Originally from Maghera, South Derry, Jim was born in 1958 and went to Queen’s Belfast to study Agricultural Zoology. He then moved to Newcastle upon Tyne where he undertook a PhD in Insect Ecology. Jim began working for the Ulster Wildlife Trust in 1989 before spending 14 years at Craigavon Borough Council as a Conservation Officer, Centre Manager and then Head of Conservation at Oxford Island National Nature Reserve. In 2004 Jim became the manager of the Belfast Hills Partnership which seeks to improve and co-ordinate the management of an area with a range of urban/rural issues and conflicts – and has been there ever since. Over the years Jim has been on the boards and committees of various organisations such as Ulster Wildlife Trust and Northern Ireland Environment Link, as well as volunteering for a variety of local and community projects.