About me – 360 Excavator operator and rewilding site manager

I am a self employed 360 operator & site manager specialising in rewilding and nature based solution (NBS). I have spent over a decade in construction working on everything from residential extensions for SMEs through to multi-million pound warehouse retrofits for Tier 1 contractors.

In 2023 I took my skills ‘sideways’ into nature based solutions to work directly to restore biodiversity and combat climate emergency. Having been on and off diggers over the years, I took my CPCS 360 in May 2025, that being the main piece of plant used in making rewilding happen! I have since added Lifting Operations.

I have worked for the likes of Ecosulis and Five Rivers for clients including the National Trust, the Environment Agency and the Royal Parks, on projects ranging from woodland creation to weir removal.

My full working history can be viewed on LinkedIn.

Qualifications

CPCS 360 excavator over 10t (A58a/A59a)
CPCS 360 Lifting Operations (A59c)
Safety Critical Medical from SEQOHS provider
SMSTS – Site Management Safety Training Scheme
SEATS – Site Environmental Awareness Training Scheme
CSCS Gold – Site Supervisor
3 day first aid at work
7.5t (C1) Driving Licence
B+E Trailer towing test
Chainsaw Maintenance, Cross Cut and Small Fell CS30,31 (20-21)
Chainsaw Climbing and Aerial Rescue CS38 (22)
Water safety– Flood and water awareness (Defra 1 Annex H)
NRSWA Street Works Supervisor
HS2 (EKFB) Inducted
DBS checked and on update

Experience on 360

3-40t machines
Muck shifting
Dumper loading
Spoil / stockpile heaps
Trench and backfill
Rough grading
Lifting

Experience in rewilding / NBS

Revetment building
Woodland and hedging creation
Rewetting land
Rewiggling rivers
Floating reedbeds
Rock roll and coir roll placement
Weir removal
Hedgelaying
Tree planting and beat ups

Nature Based Solutions

I have worked as a site manager across a range of ‘rewilding’ type sites, mainly in the South of England.

Salisbury River Project

Suffice to say, this was a very wet job. The willows didn’t seem to mind though… and looking amazing now!

Just a reminder these sites do look a lot better a year on!

Main contractor work

£22m refurbishment of a listed warehouse in Bath, reborn as a school of art. I was an Assistant Site Manager. The old fascia (GRP panels) was renovated by a boat building company and reinstalled. The roof was replaced with cross laminated timber (CLT). I am not a natural fit to being ‘main contractor side’ but I did learn an awful lot very quickly.

Plant Operation

I have a CPCS ticket for 360 operation, and have operated a variety of machines. I also understand the challenges of specialist plant…. like loading giant anfib long reaches in residential streets!