Tom Hayek

Senior Project Manager (Nature-based Solutions)

About me

Conservation is a second career for me having returned to university in 2005 to undertake an Ecology degree after 5 years working in recruitment. I was drawn to wetland ecology from the start, getting stuck into water vole, otter and river habitat surveys as a volunteer during my studies before securing my first job in the sector working in the river catchments of Wiltshire on water vole survey and related habitat creation as well as surveying for and removal of invasive non-native plants.

Since then, I have spent time working with farmers and other stakeholders and managing landscape-scale programmes of work in the lowland landscapes of the Humberhead Levels in South Yorkshire & Lincolnshire and the Meres & Mosses of Shropshire & Cheshire.

Outside of the day job, I have developed a passion for moths and am a volunteer moth recorder for the National Trust as well as delivering community moth events and talks.

My role

My role at WWT will help the organisation to further its delivery of, and evidence for, the many benefits of wetlands in rural landscapes. As well as looking to benefit wetland biodiversity, I will be helping to develop and deliver projects and wider programmes of work that show how important wetlands are for reducing flood risk, improving water quality and sequestering carbon: these are referred to as nature-based solutions.

This work will involve working with a wide range of stakeholders and other partners including communities, landowners, politicians and other conservation charities to ensure that solutions are proposed and delivered that provide benefits across society as WWT looks to deliver a Blue Recovery.

The role also involves working with a numbers of colleagues across WWT departments to ensure that we are building a solid evidence base for these solutions to be widely adopted as we look to combat the climate emergency and nature crisis.

Experience and interests

• Partnership and stakeholder development
• Project development
• Project and programme management
• Community engagement
• Habitat creation
• Moth survey