Meet The Team

At JCA, we have a specialist team of personnel that each specialise in the different areas that we offer services in. Want to find out more about our team before you get in touch? Here is a bit of information about all our members.

Jonathan Cocking

F.R.E.S., Tech. Cert. (Arbor.A), PDipArb (RFS) FArborA CBiol MSB. MICFor. Jonathan is a Registered Consultant and Fellow of the Arboricultural Association and sits on its Professional Committee. He has 31 years experience in the Arboricultural profession and served for eight years as Senior Arboriculturist with a large local authority before establishing JCA in 1997. Jonathan has since developed JCA’s portfolio of services and its extensive client base. He is a Chartered Biologist, a Chartered Arboriculturalist and an Expert Witness with much experience of litigation work.

Toby Thwaites

BSc (Hons), HND (Arboriculture). Toby joined JCA in 1998 after graduating in Ecology at the University of Huddersfield and has since graduated in Arboriculture at the University of Central Lancashire. A former JCA team leader and Consulting Arboriculturist, Toby is now Technical Director and oversees all office and on-site activities at JCA and is on hand to offer technical support and advice.

Charles Cocking

FdSc (Arboriculture), MArborA. Charles joined JCA in January 2014 as an Apprentice having previously worked for the company on a part time basis during 2013. Charles obtained his Foundation Degree in Arboriculture at Askham Bryan College, York and is now Director of Operations at the company. His roles include contract, staff and cash management, whilst focusing on general business growth and offering support to both Managing and Technical Directors.

Andrew Bussey

LANTRA Accredited PTI. Andrew joined JCA having spent 12 years working as a tree surgeon for various private companies and a Local Authority. He has various NPTC qualifications, is QTRA qualified and has a LANTRA certificate in Professional Tree Inspection.

Emily Wilde

FdSc (Arboriculture). Emily joined JCA having previously worked for various private tree surgery and consultancy companies over the past 8 years. She initially obtained a ND in Forestry and Arboriculture, followed by a FdSc in Arboriculture at Askham Bryan College, York. Emily has various NPTC certificates and is QTRA qualified.

Mick Eltringham

ND (Forestry). Mick joined JCA after spending 12 years working in the industry for various private companies in the north and south of England. He has also spent the last five years working as a consultant for two canopy research projects in the Amazon Rainforest, working with Oxford University and the University of Arizona. He has various NPTC Qualifications.

Dan Kemp

FdSc (Arboriculture). Dan joined JCA with nearly 30 years’ experience in arboriculture. He worked as a London Tree Officer for 12 years and in several arboricultural and horticultural management posts, specialising particularly in tree risk assessments and tree related subsidence.

Luke Wickham

FdSc (Arboriculture and Urban Forestry). Luke joined JCA in 2021 after obtaining his Foundation Degree in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry at Askham Bryan College. Having previously worked within the industry for the past 4 years, running his own small business and sub-contracting for local firms, Luke brings a sound knowledge and understanding of the practical and academic sides of the industry.

David De Peña

BSc (Hons) Ecology and Conservation. After earning his degree from Manchester Metropolitan University, David worked as an ecologist at various consultancies, contributing to a wide range of projects, including major infrastructure projects across the UK. More recently, David transitioned to arboriculture and served as a surveyor for Manchester City of Trees, where he participated in a project to quantify the value of Greater Manchester’s woodlands and trees. David joined JCA in 2024.

 

Stella Bolam

Dip Arb L4 (ABC), TechArborA. Stella joined JCA having previously worked at a Local Authority as a Community Forestry Project Development Officer for over two years. She holds a degree in English, gained her Level 4 Diploma in Arboriculture in 2023, and was elected as a Board Trustee for the Arboricultural Association in 2022. Stella joined the team here at JCA in 2024.

Adam West

BSc (Hons) Animal and Wildlife Management. DBS checked. Adam joined JCA to lead the expanding ecology department. Having returned to education as a mature student, Adam studied Countryside Management for two years before undertaking a bachelor’s degree in Animal and Wildlife Management, for which he was awarded First Class Honours. Adam has many years’ experience in ecological consultancy, working on projects ranging from individual planning applications to national infrastructure projects. Adam holds a Natural England Level 1 great crested newt survey class licence, a Natural England Level 2 bat survey class licence (and the Scottish and Welsh equivalents) and a CSCS card. Adam is a member of CIEEM.

James Foster

BSc (Hons) Biology.  James gained his undergraduate degree in biology in 2012 from University of Leeds. James has plenty of experience in ecology, having worked countless projects of different scales all over the north and midlands. James has 9 years of experience surveying anything from reptiles to hedgerows and holds a Great crested newt licence level 1 and is working towards his bat licence and barn owl licence.

Alex Donovan

MBIOL, BSc Biology (Industrial)

Alex joined JCA in 2023 after graduating from the University of Leeds with a First Class Honours Integrated Master’s degree in Biology. As part of his degree programme, Alex spent an industrial placement year working in the Uplands Research Department of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, assisting on various ecological surveys and projects. Alex is a registered Trainee Bird Ringer, licensed through the BTO and is experienced in conducting preliminary ecological surveys, bat roost assessments and emergence surveys, Biodiversity Net Gain, and has knowledge of wildlife legislation. Alex is a CIEEM Qualifying Member and is currently working towards a Natural England level 1 bat licence, level 1 great crested newt licence, and a barn owl survey licence.

 

Grace Bramley

BA/BSc (Honors) Design and Innovation with Environmental Science.

Grace will join us at the end of October 2024.

Rick Westwood

BA (Hons) History and Politics

Rick gained his undergraduate degree in History and Politics in 2001 from Leeds Metropolitan University before going on to complete a PGCE in History at the University of Leeds in 2003. After 18 years in secondary education and the NHS, Rick began assisting on bat emergence surveys in 2023, after which, he gained employment as a Graduate Ecologist at JCA Ltd.