David is an ecological consultant and recently retired from Exmoor National Park Authority where he was responsible for wildlife conservation and farm liaison for almost 20 years. After degrees in zoology and ecology at Oxford and Aberdeen, he has worked in applied nature conservation in both the public and charitable sectors. From a tropical island in the Seychelles to the urban fringe of Manchester as well as the Yorkshire Dales, the Broads and the New Forest his career has spanned a wide variety of environments. Brought up in the country, he enjoys walking, birdwatching, horse trials and fishing, and is keenly interested in rural issues, especially protected landscapes.