UNITED Utilities have appointed a new area manager to look after the countryside near Blackburn.
Simon Jennings, 39, has swapped the bushes of Botswana, where he has worked for the last three years as an ecological consultant, to manage the Lancashire landscape and monitor water quality.
Simon also spent much of the 1990s in other African countries, including Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, working on projects to protect wildlife, such as cheetahs, while allowing the rural economy to benefit from tourism and agriculture.
He takes over from Roy Rhodes who is retiring after working for United Utilities for many years. He will be based at Rivington and will lead United Utilities' central catchment area, which covers various sites in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, such as Rivington, Anglezarke, Turton, Belmont, Dean Clough and Oswaldtwistle.
Simon said of his new role: "There's lots of very interesting local wildlife to learn about. The job involves managing the landscape and balancing the needs of conservation, recreation and agriculture. "
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