Chris Thacker

Confident horticultural and countryside worker dedicated to helping nature, places, and people thrive. Experience supporting team members and volunteers with strong practical abilities and theoretical knowledge of conservation and horticultural practices.

Seasonal Field Surveyor - The Ecology Partnership

(2026-06 - 2026-11)

• Regular contact and collaboration with site managers over best routes and strategies in environments with large machinery and construction teams.
• Followed risk assessment and took necessary safety precautions; wearing full PPE such as a high-visibility jacket, helmet and construction boots.
• Organisation; gathered information needed to locate site features. Used GIS mapping software to calculate spatial area and survey apparatus required to fulfil legislation requirements. Able to work with minimal supervision.
• Created reliable ongoing sources of data, measuring out survey parameters with precision. Detailed and precise record keeping.

Field Officer - Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust

(2025-11 - 2026-03)

• Delivered landscape scale vegetation management, using both diesel and electric strimmer and brushcutter. Clearing saw proficient. Tool and machinery maintenance.
• Natural pond area clearance using an industrial mower and hand tools.
• Supervised use of herbicide and small electric chain saw.
• Flexible team working under deadlines. Worked through inclement weather.

Conservation and Horticultural Assistant - National Trust

(2024-11 - 2025-11)

• Independent revitalisation of allotment beds, using tools such as a mattock, hoe, and rake; and growing wildflowers to attract pollinators.
• Upkeep of property grounds to increase presentation value for visitor experience; using electric mower to cut different grass grades across fields to benefit wildlife and create natural pathways for visitors.
• Use of loppers, bow saws and secateurs to prune plants and thin out young trees, creating space to aerate branches, helping to prevent disease.
• Able to listen with care and attention to managers instructions when pruning orchard trees and planting young fruit trees.
• Ground planted and re-potted large plants into bigger pots once matured.
• Lawn maintenance using a diesel mower and electric edge trimmer.
• Increasing knowledge of identification for flowers and trees.
• Weeding, flower bed restoration, seed and young flower planting.
• General tidying, sweeping and presentation. Minimal Supervision.
• Supportive team member in building several natural obelisks out of young birch stems in a short period of time.
• Created risk assessment documents; giving a full brief of the hazards and a clear example of preferrable working behaviours. Monitored volunteers, giving advice.
• Heavy labour; bench, signpost, fence, gate and gatepost repair and replacement.
• Audience engagement and participation during a horticultural presentation.
• Proven ability to show understanding and empathy towards visitor concerns over landscape changes at open days. Love public engagement and presentations.

BA (Hons) - Drama and Theatre - Staffordshire University (2007)