THE prestigious RSPB posthumous medal has been awarded to internationally recognised ecologist Dr Dick Potts.

The former director general of the Game Conservancy Trust, now known as the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) based in Fordingbridge, was awarded the medal by the RSPB Council for his outstanding contribution to nature conservation shortly before he died on March 30.

It was presented to Dick’s wife Olga at the charity’s Members’ Day and annual general meeting,

Dick made a sustained contribution to conservation and science from the 1970s onwards, particularly through ground-breaking studies into the effects of chemicals on farmland birds, especially the grey partridge.

After collecting the accolade on Dick’s behalf, Olga spoke of how much the award meant to him at the QE11 conference centre in London on Saturday 7 October 2017.

She said: "He would never have imagined as a small boy with a passion for the wildlife around him - as recorded in his very early diaries - that he would be honoured with this prestigious award.

“He was modest about his achievements and would have seen this as an award for a great team, both past and present.

“The biggest acknowledgements go to that amazing team at the GWCT, particularly Julie Ewald and Nicholas Aebischer who over recent years helped to put into practice those ideas which, at times, appeared to have come from nowhere - but were usually proven to be correct! He was very good at challenging people to think outside the box.

“I know he would thank all those farmers in Sussex who over the years have allowed him and his team to tramp all over their fields in order to test theories and carry out experiments.”