Forestry Commissioner

Professor Arthur (Jo) Bradwell MBChB, DSc, FRCPath, FRCP, FICFor (Hon)

Biography

Jo Bradwell is owner and director of Norbury Park. He has been instrumental in setting up the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR), increasing woodland cover and transforming the farmland from crops to mob grazing with cattle. Winner of the 2018 RFS Sylva trophy and the 2018 Peter Savill award.

Forestry Commissioner

Forestry Commissioners have a number of specific statutory duties and powers, summarised in the Forestry Act as:

  • promoting the interests of forestry
  • the development of afforestation
  • the production and supply of timber and other forest products

In practice, these mainly relate to providing incentives (grants), regulation though controls on felling, plant health issues and managing the public forest estate.

The Commissioners have a legal duty to seek a reasonable balance between the production and supply of timber and the interests of conservation. In promoting the multiple benefits of forestry, they also seek to take careful account of people’s needs and wishes, including local communities.

Forestry Commission