How the CMS Consortium is organised
The Consortium has a management team which acts as a 'think-tank' to focus developments of the software, and to initiate and fund projects which explore new applications. The management team is made up of the Chairman and General Secretary who have 3 year appointments with other members being elected each year by the members.
The current team is:
Chairman: Professor Denis Bellamy
General Secretary: Mike Alexander
Ordinary Members: Tim Coleshaw (Natural England)
Ellen Wilson (RSPB)
David Wheeler (CCW)
Secretariat: David Mitchel (exeGesIS)
Prof Bellamy reached the chair of the CMS Consortium via a university career, during which he spent twenty years heading the department of zoology in University College Cardiff. He served for seven years as a council member of the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW).
He describes himself thus: "I am a 'systems thinker' who uses computers to model ecosystems, with particular reference to their management. I reached the chair of the CMS Consortium via a university career, during which I spent twenty years heading the department of zoology in University College Cardiff. I have just left the CCW after seven years as a council member, during which I did my bit to promote "managerialism" at site level.
It was the need to make predictions about the impact of rabbits on Skomer Island. NNR that propelled me towards the use of computers, and set me questioning the relationships of ecological research to conservation management. I have no doubts about predictive site management being the ultimate test as to whether ecologists can say anything useful about the world. Running a mature site requires systems thinking at the highest level of biological organisation. It can be frustrating that we often have little more to put into our management plans than vague ecological generalities and natural history.
However, I am enthusiastic about the potential for CMS to turn a species-list into resource inventory for auditing the relevant stocks and flows. Another reason for my commitment is that the CMS can be a powerful tool for spreading best practice. In this respect, I believe that maintaining care for the environment alongside economic prosperity has become one of humanity's greatest socio-scientific challenges, and there really isn't time for re-inventing wheels."
Mike originally trained in Fine Arts and Sculpture. He first got involved in conservation working in bird observatories on Skokholm and the Calf of Man, followed by research into oil pollution for the Field Studies Council.
He spent 10 years on Skomer Island - probably the most important and formative period of his life. On leaving the Island he joined the Countryside Council for Wales as a National Nature Reserve (NNR) warden, covering Morfa Harlech and Dyffryn, Cadair Idris, Rhinog and Coed Llety Walter in Meirioneth. He became concerned at this time by the lack of management planning and systematic recording and in 1987 developed a paper system for planning and recording work on nature reserves. This led to collaboration with James Perrins, a long term friend, resulting eventually in the development of the CMS software and Consortium.
Mike is employed by CCW as Conservation Management Coordinator, with responsibility for defining and obtaining appropriate standards of management on all statutory sites in Wales. His international involvement in recent years has included work for ICONA (Spanish National Parks), Costa Rica National Parks, the Wildlife Institute of India, the Ramsar Bureau, Estonia National Parks etc. Author of "The Guide to Management Planning in Nature Reserves and Protected Areas", recognised by many as a definitive work on the subject. When not actively involved in his full time work (a rare occurrence!), he spends time in wood turning and making furniture. He is also a very keen photographer and has many published photographs to his name.
Tim Coleshaw has been a Site Manager with Natural
England /English Nature for 18 years, with current responsibility for
National Nature Reserves in Staffordshire and Cheshire. Previously he
was employed by the National Trust. He has used CMS and its predecessors
from the start of the IT based systems and has been involved in several
reviews/updates of CMS over the years. Tim led the development Natural
England's NNR Management Plan format and is the author of “NNR
management plans: a guide”. He is currently involved in a project
assessing the suitability of using CMS for NNR planning and reporting
within Natural England.
Away from work, Tim enjoys travelling, photography and messing about in
boats, preferably ones with sails.
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David Mitchel - Secretariat to the management team
David heads up the new CMS unit of exeGesIS where he leads on all aspects of the management, service delivery and development of CMS. Prior to joining exeGesIS, David worked for the Environment & Heritage Service in Northern Ireland, for 12 years, first of all as an assistant warden in a busy Country Park and then, for the last 8 years as the Data Manager, running a GIS system, biological recording (especially the development and use of Recorder 2002) and Northern Ireland’s input into the National Biodiversity Network. He was also involved in the establishment and implementation of the NI Strategy for Geographic Information. David is a keen mycologist involved in the Fungus Conservation Forum and likes nothing better than disappearing into a wood armed with a collecting basket, notebook and GPS unit. Outside of work, David is training two children to love hill walking and travel.
