David has been involved in conservation management for the last twenty years, both as a volunteer and as an employee.  He spent some time in Cumbrian leading BTCV teams.  His first degree was in American Studies, but he did a postgraduate degree at Otley College in conservation management.  Latterly he worked for the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, managing heathland and stock, and was project manager for the Sandlings team.  He developed an interest in wild food, both plants and fungi, and also low-impact living and sustainability, and managing grasslands with the use of a scythe rather than a mower.