This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New members for forestry panel
16/02/2004
Six new members have been appointed to the Forestry for
People Panel in a drive to get communities more involved in
shaping the future of their woods and forests.
The Panel advises Forestry Commission Scotland on how
local communities can maximise the benefits from forestry
by getting more closely involved in the care and management
of their woods.
The new members are:
Chris Piper: (Forres) Chairman of Forres Community
Woodlands Trust, which has successfully bought and managed
two community woods in the area. A former Technical
Director for the Timber Growers' Association and currently
an independent forestry consultant, Mr Piper is also a
non-executive director with Moray, Badenoch &
Strathspey Enterprise Ltd.
Gordon Gray Stephens: (Kilmartin) Mr Stephens works for
Scottish Native Woods giving advice to woodland owners,
community and crofter forestry projects. He is company
secretary for the Community Woodland Association and the
Argyll Green Woodworkers' Association, which developed the
Barnluasgan Centre. He also provides woodland management
services for the crofter group Treslaig & Achaphubuil
Crofters' Woodland Trust.
Vincent Goodstadt: (Glasgow) Mr Goodstadt is President
of the Royal Town Planning Institute and manager of the
Glasgow and Clyde Structure Plan Joint Committee, which is
preparing the strategic plan for the Clyde Valley
Metropolitan area with a population of nearly two million
people. Before this he was Assistant Director at
Strathclyde Regional Council and worked on major planning
projects.
Professor Paul Ignatieff: (Moniaive) Paul Ignatieff has
been involved with the Cairnhead Community Forest Trust
since it was formed six years ago, and is secretary to the
Trust. He spent 30 years working for the United Nations
Children's Fund (Unicef), where he managed health,
education, nutrition, water supply and women's and
community programmes in wartime in Cambodia and Ethiopia.
In retirement he has served as Director-General of the
World Federation of United Nations Association and was a
non-executive director of the NHS Primary Care Trust for
Dumfries & Galloway. He is an Honorary Professor of the
University of Glasgow and is an adviser to its Faculty of
Social Science.
Becky Shaw: (Sutherland) Ms Shaw has wide experience of
crofting issues through working with the Scottish Crofting
Association. She also acted as facilitator on the Woods
Work project and as a part-time community animateur to the
Milton Community Woodland Trust. Through these roles Ms
Shaw has had the opportunity to explore ways in which local
economic benefit can be achieved through a variety of
methods.
Steve Robertson: (Ayrshire) Mr Robertson acts as
community forester with East Ayrshire Woodlands and has
previous experience with forest management companies
Reforesting Scotland and Donald McPhillimy Associates.
Announcing the appointments, Scottish Forestry Minister
Allan Wilson said:
"We are committed to getting local communities more
involved in forestry projects all over Scotland. Bringing
communities closer to forestry enables them to maximise the
benefits, and everyone wins.
"The Forestry for People Panel has been carrying out
some excellent work in inspiring a closer working
relationship with communities from around Scotland. The new
members will bring a wealth of relevant experience to the
table and help us drive forward this initiative."
The panel is chaired by Highland Councillor Ian Ross,
who added,
"This is an exciting time for Scottish forestry, with an
increasing recognition of the many important public
benefits that forestry can deliver. The Panel has a key
role in guiding and advising Forestry Commission Scotland
and I am confident the new members will add to and build on
the strong base of experience and positive vision we have
within the Forestry for People Panel."
The new members will join:
Chairman William (Ian) Ross. Cllr Ross is Highland
Councillor for Golspie and Rogart, chair of the Council's
Sustainable Development Select Committee, and chair of the
North Highland Forest Trust.
Cllr Margaret Davidson, of Abriachan,
Inverness-shire, a founder-member of the Abriachan Forest
Trust and Highland Councillor for Loch Ness West. Munro
Gauld, of Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
Willie McGhee, of Edinburgh, woodland co-ordinator of
the Borders Forest Trust. Donald McPhillimy, of Dalmeny,
West Lothian, a woodland consultant who specialises in
community and native woodlands. Penny Edwards, of Falkirk,
who runs a woodland business and is a former planning
director of the Central Scotland Forest Trust. Sheila Nairn
of the Sunart Oakwood Initiative.
The Panel secretary is Ruth Anderson of Perthshire,
project officer for the Breadalbane Initiative for Farm
Forestry.