The Highlands and Islands Forestry Forum is set to welcome five new members at its last meeting of the year (Thursday 3 December 2009).

The Forum, which consists of 12 – 15 members, advises Forestry Commission Scotland on delivering the Scottish Forestry Strategy in the north of Scotland, liaising on issues relating to forestry policy, practice and implementation across the Highland and the Western and Northern Isles local authority areas.

The new members are:

• Mike Thompson - a partner in timber merchants Munro Harvesting, Dingwall Sawmills - is an ornithological surveyor and a core member of the British Trust for Ornithology’s Highland Ringing Group.
• Neil Sutherland - a partner in Neil Sutherland Architects and Director of specialist timber building firm MAKAR Ltd – Neil has designed and built a range of ecologically sound buildings from locally sourced timber across the Highland area.
• Eleanor Garty - Woodland Trust Officer for the Highlands - is engaged in the conservation management of woodlands and the restoration of ancient woodland sites. Eleanor is a former department head and senior lecturer of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Greenmount College, Northern Ireland.
• Becky Shaw - Rural Development Consultant. Becky is a former programme manager for the Scottish Crofting Foundation and has been a member of the Forestry For People Panel and of the Shucksmith Committee of Enquiry on Crofting.
• John McGlade - North Highland District Manager for UPM Tilhill forestry agents,  John has wide experience of grant aid support for forestry and is currently Chair of the Forestry Advisory Committee of the Scottish School of Forestry.

Chair of the Forum, Ian Ross, said:

“I would like to extend a warm Highland welcome to our new members, each of whom is a respected expert in their own field. They will bring considerable experience and knowledge to the Forum, helping us to carry forward the economic, environmental and social development of forestry in our area.

“I would also like to pay tribute to our retiring members Philip Mackenzie, Duncan Bryden, Bill Ritchie and David Glass, who have all been with the Forum since its inception in 2005. Their significant contributions to our work have been a major influence on the direction and development of Highland and Islands forestry in recent years.”

Forestry Commission Scotland Conservator for the Highland and Islands, John Risby, said:

“The forum serves a key role in advising us on how best to deliver the forestry strategy, the breadth of experience brought by these new members will greatly assist us in engaging and delivering the benefits forestry can provide to the communities, industry and environment of Highland and islands.”