View across Whinlatter forest, mountains in the background and conifers in the foreground
Photo credit: Steve Blake

We look after the nation's forests

How do we run Forestry England?

Forestry England is an executive agency, sponsored by the Forestry Commission. We receive just under a quarter of our income from the Forestry Commission, and the rest we generate ourselves. All our income goes back into creating beautiful forests for people to enjoy and homes for wildlife.

The Board:

The Board is appointed by the Forestry Commissioners. The Commissioners have delegated their functions to the Board under the Forestry Act 1967 and other legislation in respect of management of the nation’s forests.

The Board sets the strategy for Forestry England, provides leadership through setting the standards for how Forestry England does its work and the culture it promotes, and supports the Forestry England executives through constructive challenge and guidance. 

The Executive Team:

The Executive Team support the Chief Executive to successfully manage the implementation of the strategy set by the Board and the effective management of Forestry England operations and performance.

The Forest Management Directors:

Our work in the nation’s forests is locally led. Six Forest Management Directors are responsible for the implementation of Forestry England’s strategic objectives at a local level. Our Director of Westonbirt Arboretum leads our work caring for one of the world's finest tree collections at the National Arboretum.  

Meet the Forestry England Board

Sir William Worsley stood by wooden gate
Forestry Commission Chair
Photo of Mike Seddon chief executive from August 2019
Chief Executive and Chair of the Executive Team
Richard Stanford Chief Executive of Forestry England
Forestry Commission Chief Executive
Tristram Hilborn
Chief Operating Officer and member of the Executive Team
Woman smiling in front of greenery

Amanda Grist

Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Team
Gurch Randhawa
Non-executive Director
Chris Simpson smiling and standing in front of a wooded area in the sunshine
Non-executive Director

Meet the Executive Team

PK Khaira-Creswell
Director of Corporate Affairs
Josephine Lavelle
Director of Engagement and Marketing
Mari Sibley
Director of Estates and Legal
James Simpson
Director of Operations - Forestry and Land Management
Hayley Skipper
Director of Operations – Commercial Visitor Development

Meet the Forest Management Directors

Man in green jacket stood next to a tree
Yorkshire District Forest Management Director
head shot of Paddy Harrop
Central District Forest Management Director
Headshot of Kevin May
North District Forest Management Director
Craig Harrison
South District Forest Management Director
Andrew Smith
Westonbirt Forest Management Director
head shot of Kevin Stannard
West District Forest Management Director and Deputy Surveyor for the Forest of Dean
Man in glasses stood in front of woodland
East District Forest Management Director
autumn in the woods

Contact us

We will be as open as we can with information.

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