The Team

Jon Isherwood – Head of WSBRC

Jon ran a GIS and IT Consultancy for 20 years working in the environment sector and more recently was the Conservation Data Manager for Wales for the National Trust. As well as experience in the environment, GIS and data management, he is a Microsoft Small Business Specialist. He joined WSBRC in early 2022 and recently moved to Wiltshire. He enjoys climbing, cycling and exploring.

Jonny Cooper – Project Officer

Jonny started volunteering at WSBRC in late 2014 during a gap year and continued to volunteer whilst studying. He joined the team as a staff member in 2017. He has an interest in birds, being a keen birder and qualified bird ringer. Within WSBRC he runs the Braydon Forest Curlew Project as well as managing data searches.

Chrysoula Drakaki – Data Officer

With studies in the fields of Environmental Sciences and Geographical Information Systems, Chrys manages the WSBRC biological and geospatial data, while working closely with the County Recorders. She also uses ArcGIS and Python scripting for data analysis and automation, and offers GIS support and training. Before joining WSBRC in 2018, Chrys volunteered with the Centre of Environmental Data and Recording (CEDaR), The Conservation Volunteers and the RSPB in Northern Ireland.

Charlotte Dacre – Ancient Woodland Inventory Officer

Charlotte is an ecology and conservation graduate with an interest in arachnids and fungi. Throughout her degree, she founded the 'Popular Plants' society in an effort to increase biodiversity awareness on campus and improve student mental well-being. As a long-term volunteer with WSBRC, she secured an internship following her graduation, and is now the Ancient Woodland Inventory Officer for Wiltshire. In her spare time, she volunteers with the Wiltshire Climate Alliance as a Youth Representative and Communications Manager.

Michael New – Citizen Science Project Officer (Nurturing Nature)

Michael has just finished working on the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Action for Insects project where he was the ecological officer. He has attended the WSBRC AGM for many years and is keen on surveying and species conservation. He has an interest in natural history and in particular invertebrates and habitat management.

Aurora Gonzalo-Tarodo – Ornithological Field Assistant

Aurora is currently in her last year as a PhD student at the University of Gloucestershire. She is studying how selective logging affects bird communities in the Peruvian Amazon using various techniques from bird ringing to bioacoustics using AI. Aurora is a qualified bird ringer who runs the National Moorhen colour-ringing Project and likes to use ringing as an engagement tool in her spare time. At WSBRC Aurora is working alongside Jonny in Project Peewit.