Ray Froud celebrates 37 years at Sevenoaks District Council
After impressing in his first role clearing up after the storm of 1987, Ray has gone on to make a huge impact on the woodlands of Sevenoaks as senior ranger for the council.
Ray Froud has been presented with the RFS Long Service Award in recognition of his 37 years at Sevenoaks District Council.
Ray started at the Council back in 1987, clearing the SSSI site at Farningham following extensive storm damage. He went on to manage this site and others as a Ranger and later as a Senior Ranger. He oversaw one of the first outbreaks of gore wasp in the South East, working closely with the Forestry Commission and DEFRA to carry out emergency chestnut coppicing across some 20 hectares to help control the outbreak.
In addition to managing the 68 hectares of ancient woodland at Faringham Woods, Ray has also worked on the former Forestry Commission woodland, Shoreham Woods – home to a grove of ancient yews – and the naturally regenerated woodland of Oxenhill Woods.
Ray has been praised for his conservation-led approach to woodland management. Before his involvement, Shoreham Woods had fallen into neglect. Ray was able to build it up to what it is today, with an increase in biodiversity due to the widening of rides and considered reintroduction of coppicing and thinning.
Oxenhill Shaw was once a cornfield before Ray’s involvement but is now a unique, naturally regenerated young woodland with wide rides created before the woodland developed with a huge diversity of wildlife. Across these sites, he works with a variety of rare plants, including small-leaved lime, various rare orchids and one of the largest populations of Deptford Pinks in England
"One cannot help but admire and learn from Ray's ongoing, infectious enthusiasm, passion, experience and knowledge."
Ray’s achievements and legacy go beyond what is listed here, and at 72, he is still leading the Ranger team and the management of Sevenoaks District Council’s countryside sites. He is addressing challenges such as the extensive Ash dieback in the area and striking the balance between conservation, public access, safety and commercial income.
The Sevenoaks District Council said of his 37 years of service: “Ray’s contribution to SDC’s countryside assets is outstanding. Our sites and estate would not be what they are today without his involvement, notable experience, passion and largely self-learnt knowledge of forestry, conservation and the environment.
“From a personal perspective, one cannot help but admire and learn from his infectious enthusiasm, passion, experience and knowledge.”
