Who's who in Reforesting Scotland? - some names and faces!
Reforesting Scotland (RS) is its members, but work done and decisions made are often down to a much smaller group of people, the staff and directors, along with various volunteers and consultants.
The photo above shows some of the Reforesting Scotland directors and staff at the Weem retreat in March 2009. It's only a snapshot in time - the lineup has already changed since then, with new people coming in and others moving on.
Reforesting Scotland's directors
Alyne Jones
David Blair
David was co-opted as a director in 2004 and manages the Dunbeag ecological restoration project in Argyll. An agro-forestry system is being developed in the 30 acre ancient woodland guided by the principles of Permaculture. He is learning to design and build affordable housing with the conifer being extracted from the woodland, and developing a model for forest croft communities.
He doesn't sit on any forums with an RS hat on but he is on the steering group for Forest Crofting convened by the Crofting Foundation and on the Permaculture woodland working group.
Dan Gates
Dan has an academic background in zoology and rural resource management and a practical background in conservation projects. Dan worked as woodfuel information officer for Forestry Commission Scotland, helping to get the emerging woodfuel industry on to its feet, and now develops commercial biomass projects for Wood Energy Ltd in Scotland.
Donald McPhillimy
Donald has been a member of RS since its beginnings and was the fourth ever RS director. He is a self-employed forestry consultant working in all those interesting areas where forestry now overlaps with communities, farming, ecology, footpaths and rural development. He teaches part-time at Edinburgh University and runs training courses for the likes of BTCV on woodland management.
He is a member of the National Forest Land Scheme Evaluation Panel and the Perth & Argyll Regional Forestry Forum. He's also a director of Dynamic Woods at Inzievar.
Ian Edwards
Ian was a founder member of RS and has been a director since 2003. With a background in forest ecology and a PhD in pinewood conservation, he has worked on research and educational projects in Scotland, Africa, Australia, Indonesia and Bhutan. In his current day job he is responsible for interpretation, exhibition and events at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
As a director of RS, Ian has been keen to support the fundraising and marketing side as well as taking on the role of company secretary. He has been involved in practical woodland conservation in the past and is currently looking for a woodland to expend some energy in! The committees he sits on include the Scottish Biodiversity Forum Communications Sub-group and the Garden for Life Forum.
Laura Brickell
Laura was first introduced to RS in 1992 while studying plant science at Stirling University and, totally inspired by the vision of restored forest on the denuded hills and re-population of the empty glens, immediately became a member. After some years in research down south, she is now living in Alness on the Cromarty Firth, cultivating her veg garden and engaging with the issues of adaptation to climate change in the firm belief that small individual steps will contribute to the creation of a momentous wave that will bring social change. She has recently become involved in the Transition Town network.
Ninian Stuart
After an early career in community social work in Glasgow and in the mental health field, Ninian returned to his roots and responsibilities in a run-down rural estate in the 1990s. Since then he has been working with others to revive a landscape, build community and mind the future of this wooded place.
This has involved starting up and supporting a range of social enterprises
and community initiatives. He is co-founder of Falkland Centre for Stewardship
which runs the Big Tent Festival and currently leads a programme of learning
activities and public engagement in Falkland's woods.
Paul Ritchie
Paul joined Reforesting Scotland in response to an advert for the role of treasurer. He qualified as an accountant whilst working for British Steel. Since then he has worked in finance roles for several charities, most recently the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
Piers Voysey
Piers has been a member of RS since 1998 and a director since 2003. He is inspired by the RS vision, not just of more trees in Scotland (and Scotland does still need more woodlands and native woodlands especially) but also of the engagement of lots of people in that reforesting process, not just forestry professionals.
He is currently working for the Anagach Woods, a community-owned pinewood near Grantown on Spey. He is also a director for the Community Woodland Association and a member of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society.