Peter Cranswick

Senior Project Development Manager

About me

Since I first gave it serious thought, I have always wanted to work in conservation. A birder from an early age, interested in ducks especially, a first job at WWT ticked all the boxes and has turned into a 30-year stay.

The focus has evolved over that time, from waterbird monitoring, to threatened species, to major project management and delivery, and lots of variation besides.

I am a big fan of planning, processes and structures. I especially enjoy the challenge of novel and pioneering projects, where there is no clear guidance for what should be done or even what is possible. And I relish the moments in the field where, when everything was already stacked against you, something else unexpectedly makes the situation yet more challenging – I have enough anecdotes for a lifetime. I’m passionate about enthusing others about the environment and the challenges of conservation.

My role

My current focus is project development, guiding the design and strategic approach of major projects, and supporting project developers and managers.

My main role has been as a project manager. I have particular experience of working on large projects, mainly for threatened waterbirds and waterbird monitoring. I have secured and delivered projects worth £5 million, and am well versed in planning, coordination, logistics, health & safety, reporting, fundraising and financial management.

I have worked on large and novel multidisciplinary projects. These include the conservation of Madagascar Pochard, saving a species on the brink of extinction and reintroducing captive-bred birds at a new site, with the attendant range of issues from aviculture, research, monitoring, sustainable livelihoods, and community engagement to habitat restoration. Flight of the Swans centred on a paramotor expedition along the migration route of Bewick’s Swan, engaging in real time with multiple stakeholders and the public, both on the ground and via a widespread press and social media programme.

I have particular experience working on threatened waterbirds, and especially conservation action planning, facilitating the process for eg Red-breasted Goose, Scaly-sided Merganser, Long-tailed Duck and Whooper Swan.

I have been involved in many international collaborations, working on projects in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Norway and Russia, and with MEAs, eg AEWA, EAAFP and the Bern Convention.

I am experienced in response planning, coordinating WWT’s response to outbreaks of Avian Influenza, have designed planning exercises for agencies, and provide advice to Government.

I ensure a strategic and well-planned approach to projects and workshops, and am trained in the use of Open Standards and structured decision making.

Experience and interests

• Experienced Project Manager, having managed a variety of large multidisciplinary projects
• Well versed in planning, coordination and logistics for complex projects
• Species Action Planning, having led the development of plans for a number of threatened species
• Response planning, anticipating and managing organisational response, specifically to Avian Influenza outbreaks
• Experienced waterbird monitoring fieldworker, and an expert in aerial surveys
• Facilitator and trainer, and a qualified CCNet coach in Open Standards
• Passionate communicator, regularly giving presentations and media interviews

Publications

Cranswick, PA, J Worden, RM Ward, HE Rowell, C Hall, AJ Musgrove, RD Hearn, SJ Holloway, AN Banks, GE Austin, LR Griffin, B Hughes, M Kershaw, MJ O’Connell, MS Pollitt, EC Rees & LE Smith. 2005. The Wetland Bird Survey 2001-03: Wildfowl & Wader Counts. BTO/WWT/RSPB/JNCC, Slimbridge.

Cranswick, PA, L Raducescu, GM Hilton & N Petkov. 2012. International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis). AEWA Technical Series No 46.

Cranswick, PA, NS Jarrett, AJ Bamford, F Randrianarimangason, LG Woolaver & HG Young. 2018. Translocation Plan for Madagascar Pochard Aythya innotata – for re-introduction at Lake Sofia, 2018–27. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust/Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Antananarivo / Slimbridge / Jersey.

DTI. 2006. Aerial surveys of waterbirds in strategic windfarm areas: 2004/05 final report. DTI.

Lee, R, PA Cranswick, RL Cromie, GM Hilton, NS Jarrett & B Hughes. 2012. AEWA Guidelines for the Translocation of Waterbirds for Conservation Purposes: Complementing the IUCN Guidelines. AEWA Conservation Guidelines No 13, AEWA Technical Series No 49.

Robertson, PA, T Adriaens, A Caizergues, PA Cranswick, K Devos, C Gutiérrez Expósito, I Henderson, B Hughes, AC Mill & GC Smith. 2015. Towards the European Eradication of the North American Ruddy Duck. Biological Invasions 17: 9–12.

Snow, LC, SE Newson, AJ Musgrove, PA Cranswick, HQP Crick & JW Wilesmith. 2007. Risk based surveillance for Avian Influenza H5N1 in wild birds in Great Britain. The Veterinary Record 161: 775–781.