Meet our new guest contributor:

We’re thrilled to welcome our third guest contributor to Encounter, Sally-Ann Smurthwaite. Sally-Ann grew up in rural Cambridgeshire, where her love of nature first began. She is now based in Cardiff on the edge of the Gwent Levels. She spends her spare time exploring and watching wildlife across several different landscapes in South Wales, from the wetlands of the Severn Estuary to the ancient woods and mountains of Bannau Brycheiniog to the vast beaches of the Gower peninsula.

Sally-Ann has worked in the environmental sector for over 10 years, engaging people with the natural world through campaigning and communications. Working in organisations such as the Woodland Trust and the Wildlife Trusts has developed her nature knowledge and she is always keen to learn more. She is also passionate about rewilding, urban nature, and nature-friendly farming. 

Sally-Ann’s nature writing has been featured in the Connections With Nature: 50 moments of meeting the wild anthology. She has also written for Viridis magazine. She is fascinated by all kinds of life, but has a particular fondness for trees, songbirds, birds of prey, butterflies, and fluffy mammals. You’ll be able to see Sally’s posts if you have your location in Encounter set to anywhere in Wales.

You can connect with Sally-Ann on Instagram here and LinkedIn here.