Dr Angus Lunn MBE, a naturalist whose dedicated actions were crucial to securing protected status for the Border Mires in North Northumberland has passed away.

Alongside a small number of similar enthusiasts, Angus was one of the original members of the Northumberland and Durham Naturalists’ Trust which began life in 1962 until it became Northumberland Wildlife Trust in 1971. 

Until his sad passing at the weekend, he was one of the wildlife charity’s vice-presidents and an active trustee. He had also been Chair of its Conservation Committee for over 35 years.

A lecturer in natural sciences at Newcastle University until his retirement, Angus’s knowledge of upland vegetation was immense. He produced the first vegetation map of the whole of Northumberland based substantially on his own field work and, through this, he identified and mapped the Sphagnum Bogs in the west of the County.

Angus was key to the establishment of a protection and restoration project on the Border Mires which started over 50 years ago, at the same time as Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s formation.

The largescale project, which restored over 2,000 hectares of peatlands across the Border Mires around Kielder Forest, cleared conifer plantations, blocked thousands of agricultural ditches, and created 130 wader pools to help rare birds such as curlew to return to the area.

Not only did he spear-head the Border Mires campaign, but he also lobbied to ensure they were protected into the future. Through his foresight, persuasive skills, and sheer determination, many of the sites are now specially protected under national or international legislation. Without Angus, these precious habitats may have been lost.

As head of Adult Education at Newcastle University he instigated a new qualification: the Certificate in Nature Conservation and in January 2023 he received an MBE for his services to education and peatland conservation,

In addition Angus played an important role in protecting native woodland and other rare habitats in Northumberland, wrote the first management plan for the Trust’s Whitelee reserve, was actively involved in the Trust’s management plans for the Rothbury Estate which it part-purchased toward the end of last year and, even at the start of this summer, was helping to write a number of information panels on Trust’s co- founder, the Late Tony Tynan, at its Hauxley reserve in Northumberland. 

Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Chief Executive says: 

“Angus was a visionary who, right until the end, was helping the Trust continue to achieve lasting change for wildlife and raise awareness about conservation. His work on the Border Mire peatlands, especially, has been transformational and is more important than ever given our climate change crisis. He had a unique mix of well-honed field naturalist skills, and a deep understanding of how landscapes and ecosystems work. The mere fact that he considered the need to ensure nature’s recovery since the start of our Trust in 1971 and before, is truly remarkable.

“At the same time, he was such a humble man whom everybody turned to for conservation advice, was a huge Newcastle United fan, always came to our St Nicholas Park headquarters to buy his Northumberland Wildlife Trust Christmas cards and was very fond of Custard Creams which were always on offer at trustee meetings. His passing has left a gaping hole in our organisation which will take a lot of filling. We will miss him dearly.”