05.04.2019
The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands.
The Forestry Commission increases the value of woodlands to society and the environment.
UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Ministers have appointed three new Non-Executive Commissioners to Forestry Commission
Peter Latham, Jennie Price, and Liz Philip have been appointed for three years commencing on 1 April 2019.
Peter Latham is currently the Chair of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification International (PEFC), a Director of Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux (ATIBT) and a trustee of the Commonwealth Forestry Association. He was previously CEO and Chairman of the timber distributor James Latham Plc. Peter Latham brings extensive knowledge of the timber industry and experience of successful stakeholder engagement on an international level.
The Commissioners will play a pivotal role in establishing a strong, sustainable future for the organisation, enabling it to set out with confidence on the road to the next 100 years of forestry in England.
The Forestry Commission (FC) is a non-Ministerial Government department established nearly a century ago as a body serving Great Britain (GB). In 2013, Natural Resources Wales took over most of FC’s functions in Wales, and the Scottish Government will take over FC’s functions in Scotland this year, which means that from this point on the FC’s work will be primarily in England.
Forest Research will continue to operate across GB, and the whole FC will remain an outward looking, connected organisation, engaging with the forest industry and other national and international partners and stakeholders, and delivering research and other services to Scotland and Wales by agreement with the devolved governments.
All appointments to Forestry Commission are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. The appointments comply with the Ministerial Code of Governance on Public Appointments. There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. All three appointees have declared that they have not taken part in any political activity in the past five years.
Details about the Forestry Commission management structure can be seen at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/forestry-commission
