Meet the team
mike denbury
rsne project manager
mike.denbury@rsne.org.uk
07521 697979
Following 10-years working for the Environment Agency, Mike swapped the South West for the North East in 2012 and has worked as a Ranger for the National Trust leading volunteers in practical conservation tasks and undertaking a wide variety of countryside management activities. As a result he is fully accustomed to not only getting his hands dirty but also operating well in the rain! Experienced at writing red squirrel and deer management plans, Mike has delivered monitoring programmes and grey squirrel control. He understands the importance of building and maintaining strong connections with a wide variety of stakeholder groups, especially when delivering projects over a large geographical area.
Abbie Mcqueen
RSNE Project Officer
abbie.mcqueen@rsne.org.uk
07394 360305
Abbie grew up in rural Northumberland and consequently has a passion for conserving and improving local wildlife populations. She initially completed her bachelors in Animal Science and followed this with a masters in Wildlife Management. After a six month placement at RSNE, assisting with coordinating and managing the annual spring monitoring programme, Abbie secured the position of RSNE project officer.
Matthew Stuart
North Lakes Ranger
matthew.stuart@rsne.org.uk
Local to the North Lakes, near Keswick, Matt has been with RSNE since its beginning. His work is focussed in the North Lakes red squirrel Stronghold complex, working as far east as Greystoke, around Bassenthwaite to the west and southwards around Thirlmere and some areas on Windermere. A combination of Forestry England and private landowner Countryside Stewardship grants enable this work.
Gary jefferson
Harwood Red Squirrel Stronghold Range
gary.jefferson@rsne.org.uk
Gary has been working with RSNE since 2019 in the area south of Rothbury and prior to this for many years alongside the Coquetdale Red Squirrel Group. Gary has much experience in countryside matters and is well known by locals due to his many years working for the fire service and volunteering with the local squirrel group. A portfolio of Countryside Stewardship grants via three landowners and a Forestry England grant supports the bulk of Gary’s work.
jack edmondson
south lakes ranger
jack.edmondson@rsne.org.uk
Jack was born and raised in the south Lakes, Coniston, and started his career with RSNE in 2019, working on the Grasmere to Grizedale (G2G) Red Squirrel Project, which delivers a programme of collaborative action to protect reds. The key aim is to restore the predominance of the native red squirrel by reducing competition and disease risk posed by grey squirrels within the G2G project area. Jack’s post is principally enabled through the National Trust’s Countryside Stewardship grant, with support from private landowners and Westmorland & Grasmere Red Squirrel Groups.
jon abbott
Druridge Bay Ranger
jon.abbott@rsne.org.uk
07821 567936
Jon has been an active and dedicated volunteer with the Morpeth & District Red Squirrel Group for many years. Working part-time for RSNE, he has helped to reverse a squirrelpox outbreak at East Chevington that occurred there in 2019 and now keeps a close eye on the area between A697 and the Druridge Bay coast. Thanks to the Catch my Drift project at NWT’s East Chevington reserve, Lottery funding enables Jon to work part-time between Druridge Bay and A697 for two years (2021-2022).
Paul West
paul.west@rsne.org.uk