Future Generations Commissioner and new Chair of Natural Resources Wales announced
Tuesday 3rd November 2015
The future of Wales’s natural environment is critically important to our well-being and prosperity.
Wildlife Trusts Wales welcomes the appointments of the new Future Generations Commissioner and new NRW Chair and Board members.
Sophie Howe has been appointed the Future Generations Commissioner while Diane McCrea has been appointed Chair of Natural Resource Wales. The new board members for Natural Resources Wales are Elizabeth Haywood, Karen Balmer, Howard Davies, Zoe Henderson and Chris Blake.
Rachel Sharp, Chief Executive for Wildlife Trusts Wales, said:
"Wildlife Trusts Wales welcomes these appointments. We are particularly pleased to see appointment of former Wildlife Trusts Wales Co-ordinator and North Wales Wildlife Trust Trustee, Howard Davies.
"Wales’s natural environment is critically important to our well-being and prosperity. As such, key to these appointments will be the ability to work towards making Wales a nation which maintains and enhances a biodiverse natural environment. We note with interest that many of the appointments bring strengths from outside the environmental sector. We look forward to working with them on the key Welsh environmental priorities and together halting the loss of wildlife in Wales."
Welcoming the appointments, Natural Resources Minister Carl Sargeant, said:
“These are vital roles in helping us to deliver our ground-breaking Future Generations Act. The Act is about improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales and having strong people in these important positions will help us achieve the Wales we want to see.”
Future Generations Commissioner, Sophie Howe, said:
“I am delighted and honoured to be appointed as the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. Wales is one of the first countries in the world to put sustainable development at the heart of everything it does. I look forward to working with public bodies across Wales to encourage them to take greater account of the long-term impact of the things they do and to act as a guardian for the needs of future generations.”
Emyr Roberts, Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales, said: “On behalf of the staff of NRW, we look forward to working with the new Chair and Board Members as we continue to drive forward the good work of the last two and a half years.
“The environment of Wales is one of our greatest assets – as a habitat for wildlife, a place for people to enjoy and a valuable part of our economy.
“All these are inter-linked and NRW’s unique role in protecting and enhancing it is world-leading in many ways.
“The new Chair and Board Members will have an important role to play in providing us with the strategic guidance to continue to do this in the coming years.”
New Chair of Natural Resources Wales, Diane McCrea, added:
“I am looking forward to taking on the role of chair of NRW. The role brings with it many opportunities to demonstrate how we as an organisation can work with partners to help manage Wales’s natural resources in a more proactive, sustainable way. Part of my role will also be to ensure that NRW meets the goals set out in the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
“I am also looking forward to working very closely with Dr Madeleine Havard who has been appointed as Deputy Chair of NRW and the board champion for equality and diversity.”