Roger Reynolds Lovegrove OBE
Roger Lovegrove was well-known throughout Wales and especially in Montgomeryshire where he lived most of his life. His love of wildlife, cross-country running and Carlisle FC was a result of a youth spent in rural Cumberland. In 1964, he moved to Mid Wales firstly as Head of PE at Newtown High School and later as Director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in Wales. During his time as a teacher, he was a founding member of Newtown Rugby Club and led international youth expeditions.
He landed his dream job in 1971, when he opened the first Wales office for the RSPB, retiring 27 years later when he was awarded an OBE for his conservation work. Many people associate Roger with the protection of the small red kite population which was, for 100 years, confined to central Wales. He also played an integral role in the reintroduction of kites to England & Scotland, a project which has seen these birds of prey return to much of their former haunts.
Roger was also one of a small group of naturalists who formed the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust in 1982 and six years later a founding member of the Welsh Ornithological Society. His boundless energy, knowledge and enthusiasm has inspired a whole generation of conservationists.
He was co-author of “Birds in Wales”, the first comprehensive ornithological record of the country and his much-acclaimed, best-selling work “Silent Fields” documented the long decline of British wildlife.
Roger died in Shrewsbury aged 88 on June 22nd 2023 after a long illness. He is survived by his wife Mary and his daughters Sian and Polly.