Gwent Wildlife Trust has named Natalie Buttriss as its new chief executive.

Her role will see her working with all staff, volunteers and trustees at Gwent and with the four other wildlife trusts in Wales.

Natalie was previously director of Wales for the Woodland Trust, chief executive at The Vincent Wildlife Trust, deputy chief executive/head of marketing at Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and corporate relations manager for Sustrans.

She said: “I am so thrilled to be joining Gwent Wildlife Trust as CEO.

“I will personally be reaching out to those who want to connect with nature in Gwent  - your support, (financial, time or expertise), is going to be really important in the coming years with the climate and nature crisis that we are in.”

“I am forever the optimist and feel that we must do all we can to help nature recover.

"There is so much nature to enjoy, to celebrate and to learn from, not forgetting the fundamental role that nature plays in balancing our physical and mental wellbeing, and supporting our economy.

“I want very much for there to be a wildlife rich world and sustainable practices that value the environment as much as society and the economy. That starts with our own local patch and the beautiful and varied landscapes of Gwent.

"We need to shout from every roof top about how important it is to support nature recovery and look after those precious sites where wildlife thrives.

"Our future generations depend on it."