Jon Avon (born 1965)

Dave Jenks, Society Archivist

Jon Avon was born in Nantyglo, Monmouthshire in 1965 where from an early age had an interest in local upland birds and spent much time bird ringing and nesting.

Following School, Jon studied for a National Certificate in Agriculture at Usk College of Agriculture before moving Devon in 1985 to Seale Hayne Agricultural College, Newton Abbot to study for a HND in Rural Resource Management. Early employment included dairy, beef and sheep farming across the UK including the Scottish Borders, Wales, East Anglia and Devon.

After Seale Hayne, he pursued a career in Nature Conservation and Nature Reserve management and employers included the RSPB and English Nature. He is currently employed by Devon County Council as a Senior Countryside Ranger and has managed Stover Country Park a Local Nature Reserve, near Newton Abbot since 1990.

Jon maintains an interest in bird migration, upland birds and is particularly interested in lapwing. He has held a BTO ringing license for 27 years. He joined DBWPS in 1985 and has contributed records and ringing data ever since. In 1992 he became a Council member for one year but was re-elected and was appointed Conservation Officer in 1994, serving for a further two years. He rejoined Council in 1999, becoming Deputy Chairman in 2002 and then Chairman in 2003, serving thus until September 2006 when pressure of work forced him to stand down. At this point he was co-opted on to Council as an Ordinary member.