Press release: Natural England Board members re-appointed

Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Andrea Leadsom, has reappointed Julia Aglionby, Andy Clements, Teresa Dent and Simon Lyster for second terms to the Board of Natural England.

Additionally, Nigel Reader’s second term of appointment has been extended by 12 months from 1 June 2017.

The reappointments will take effect from 14 July 2017 for two years, with the exception of Andy Clements who has been reappointed for three years.

Board members provide non-executive leadership challenge and support to the executive through regular Board meetings, committees and groups. They also undertake individual lead roles on relevant issues and with local operational teams.

All appointments to the Natural England Board are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. The appointments comply with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Natural England is a non-departmental public body, set up under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Its remit is to ensure the natural environment is conserved, enhanced and managed for the benefit of present and future generations.

There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. None of the appointees have declared any significant political activity during the past five years.

Natural England Board Members receive £11,808 per annum based on a time commitment of 36 days.

Dr Julia Aglionby

Julia Aglionby is a Chartered Surveyor and Agricultural Valuer who advises on uplands and common land matters and is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Common Land.

She is a consultant with H and H Land and Property and a member of the Newcastle University School of Agriculture’s Industrial Advisory Board. Julia has previously been Director of the National Centre for the Uplands and a non-executive director of Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency. She has worked as an environmental economist for the Overseas Development Administration in Indonesia.

Julia lives in Cumbria on a farm run as a social enterprise focusing on local food and agricultural education.

Dr Andy Clements

Dr Andy Clements is a naturalist and ornithologist, and has a science background.

Since 2007 he has been the Chief Executive Officer of the British Trust for Ornithology and he is also a Trustee of National Biodiversity Network and he is the founder Chair, and now member, of the Council of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative.

Andy has previously worked for the government’s nature conservation agencies, where he held various senior positions from 1982 until 2006 and helped to establish Natural England.

Teresa Dent CBE

Teresa Dent has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust since 2001, a charity whose remit is wildlife conservation with a special interest in game species. She is also Chairman of the Marlborough Downs Nature Enhancement Partnership, a board member of the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project and a director of the Game and Wildlife Scottish Demonstration Farm.

Teresa is a fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and previously was a partner with Strutt and Parker working as a farming and business management consultant.

Dr Simon Lyster

Simon Lyster is currently a non-executive Director of Northumbrian Water Group, Chairman of World Land Trust, and Trustee of Rural Community Council of Essex, Kilverstone Wildlife Charitable Trust and Conservation International (UK).

He was previously Chief Executive of Leadership for Environment and Development International and before that Director General of The Wildlife Trusts. Prior to that he was Head of Conservation Policy at the World Wide Fund for Nature UK.

Simon is qualified as a lawyer, a member of the International Council of Environmental Law and author of the book ‘International Wildlife Law’. He runs a small farm business at his home in Essex, and is a Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Essex.