Jonny is an environmental social scientist, award-winning social entrepreneur, snow leopard conservationist and former community farmer.
He is currently a research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast with ARK, the Northern Ireland social policy hub. Here, he studies the social aspects of conservation, agriculture and climate, as well as the environmental aspects of social issues, including peacebuilding. Jonny is particularly interested in understanding coexistence between livestock farming and large carnivore conservation.
Through his nature edutainment start-up, Jonny Hanson Ventures, Jonny brings the world to life through stories and brands. His in-development stories include a snow leopard film, while premium brand Malawi Mountain® Gin arrives in 2027.
Jonny grew up in Monaghan, Ireland, and Malawi, Africa, before studying medieval history and archaeology at Queen’s University Belfast, followed by business management and sustainability at Queen’s Business School. After working in nature education and fundraising, he completed a PhD in snow leopard conservation at the University of Cambridge.
From March 2022 – March 2024, Jonny co-delivered the Cultivating Community Farming project, a Co-op Foundation-funded accelerator program for 10 diverse, early-stage community farming projects across Northern Ireland.
Jonny was also a 2023 Nuffield Farming Scholar, a program of study and travel for future farming leaders about the future of farming. Sponsored by the Thomas Henry Foundation, his 2024 research report explored ‘Large carnivore reintroductions to Britain and Ireland: farmers’ perspectives and management options.’ Overall, he is neutral on this issue. His popular book on the topic, ‘Living with lynx: sharing landscapes with big cats, wolves and bears‘ was published by Pelagic in February 2025.
Beyond his day-to-day work, Jonny is also the Founder of Jubilee Community Benefit Society, a social enterprise which owns and operates Jubilee Farm, Northern Ireland’s first community-owned farm. He established and led the organisation 2014 – 2022. Jonny is also an Affiliate of the Snow Leopard Conservancy, a leading international snow leopard conservation NGO, and was a Trustee of the Nyika-Vwaza Trust, a UK conservation charity active in Northern Malawi, 2017-22.
Jonny has worked with numerous wild and domestic animals on four continents, including with 20 of the world’s 41 species of cat, and has published peer-reviewed (see university profile) articles on a range of topics. As well as having vocational qualifications in habitat conservation, pesticide management and pig farming, Jonny is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
In 2019 he was awarded Social Enterprise Northern Ireland’s inaugural Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year award, and is a frequent media commentator on a range of environmental and agricultural issues. Between January and April 2021 Jonny and Jubilee Farm featured in Series 9 of UTV’s perennially popular program, Rare Breed – A Farming Year. An emerging presenter and broadcaster, Jonny has written, directed, produced and presented several documentary ‘shorts’ for the Northern Ireland Science Festival, as well as a series of short reports for sustainable agriculture podcast, Farmerama Radio.
Jonny lives in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland.
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