Simon Odell Email & Phone Number

Cambridge, England, United Kingdom

Following taking images for the refresh of NCAs and mapping and spatial analysis within the area, I've recently reviewed local LCAs to inform NE’s woodland & tree interventions and been advocating for rare and iconic landscapes in the Norfolk & Suffolk area.

Established the Community Interest Company (CIC), and now run it and volunteer for it (with clients such as ParksEast, ParksHerts, Hertfordshire Orchards Initiative and Herts BACS Forum). Significant outputs include: a recommendations report to Broxbourne Borough Council on how to take forward Strategic Green Infrastructure; a discussion paper for ParksHerts related to NESTA's "Rethinking Parks" initiative; organising the events "Planning for London's Green Doughnut", "SmartParks 2019", "SmartOps 2022"; the Youtube channel LandscapePast; developing a capability to undertake Building With Nature assessments; and a photo book on Hertfordshire's Green Flag parks (https://www.bonusprint.co.uk/view-online-photo-book?widgetId=cedcfbb0-137f-4aa6-a9e7-921516db219b). Currently developing a searchable digital landscape library and helping Community Orchard and Cemetery & Crematorium managers to network within respective groups. The company has also donated to Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust's appeals for Astonbury Wood and Archers Green.

London, United Kingdom

Responsible for leading on all matters related to entry standards, professional practice, and technical standards for the LI. Key activities included: developing a new initiative to enable the LI to become a better home for landscape managers; managing a contract to research the skillsets and future needs of practitioners and practices; developing a brief for a revised approach to the way that members competencies will be defined and assessed; developing the content for a Digital Practice Day aimed at encouraging a paradigm shift in the profession; representing the LI at the 2017 International Ethics Standards Coalition meeting in Athens; and supporting the production of technical information and guidance by volunteer working groups. It has been stimulating to research cutting edge digital practice, a challenge to work on competency development for the whole profession but I've at last seen real team-work in action. Thanks to Dan Cook for these opportunities (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-cook-891a8b17/)This full-time role became part-time ending in September 2020, and until late 2022 I continued at the LI as a volunteer, serving on the Digital Practice Group, Digital Arboriculture Group, Spatial Data group, 3rd Party Environmental Standards Group (Chair), and CPD Panel, and later co-opted onto Technical Committee.

London, United Kingdom

Head of department role involving: horizon-scanning within the sector to ensure the profession keeps abreast of key developments; commissioning, editing and in some cases authoring a series of technical information and guidance notes to improve member knowledge and standards; administration of the Institute's Technical Committee (led by Mark Turnbull FLI and then Marc Van Grieken FLI) and its various volunteer working groups including business planning and budgetary management; contributing to the sound corporate management of the Institute as a member of the Senior Management Team, co-authorising high value payments, undertaking corporate projects and reporting to other committees, Council and Board; and managing staff (as necessary). One of the best bits about the job was researching and developing a suite of information and guidance where there was none and also discovering how capable some landscape practitioners are - although that is also rather humbling! It was also good to be a bridge between members and staff.

Provided landscape information and advice on planning matters (including LVIA and EIA scoping); Led the development of Green Infrastructure (GI) plan adoption, implementation and partnership development in Hertfordshire including advising districts on local plan policy; Led the development of SuDS Policy statement to Member-approval and SuDS design guidance (via Bray/McCloy/Newton); Mentored staff; Contributed to securing outcomes from sub-regional and national processes in sector, including Landscape East, the GI partnership workstreams, the Ecosystems Knowledge Network, ColneCAN (the Colne Catchment Pilot), the Lee Catchment candidate Nature Improvement Area, and the Herts Landscape & GI Group (as Chair); Oversaw employer's investments in the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust (e.g. Living Landscapes); Assisted employer develop response to Chalkstreams; Improved the understanding of crossover between GI functionality and Ecosystems Services; Developed strategic Rights of Way "Ask" of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL); spoke at EcoBuild on GI (for Defra). Thanks to John Rumble (https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rumble-32794270/) for these opportunities.(Post deleted as part of austerity measures)

Negotiated annual funding for and managed a team of professional ecologists providing advice to planners and operating a biological records centre (including handling ill-health issues, income targets, two office moves, downsizing, VR request, grievance, recruitment, staff regrading); Developed the records centre including preparation for its transfer to the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust; Developed a methodology for green infrastructure planning with TLP & University of Reading and secured a suite of plans across Hertfordshire and parts of Essex and North London (= GreenArc) from LUC; Secured provision of landscape information and advice on planning matters for HCC (typically via LizLake/TLP); Contributed at county, sub-regional and national processes in sector, including Herts Planning Group, Herts Biodiversity Partnership, Landscape East, GreenArc, Greenspace East, GreenGrid, East of England Biodiversity Forum, ALERC, ALGE. Thanks to Rob Rees (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-rees-01453733/) for these opportunities.

Provided landscape information and advice on planning matters, including a draft SPD and presenting evidence at Regional (Spatial) Strategy Inquiry; Led consortium development, specification and contract management for the Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment and Strategic Guidelines (TLP); Ran contract for preparation of Environmental Management Plans for HCC's Rural Estate (LDA Design); Supported district local plan policy development; Supported the case for the extension of Watling Chase Community Forest, including public consultation and also ran a contract (LDA Design) to identify how to respond to climate change within it; (Some other areas as subsequent HCC roles)

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Negotiated a part-time secondment with Natural England at Eastbrook under Jonathan Burney/ Gareth Dalglish (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gareth-dalglish-2321bb2a/) alongside the late Rachel Penny principally to ensure the specification and procurement of a regional landscape typology. Undertook this as timetabled, using NE procurement system. The results can be seen on the Landscape East website (www.landscape-east.org.uk). Also helped with the development of NCA work in the Northern Thames Basin and with recruiting a successor. I am proud of having driven this initiative to completion.

Acted as professional PA to Director (Geoffrey Steeley OBE), including responsibility for business plan production, communications strategy, a coastal zone management report to support his European speaking engagement, and the processes of departmental board meetings. Director's representative on strategy portfolio group. A real privilege to have such a developmental year working across the department.

Working for what was then possibly the best Countryside Management Service in the UK, led by Richard Brown, managed a team of countryside staff at a remote base, including their health and safety, through several organisational changes (new premises, adoption of ICT, change to project officer approach) whilst negotiating and supervising programmes of countryside management and interpretation. Highlights included securing: Stevenage Town to Country walk routes; Stevenage Countryside Festival; A week of pond creation/management projects which featured on Regional TV news; the Hitch Wood nature trail on the Bowes Lyon estate; and a long grassland management event for the National Turfgrass Council and Countryside Commission. Managing facilities I had previously designed has taught me something about design!

Landscape design and implementation supervision (including Aldenham Country Park Lakeside Walk and carpark planting); Map production; Countryside Management Annual Report production; Organisation of guided walks programme including celebratory 200th guided walk. Enjoyed the responsibility and range of work (Worked under Martin Beaton CMLI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-beaton-32a5b075/)

Landscape design and implementation supervision (including Roundhay Tropical World and Roundhay Campsite, playgrounds, and for thirteen new sports halls and libraries); Park Landscape management plans (Kirkstall Abbey & Middleton Park); Presence at Roundhay show; and a concept design for Lotherton arboretum. Along with the year-out during the landscape course, an amazing five years of design opportunities. (Worked under John Morgan ARICS)

Cleckheaton

Occasional landscape design work (residential estates), evenings and weekends (outside of Leeds MDC area)

First role after leaving university: Landscape design and implementation supervision; Contract supervision (ICE) in General Improvement Areas; Countryside Commission-funded treeplanting scheme. (Worked under Steve Wells - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-wells-16764523/) Loved being trusted to shoulder the responsibility.

Site survey, Sectional drawings, Treeplanting proposals. Very grateful to Robert Huddleston for this chance to gain experience.