NEW REGIONAL ADVISERS RENEW FORESTRY IN ENGLAND'S REGIONS

Nine Regional Committees who advise the Forestry Commission locally on the many ways in which trees and woodlands can benefit the English regions, have been renewed and relaunched today ( Friday 1 December).

The Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) bring together conservation experts, professionals and academics from environmental planning and the forest industry, as well as those with social or community interests, and business leaders, to discuss the future of forestry.

They advise on the implementation of existing regional plans for trees and woodlands (drawn up in Regional Forestry Frameworks), and will be taking forward the Government’s anticipated new national plan for trees and woodlands. This strategic planning alongside regional partners strengthens forestry’s role in delivering social, economic and environmental benefits to both rural and urban areas.

Each RAC has been through a recruitment process to appoint a Chair.

The new and re-appointed chairs are:

North West England - Dr Eunice Simmons, Head of University of Central Lancashire’s School of Natural Resources (Preston & Penrith), and Head of National School of Forestry, Newton Rigg. This is a new appointment.

North East England - Denise Caudle, retired director at the Government Office for the North East of England and a freelance Housing and Regeneration Consultant. Denise has been chair of the RAC since December 2003, and has been reappointed in this role.

Yorkshire and The Humber - Professor Carys Swanwick is a director of Land Use Consultants and lecturer at Sheffield University. Carys has been chair of the RAC since December 2000, and has been reappointed in this role.

West Midlands - Andy Sharkey, Operations Director, Central and Northern England with the Woodland Trust. This is a new appointment.

East Midlands - Julian Purvis, Deputy Chief Executive, Financial Director and Company Secretary of the Woodland Trust. Julian has been chair of the RAC since December 2000 and has been reappointed in this role.

East of England - Dr Gerry Barnes, Deputy Countryside Manager at Norfolk County Council. Gerry has been chair of the RAC since December 2003, and has been reappointed in this role.

South West England – Sir Harry Studholme, member of CONFOR South West Committee, CLA Devon Committee, Board member of the South West RDA, Chairman of South West Food and Drink, Chairman of the South West Chamber of Rural Enterprise and Chairman of Integer, a London based Insurance Company. Harry is also a member of the South West Rural Affairs Forum, and the England Forestry Forum. He is owner manager of the Perridge Estate, Devon and has been chair of the RAC since 2000, and has been reappointed in this role.

South East England – Steve Rodrick, Chief Officer with the Chilterns Conservation Board and member of the Buckinghamshire CLA committee. This is a new appointment.

London – Marion Kerr, Divisional Manager, Local Area Performance, Department for Education and Skills. Marion has been chair of the RAC since December 2003, and has been reappointed in this role.

Richard Britton, The Forestry Commission's Head of Regions, said:

“The role of the RACs is vital to our goal in delivering trees and woodlands which meet the needs of local people, and local areas.

"Forestry is unique in the range of functions and opportunities it offers local populations: creating more attractive settings to planned developments, and offsetting noise and air pollution; supporting rural businesses and providing valuable renewable energy resources; providing green spaces with light and shade for children to play safely, and learn about their natural environment."

"The new and reappointed chairs, working alongside regional Forestry Commission colleagues will help plan our work with Natural England's regional teams, the Development Agencies, and other partners, and put us at the heart of delivering trees and woodlands that meet the needs for communities today and in the future."

NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS

1. The Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) are appointed by the Forestry Commissioners under the Forestry Act 1967. Their function is to:

advise the Commission on the implementation at regional level of national forest strategies and associated policies, together with any expressions of these in regional forestry frameworks;

advise on a small number of specific topics and issues which Commissioners will select, focusing on regional issues or implications;

conciliate in all disputed applications for grant aid, felling licences or approval of plans of operations under a closed grant scheme where there is a sustained objection by a statutory body; and advise the Commission on other applications when asked to do so by the Conservator;

inform the Commission of matters of regional or local concern on which the RAC considers it necessary to comment.

2. Members are appointed in their personal capacities, whether or not they are nominated by representative bodies. Members are expected to be well informed of the interests they represent (for example, the interests of woodland owners, the timber trade, wildlife etc), but not act as official representatives of their nominating bodies. The Chairs are consulted on all committee appointments. Members, including the Chairs, are normally invited to serve for three years and service is normally restricted to two terms. They are appointed by Forestry Commissioners.

3. Each RAC has a Chair and eight members and is required to meet at least twice a year.

4. In recent years the RACs have played a particularly important role in advising the Commission on the preparation of Regional Forestry Frameworks which provide some of the key priorities for the Commission’s work in each region. The Frameworks were prepared through an inclusive, Government led, regional process which the Forestry Commission facilitated. Further information about the Regional Forestry Frameworks and the work of the Commission in the regions is available from the website at www.forestry.gov.uk/rff

Media enquiries: Rebecca Britton
Tel: 01223 346 027, 07785 748 351 or e-mail rebecca.britton@forestry.gsi.gov.uk