Forestry Commission - News - forestry chief appointed for west midlands

A new leader has been appointed to head up a forestry advisory committee for the West Midlands.

Graham Hunt has this month taken up his post as Chair of the Forestry Commission’s Regional Advisory Committee (RAC).

Mr Hunt was the Project Director for the Forest of Mercia Community Forest from its inception in 1989 until 2007. He is now a Community Partnership Officer for Staffordshire County Council working on Community Strategies and Local Strategic Partnerships for the Cannock Chase and Tamworth areas. He retains his enthusiasm for and involvement with woodlands and forestry in the region.

The RAC chairs aim to bring together partners and advise Forestry Commission England, through the Regional Directors, on the implementation of forestry and related policies at a regional level. The nine RAC chairs also collectively advise Forestry Commission England on matters of national significance.

RACs play a vital role in the delivery of the Forestry Commission’s mission to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment. The committees play a particularly important role in guiding the delivery of Regional Forestry Frameworks, which provide the primary policy drivers for the Commission’s work in each region and will also guide the regional implementation of the Government’s Strategy for England’s Trees, Woods and Forests.

Bill Heslegrave, Regional Director for the Forestry Commission in the West Midlands, said, “I’m delighted that Graham who has been a member of the West Midlands RAC for eight years, has taken on the role of Chair. Thanks to his background in community forestry he has an excellent understanding of both the social and the forestry policy dimensions of the Commission’s work. With his interest and enthusiasm for environmental issues and his expertise and commitment to partnership working, he will prove a great strength to the RAC and to the Forestry Commission at a local and national level”

Graham Hunt said, “I’m delighted to take on the role of Chair for the West Midlands Regional Advisory Committee. The committee has an important role to play in promoting forestry across the region and advising the Forestry Commission on the implementation of national strategy and policies at a regional level and I’m relishing the opportunity to lead this process.”

For more information about the Forestry Commission's work in the West Midlands go to

www.forestry.gov.uk/westmidlands

Media contact: Jo Fowler, Forestry Commission England Press Officer on 01223 346034

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Forestry Commission is a government department responsible in England for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woods and forests, and increasing their value to society and the environment. Forestry makes a real contribution to sustainable development, providing social and environmental benefits arising from planting and managing attractive, as well as productive woodlands.

www.forestry.gov.uk/england

2. RACs are statutory committees and members are appointed under the Forestry Act 1967. The RACs advise the Commission, through our regional directors on the implementation of forestry and related policies in each region.

3. Their function is to:

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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;

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

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conciliate in all disputed applications for grant aid, felling licences or approvals 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 Regional Director

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