Tamsin Morris: Detailed Curriculum Vitae

Education

Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE), Cervantes Institute / University of Salamanca, Spain

MSc (by research) in Plant and Soil Science, Aberdeen University
BSc (Hons) in Ecology - First class, Lancaster University, UK and Oregon State University, USA

Current Employment (Part time)

River Basin Planning Co-ordinator, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Aberdeen
Duties include: promoting the involvement of stakeholders and the wider public in the future management of the water environment; co-ordinating three area based advisory groups which bring together key stakeholders to prepare a management plan for Scotland’s water; collating and interpreting information on a variety of sites, including data on pressures affecting the sites and information from external organisations on actions being undertaken; facilitating wider public involvement in the management plan process.

Employment History (pre-consultancy)

River Basin Planning Co-ordinator, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Aberdeen (full time)

Project Manager, Ythan Project, Formartine Partnership
Duties included: management of European Commission funded Ythan Project from inception, including preparation of initial funding bids; liaison with funding partners, competent authorities & the local community; timely and successful delivery of actions and targets within the project plan; management of project budget and dissemination of project actions to a wide range of audiences.

The project involved the local community in restoring and enhancing the river Ythan, so as project manager I was responsible for ensuring that practical river restoration work at 12 sites was undertaken on time; for managing contractors and volunteers; for engaging the local community and media; for implementing species management actions and ensuring that the project’s findings were reported to local, national and European audiences. An additional element of my role was working with individual farmers to encourage the development of more sustainable farm management in the catchment area. The project also included the development of 30 riparian woodland sites, which were all planted by the local community, many as part of organised ‘work days’.

Development Officer, Formartine Partnership.
Duties included: liaising with a variety of community groups to assist them with funding applications and general project development. This included assisting groups with applications to a variety of funding sources, such as the Scottish Land Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Crown Estate. I was involved in the development of several access and interpretation projects, including the development of a circular footpath in Ellon and key linking paths in other communities. I was also responsible for sourcing new funding for the Partnership and completed successful applications to the European Commission and the Scottish Executive’s Rural Challenge Fund.

Technical Manager, The Organic Potato Company, Inverness.
Duties included: providing assistance to farmers on environmental and technical issues in farming (including achieving compliance with certification schemes); liaison between farmers and supermarkets on required environmental standards; undertaking research into new farming methods (focusing particularly on organic and sustainable farming methods); management of glasshouse and field crops (including line management of a team of 5 staff).

Assistant Conservation Officer, Beds & Cambs Wildlife Trust
Duties included: surveying and assessing habitats; teaching hedregrow survey techniques to community groups; development and preparation of interpretation; organising and leading conservation work parties and training courses. I also prepared a guidance manual for hedgerow survey techiques which was combined with a training course to allow local community groups to survey and manage the hedgerows in their own areas.

Key skills & relevant training courses

Full, clean driving licence

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and presentations to a variety of audiences.

Fully IT literate with experience of various word processor, spreadsheet, database packages

Use of ArcView Geographical Information Systems (SEPA, 2007)

Facilitation skills (The Environment Council, 2006)

River Habitat Survey accredited surveyor (The Environment Agency 2004 and 2006)

Interpretative master planning (John Ververka, 2003)

Published Papers

Morris C.T (2007) The Ythan Project: a case study of public participation in river restoration. International Journal of River Basin Management (in press)

Morris, C.T. & Morris, R.M. (2005). The Ythan Project: a case study in improving catchment management through local community involvement. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management vol 48, no 3, p413 – 429