Professor Alastair Driver (Ecology, 1978, Lonsdale), Director of Rewilding Britain, recently returned to the University to talk to students about his extensive career in conservation including roles with the Thames Water Authority, the Environment Agency and the national rewilding charity he now works for. Whilst visiting, we took the opportunity to ask him how his University days and upbringing shaped his career and helped him achieve what turned out to be his perfect job roles for a man wholeheartedly committed and dedicated to wildlife and conservation.

What made you choose Lancaster University for your degree studies?

It was the only university in the UK to offer an Ecology course at the time (1975). I was brought up by a naturalist father and effectively ‘hot-housed’ into this environment of nature – identifying birds out of books from the age of four and collecting insects around the age of eight. Now it’s possible to do all this through digital photos and apps, but then it was totally ‘hands-on’ learning and I was immersed in it.

What is your fondest memory of your time at University?

I have a particular affection for the eclectic characters that I met and befriended during my three years, ranging from the hippiest of hippies to hardened rugby league players. My best friend was a quiet Welshman – Mike Jones - with a great sense of humour. I even shared a room with him above a pub in Morecambe in my final year, which was a very convenient if not distracting location! I have to admit I always struggled in exams, but I was very comfortable with the field work. Thankfully, although I scraped by in my degree, I went on to have a very successful career in the field of conservation which just proves that you should never give up. However, it was at least twenty years afterwards before I stopped having nightmares about being under-prepared or late for exams!

What was the most valuable part of your student experience?

I felt very at home during field trips and could probably claim that my childhood experiences even helped me ‘teach the teachers’. This, in turn, gave me the confidence to overcome my ability to conquer the exam fear. I was lucky enough to ‘fall into’ a temporary summer job in conservation immediately after graduation, which ultimately led to a lucky career break, which again I attribute to that confidence gained through the practical aspects of the degree course.

Who particularly inspired you and why?

I always aspired to the level of knowledge and patience displayed by Professor John Whittaker (now Emeritus), who I found to be a particularly experienced and likeable tutor.

Do you keep in touch with other alumni since you graduated?

The Ecology cohort was particularly small at around 21, as the course was still in its infancy. I have had occasional ongoing contact with four of those graduates in a professional capacity – including Professor Ian Rotherham, who is an Emeritus Professor at Sheffield Hallam University and Dr Gary Mantle, recently retired from CEO of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

Is there anything you particularly miss from student life?

I loved being involved in sport- I represented the university at rugby, cricket, pool and darts, although I wasn’t a particularly outstanding player at the time and relished the freedom to flit between those activities on a daily basis. It gave me a great grounding in team sport and it prepared me well for a long and fairly successful amateur rugby career with London Irish and Reading. I also took the opportunity to watch many of the bands that played the Great Hall - a stone’s throw from my accommodation in the old Lonsdale College. When I look back now at the conveyor belt of international superstars that graced that stage I realise just how lucky we were. I still have the Supertramp poster (with support act, Joan Armatrading!)

How did your career progress?

After falling into that temporary summer wildlife surveying role, immediately after graduating, I then had to make do with various fairly repetitive factory and cleaner jobs just to earn some extra money. I had met my wife-to-be back in Stroud, whilst I was still at Lancaster and we were getting married in 1980, two years after my graduation, so I needed to keep working to save up. One thing led to another and I ended up working as a fish farmer in the Thames Valley for five years, including latterly for the Thames Water Authority rearing trout for fishing and salmon for reintroducing to the Thames. They then created the first full time Water Authority Conservation Officer job in the country and, as an internal applicant, I was ideally placed to apply. I secured this and that was my big break! They were aware that I was practical and capable and I started the role with an empty desk and phone. I developed the role, the policies and procedures which helped to take river management forward in England and Wales and I thoroughly relished the challenge – which was enormous, given there were potentially 10,000 employees to negotiate with! This evolved into a Regional Conservation Manager role and in October 2002, I moved to become the National Conservation Manager for the Environment Agency. This involved developing national policy and best practices, acquiring more funding and influencing government advisors. I had a few good wins, grew the department and, after fourteen more years, felt I taken the role as far as I could without being seen to be a nuisance! I then left to do some part-time consultancy and, in what could be viewed as another ‘lucky break’ became the Director of Rewilding Britain within three months of taking so-called early retirement! My role in the organisation is very much about being an influencer – both of major landowners and of politicians and policy makers and encouraging them to ‘seize the moment!

What do you enjoy most in your work?

I still love getting out on site and meeting the ‘glass half full’ landowners and land managers who are keen to consider a more sustainable way of managing their land. I love pitching the idea of rewilding to them and seeing them flourish as they develop the approach on the ground and make it work both environmentally and socio-economically. However, in the longer term real success can only be truly judged by successfully influencing those who are currently “sitting on the fence” in their views towards sustainable land management – especially the large government bodies like the Crown Estate, Ministry of Defence and Forestry Commission. If they start to “get it”, then we can make huge progress in restoring biodiversity and minimising the impacts of climate change.

What has been your greatest achievement in any aspect of your work?

In my personal life, I was very fortunate to meet and persuade my beloved wife Belinda to be with me throughout this journey. We have three sons and ten grandchildren together! Professionally, I am very proud of spearheading the winning Thames bid for the largest environmental award in the world in 2010, the $350,000 AUD International River Prize. Equally, I am privileged to have been the technical advisor and a team member for ‘A Rewilding Britain Landscape’ Gold Medal Winner and Best in Show Garden at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022. And I guess the awarding of an Honorary Professorship by Exeter University in 2015 for my contribution to conservation policy and practice in the UK has been the icing on the cake.

I have also loved the ‘extra’ unexpected bonuses that have come about during the course of my career in this field, including travelling to amazing remote corners of the world on expeditions with the legendary Colonel John Blashford Snell for the Scientific Exploration Society as his wildlife expert. I have had the privilege of visiting over 40 countries and had some truly remarkable travel experiences.

What advice would you give to today’s students?

I would tell them to take climate change very seriously and do every little thing they can to help minimise their contribution to it– without worrying that we’re all going to die, which we most definitely are not. I would also tell them to personally never give up; you may have to zig-zag in your career rather than go straight ahead to get where to where you ultimately need to be. And above all - always be passionate and positive about your subject. Remember – glass half-full!

In 2020, Alastair was described by Environment Minister, Lord Goldsmith as being ‘a fantastic influence on the national debate around rewilding who could take the credit for rewilding becoming more mainstream.’ For more information visit the Rewilding UK website.