Alastair Driver

Alastair Driver was born in Gloucester, England and educated at Randwick C of E Primary School and Marling School in Stroud, Gloucestershire. He studied ccology at Lancaster University and was awarded a BSc Hons degree in 1978. Driver was appointed as an Honorary Professor in Applied Environmental Management by the University of Exeter in 2016.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

Driver was appointed as the first conservation officer for the Thames Water Authority in 1984 and oversaw the development of river and wetland conservation policies, procedures and projects in the Thames catchment through the formation of the National Rivers Authority in 1989 and the Environment Agency in 1996. During this period he initiated many partnership projects with voluntary organisations in the River Thames catchment, including otter habitat projects and water vole projects with county Wildlife Trusts, aimed at the conservation and recovery of these threatened species. During this period he also oversaw the environmental aspects of many hundreds of river engineering schemes including the Jubilee River in Berkshire.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

File:Alastair Driver with Theresa May MP.jpg

In 2002 Driver was appointed as National Conservation Manager for the Environment Agency, until taking early retirement from public service in 2016. He founded or co-founded initiatives, including the River Restoration Project,{{cite web|title=R. Cole River Restoration Project|url=http://www.therrc.co.uk/projects/cole_brochure.pdf|publisher=The River Restoration Centre|accessdate=21 January 2017}} the River Restoration Centre {{cite web|title=The River Restoration Centre|url=http://www.therrc.co.uk|publisher=The River Restoration Centre|accessdate=18 January 2017}} the European Riverprize,{{cite web|title=European Riverprize|url=http://www.riverfoundation.org.au|publisher=International Riverfoundation|accessdate=18 January 2017}} the UK Riverprize,{{cite web|title=UK River Prize|url=http://www.therrc.co.uk/uk-river-prize|publisher=The River Restoration Centre|accessdate=18 January 2017}} SuDS for Schools{{cite web|title=SuDS for Schools|url=http://www.wwt.org.uk/conservation/wwt-projects/suds-for-schools|publisher=Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust|accessdate=18 January 2017}} and Catchments in Trust. In 1997 Driver set up the UK Water Vole Conservation Group which he chaired until September 2016. This group oversaw the delivery of the Biodiversity Action Plan for this declining species, including securing full legal protection for water voles in 2008.{{cite news|title=Endangered Ratty gets legal protection|newspaper=The Guardian |date=31 March 2008 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/mar/31/endangeredspecies.endangeredhabitats|publisher=The Guardian online|accessdate=18 January 2017 |last1=Vidal |first1=John }} In recent years,{{When|date=January 2024}} Driver has been a strong advocate of natural flood management and especially the acquisition of evidence on the multiple benefits of working with natural processes when managing river catchments.{{cite web|title=Multiple benefits through river and wetland restoration|url=http://www.riversympsosium.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Alastair-Driver.pdf|publisher=International Riverfoundation|accessdate=18 January 2017}} His ongoing compilation of this evidence, known as "Killer Facts", is published online by the Natural Environment Research Council.{{cite web|title=Killer Facts - Benefits of river and wetland restoration|url=http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/242-killer-facts-benefits-of-river-and-wetland-restoration|publisher=NERC-BESS|accessdate=18 January 2017}}

Driver was appointed as Director of Rewilding Britain in January 2017. In 2020 he was described by Environment Minister Lord Goldsmith as being "a fantastic influence on the national debate around rewilding who could take the credit for rewilding becoming more mainstream".{{cn|date=June 2023}}

• Ambassador for the International Riverfoundation - 2008{{cite web|title=International Riverfoundation - Our Story|url=http://www.riverfoundation.org.au/our-story|publisher=International Riverfoundation|accessdate=18 January 2017}}
• International Riverprize on behalf of the River Thames - 2010{{cite news|title=River Thames wins international restoration prize|work=BBC News |date=12 October 2010 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11527386|accessdate=18 January 2017}}{{cite web|title=River Talk Series - with Alastair Driver, National Conservation Manager of the UK Environment Agency|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBD2Ap6Xj8k|publisher=You Tube|accessdate=18 January 2017}}{{cite web|title=The Thames - recovery from biological death|url=http://www.ecrr.org/Portals/27/Alastair%20Driver.pdf|publisher=European Centre for River Restoration|accessdate=18 January 2017}}
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) - 2012{{cite web|title=CIEEM awards new fellowships|url=http://www.cieem.net/news/97/cieem-awards-new-fellowships|publisher=Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management|accessdate=18 January 2017}}
• CIEEM Small Conservation Projects Award, on behalf of the Friends of Ali's Pond - 2016{{cite web|title=CIEEM 2016 Award Winners|url=http://www.cieem.net/award-winners-2016|publisher=Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management|accessdate=18 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202005853/http://www.cieem.net/award-winners-2016|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=dead}}
• Honorary Professor status by University of Exeter - 2016
• Technical Advisor and team member for "A Rewilding Britain Landscape" Gold Medal Winner and Best in Show at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022{{cite web | url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/Gardens/2022/a-rewilding-britain-landscape | title=A Rewilding Britain Landscape }}
• Included in the ENDS Report Power Lists for 2022 and 2023 of the top 100 environmental professionals who have made the greatest impact over the previous two years.{{cite web | url=https://www.endsreport.com/power-list | title=Power List 2023 }}

Alastair Driver has been married to Belinda since 1980 and they have three sons, Daniel, Liam and Kieran. He has lived in Sonning, Berkshire since 1987.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u_CvFfhGkM "Rewilding and Bringing Back Beasts"] People, Place and Nature. Extended interview.

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Category:English ecologists

Category:English conservationists

Category:Rewilding advocates

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people