We need your help to continue our vital surveys.

Learn more

BTO Youth Representatives

BTO Youth Representatives engage young people with nature and science by organising events in their region, and working with local communities and stakeholders. They are part of BTO's wider Youth Engagement Strategy, which has been developed by the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP). 

BTO's Youth Representatives cover the whole of the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man. You can browse their profiles below, or jump to a specific region to find your local rep: 

Get in touch with your local Youth Rep

We'd love to hear from you!

You can reach out to your local Youth Representative with questions and comments by emailing the BTO Youth team at youth [at] bto.org.

England - London, the South West and the South East

Georgina, 22, Brighton / Fife

Georgina is a 22-year-old Biology Undergraduate studying at the University of St. Andrews and has always had a passion for conservation. She developed a love for birding after watching her first bird ringing demonstration at the Knepp Estate. She is now a ringing trainee working towards achieving her C-permit and expanding her knowledge of birds.

As a BTO Youth Representative she aims to engage young individuals with wildlife and develop their appreciation for the natural world. She believes providing sources of inspiration for young people through activities such as bird ringing demonstrations and nature-oriented talks are extremely important as they can shape their futures.

Amelie, 20, Buckinghamshire / Cambridgeshire

Amelie is currently studying Biological Sciences at the University of Exeter, specialising in Animal Biology. Having grown up in Australia, she’s always been passionate about nature and wildlife, from the seas to the skies, and hopes to potentially return one day to work in conservation.

She has previously volunteered as a Youth Ranger for her local parks trust, and has also been a Youth Ambassador for the DofE Award, and is excited to combine what she has learned from these experiences to run engaging and inspiring nature events.

Amelie has a special passion for owls and birds of prey, and hopes to share her enthusiasm with others through this role, as well as learning more about birding and the amazing range of bird species here in the UK.

Carla, 23, Cornwall

Carla is studying for a Masters in Marine Vertebrate Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

She is a keen birder and trainee bird ringer as well as a big fan of cetaceans, moths and butterflies, and loves nothing more than getting out and about to look for nature in her local area when she gets the chance.

She also enjoys horse riding and reading, and her favourite bird is a Nuthatch.

Kate, 23, Dorset

Kate has been fascinated by the natural world for as long as she can remember, and is working towards a career in conservation. She is a Zoology graduate from the University of Exeter and has done a placement year with the Reserve Team at WWT Slimbridge. She is also a C Permit Bird Ringer and has been ringing for four years.

She has a soft spot for seabirds, and her favourite bird is a Storm Petrel! She started working at BTO as a Training Officer in 2023. 

Mya, 20, Dorset

Mya is a 20-year-old birder, wildlife photographer, naturalist, and vlogger. She is currently studying an ecology and wildlife conservation degree at Bournemouth University. Having had a passion for wildlife since the age of 8, she is now hoping to encourage the next generation to take up an interest in the natural world.

Alongside her studies, she is an ambassador for the Cameron Bespolka Trust, Leica Sport Optics, and a council member for the Sussex Ornithological Society. 

Hannah, 24, Dorset / Greater Manchester 

Hannah first became a BTO Youth Rep 5 years ago at the University of South Wales, where she studied BSc(Hons) in Natural History, a combination of biology, ecology and wildlife photography and filmmaking. During her time at university, she started the USW Nature and Ornithology Society to engage as many students as possible in nature from all backgrounds.

Nature has the immense potential to help people appreciate the present moment and find respect for our environment, which has inspired Hannah's passion for outdoor adventure. She is now a mountain leader and working as an assistant ranger for the Wildlife Trust. She hopes to continue to engage young people in the mountains and in wildlife through the BTO. You can follow Hannah on Instagram.

Jose, 16, Gloucestershire

Jose has been a wildlife enthusiast from a young age, always loving nature wherever he goes. Alongside nature, he is also passionate about crochet and reading. He loves to be outdoors and to be in a natural environment as much as he can. He has also taken up nature photography recently as another one of his hobbies.

He is soon starting A-Levels which include Biology and Geography. In addition, he has been involved in several activities and opportunities around the UK, such as being awarded a Young Darwin Scholarship.

In the future, Jose strives to get more people involved in nature. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter.

Imogen, 23, Hampshire

Imogen can often be found in the Lake District. She enjoys all outdoor activities from hillwalking, mountaineering and rock climbing and she is working towards a mountain leader award. She is completing her dissertation on sustainable recreation in the Cairngorms National Park for her Masters's Degree in Sustainability Studies and looks forward to gaining more practical experience in conservation before applying for PhDs.

During her time in her University Mountaineering Society, she has enjoyed educating other members on the birds and wildlife they see whilst exploring. She enjoys bird watching with her parents, photography and posting her adventures to her social media.

As a BTO Youth Representative, she looks forward to meeting other people her age with the same passion for conservation and sustainability and growing a community of people who can discuss the environmental issues we will be facing in the coming years.

Humphrey, 22, London

Humphrey is a birder and filmmaker from South-East London. Born and raised in Lewisham, he grew to love the natural world by visiting the Natural History Museum, Horniman Museum, and watching classic Attenborough documentaries. He got into birding via regular visits to family in Norfolk, where he fell in love with bitterns, spoonbills, and all the waders of the Wash.

Having obtained a degree in Zoology from the University of Exeter in Penryn, he is now studying for a Masters in Directing and Producing Natural History at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, with ambitions to make wildlife films that help more people fall in love with nature.

With BTO Youth he hopes to get more young people from urban areas outdoors and excited about birds, butterflies, and the natural world. His favourite UK bird is the Ring-necked Parakeet, as they wake him up on time every morning!

Keir, 21, London

Keir is a second-year History undergraduate at UCL and loves to explore London’s green spaces while remaining loyal to his local patch. He volunteered previously for Heath Hands as a Sessions Leader and is now keen to get more young people involved in birding and conservation.

He wants to expand the youth birding community by helping people to connect with other young birders in their local area and getting more people to go on birding trips. He is passionate about aiding the personal development of young birders by providing a place where people can be supported and interested in exploring the different careers available in the field.

He also wants to provide more events that get diverse audiences engaged as well as looking at green ways of birding in the city.

Lucy, 23, Cornwall

Lucy is currently studying for a masters in Conservation and Biodiversity at the University of Exeter, based in Cornwall. She loves all aspects of the natural world and wants to work to protect it in the future.

She believes birds are a great way to get people to discover and appreciate the nature around them, even (and especially) in urban areas. As a BTO Youth Representative, she hopes to help people build this connection to and passion for wildlife and the outdoors.  

Niamh, 20, Oxfordshire /  Bedfordshire

Niamh is a birder, naturalist and environmentalist from Bedfordshire who is currently in her second year at the University of Oxford. She is passionate about wildlife conservation and her lifelong goal is to stop the biodiversity and climate crises.

From a young age, thanks to hours spent on her grandparents’ farm and walking with her parents in the countryside, she has been immersed in the natural world. She hopes that, as a Youth Representative, she can give other young people the opportunity to be immersed in the natural world as she was. She strongly believes that this will foster deep connections between young people and birds and wildlife, and will motivate young people to protect our natural world.

At university, she is Oxford Ornithological Student Society (OXOSS) President and is also involved in the Nature Conservation Society. Niamh is also a senior ambassador for the Tree Council. You can follow her on Instagram.

Ramandeep, 19, Reading

Ramandeep is a zoology student at the University of Reading and is currently in her second year. She loves speaking to new people so wants more people to feel connected to wildlife and nature.

She loves volunteering and learning new skills to develop herself and is currently co-president of her university’s hedgehog society, diversity officer for the hiking society and part of the youth organisation UK Youth for Nature.

Her current favourite bird is the Kingfisher due to their vibrant plumage. 

Johana, 21, Reading

Johana is an undergraduate student currently pursuing her studies in ecology and wildlife conservation. As a dedicated wildlife photographer and writer, she melds her passions to show the beauty of our planet and ways to protect it.

She has volunteered for conservation organisations including Amazon Conservation and Greenpeace. She is lucky enough to be able to travel the world getting to know different cultures and learning about innovative approaches to preserve the environment. Her big passion is environmental education and creating a welcoming community for people interested in nature conservation.

Her favourite parts of nature are plants and birds with which she hopes to work in the future. You can follow her on Instagram.

England - East and West Midlands and East Anglia (including Essex)

Iris, 19, Bedfordshire / Lothian

Iris is an undergraduate at Edinburgh University studying Chinese. She has always been interested in birds, a passion which feeds into her wider concerns about conservation and habitat protection.

Helping organise events for an environmental group at school made her realise the importance of engaging young people in issues related to this field. She hopes to be able to continue this through her role as Youth Representative for BTO in Lothian and Bedfordshire.

Niamh, 20, Bedfordshire / Oxfordshire

Niamh is a birder, naturalist and environmentalist from Bedfordshire who is currently in her second year at the University of Oxford. She is passionate about wildlife conservation and her lifelong goal is to stop the biodiversity and climate crises.

From a young age, thanks to hours spent on her grandparents’ farm and walking with her parents in the countryside, she has been immersed in the natural world. She hopes that, as a Youth Representative, she can give other young people the opportunity to be immersed in the natural world as she was. She strongly believes that this will foster deep connections between young people and birds and wildlife, and will motivate young people to protect our natural world.

At university, she is Oxford Ornithological Student Society (OXOSS) President and is also involved in the Nature Conservation Society. Niamh is also a senior ambassador for the Tree Council. You can follow her on Instagram.

Holly, 23, Birmingham & West Midlands

Holly is 23-year-old recent graduate from Lancaster University with a MSc in Conservation and Biodiversity. She loves wildlife of any sort but is particularly passionate about invertebrates, their diversity and behaviours.

As a BTO Youth Representative for Birmingham and the West Midlands, she'd love to help young people in urban areas connect with wildlife in their local area and give them opportunities to get involved.

She also volunteers with the RSPB running outdoor education sessions with school groups, and loves getting together with people and hearing all about their experiences and knowledge.

Amelie, 20, Cambridgeshire / Buckinghamshire

Amelie is currently studying Biological Sciences at the University of Exeter, specialising in Animal Biology. Having grown up in Australia, she’s always been passionate about nature and wildlife, from the seas to the skies, and hopes to potentially return one day to work in conservation.

She has previously volunteered as a Youth Ranger for her local parks trust, and has also been a Youth Ambassador for the DofE Award, and is excited to combine what she has learned from these experiences to run engaging and inspiring nature events.

Amelie has a special passion for owls and birds of prey, and hopes to share her enthusiasm with others through this role, as well as learning more about birding and the amazing range of bird species here in the UK.

Rhys, 16, Essex

Rhys has always had a great passion for wildlife and hopes to use this in his position as the Youth Representative for Essex. He aims to inspire young people in his area in the pursuit of conservation.

He hopes to eventually have a career in conservation ornithology and one day study his favourite bird family: raptors. 

Alice, 22, Essex

Alice is a 22 year-old wildlife conservationist and a keen birder.

As a teenager she regularly volunteered for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Wildlife Trust and later went on to read Zoology at University. Here, she began to volunteer for the BTO as a youth representative and as a bird ringer before attaining her ringing licence, which she used whilst working at bird observatories across Europe.

She particularly enjoys nest monitoring and has recently worked as an RSPB Senior Research Assistant studying lapwing in North Wales.

Maria, 25, Nottinghamshire

Maria is a 25-year-old nature lover from North Yorkshire, now based in Nottinghamshire. She finished her BSc in Animal Science at the University of Nottingham in 2020 where she also spent a year working at WWT Martin Mere as a placement student.

She is a keen birder, moth-er, trainee bird ringer and WeBS counter.

She is especially passionate about making nature accessible for all and inclusive of everyone, regardless of their background and hopes to share this passion with everyone. 

Socks, 19, Nottinghamshire

Socks is a 19-year-old student at the University of Nottingham, where they are studying Zoology. They have taken an interest in nature, particularly birds since age 2. Socks is a keen birder and falconer, completing their falconry qualification at age 13. They love to spend time outside in nature in their free time, birdwatching and photographing wildlife.

Birds may be Socks’ main passion, however they love all species and are excited to share this passion with more young people. They would like to connect with other young birders and organise trips where they can expand their skills.

They would also like to work towards making nature accessible to everyone and ensuring that everyone can experience the wonders of nature. You can follow Socks on Instagram.

Sian, 18, Shropshire

Sian is a 18-year-old birder from Shropshire who is a passionate photographer and budding conservationist.

She is also interested in other flora and fauna such as dragonflies and butterflies, especially on her local patch.

Josh, 19, Shropshire

Josh is 19 years old and the BTO Youth Representative for Shropshire.

As Youth Representative he aims to inspire and engage a new generation of nature enthusiasts both inside and outside of the region.

Amy, 21, Worcestershire / Shropshire 

Amy is studying Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Management at university and is in her third year undertaking an internship with a local conservation charity, Vale Landscape Heritage Trust. In 2022, Amy won the National Biodiversity Network Trust Young Persons Award for contributions to wildlife recording and surveying. 

She hopes to encourage more young people to get involved in nature and conservation, from her experience in co-founding the Outdoor Origins youth group at Worcestershire Wildlife Trust! Her favourite bird is the Eurasian Curlew due to its amazing call and bill.

England - Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West and the North East

Hannah, 24, Greater Manchester / Dorset

Hannah first became a BTO Youth Rep 5 years ago at the University of South Wales, where she studied BSc(Hons) in Natural History, a combination of biology, ecology and wildlife photography and filmmaking. During her time at university, she started the USW Nature and Ornithology Society to engage as many students as possible in nature from all backgrounds.

Nature has the immense potential to help people appreciate the present moment and find respect for our environment, which has inspired Hannah's passion for outdoor adventure. She is now a mountain leader and working as an assistant ranger for the Wildlife Trust. She hopes to continue to engage young people in the mountains and in wildlife through the BTO. You can follow Hannah on Instagram.

Josh, 21, North Yorkshire

Josh is a final-year Bsc Wildlife Conservation Student at Nottingham Trent University, having spent the last year on placements including researching birds and reforestation in Brazil, monitoring rewilding in Italy and working as an Assistant Trainee Warden with the RSPB.

He is fascinated by wildlife, particularly birds and forests, and wants to share this passion with others to inspire future conservationists! As a Youth Rep he would like to spark interest in nature through creative media and show wildlife through a different lens!

Emily, 22, Yorkshire

Emily is completing her MSc in Biological Sciences at the University of Sheffield, after completing her Ecology and Conservation degree. She is passionate about the natural world and is hoping to have a career in ornithology.

As a lifelong bird lover and recent trainee ringer, she wants to share her love for nature with others.

Northern Ireland

Benjamin, 23, Northern Ireland

Benjamin is a Zoology with Animal Behaviour graduate from Bangor University who is passionate about birds and how interesting the species in this country are.

He's most interested in getting more people involved with nature and expanding the BTO's reach in Northern Ireland by helping young people see the amazing creatures that live on their doorsteps - especially Eider which are his favourite bird!

Scotland 

David, 21, Lothian

David is the Birding and Science Officer for the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, based in Lothian. He is a keen birder and most often found on his local patch looking for and recording birds and other wildlife.

He enjoys sharing his passion for the natural world with other young people and has organised a variety of BTO Youth events including bird walks, survey training, a boat trip and a conference.

Georgina, 21, Fife / Brighton

Georgina is a 22-year-old Biology Undergraduate studying at the University of St. Andrews and has always had a passion for conservation. She developed a love for birding after watching her first bird ringing demonstration at the Knepp Estate. She is now a ringing trainee working towards achieving her C-permit and expanding her knowledge of birds.

As a BTO Youth Representative she aims to engage young individuals with wildlife and develop their appreciation for the natural world. She believes providing sources of inspiration for young people through activities such as bird ringing demonstrations and nature-oriented talks are extremely important as they can shape their futures.

Hannah, 18, Lothian

Hannah is 18 years old and has long had a passion for wildlife and birds. She volunteers with a children's wildlife club and loves taking part in RSPB and BTO surveys, as well as making feeders for the birds in her garden from recycled materials. She also enjoys getting muddy and going for rambles in the countryside.

Hannah would love to study zoology and conservation when she is older and is particularly interested in animal behaviour, especially in mammals and birds. An experience that inspired her was visiting the Farne Islands where she saw her favourite birds (puffins and baby pufflings!) nesting right up close!

As a Youth Representative, Hannah would like to help inspire the next generation of birders and conservationists and help to bridge the gap between city life and nature.

Iris, 19, Lothian / Bedfordshire

Iris is an undergraduate at Edinburgh University studying Chinese. She has always been interested in birds, a passion which feeds into her wider concerns about conservation and habitat protection.

Helping organise events for an environmental group at school made her realise the importance of engaging young people in issues related to this field. She hopes to be able to continue this through her role as Youth Representative for BTO in Lothian and Bedfordshire.

Wales

Jasmine, 21, Bangor

Jasmine (she/her) is a second-year Environmental Conservation student at Bangor University. She loves volunteering and getting stuck into hands-on activities, previously as a Young Wardens leader with Suffolk Wildlife Trust and currently as a Visitor Engagement volunteer at RSPB Conwy.

As well as being a Youth Rep, she has done some volunteer fieldwork for the BTO and has spent many hot summer days chasing Curlew round Norfolk with a radio antennae for a headstarting project.

She loves all aspects of nature and has a particular interest in spreading that love to as many people as possible, as well as raising awareness about becoming more sustainable. She's thrilled to be a part of the Youth Rep team and has had an amazing experience so far. If she was a bird she would be a teal as ducks always look so chilled out.

Gethin, 24, Cardiff

Gethin is a 24-year-old nature enthusiast from Cardiff and a recent graduate of 'Conservation Biology and Ecology' at Exeter University.

Always keen to share his passion for wildlife with others, at university he wrote regular articles for the student nature magazine 'Life', and also regularly engaged with school classes with the nature-focused society 'Generation Wild'.

A keen birder since childhood, he is excited to inspire young people to get stuck into surveys and to expand the BTO community in the region of South Wales.

Ciera, 23, West Glamorgan

Ciera is a masters student studying Biosciences at Swansea University following her Biology degree. She is a keen birder and passionate about getting people to spend time and enjoy nature, to appreciate what can be found just on your doorstep.

During her time at university, she was involved in the conservation and ecology society and played an important role as the student’s union environment officer, organising nature-based events for students to get involved in.

As a BTO Youth Representative she’s excited to inspire and bring together more young people to encourage a community of nature enthusiasts.

Isle of Man

Alex, 22, Isle of Man

Alex is a MSc by Research Ecology student at Lancaster University. After developing her focus on birds during her undergraduate studies, she spent the last year volunteering with several wildlife charities on the Isle of Man.

She is keen to get more young people interested in the wildlife on their doorstep on the Isle of Man, especially at the Calf of Man bird observatory. She hopes to encourage this through art and exploring the outdoors.

She is particularly interested in ducks and coastal waders, especially Curlew.

Young people are the future of BTO

With your help, we can do more to reach out to, connect with and support them.

Donate to the BTO Youth Appeal today

Get in touch with your local Youth Rep

We'd love to hear from you!

You can reach out to your local Youth Representative with questions and comments by emailing the BTO Youth team at youth [at] bto.org.

Related content