A lifetime’s dedication to ‘conservation through wise use’ recognized with double award

Dr Mike Swan, Senior Advisor with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), has had his remarkable dedication to conservation and game management recognized with a double award at the recent Great British Shooting Awards 2022.

Mike, who celebrates 40 years with the GWCT this year, was selected as recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Conservation and the Lifetime Achievement Awards. In typically modest fashion, he said:

“Maybe it’s just a case of sticking it for long enough.”

Mike went on to comment: “My career with the GWCT has been fascinating and I like to think I have helped at least a few people achieve both better shooting, and better conservation from their shoot management.

“In accepting these two awards, I pay tribute to my many GWCT colleagues past and present. My achievements are very much a result of their dedication to the cause of conservation through wise use.”

Mike has been part of the GWCT Advisory Service team since January 1982. As Senior Advisor he provides game management and conservation advice to gamekeepers, shoot managers, farmers and conservation organisations, mainly in the south of England. For many years Mike led the GWCT education programme, with a particular emphasis on providing an insight into the work of GWCT for tertiary level students.

He writes widely for the sporting press and has been a contributing author to many of the Trust’s publications. Before his appointment with GWCT Mike studied insects and pollination for his PhD at University College Swansea.

Mike lives in Dorset, where he runs a rough shoot on a 1000 acre mainly arable farm, carrying out a range of conservation measures through Countryside Stewardship and other schemes. With wild pheasants and partridges as the main focus of the shoot, a comprehensive predation control programme is also a key aspect. He also enjoys coastal wildfowling, angling and woodland deer stalking.

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust www.gwct.org.uk is an independent wildlife conservation charity which carries out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 23 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies.