Climate Heroes: Ian Coppack

A 73-year-old park ranger from Cheshire, England may seem like an unlikely social media star, but Ian Coppack is on his way there.

Encouraged to start a TikTok by his children after a career managing forests, lakes and later parks in the Peak District, the conservation expert educates his viewers on everything from the 900-year life cycle of oak trees and the history of the red squirrel to the mating habits of moles. Since last May, he has grown a solid 18,000-strong following and more than 110,000 likes.

“It is just such fun,” Coppack says. “I just film it myself when I’m out on a walk, and I have some great followers who put such lovely comments.”

Aside from his Tiktok, Coppack cofounded the Macclesfield Wild Network Trust, a charity working with local government and the public to make the town “greener, more biodiverse and more resilient to climate change”.

What pushed Coppack to be so active in advocating for his area? “The losses of wildlife have been so dramatic – insects, birds, and so many trees struggling with even our small changes in climate,” he says. “I am embarrassed and enraged by the intransigence of my generation towards climate breakdown.”

Follow him on TikTok at @IanCoppack and his current campaign here.

Nominated by Guardian reader Emma Passmore.