Manager/Principal Ecologist

Mr John Wann, was brought up in the Dublin suburb of Templeogue. He is a fully qualified botanist, receiving a BSc degree in Botany and Environmental Studies (University of Wales College Cardiff) and in 1992, an MSc in Environmental Science (Trinity College Dublin). In 2003, John established Aulino Wann & Associates. Mr Wann’s paid and voluntary work in Ireland and overseas has led him to develop advanced skills in plant identification. His master’s thesis was on the relations between human pressures, forest destruction and the conservation of North Andean endemic birds, involving a study of the floristics and structure of a number of forest types in the southern Ecuadorian Andes and also collecting plants for Kew Gardens, Trinity College Dublin and Universidad Nacional de Loja, Ecuador. As a research associate at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin John was a contributor to the European Garden Flora (volumes 5 and 6) concentrating on New Zealand and Australian plant families.

He has carried out numerous plant surveys within the full range of habitat types as part of ecological impact assessments or for site designation purposes throughout the island of Ireland for such clients as National Parks and Wildlife Service, Coillte, Environment and Heritage Service Northern Ireland, Health Estates Agency Northern Ireland, Department of Finance & Personnel Northern Ireland, engineering consultancies, community groups and private developers and landowners.

John produced six draft wetland and freshwater habitat action plans including costings for the Environment and Heritage Service Northern Ireland. The production of these plans involved liaising with a wide range of stakeholders in local and central government, academia and NGOs throughout the island of Ireland. He has also carried out vegetation mapping and habitat monitoring using relevés within protected areas in the Irish midland counties for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin. John has also worked with databases at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, as part of the management of the plant collections at the gardens and also on a project to compile a database of Irish champion trees.

In a voluntary capacity John was actively involved in the late 1990s with the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Heritage Forum (An Foram Oidhreachta). This was a forum of local community and voluntary groups with an interest in the heritage of the county that aimed to instigate a debate that would ultimately lead to the adoption of a county heritage policy.  Arising out of these deliberations was the publication: An Foram Oidhreachta, Towards A County Heritage Policy, January 1997. John as the Irish Wildlife Trust representative on the Forum provided along with ecologists from other organisations specialist ecological input to this policy document. John has been a voluntary plant recorder in various counties for the Botanical Society of the British Isles most recently in County Antrim.

As the Irish Wildlife Trust woodlands officer in the late 1990s, John in conjunction with local community groups raised awareness of the ecological and historical value of Loughlinstown Woods and the Shanganagh River and to promote the woodland as a recreational amenity by working with Loughlinstown Community Council, Loughlinstown Employment Group, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Parks Department, and other wildlife non-governmental organisations.  The groups efforts culminated in two awards: An Cathaoirleach’s Special Environmental Award (under the Dun Laoghaire Corporation Community Awards Scheme) winners 1996 and Environmental Partnership Award winners 1997 in conjunction with Dun-Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

He is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) and served on the committee of the all-Ireland geographical section of CIEEM between 2005 and 2007. He has also served as honorary editor of the e-zine on the council of the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland.