Shireen Chambers

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Shireen Chambers

MBE FICFor
Born21 February 1962
Alma mater Bangor University
Employer Future Woodlands Scotland

Shireen Grace Chambers MBE FICFor (born 21 February 1962) is a British forester and the CEO of Future Woodlands Scotland.

Contents

Early life and education

Chambers studied forestry and soil science at Bangor University and graduated in 1985. She moved to The Bahamas, where she helped to establish a forestry department. [1] She returned to the United Kingdom in 1991, when she joined the Central Scotland Forest Trust. [2]

Career

Chambers was appointed CEO of Future Woodlands Scotland in 2022, [3] a Scottish conservation charity working to create and conserve native woodlands and greenspaces.

Prior to joining Future Woodlands Scotland, she was executive director of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (2006-2022). She was made a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Foresters in 2012. [4] She was awarded an honorary fellowship from Bangor University in 2015. [5] Chambers has outlined how forestry can help to support sustainable, low carbon farming. [6] [7] She has spoken about the need for the public to be aware of the damage that can be caused by imported pests and disease in UK forests. [8]

In 2017 Chambers was made chair of the Board of Trustees of Tree Aid, which she led until 2023. In her capacity as Chair she visited Burkina Faso to understand he impact of trees in rural communities. [9] Inspired by her time in Burkina Faso Chambers established dryland developments in the United Kingdom. [10] She serves as a member of the Forestry Strategy Reference Group. [11]

Chambers has worked to improve the representation of women in forestry. [12] She launched the Institute of Chartered Foresters campaign "#ILookLikeAForester" in March 2019. [13] She was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to forestry in 2019. [14] [15] Under her leadership the Institute of Chartered Foresters has doubled member numbers. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forestry</span> Science and craft of managing woodlands

Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. The science of forestry has elements that belong to the biological, physical, social, political and managerial sciences. Forest management plays an essential role in the creation and modification of habitats and affects ecosystem services provisioning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forester</span> Person who practices forest management

A forester is a person who practises forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including ecological restoration and management of protected areas. Foresters manage forests to provide a variety of objectives including direct extraction of raw material, outdoor recreation, conservation, hunting and aesthetics. Emerging management practices include managing forestlands for biodiversity, carbon sequestration and air quality.

The Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) is the professional body for foresters and arboriculturists in the United Kingdom. Its royal charter was granted in 1982. The Institute grants chartered status to individuals following an examination process that includes a period of management or supervisory experience resulting in them being promoted to professional membership. Chartered members are recognised by the designations 'Chartered Arboriculturist' or 'Chartered Forester' and by the postnominals letters MICFor. Fellows of the institute bear the postnominals FICFor in addition to their designation.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Kirkham</span>

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Bedford Purlieus is a 211-hectare (520-acre) ancient woodland in Cambridgeshire, in the United Kingdom. It is a national nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. In Thornhaugh civil parish, 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Stamford and 14 km (8.7 mi) west of Peterborough, the wood is within the Peterborough unitary authority area of Cambridgeshire, and borders Northamptonshire. In Roman times it was an iron smelting centre, during the medieval period it was in the Royal Forest of Rockingham, and later it became part of the estates of the Duke of Bedford. Bedford Purlieus appears to have been continuously wooded at least from Roman times, and probably since the ice receded. The woodland may have the richest range of vascular plants of any English lowland wood. It acquired particular significance in the 1970s as an early subject for the historical approach to ecology and woodland management.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forestry in Scotland</span>

Scotland is ideal for tree growth, thanks to its mild winters, plentiful rainfall, fertile soil and hill-sheltered topography. As of 2019 about 18.5% of the country was wooded. Although this figure is well below the European Union (EU) average of 43%, it represents a significant increase compared to the figure of 100 years previously: in 1919 it was estimated that only 5% of the country's total land area was covered in forest. The Scottish Government's Draft Climate Change Plan has set an aim of increasing coverage to 21% of Scotland by 2032, with the rate of afforestation rising to 15,000 hectares per year by 2024.

Mary Sutherland was a notable New Zealand forester and botanist. She was born in London, England in 1893.

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Afforestation efforts in Scotland have provided an increase in woodland expansion. By the 20th century mark, Scotland had diminished woodland coverage to 5% of Scotland's land area. However, by the early 21st century, afforestation efforts have increased woodland coverage to 17%. The Scottish government released their Draft Climate Change Plan in January 2017. The 2017 draft plan has increased the targeted woodland coverage to 21% by 2032 and increases the afforestation rate to 15,000 hectares per year.

Helen M. McKay is Head of the Centre, Sustainable Forestry and Climate Change at Forest Research. In July 2020 she was appointed to the role of Chief Forester for Scotland by Scottish Forestry.

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References

  1. ↑ "2019 Annual Conference Speakers | European Forest Institute". www.efi.int. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  2. ↑ "5 Tips for Future Foresters – Inform.ed". 21 March 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  3. ↑ "Forestry Journal". Forestry Journal. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  4. ↑ "Shireen Chambers and Nick Mottram, Fellows of the Institute of Chartered Foresters". www.hortweek.com. May 25, 2012. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  5. ↑ "Bangor University Honours Awarded during Graduation Week – News and Events, Bangor University". www.bangor.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  6. ↑ "Foresters can help deliver low-carbon farming". The Oban Times. 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  7. ↑ "OU academic recognised for 'pivotal' role in sustainable forestry development". www3.open.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  8. ↑ Biosecurity: A World Without Trees - Shireen Chambers , retrieved 2019-11-11
  9. ↑ Airey, Sally (2018-02-12). "Our Chair, Shireen, updates us from Burkina Faso". TREE AID. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  10. ↑ Airey, Sally (2019-06-11). "TREE AID Chair, Shireen Chambers, awarded MBE in Queen's Birthday Honours". TREE AID. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  11. ↑ "Scotland's Forestry Strategy 2019-2029: consultation process - gov.scot". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  12. ↑ "Scottish Forest and Timber Technologies - Welcome". www.forestryscotland.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  13. ↑ "Woman Foresters Urged to Promote the Sector". The Oban Times. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  14. ↑ Appleby, Matthew. "Sector recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours List". www.hortweek.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  15. ↑ "ICF Executive Director Awarded MBE in Queen's Birthday Honours List". Institute of Chartered Foresters. 2019-06-10. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  16. ↑ "Awards and appointments at ICF". Forestry Journal. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
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