Meet the new RFS President and Chair
Starting this Autumn Alison Field becomes the 77th President succeeding Ben Herbert. Ian Tubby takes up the role of Chair of the Board succeeding Kitty Hall.
Alison Field, RFS President
“It is a great honour to become President of the Royal Forestry Society this October, a role in which I intend to meet as many of you as possible over the next two years. This period will be especially important for the future resilience of our forests. Whether we are discussing Kielder Forest in Northumberland, Hockeridge and Pancake Woods in the Chilterns, Bradfield Woods in East Anglia or the Clinton Devon Estate in the Southwest, our forests must adapt to thrive in the face of novel pest and disease attacks and unpredictable climatic events.
“In addition to making forests more productive and better managed, we must demonstrate their ability to function as ecosystems that are rich in wildlife and provide carbon sequestration, clean air and clean water.”
~ Alison Field, RFS President
A Bangor Forestry graduate, Alison has spent nearly 50 years working in forestry, including working in the private sector and for the Forestry Commission, travelling all over Great Britain. As well as being RFS President, Alison runs a business alongside her husband Jonathan Spencer, acts as trustee for the National Forest, a non-executive director of English Woodlands Forestry Ltd, and a trustee for the Forest Industries Education and Provident Fund. Alison aims to use all this experience to support the divisions and RFS staff team, seek out success stories in forest creation and stewardship, and promote the best of British forestry.
“There is a winning formula at the heart of this organisation that equips the RFS to be a ‘partner of choice’ for those outside government who wish to come together to deliver this country’s forestry mandate.”
Ben Herbert, Outgoing RFS President
“It was a great honour to become the Royal Forestry Society’s 76th President and succeed Sir James Scott in October 2022. The intervening two years have flown by and it has been a great privilege to meet so many of the membership. One of the greatest pleasures as President has been attending Divisional Meetings up and down the country. Divisional Meetings are the lifeblood of the Society and the enthusiasm, energy and knowledge of all those attending can be contagious.
“I would like to thank the Chief Executive Christopher Williams, all the team at Hay Barns, along with everyone else who has supported me during my very enjoyable tenure. l wish Alison Field the very best as she succeeds me and l hope she enjoys the experience as much as l have.”
~ Ben Herbert, Immediate Past President
Ian Tubby, Chair of the Board of Trustees
“Contributing to the Board of Trustees has been an incredibly positive experience over the last couple of years and has been something of a revelation. I’ve found the RFS to be a truly wonderful organisation run by a dedicated and thoughtful team. Members are incredibly knowledgeable and generous with their time and expertise. This dedication and knowledge gives the Society its strength and unique and influential place in the forestry world.”
~ Ian Tubby, Chair of the Board of Trustees
Ian Tubby is Head of the Policy and Advice Team at the Forestry Commission, having previously worked with Forest Research investigating natural regeneration and growth interactions, and short rotation coppice, as well as researching bioenergy and wood fuel. His focus on promoting the benefits of responsible woodland management, the development of new markets for wood fibre, and adapting woodlands to climate change fit perfectly with the priorities of the RFS.
“I’m very aware of the history of the Society and all that it has achieved over the past 142 years. This is precious and something that needs to be protected, communicated and carefully built on as the organisation evolves. I look forward to working with the trustees, the RFS team and members to achieve this!”
Kitty Hall, Outgoing Chair
“I joined the RFS in 2009 because I was a complete newcomer to woodland ownership. I sought out the best of such groups for woodland managers and joined the RFS. I found that the woodland meetings provided an excellent place for the inexperienced to learn. The high calibre of my fellow trustees and of the staff at HQ has made it a consistent pleasure to chair the Board of the RFS.
“The RFS manages to combine tradition, service to members and the dedicated furtherance of high standards of woodland management across England, Wales and Northern Ireland with a willingness to change and modernise. This forward-thinking approach includes the continuous pursuit of solutions to the challenges presented by pests, diseases and climate change, the effective adoption of digital methods of communication and the broadening of our reach to a more diverse audience of potential members. Thank you to the RFS for such a stimulating, congenial and enriching experience.”
~ Kitty Hall, Outgoing Chair
