Matthew Oates has worked as an ecologist for the National Trust for 20 years, and is currently assisting with the Trust’s Closer to Nature programme.  He previously worked as an entomologist for UK nature conservation organisations and managed a nature reserve. Matthew became captivated by butterflies and the poetic approach at Christ’s Hospital school in West Sussex.

Matthew has made several appearances on TV, including One Show, Countryfile and Springwatch, and regularly features on Radio 4’s Saving Species programme.  He fronts environmental press releases for National Trust and is the author of books on butterflies and numerous articles on butterflies, ecology and environmental thinking. 

Matthew is a non-competition poet, his main area of interest is the relationship between people and Nature. Matthew’s life’s work is the Purple Emperor butterfly.