Jess Stokes

Survey Organiser

Contact

Jess currently works as survey organiser within the Terrestrial Ecology Team at BTO. She is currently focused on two key projects: the development of a new nationwide survey of birds in greenspaces, set to launch in 2025; and a survey of farmland birds and use of the AB9 winter food option. Her primary roles are in project organisation; co-design and liaison with BTO’s web, IS, and comms teams; and as lead contact for stakeholder and surveyor communication.

Interests & Responsibilities

Jess has experience in a variety of bird surveying methods, having worked as a field ecologist at a consultancy in Spain for over two years, creating species inventories and carrying out mortality monitoring of windfarms. In this role she carried out a range of surveys for protected steppe species and raptors, such as Little Bustard and Lesser Kestrel, across potential sites for renewables projects. While in Spain, Jess completed a masters in restoration and conservation of biodiversity at the University of Alicante, writing her master’s thesis on the effect of shrub cutting and dung application on prey availability for the DuPont’s lark.

Outside of work Jess is a keen birder and trainee ringer. She has ringing experience both in Spain and
the UK and is currently working towards gaining her C-permit. Jess is also an avid language learner
and is bilingual in Spanish, as well as working to improve her Italian and Portuguese.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Zoology, University of Hull, 2015
MSc Conservation of Biodiversity and Restauration of the Marine and Terrestrial
Environment, University of Alicante, 2023
Advanced Certificate in Business Spanish, University of Alcala and Madrid Chamber of
Commerce, 2013