Highly qualified expert and local to Gimsby Bill Meek, joins the Get Hooked Projects Team officially as Bio-diversity Advisor.

Get Hooked boss Mark Fenty, is delighted pleased to welcome Bill Meek to the project.

Mark says, "this is our final year of funding and our strategy is to expand the projects ever expanding range of engagement activities to the areas young people and families. 

Statigically, the project is involved at senior level with several bio-diversity projects which could begin early in 2010. 

Our core activity will always be angling, however the surrounding environment and supporting wildlife is critical if we are to enjoy the ever decreasing open spaces in the future.

It is absoulutely fantasic that we now have an expert who shares our ideals to protect our environmet and educate young people and their families. With Bills help and guidence,the project aims to expand their educational venues and introduce several brand new biodeversity sessions.

Just look at Bills CV

For the past fourteen years Bill has worked as a Scientific Officer, later Higher Scientific Officer, at the Natural Environment Research Council's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, at Monks Wood in Cambridgeshire.  He spent that time working on large scale field surveys and habitat restoration experiments in many parts of the UK, and he was one of the Institute's, and therefore the Government's, foremost all-round naturalists and field surveyors.

He is currently involved in habitat restoration projects and field surveys sponsored by Defra, Defence Estates Organisation, Natural England, Environment Agency, Syngenta and Jordan's Cereals, working in collaboration with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Wildlife Farming Company.  In addition, he is continuing to take on small private ecological contracts where time allows. These are mostly surveys but he is able to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments, farm plans, conservation projects, ecological research, advice on habitat recreation and site condition assessment

His field survey experience includes a two-year botanical survey of the Salisbury Plain Training Area, incorporating an invertebrate survey of the Plain's proposed ‘Southern Range Road'; a one-year botanical survey of the Castlemartin Ranges in Pembrokeshire, and nine years' study into the creation of wildlife habitat on farmland, which has involved me in experimental design and the scientific recording of mammals, birds, invertebrates and plants on many types of farmland across eleven counties of England.  The results of his work have been important in informing the management prescriptions for the new Environmental Stewardship Scheme for farmers. He regularly dispensed ecological information to decision-makers, landowners, business leaders and Government departments, and has been interviewed on TV.  He counts many of the UK's leading ecological practitioners amongst my close friends. 

He has included a list of scientific publications and contract reports which he has authored.  Also edited the text for the Biological Records Centre's Atlases of Carabids, Cerambycid Beetles and Hoverflies, and he wrote the species accounts for the Rubiaciae for the new landmark Atlas of the British Flora (Preston, Pearman and Dines 2002).

He is competent to survey vascular plants, bryophytes, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, butterflies and moths, dragonflies and damselflies, grasshoppers and crickets, carabid and cerambycid beetles, hoverflies and social hymenoptera.  He also has the contacts required to obtain identification of organisms from other groups, as well as obtain the best advice on matters of ecological science and policy. 

He has led wildlife holidays in Spain and Greece, and has also fronted expert botanical excursions into the Salisbury Plain Training Area.  He is active in the British Trust for Ornithology and Botanical Society of the British Isles, and am a member of RSPB, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.  As one of Lincolnshire's more active botanists he is currently involved in fieldwork for a new ‘Atlas of the Fens'.  He has found four county ‘firsts', two in Lincs and one each in Cambs and Bucks, since 2006.

Publications

Pywell, R.F., Eversham, B.E., Meek, W.R., Gurney, M. & Thomason, M. (1996) Botanical assessment on routes of proposed Southern Range Road within the SSSI, Salisbury Plain Training Area. NERC contract report (T02055o7) to the Ministry of Defence, Defence Estate Organisation, 113 pp.

Pywell, R.F., Rose, R.J., Roy, D.B., Barratt, D., Moy, I.L., Warman, E.A., Walker, K.J., Mountford, O.M., Carey, P.D., Maskell, L., Manchester, S.J., Meek, W.R., Thomason, M. & Gurney, M. (1997) Ecological survey of Salisbury Plain Training Area: 1996. NERC contract report (T02055o7) to the Ministry of Defence, Defence Estate Organisation.

Pywell, R.F., Brown, N.J. & Meek, W.R. (1997) A digital compartment map of Salisbury Plain Training Area. NERC contract report (T02055o7) to the Ministry of Defence, Defence Estate Organisation.

Pywell, R.F. Walker, K.J., Cooper, J., Warman, E.A., Barratt, D., Roy, D.B. Mountford, J.O. & Meek, W.R. (1998)  Vegetation Survey of Castlemartin AFTC. Volume 1. (Text). Defence Estate Organisation DEO Contract No. DEO11/4204. ITE Project Number T02055q7. 69 pp.

Pywell, R.F. Walker, K.J., Cooper, J., Warman, E.A., Barratt, D., Roy, D.B. Mountford, J.O. & Meek, W.R. (1998) Vegetation Survey of Castlemartin AFTC. Volume 2. (Tables & Figures). Defence Estate Organisation DEO Contract No. DEO11/4204. ITE Project Number T02055q7. 202 pp.

Pywell, R.F. Walker, K.J., Cooper, J., Barratt, D., Warman, E.A., Roy, D.B. Mountford, J.O. & Meek, W.R. (1998) Vegetation Survey of Penally Small Arms Range. Volume 1. (Text). Defence Estate Organisation DEO Contract No. DEO11/4204. ITE Project Number T02055q7. 74 pp.

Pywell, R.F. Walker, K.J., Cooper, J., Barratt, D., Warman, E.A., Roy, D.B. Mountford, J.O. & Meek, W.R. (1998) Vegetation Survey of Penally Small Arms Range. Volume 2. (Tables & Figures). Defence Estate Organisation DEO Contract No. DEO11/4204. ITE Project Number T02055q7. 147 pp.

Pywell, R.F. Walker, K.J., Cooper, J., Roy, D.B. & Meek, W.R. (1998) Vegetation Survey of Manorbier Ranges. Defence Estate Organisation DEO Contract No. DEO11/4204. ITE Project Number T02055q7. 68 pp.

Eversham, B.E., Pywell, R.F., Raine, A., Skidmore, P.D., Gurney, M. & Meek, W.R. (1996) Terrestrial invertebrate assessment on two options for the route of proposed Southern Range Road, Salisbury Plain Training Area. NERC contract report (T02055o7) to the Ministry of Defence, Defence Estate Organisation, 84 pp.

Brown, N.J., Pywell, R.F., Walker, K.J., Barratt, D. & Meek, W.R. (1997) A digital National Vegetation Classification map of Salisbury Plain Training Area East. NERC contract report (T02055o7) to the Ministry of Defence, Defence Estate Organisation.

Sparks, T.H., Meek, W.R., Mountford, J.O., Pywell, R.F. & Nowakowski, M. (2000) The spatial distribution of herbs and woody species in the hedgerows of an arable farm. Aspects of Applied Biology, 58, 401-406.

Sparks, T.H., Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F. & Nowakowski, M. (2000) The influence of field margin management on the butterfly fauna of a Yorkshire arable farm. Aspects of Applied Biology, 58, 407-410.

Telfer, M.G., Meek, W.R., Lambdon, P., Pywell, R.F., Sparks, T.H. & Nowakowski, M. (2000) The carabids of conventional and widened field margins. Aspects of Applied Biology, 58, 411-416.

Shore, R.F., Meek, W.R., Sparks, T.H., Pywell, R.F. & Nowakowski, M. (2000) Small mammals in Countryside Stewardship field margin strips. Aspects of Applied Biology, 58, 417-420.

Pywell, R.F., Meek, W.R. & Sparks T.H. (2000) Ecological Assessment and Monitoring of Manor Farm, N.Yorks; Technical Report 1999-2000.  CEH Project Number C01157. 100 pp

Pywell, R.F., Meek, W.R. & Sparks T.H. (2000) Ecological Assessment and Monitoring of Manor Farm, N.Yorks; Summary Report 1999-2000.  CEH Project Number C01157. 22 pp

Meek, W.R. (2000) Tawny Pinion Lithophane semibrunnea Haw. (Lep.:Noctuidae) in North Yorkshire.  The Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 112 (4) 173.

Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F., Sparks, T.H., Loxton, R, Iliffe, L., Pickett, H., Shore, R., & Shadrack, A. (2001) Ecological Assessments and Monitoring of Manor Farm, N.Yorks; Annual Report 2000. CEH project Number C01157. 164 pp.

Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F., Sparks, T.H., Loxton, R, Iliffe, L., Pickett, H., Shore, R., & Shadrack, A. (2001) Ecological Assessments and Monitoring of Manor Farm, N.Yorks; Executive Summary 2000. CEH project Number C01157. 28 pp.

Walker, K. J., Pywell, R. F., Carvell, C. & Meek, W. R.  (2001). Arable weed survey of Salisbury Plain Training Area. Report to Defence Estates. CEH, Monks Wood.

Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F., Sparks, T.H., Loxton, D., Carvell, C., Croxton, P., Singer, E., Gowing, R., Farrant, C., Nowakowski, M., Shadrack, A. (2002) Ecological Assessments and Monitoring of Manor Farm, N.Yorks; Executive Summary 2001/2002. CEH project number C01157. 38pp.                                                                

Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F., Sparks, T.H., Loxton, D., Carvell, C., Croxton, P., Singer, E., Gowing, R., Farrant, C., Nowakowski, M., Shadrack, A. (2002) Ecological Assessments and Monitoring of Manor Farm, N.Yorks; Annual Report 2001/2002. CEH project number C01157. 174pp.                                                                                                         

Meek, B., Loxton, D., Sparks, T., Pywell,R., Pickett, H., Nowakowski, M. (2002) The effect of arable field margin composition on invertebrate biodiversity.  Biological Conservation 106:259-271.

Meek, W.R., Burman, P.J., Nowakowski, M., Sparks, T.H., Burman, N.J. (2003) Barn owl release in lowland southern England - a twenty-one year study.  Biological Conservation 109: 271-282.

Meek, W.R., Carvell, C, Pywell, R., Nowakowski, M., Sparks, T., Loxton, D., Skidmore, P, Bell, D., Croxton, P., Warman, E., Löbel, S., Walker, K., (2003) The BUZZ Project Year 1 Summary Report 2002. CEH Project number CO1157, 23pp.

Meek, W.R., Carvell, C, Pywell, R., Nowakowski, M., Sparks, T., Loxton, D., Skidmore, P, Bell, D., Croxton, P., Warman, E., Löbel, S., Walker, K., (2003) The BUZZ Project Year 1 Technical Report 2002. CEH Project number CO1157, 50pp.

Wadsworth, R.A., Carey, P.D., Heard, M.S., Hill, M.O. Hinsley, S.A., Meek, W.R., Pannell, D.J., Ponder, V.,  Renwick, A.W., James, K.L. (2003)  A Review of Research into the Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of Contemporary and Alternative Arable Cropping Systems. CEH Project No. C02067; Contract No.  EPG 1/5/99. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F., Sparks, T.H., Nowakowski, M., Loxton, D., Carvell, C., Croxton, P., Shore, R.F., Turner, D., Skidmore, P., Bell, D., Singer, E., Gowing, R., Farrant, C., Iliffe, L., Pickett, H., Shadrack, A., Warman, E.A., Löbel, S., Walker, K.J., Westrich, P. (2004) Ecological Assessments and Monitoring of Manor Farm, N.Yorks; Technical Report 1999-2003. Final report to The Farmed Environment Company. NERC contract C01157, 197pp.            

Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F., Sparks, T.H., Nowakowski, M., Loxton, D., Carvell, C., Croxton, P., Shore, R.F., Turner, D., Skidmore, P., Bell, D., Singer, E., Gowing, R., Farrant, C., Iliffe, L., Pickett, H., Shadrack, A., Warman, E.A., Löbel, S., Walker, K.J., Westrich, P. (2004) Ecological Assessments and Monitoring of Manor Farm, N.Yorks; Executive Summary 1999-2003. Final report to The Farmed Environment Company. NERC contract C01157, 41pp.

Meek, W.R., Carvell, C, Pywell, R., Nowakowski, M., Sparks, T., Loxton, D., Skidmore, P, Bell, D., Croxton, P., Warman, E., Löbel, S., Walker, K., (2004) The BUZZ Project Year 2 Technical Report 2003. Report to The Farmed Environment Company/ Syngenta Ltd / Unilver/ Defra. NERC contract C01157, 73pp.                                                                               

Meek, W.R., Carvell, C, Pywell, R., Nowakowski, M., Sparks, T., Loxton, D., Skidmore, P, Bell, D., Croxton, P., Warman, E., Löbel, S., Walker, K., (2004) The BUZZ Project Year 2 Summary Report 2003. Report to The Farmed Environment Company/ Syngenta Ltd / Unilver/ Defra. NERC contract C01157, 35pp.                                                                                          

Carvell, C., Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F. & Nowakowski, M. (2004) The response of foraging bumblebees to successional change in newly created arable field margins. Biological Conservation, 118: 327-339.

Carvell, C., Meek, W.R., Broughton, R., Westrich, P., Pywell., R.F., Sparks, T., & Nowakowski, M., (2004).  Utilisation of pollen resources by bumblebees in an enhanced arable landscape.  Report to English Nature, VT0312. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monks Wood, Project number C02362, 32pp.

Pywell, R.F., James, K.L., Herbert, I., Meek, W.R., Carvell, C., Bell, D.,& Sparks, T.H. (2005)  Determinants of overwintering habitat quality for beetles and spiders on arable farmland.  Biological Conservation 123: 79-90.

Shore, R.F., Meek, W.R., Sparks, T.H., Pywell, R.F. & Nowakowski, M. (2005) Will Environmental Stewardship enhance small mammal abundance on intensively managed farmland?  Mammal Review 35, 277-284.

Meek, W.R., Carvell, C, Pywell, R., Nowakowski, M., Sparks, T., Loxton, D., Skidmore, P, Bell, D., Croxton, P., Warman, E., Löbel, S., Walker, K., (2005) The BUZZ Project Year 3 Technical Report 2004. Report to The Farmed Environment Company/ Syngenta Ltd / Unilver/ Defra. NERC contract C01157, 97pp.                                                                     

Meek, W.R., Carvell, C, Pywell, R., Nowakowski, M., Sparks, T., Loxton, D., Skidmore, P, Bell, D., Croxton, P., Warman, E., Löbel, S., Walker, K., (2005) The BUZZ Project Year 3 Summary Report 2004. Report to The Farmed Environment Company/ Syngenta Ltd / Unilver/ Defra. NERC contract C01157, 35pp.                                                                                         

Carvell, C., Pywell, R., Heard, M., & Meek W.R.  (2006) The Potential value of Environmental Stewardship Schemes for the BAP bumblebee, Bombus ruderatus (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Apidae).  Entomologist's Gazette 57: 91-97

Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F., Nowakowski, M. & Sparks, T.H. (2007)  Arable field margin management techniques to enhance biodiversity and control Barren Brome Anisantha sterilis.  Aspects of Applied Biology 82: ????

Carvell, C., Meek, W.R., Pywell, R.F., Goulson, D., & Nowakowski, M. (2007)  Comparing the efficacy of agri-environment schemes to enhance bumblebee abundance and diversity on arable field margins. Journal of Applied Ecology 44:29-40.

Walker, K.J., Warman, E.A., Bhogal, A., Cross, R.B., Pywell, R.F., Meek, W.R. Chambers, B.J., & Pakeman, R. (2007)   Recreation of lowland heathland on ex-arable land: assessing the limiting processes on two sites with contrasting soil fertility and pH.  Journal of Applied Ecology 44:573-582.

Meek, W.R., Burman, P.J., Nowakowski, M., Sparks, T.H., Hill, R.A., Swetnam, R.D., Burman, N.J.  (2009)  Habitat does not influence breeding performance in a long-term Barn Owl Tyto alba  study.   Bird Study 56:369-380.