Exciting things to come for NatureBureau’s Design team
By Helen Walsh, Design and Publications Manager
Last month, the Ecology team shared their reflections on the year gone by and the year ahead, and now it’s time for the Design team to shine!
We’ve had a busy year, working on a wide range of projects – from producing a new flagship book as part of our Nature of series to designing compelling infographics for the Chilterns National Landscape, and continuing our work on the Oriental Bird Club’s long-running journals.
We also welcomed a new addition to the team: me! I joined in June as Design and Publications Manager, and it’s been great to be part of this journey.
Here are some of our highlights from 2024:
The Nature of the New Forest
One of our key projects in 2024 was the publication of The Nature of the New Forest, a beautifully illustrated book that delves characteristic wildlife of this area, making it a must-have for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. We worked closely with author and conservationist, Clive Chatters, to accurately reflect the last 40 years of knowledge he has gathered living and working in the New Forest.
The Moths of Lancashire
Our Graphic Designer, Daniela, worked tirelessly on The Moths of Lancashire last year. Working with The Tanyptera Trust, nearly 2 million moth records have been combined to produce this landmark publication – the first comprehensive assessment of the moths of Lancashire (including North Merseyside and most of Greater Manchester) since 1940. Beautifully illustrated with over 2,500 local, colour photos, the book charts the changing trends and phenology of all 1,570 Lancashire species.
Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership – End of Scheme Report 2024
In September, I had the chance to attend a celebratory event for the closing of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership Scheme. This five-year project focused on enhancing, protecting and connecting people to the landscape of the Central Chilterns. We designed and wrote the End of Scheme Report 2024, which featured an eye-catching infographic summarising the accomplishments of the Scheme, that was later presented as a series of social media posts.
Birding Asia and the Journal of Asian Ornithology
In 2024, our Creative Director, Peter, celebrated four decades of collaboration with the Oriental Bird Club on their publications, including the BirdingAsia bulletin and Journal of Asian Ornithology (previously Forktail). These publications highlight the rich birdlife of Asia and its conservation. Alex J. Berryman, Managing Editor, reflects: “NatureBureau has been indispensable during these years, consistently delivering high-quality, reliable output.”
Promotional materials for Wild Oxfordshire
Last year, we began working with Wild Oxfordshire, a local charity seeking to create a more biodiverse Oxfordshire for the benefit of all. I designed and edited their Winter newsletter, as well as a leaflet highlighting their Nature Positive initiative for businesses. I also worked on a newsletter for their Curlew Recovery Project, helping to share important updates on local conservation efforts.
Looking ahead – what’s coming in 2025:
The year ahead is full of exciting possibilities for the Design team. We’re continuing to work on our Nature of book series, alongside upcoming titles like The Spiders of Yorkshire and The Beetles of Oxfordshire. We’re also working with the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust and London Wildlife Trust to update their reserves guides, and helping Chilterns National Landscape create a new promotional leaflet with a focus on accessibility and inclusion.
We’re continuing our collaboration with the Oriental Bird Club on their journals, and fostering our new partnership with Wild Oxfordshire by creating a series of online walks for the Evenlode Catchment Partnership.
We’re excited to continue developing our work and keeping abreast of developments and challenges in the communications sector is important to us. We’re exploring new ways to improve our communications and freshen our skills, whether through social media or using AI creatively. Stay tuned to find out more!
Follow our journey on social media:
Photo: Clive Chatters with The Nature of the New Forest book.