Dominic Acland

Current and recent clients are:

• 2023-present: supporting the development of the Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy, coordinating the workstreams of mapping, farming and rivers.
• 2018-present: The Blackdown Hills AONB Partnership, developing and then helping deliver the Connecting the Culm Interreg project. This included writing and then helping deliver a successful bid to DEFRA’s Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund for a project on the Culm.
• 2022-present: work for the Woodland Trust and partners to support the development of the South West Rainforest Alliance.
• 2020-present: Devon Wildlife Trust, developing a feasibility study into re-naturalising the Northbrook, an Exeter urban stream.
• 2020-23: supporting the Triple-Axe catchment management project for the East Devon Catchment Partnership (via Blackdown Hills AONB) ; including coordinating and acting as lead author of a successful £700k Landscape Recovery Scheme bid to DEFRA.
• 2021-23: developing an application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Life on the Edge  project for South Devon AONB; secured £220k Development Phase funding towards this £4m 5-year project; I supported the team through the Development Phase which led to a successful Round Two award.
• 2021-23: South Devon AONB, developing their Nature Recovery Plan.

I have worked at the interface between people, nature and the built environment for 35 years.  From setting up a new Visitor Centre in a disused lighthouse in North Tyneside, through creating Cockington Country Park and Occombe Organic Farm in Torquay,  revitalising Berry Head National Nature Reserve, and helping found The Real Food Store and Café in the centre of Exeter, I have a broad experience of project development, local food, heritage and countryside management, social enterprise and charities, local government, business planning and fundraising.

• In 1999 I led the team that set up Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, a pioneering step at that time to transfer a whole countryside estate with staff and assets from a local authority into a charitable trust. For the next 14 years, as managing Director of the Trust, I advised and supported the Trustees in their role and led the staff team.
• In 2007 I played a central role in founding the English Riviera Geopark Organisation and I remain a Director of ERGO.
• In 2009 I was a Founder Director of Exeter Local Food Ltd, a community benefit society, which went on to establish the successful Real Food Store and Café in the centre of Exeter.
• As MD at Embercombe I helped a relatively new Board of Trustees develop better governance and tackle a challenging period of change.
• In 2015 I launched my consultancy business at the same time as working part-time on the Heritageability project for Living Options Devon.
• I became a Director of Wessex Community Assets in 2017 and was its Chair from 2019-22.  Wessex supports communities taking on ownership of valued local assets including housing, land, shops and workspaces.

My interests include working on my smallholding, hiking and camping in wild places, rock climbing, sea-kayaking and motor-biking.