration of rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and estuaries.  In this episode, Laurence delves into his remarkable journey leading to the Rivers Trust, tracing back to his innate curiosity as a child about how the environment and nature worked and his academi...

Lisa Pinney is the Chief Executive of the Coal Authority, a pivotal organisation addressing the environmental and public safety legacy of mining. In an enlightening episode, Lisa invites listeners into her life's journey, revealing the layers of challenges she's faced—from confronting ageism, sexism and homophobia in the workplace to overcoming personal adversity and simply embracing her...

In this episode, we sit down with Lance Bradley, whose career trajectory has taken him from the fast-paced world of automotive engineering and management with industry giants like Ford and Mitsubishi, to the fiercely competitive arena of professional rugby. This episode was recorded in December 2023. As of January 2024, Lance has embarked on a new challenge as the CEO of Osprey Rugby Club, after a...

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Mark Birks, a Principal at Avison Young, who brings his personal journey from rural roots to a leading role in land and development. Based in the Midlands, Mark provides an expert perspective on the interdependence of urban and rural residential markets. He emphasises the necessity of a strong rural sector to support urban development, offering insight...

Emma is a distinguished sustainability expert and the Director of Sustainability & Growth at Coreus Group. With a first-class honours in BSc Environmental Science and a Merit MSc Environmental Consultancy, Emma's journey from academia to leading sustainability in the construction sector is both inspiring and impactful. At Coreus Group, she spearheads initiatives in ESG strategy, carbon ac...

In this episode Ed takes us on a rather un conventional route to how he founded Bird Eyewear. From working in a kitchen, charity sector, education and drummer of a band, Ed has found a way to combine his design, business and charity experiences into a purpose driven company. Together with his brothers, Ed is dedicated to crafting eyewear that not only sets trends but also serves a greater purpose....

Lara is our wonderful Spatial and GIS data expert at Oxygen Conservation.  Lara's role is pivotal, as she dives deep into the world of spatial data, intertwining both internal insights and external resources to highlight the critical information that steers our conservation strategies and land management decisions. Lara not only spends time managing, understanding and processing data, she als...

Matt Gingell, the Founder of Chancery Lane Project and fantastic General Counsel at Oxygen House Group.  The Chancery Lane Project is a global network of lawyers and business leaders who have created an incredible resource of clauses and tools that can help you align your contracts to net zero targets. The clauses are freely available for anyone to incorporate into commercial agreements and legal...

Roland is a Partner at Bidwells and Head of Rural Business. Roland brings a wealth of expertise in managing institutionally owned land and property, overseeing a remarkable portfolio of assets valued at £1.5 billion. His work involves collaborating with iconic institutions, navigating the complexities of land management and its associated facets. Roland's academic journey began with the study...

We're joined by Nick Stoop, a visionary and Founder of Pangea Investments. Nick is on a mission to ignite inspiration and encourage thoughtful consideration of how our pensions can become catalysts for positive change in the world. Delving into the often-overlooked realm of investments, particularly pensions, Nick unveils the remarkable power they hold. Join us as Nick shares his personal jou...

We welcome back our wonderful Mornacott Estate Manager Charles Owen to the podcast! Discover why he considers his role not just a profession but a lifestyle choice, transcending the boundaries of a typical 9-5 job. In this episode, Charles unveils the allure of being an Estate Manager, where challenges seamlessly intertwine with adventure, real ownership and impact. With 15 years of experience, Ch...

Step into Nick's captivating journey through the chapters of his life, beginning on his family farm and fostering a passion for environmental stewardship. Witness his remarkable ascent from envisioning a world bettered by environmental efforts to scaling the ranks at RSPB over 22 influential years. As Operations Director-Southern England, Nick spearheaded diverse initiatives across the South...

Meet Abbey, our Engagement Specialist at Oxygen Conservation. Committed to communicating our team's work, Abbey diligently shares our impact through diverse channels, while also lending crucial support to key projects within the Marketing team. Join Rich and Abbey in this episode as they delve into the profound significance of effective communication. Abbey shares her personal journey to join...

Join Rich and James Ormrod our incredible Natural Capital Analyst.  In this episode, James opens up about the diverse opportunities and experiences that have paved the way to his current role. He sheds light on the ongoing learning curve he navigates daily, highlighting the remarkable work ethic prevalent within himself and the wider team. James shares his thoughts on Natural Capital and its profo...

We are back for Part 2!  Join Fiona Milden, our Planning & Property Director, as she delves into the promising opportunities for Oxygen Conservation. Through her extensive background in planning, Fiona sheds light on the importance of restoring and improving properties in the rural landscape, and this ever-growing portfolio as we continue to scale conservation. Fiona passionately articulates o...

Ross is a Partner at Burger Salmon, specialising in land and rural property. In this episode Rich and Ross delve into the legal world of Scaling Conservation. Ross, drawing from his extensive career journey, sheds light on the early stages of his career through to today, orchestrating large scale land acquisitions, and increasingly spearheading environmentally beneficial landscape projects. Get re...

Merlin Hanbury-Tenison isn't your typical farmer. His mission goes beyond - to honor ancient woodlands, restore ecosystems, and share the profound restorative powers of the land. Situated on Cornwall's Bodmin Moor, the 300-acre Cabilla farm has been a part of Merlin's family since his father's acquisition in 1960. Since taking over the farm in 2018, Merlin is now on a mission t...

Rich and Elly return with a captivating conversation, unraveling the essence of transparency and its pivotal role in fostering connections. In this conversation Elly and Rich discuss the transformative power of constructive criticism for meaningful change. They discuss the commitment required to share across various platforms, even as a small team, in an effort to answer the questions asked and th...

Lee is a recruiter, connector, business owner and sports enthusiast. Fascinated by what drives the human spirit Lee is also the host of his own podcast, 'Extrology',  which delves into the stories of extraordinary individuals in the hopes he and others can learn from those who have overcome their own odds.  In this episode Rich and Lee explore the essence of connection, the transformativ...

After discovering a talent and love of media and public relations early on in her career, Freya started her own PR agency to drive more positive change in the conservation industry. In this conversation with Rich, Freya shares her story of how she discovered this passion and how it led to starting her own company.

Join Rich and Fiona in a captivating conversation as they discuss the possibilities of the rural properties within the portfolio. Together, they explore the art of respecting and repurposing buildings, unveiling a vision that not only grants greater access to the landscape but does so in the most sustainable manner possible. Navigating the intricate landscape of political, cultural, and geographic...

Inspired to save lives through better public health engineering, Piers knew he wanted to work in the water sector. After a lifetime of accomplishments Rich and Piers engage in a candid conversation about leadership, aspiration and inspiration, and the urgent environmental challenges of our time. Piers shares his past experiences that led him to be the Executive Chairman of Isle Utilities, a specia...

Derek Gow is a former farmer turned passionate nature conservationist. A recognised expert in species reintroduction Derek played a significant role in the reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver, the water vole and the white stork to England. He's also the author of the insightful books "Bringing Back the Beaver" and "Birds, Beasts, and Bedlam." At the moment, Derek is deep...

Chris White is the Director of Natural Capital at Oxygen Conservation. With a passionate commitment to reshaping our perspective on natural capital, Chris is on a mission to prove that nature can pay to protect itself! In this episode Rich and Chris discuss Oxygen Conservation's approach to carbon offsetting, the formidable challenges that arise when scaling conservation, and the intricate da...

Emma Askew, a passionate advocate for the environment, is the visionary founder behind Earth Minutes. Specialising in environmental communications, Emma is dedicated to shaping the future of environmental awareness and education. In this episode of Shoot Room Sessions Emma and Rich delve into the pivotal aspects of enabling everyone to connect with nature and the improvements we can make for a bri...