Adrian Boots is a landscape ecologist, researcher, tutor and adviser with a passionate interest in wild food, nature conservation and the history of the landscape. With a degree in Geography & Environmental Management and a Masters in Research, he was previously a university lecturer & researcher in conservation & biogeography.
His events are fun and engaging and are based on what grows where and why, and how you can turn your wild food finds into delicious dishes! Participants love his encyclopedic knowledge, easy style and approachability, making foraging safe, fun and accessible to everyone, whatever their age and background.
Adrian has studied with some of the world’s greatest experts – he’s been to the Arctic with Ray Mears, studied bush craft with Mors Kochanski, wild food with John Wright of River Cottage, survival with Lars Falt who taught the Swedish Military, and landscape ecology with the great Oliver Rackham. He also worked for Natural England and the Countryside & Higher-Level Stewardship Schemes, helping landowners and farmers gain environmental benefit from their land.
Adrian has published academic papers at the International Association of Landscape Ecology and British Ecological Society, and British Geographical Society, and writes a regular monthly article for vibrant regional magazine, The Mendip Times. His first book, 8 Wild Walks, was commissioned by the Mendip Hills AONB. He is a member of the Forager’s Association and an elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
In addition to group events and activities, Adrian runs seasonal wild food forays, teaches wild food cookery, runs professional development courses, and continues to research and write. He runs corporate events for local organisations and has designed and run Experience Days for food businesses. He has also designed nature trails for several local schools and charities.
Adrian worked with the late, great Sir Terry Wogan on the BBC2 program ‘Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip’ in the City of Wells where he cooked Mendip Wallfish aka snails to you and I, a traditional Mendip recipe. He re-created the dish for the Food Magazine Awards event at Yeo Valley Organic HQ. He appeared on Countryfile’s Mary Berry special, where he took Mary foraging around her childhood family farm.
Adrian is passionate about wild food and using the fruits of the ‘quiet hunt’ to create delicious dishes packed with wild flavour. Rather than just teaching a list of wild foods, he enjoys helping people understand the connections between habitat and species so that they develop a more holistic understanding of wild food within the context of the landscape, and our fundamental relationship with food and the natural world.
Adrian is a popular and engaging speaker – please get in touch if you would like to check his availability for your event.
