THE Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) will be appointing Mike Alexander as new chairperson of the trust at its AGM today (Thursday).

Mike has a long interest and career in nature conservation spending a year as assistant warden on (WTSWW's) Skokholm in 1966, and later as the Skomer warden for 10 years.

Leaving the islands in 1985 he was appointed Warden of five national nature reserves in north Wales.

He was one of the founders and is currently the chairman of PONT, an organisation established to build the essential bridges primarily between nature conservation and farmers in Wales.

His work developing management planning has gained an international reputation and he is the author of the standard international text book on the subject, lecturing both under and postgraduates.

Mike, a fellow of both the Charted Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, and The Royal Society of Biology, has been on the trust's board of trustees since September 2017, and was chair of the trust's islands conservation advisory committee.

"More than anything else I look forward to the privilege of working with a team of wonderful dedicated people, our professional staff, my fellow Trustees and our enthusiastic volunteers," said Mike. "Together we will do our very best for nature."

The board of trustees said it is delighted to be moving ahead into 2021 with Mike at the helm and is looking forward to working with him over the coming years, developing and achieving the trust aims in its new strategy document.

The trustees expressed their huge thanks and praise for outgoing chairperson, Mr Rob Pickford who has been dedicated and proficient in guiding the trust for the last seven years.

"His experience has been invaluable and Rob continues to work with the trust as a trustee and with the Wildlife Trust movement at a national level," said a spokesperson.

If you'd like to find out more information about WTSWW's vital conservation work and important research please visit www.welshwildlife.org.