Meet your National Forest for Wales Liaison Officers!
Last month, plans for Wales’s National Forest took an exciting step forward, with the launch of the National Forest Status Scheme, which paves the way for woodlands that are not owned by the Welsh Government to become part of the National Forest.
To help support applicants with the scheme, we have a dedicated team of woodland liaison officers who are located throughout Wales and are available to discuss prospective sites with interested landowners and woodland managers.
Meet the team and find out more about them below!
Stacey Delbridge, Team Leader National Forest for Wales
I feel very lucky to be helping to develop a National Forest for Wales network which will have numerous benefits to people and nature. The National Forest for Wales is a unique initiative that will provide for future generations and we want as many people as possible to get involved in shaping this resource.
Our team are here to speak to you, help you realise your woodland ambitions and be recognised for the benefits that your woodland site provides to the people of Wales. The network will connect people, strengthen ecosystem resilience and provide a community for a diverse range of woodland owners to share best practice and connect with partner organisations.
Dafydd Lloyd, National Forest for Wales Liaison Officer, Mid Wales
I'm very fortunate to be responsible for Powys and Ceredigion (Mid Wales). My region runs from the border of England to the beautiful West Coast of Wales. I find the potential of this area as part of the National Forest for Wales hugely exciting, and it has a great potential to benefit both of the counties as well as Wales as a whole.
My favourite part of my current role, is being the conduit for woodland owners/stakeholders for the current grant schemes, and also to inform of the current innovative projects that are currently underway across the country.
I applied for my current position, because I believe in the ambitious vision of the National Forest, the potential benefit it could offer to the landscape, biodiversity, and increased interaction between people and woodlands.
My advice to anyone who is interested in becoming part of the National Forest for Wales, is to reach out to your National Forest for Wales Liaison Officer. Liaison Officers are able to assess individual woodlands on their suitability to become part of the National Forest, and advise on potential grants available to allow the woodlands to reached the desired outcomes of the National Forest.
Mike Robinson, National Forest for Wales Liaison Officer, North East Wales
As a member of a unique team within NRW I enjoy getting out on the ground and speaking with people about the National Forest for Wales! Seeing people’s faces light up when they speak about woodland and nature never gets old, and I look forward to working with as many people as possible to improve the woodland of Wales for the benefit of people and nature.
Rhodri Hewitt, National Forest for Wales Liaison Officer, South Central
With a professional background in arboriculture, I look forward to helping deliver the National Forest in the South-Central region as well as working with the team to achieve wider deliverance across Wales.
With the region I represent being the smallest, but most densely populated, a unique opportunity presents itself in establishing the programme in the varied environments found within. From coastal, to agricultural, valleys, to city centre, I believe the National Forest will enhance and establish the treescape across the region.
Owain Grant, National Forest for Wales Liaison Officer, South West Wales
I am very fortunate to live and work in South West Wales. My area includes the counties of Neath-Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. I love the huge variety of woodlands and organisations I get to work with, it’s always a pleasure to meet people that are passionate about their projects! I have always enjoyed being involved in community work and have a real concern for nature and climate crisis that we are experiencing in Wales.
Tom Haynes, National Forest for Wales Liaison Officer. North West
I’m passionate in the belief that Wales is capable of becoming a nation where trees and forests are a cornerstone of its society, environment and economy. Having worked in a range of roles within the industry I have become aware of the need to invest in the existing and future forest resource across the country for the benefit of future generations. I see the National Forest for Wales as a unique opportunity for woodland owners to enhance their own woodlands but also contribute to a wider shift in the way we value and manage our trees and forests.
For those woodland owners looking to become a part of the National Forest for Wales I would encourage them to think innovatively about what their forest can provide and how it can contribute to the wider programme. The scope and breadth of the National Forest for Wales is designed to capture a whole range of forests and woodlands, showcasing the multitude of benefits and services that can be provided. I’m looking forward to working with woodland owners to develop and enhance different aspects of their woodland to become a part of the National Forest for Wales.
Holly Mclellan National Forest for Wales Liaison Officer, South East Wales
Having grown up on a Soil Association organic farm the importance of respectful, environmentally friendly land management has been instilled in me from a young age. Trees leave a mark on the landscape that impacts beyond our lifespans. They foster biodiversity and offer tranquillity in a busy world. It is a pleasure to work with landowners and local community groups to leave a positive legacy for future generations through the National Forest for Wales network. As the late legend Terry Pratchett once said “No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away” so let’s immortalise the Celtic rainforest together!
How do I find out more about the scheme?
If you’d like to find out more about the National Forest Status Scheme, we would love to hear from you. You can contact the team by emailing:
nationalforestwalesstatus@naturalresources.wales
You can find further guidance and application forms here: