Guiding our mission - how Earthwatch trustees bring passion and purpose to our environmental work - Earthwatch Europe

Guiding our mission – how Earthwatch trustees bring passion and purpose to our environmental work

As a charity, we are grateful to have a Board of Trustees with a wealth of experience and diverse perspectives. Our trustees guide us on our mission to build a world where we live in balance with nature. To mark Trustees’ Week, we asked four of them to tell us how their role with Earthwatch links back to their passion and personal interests.

Growing up in Iran, I regularly went hiking with my dad and grandad in the Alborz mountains. We also ventured into the Hyrcanian forests and swam in the Caspian Sea. I spent countless hours exploring the wonders of nature; playing with plants and animals.

What attracted me most to Earthwatch is its mission of connecting more people with nature. I also value its leadership in citizen science, engaging all members of society in scientific research. Being a trustee is an opportunity to pay it forward and use the skills that I’ve developed in marketing, communication and community engagement, especially with regards to younger generations.

Young people are already passionate about environmental issues but often they don’t have the platform or opportunity to influence decisions. More than 50% of the world’s population is under 30, but only 2.6% of parliamentarians are under 30 years old. There’s a clear disconnect between decision-makers and young people who will have to live with the consequences of those decisions.

It’s important that we don’t just give young people a seat at the table. Give them the table and let them make decisions about their future!

We also need to stop separating environmentalism from social justice. And we need more people to mentor and invest in young people’s future. More than ever, we need more intergenerational dialogue and exchanging of ideas and knowledge.


As a wealth management professional, I am privileged to help clients achieve their philanthropic goals, creating lasting impact that reflect their values while connecting them with the communities that benefit from their generosity.

Personally, my approach to philanthropy focuses on giving my time as an active volunteer and donor. I find deep satisfaction in these activities, which strengthen my connection to the communities I serve and nurture a shared commitment to collective wellbeing.

I first heard about Earthwatch Europe’s Tiny Forest movement through my husband, while I was exploring ways to volunteer during a career break.

Becoming a Tree Keeper for a Tiny Forest in London has brought me immense joy, as captured in this photo from a day spent among the trees.

Spending time in these small, biodiverse oases has become a powerful reminder of nature’s resilience and the tangible difference individuals can make. Motivated by this, I am now seeking additional locations to help expand this programme and bring more Tiny Forests to urban areas.

Serving as a Trustee enables me to support Earthwatch on a more strategic and impactful scale. Leveraging my professional network, I aim to connect with individuals and organisations that share our mission, raising awareness and fostering support for these initiatives.


Ever since I was a child, mostly growing up in large cities, I have embraced opportunities to connect and reconnect with the natural world – pets, wild animals, gardens, parks, lakes, exploring forests and being by and in the sea.

Witnessing the destruction of trees to widen a main road was an upsetting early childhood experience. It made me feel sad and angry, and made me want to do something about human folly.

I appreciate the peace and serenity that being with nature brings. There is also a sense of custodianship of our planet. Reuniting with what is part of us is very special, if not at times, sacred.

Earthwatch Europe gives us that exceptional blend of environmental science and collective and individual endeavour to act on what we know and use that knowledge to influence for good. I am one of the longest-serving board chairs in the voluntary sector. My experience spans almost 30 years, including eight with Earthwatch.

I love the challenge of alchemy within groups. Through my role, I enable boards and organisations to find their voice and be more effective and cohesive through better communication and engagement. I’m not a musician, but I enjoy music – this role is my way of conducting a symphony!


Having grown up in rural Staffordshire and gone on to study geology, the outdoors has always been an important part of my life. I now work in geoconservation, helping people to manage, conserve, and celebrate the important geological sites within the landscape. It’s an essential but often overlooked part of nature.

I applied to be a Trustee at Earthwatch because of the charity’s commitment to having science at the heart of everything it does. By building our scientific knowledge on nature, engaging more people with that science, and communicating it better to those in positions of power, we can bring about a world where people live in balance with our planet.

People know that nature needs a helping hand right now, and they want to be part of the solution. Through citizen science we can all help monitor the state of nature in a meaningful way – building the scientific evidence that will deliver a better future.

Let’s not also forget that its a lot of fun! Citizen science is a great way to engage people with nature, meet new people through volunteering, and know you’re making a positive difference to the environment!

Meet and find out more about the rest of our trustees here.

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