Chris Woodley-Stewart has worked in conservation since 1990. He has been Director of the North Pennines National Landscape (formerly AONB) for 25 years. He has previously worked as Countryside Officer in the Chilterns AONB team, ran a Countryside Management Project in Essex and been a Ranger in Cheshire.

He has qualifications in conservation, the humanities and management.  When his older daughter was very young, she told him, ‘My daddy saves the wild’ – he knows he still hasn’t got even close, but is still willing to work with anyone, from any sphere or sector, who wants to try.

He lives in beautiful Teesdale, and when he’s not enjoying nature locally and further afield, he’s playing guitar or suffering the trials of Leeds United.