Excellent news! Highly-regarded environmentalist Tony Juniper has finally been appointed as the new Chair of Natural England and he’ll begin on 23 April 2019.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove confirmed Tony’s appointment yesterday with this press statement. It comes after a long recruitment process, including some vacuous questioning from two parliamentary committees last month (see here). It’s probably safe to say the Countryside Alliance won’t be celebrating this appointment.
Michael Gove said: “Tony will bring great experience and passion to Natural England from a career dedicated to conservation from his role at WWF to advising the Prince of Wales.
Natural England has a key part to play in the government’s 25 year plan for the environment and ensuring we can protect nature for future generations.
That is why I am looking forward to working with Tony as he leads the organisation and ensures Natural England can continue delivering the government’s environmental priorities“.
Tony Juniper said: “Natural England’s vital role in defending and enhancing our nation’s natural environment has never been more important. It is a real honour to have been appointed as the new Chair and I am very much looking forward to working with the Natural England teams and many partners across the country in delivering the biggest possible positive impact that we can.
Natural England’s work is very wide ranging, from protecting our National Nature Reserves to advising farmers and from opening England’s new coastal path to ensuring greater public access to our wonderful natural areas.
As Chair, my aim will be to celebrate, protect and deepen the impact of Natural England’s excellent work, not only for the sake of our wildlife and beautiful landscapes, but also for the huge benefits that our success brings for society“.
He’s going to be a busy guy. We look forward to seeing whether he can drag Natural England from its current disreputable position to something more like the nature conservation agency it once was and we hope can be again.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Great news, indeed.
Let us hope that this is the tiger amongst the shooting industry that our birds of prey need.
Doug
Let’s hope that this is the first step along the road of rehabilitating NE and restoring its credibility. It’ll be a tough job.
Fingers crossed then.
Yes, you might compare his CV with Mike Cantlay, Chair of SNH. This how SNH describe him:
“Dr Mike Cantlay OBE was appointed Chair of Scottish Natural Heritage in May 2017. He is also Chair of the Scottish Funding Council. Mike has over 25 years’ experience of public sector leadership and governance.
Mike is Chairman of William Glen Limited which trades in Scotland, Canada and USA, having previously been CEO of specialist retailers Hector Russell and The Whisky Shop. He has held several public appointments including Chair of Highlands and Islands Airport (HIAL) Limited; Chair of VisitScotland; Convener of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority; Chair of Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley; Chair of the Board of Management at Forth Valley College; Advisory Member of the Board of Scottish Enterprise and Ex-Officio Board Member of VisitBritain.”
If you were a hen harrier Mum trying to raise her brood, who would you choose?
As per the CEO of SNH, they see their role as promoting growth in the rural economy rather than protecting it
That is not what we pay our taxes for…..
I completely agree with those last sentiments of this blog. As both an architectural consultant working with English Nature on some sustainable building initiatives as it was and also as a one time Trustee Director of a Wildlife Trust I am only too aware of how the role of NE has been eroded and compromised. I very much hope that Tony’s appointment marks a change in direction and a recovery of a role that is so desperately needed. Wishing Tony every success.
Great news on this wise appointment of a devoutly humane person. Someday, the whole retrograde system that has conspired to repress the natural world in the UK, and all over the Earth, will be gone to the Hell where it deserves to be bound in adamantine chains and penal fire, for its inane slaughter of wildlife as a recreation or “sport”. Tony Juniper has been well-appointed to break in the monopoly of those who have mismanaged our marine and terrestrial environments. The Honour conferred on Chris Packham was another win for the rising force of concern over how those in authority condone bad practice, when it comes to considering animals affected in some forms of human activity. Chris Packham has welcomed a local authority’s decision to use lasers to mimic fireworks displays, as, in the past such events panicked roosting Starlings, leading to fatalities by being drowned in a nearby river or trampled underfoot among the crowds of celebrants.
Today, the UK is going through a tremendous period of flux and uncertainty, with many causes vying for attention, and that is why we who are concerned about the natural world, and animal welfare, must ensure we have the very best people to represent our very important causes, to prevent abuse and death among other life forms. To be in such a trusted position, a person has to have dedication and courage. Fortunately, we do have the chance to make changes in who is in authority in the UK, unlike within the USA where a fierce and cruel hecatomb against the Wolf is underway, along with several other predators. This is being condoned by those in State authorities with the blessing of Donald Trump and his trophy shooting cohorts. That and other inhumane killing of wildlife, has brought leaders into prominence, who are organising funds and resistance, along with communicating with the rest of world online, to expose what is going on. The globalisation of cruelty to other life forms means that we cannot be parochial in the UK, but have to see that the threats to our Birds of Prey, Mountain Hares, Ravens etc., are the equivalent of the mega fauna of the Americas and Africa, and where we have the time, energy and cash, support the struggles of those in those places to overcome poaching and trophy shooting, along inappropriately sited developments, such as dams, ranches, fossil fuel exploration and plantations. To that end of support, going online to sign petitions and making small donations of £2, can bolster the efforts of organisations and individuals to save Creation in all its wonderful forms. An example, is the present fund-raiser by the Scottish Wildlife Trust to raise funds/signatures to save the Coul Sands from being affected by a golf course development. What the Trust is asking for is paltry compared to some of the funds being raised for other projects. Many more people could contribute to such a worthwhile effort that wants to preserve the beauty and diversity of Scotland. Finally, we should be identifying those holding positions of influence and power, and shaming their negative interference in controversial environmental matters. Scotland has not been blessed with those in political power who could have made a more positive difference, rather than defend some industry, that is really plundering part of the Scottish environment, and will ultimately leave an almost empty of life desert. Tony Juniper must be given our support when required, as wildlife knows no boundaries, like politically drawn lines on maps, and that what happens in one area at particular times, can impact on other parts at another time of the year, as we can see with bird migration and falling numbers of Swifts, through habitat destruction, millions of bird killings in the Mediterranean countries during annual migrations.
I look forward to this appointment at NE and wish him well for the task ahead.