2. Experience in fields of relevance to IUCN
Roger is a geographer and geomorphologist by training and research. He has contributed to/written 7 books on earth heritage, nature conservation and environmental management. He led the Green paper on the new policy for Scotland’s natural heritage, successfully proposed to government Ministers the first statutory sustainability duty in the UK, and initiated and led the development of 25 year strategy for Scotland Natural Heritage Future; the new strategy for plant conservation in UK with Plantlife; and soil conservation in Iceland with Soil Conservation Service.
His current activities are: Chair of The Sibthorp Trust (candidate IUCN member), steering the application of the IUCN protected areas management system in the UK, leading discourse on climate change & assessing effectiveness of ecosystem approach; PAN Parks verification of Cepkeliai Strict Nature Reserve and Dzukija National Park Lithuania; publishing a book assessing the effectiveness of soil conservation and land reclamation in Iceland Healing the Land; Chair of stakeholder Partnership Board for the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve Scotland; non executive director of Crichton Carbon Centre: training and capacity building charity; non executive director of Fieldfare International Ecological development plc developing ecologically sustainable tourism and a reed biomass plant on the Danube delta of the Ukraine; initiator and project director for birds, nature, arts, science and community project in Galloway, Scotland; leading policy advice group from Scotland’s national academy on strategy for land use in Scotland.
His contribution to the environment, and particularly to environmental management has been recognised through award of Commander of the British Empire, Hon DSc, Fellowships of 4 learned societies, and Emeritus of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.
3. Knowledge of IUCN
Roger has been a trustee of member organisations, a member of Commissions (WCPA and CEM) and active in leadership and independent review roles for almost 20 years. He has extensive knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses fo the organisation. He was CEO of lead government nature agency in the UK for IUCN 1992-2002, Chair of IUCN National Committee for the UK 1999-2002, Regional Vice-Chair for Europe for WCPA & member of WCPA Global Steering Committee 2000-2008. He chaired the Durban Accord Working Group for the World Parks Congress 2003 and chair of programme for Durban +5 in 2008. Roger has attended last 4 World Conservation Congresses. He was been an independent external reviewer of IUCN Protected Areas Programme and WCPA in 1998.
0131 661 7858
07803 595267
UK hosts Global Steering Group in Scotland
The MacDonald Highland Resort in Aviemore, Scotland, was the venue for the 3-day meeting of the Global Steering Group for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) in April 2010. Part of this workshop meeting was attended by UK National Committee Chair, Chris Mahon, himself a Member of the CEC. "It was a pleasure to assist in bringing this prestigious group to the UK and to forge stronger links between the important work of this Commission and that of the UK National Committee. They have important advice for us about the ways in which we convey our environmental messages to a variety of audiences", he said.
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland at work in the Brazilian Pantanal
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has issued a press release outlining the important conservation and resreach work they are currently engaged in in the
Brazilian Pantanal. Click
here to find out more.
BIAZA Native Species Conference 2010
BIAZA announce details of their Native Species Conference 2010. To find out more about this event, including what's happening, how to book a place and where to stay, please click
here.
Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Reduction
Tickets are now on sale for the above symposium to hosted by The Zoological Society of London. Please
click here for more information, including a full itinerary, of this exciting event
WWF announce dozens of new species
WWF are excited to announce the discovery of over 300 new species in the Eastern Himalayas. Click
here to find out more.
In more exciting news, dozens more new species have been discovered in the Greater Mekong region. Click
here for the WWF press release.