The Severn Rivers Trust are very excited to say a warm welcome to our new CEO Joe Pimblett.

Joe has worked within the environmental sector for a little over a decade, spending most of that time with his local Wildlife Trust, where he started his employment as a project trainee. Over the ensuing years, Joe worked in numerous roles, covering the full spectrum of environmental delivery, from mud-and-boots habitat management to strategic development. During the latter half of his employment with the Wildlife Trust, he was responsible for managing the Trust’s operations in East Cheshire and the Southwest Peak District. This included overseeing a multi-faceted team delivering a host of projects, from urban-based tree planting schemes to landscape scale habitat creation initiatives.

By his own admission, Joe is no river specialist. His work has remained broad to date, traversing the terrestrial and aquatic environment. His passion lies in landscape scale conservation, working with stakeholders to identify common objectives, that facilitates the scaling up of delivery.  

Joining us from a membership organisation, Joe is all too aware of the importance of public support. With that in mind, Joe would like to explore opportunities to elevate Severn Rivers Trust’s profile and find innovative ways of reaching and inspiring new and existing audiences.

Since joining the Trust Joe has already been busy - heading out to visit farms, learn about fish passes and meet with local people.

Reflecting on the future, Joe says,

              ‘I am excited, and deeply humbled, to have the opportunity to take up the reins here at Severn Rivers Trust, building on the solid foundations I have inherited. Already, it’s quite apparent that the team are superbly knowledgeable and punching way above their weight, in terms of the scale at which they are delivering.

I believe this is an exciting, if not pivotal, time for the sector. For too long, environmental conservation has been side-lined, confined to the margins of the British Countryside, quite literally. However, the two major barriers to scaling up delivery, which have always frustrated me; the agricultural support system and the lack of available finance, are set to change. We have an exciting opportunity through E.L.M.s to develop a highly competitive environmental support package to landowners and, alongside that, there are a number of fast-developing markets for green finance. I believe these changes, coupled with growing public support, gives us the opportunity to rewrite the script for the future of our water environment.'  

For further information about Joe and his new role, or to get in touch please email admin@severnriverstrust.com.