Board Members

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2006; re-appointed December 2006 - December 2009; reviewed July 2009 & re-appointed until 31st March 2013.  Specialism: architectural and landscape history, social and economic policy and research. Non-stipendiary Curate, St Mary's, Banbury; formerly Policy Director, English Heritage. Served as a non-executive director of the British Urban Regeneration Association 2004-07; currently a trustee on the International Council on Monuments and Sites (UK) and a member of the Oxford Diocesan Synod and the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches.   Other memberships include the Association for Studies in the Conservation of Historic Buildings, Royal Archaeological Institute, British Archaeological Association, Garden History Society, Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society and Banbury Civic Society. Fellow, Royal Society of Arts.

Chair, Asthal Parish Council. Specialism: landscape, history, nature, rare plant conservation, walking. Member of the Wychwood Project Management Board/Chairman of the Friends of Wychwood, West Oxfordshire 'Leader' and Steering Group, Rural Craft Network, local Wildlife Trust, local history groups, Trustee of village hall, West Oxfordshire Field Club, Cotswolds Rare Plants Group, Plantlife International, Garden Organic.

Secretary of State appointee from 1st April 2007 - 31st March 2010.  Head of Access & Recreation, The National Trust. Specialism: Countryside Management, Commons, Rights of Way & Access management. Member of Countryside Recreation Network, Natural England's Outdoor Health Forum. Interests: walking, cycling, bee keeping.

Retired farmer. Specialism: farming, forestry, wildlife, education. Member of National Farmers Union, National Trust, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Governor Hartpury College, Vice President Gloucestershire Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, President Gloucestershire Badminton League.  Secretary of State appointee: 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2010.

Secretary of State appointee 1st April 2008 - 31st March 2011. Formerly a Director with the Commission for Rural Communities and previosuly worked as Regional Director for the SW for Countryside Commission and the Countryside Agency. Currently a Secretary of State appointee to Exmoor National Park Authority.  Specialism: Strategy and business planning, change management, countryside conservation, recreation and community development.  Ordinary member of the National Trust and CPRE.

Councillor, South Gloucestershire Council. Chair of South Gloucestershire Environment Forum. Specialism: local government, planning, access, transport, sustainability. Chair of South Gloucestershire Local Agenda 21 Forum.

Councillor, West Oxfordshire District Council. Specialism: conservation of the built and natural environment, strategic planning, development control. Deputy Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, Cabinet Member responsible for planning and conservation.

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2007.  Re-appointed 1st December 2007 - 1st December 2010.  Retired from Countryside Agency in 2004. Specialism: landscape and biodiversity and rural planning. Member of Royal Town Planning Institute, Honorary Member of the Landscape Institute, Vice Chair of Gloucestershire Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and of CPRE  South West.

Chair, Chedworth Parish Council. Specialism: farming journalism, agricultural public relations. Member Guild of Agricultural Journalists, Cotswold Tree Warden.

Councillor, Cheltenham Borough Council since 1996; Mayor 2009/10.  Cabinet member 2002/06.  Specialisms: Planning Environmental Protection.  Conservator of Cleeve Hill; School Governor.

Councillor, Cotswold District Council. Specialism: planning and heritage. Deputy Leader of Cotswold District Council, Portfolio Holder member of the Cabinet for Corporate and Community Development, responsibility for the new Local Development Framework, Chair Gloucestershire Healthy Living Partnership, member Conservative Party, Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, Countryside Alliance. Interests include sailing, walking, riding, and the countryside.

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2006; re-appointed December 2006 - December 2009; reviewed July 2009 and re-appointed until 31st March 2013. Retired clergyman. Specialism: care for tourists, educational programmes for children, adult education, writing guides and leaflets. Interests: walking, ancient churches, industrial archaeology. Member of Rotary International, University of the Third Age, the National Trust.

Councillor, Cabinet Member Environment & Rural Affairs, Stroud District Council. Specialism: conservation. Member of National Trust Advisory Committee for Rodborough and Minchinhampton Commons, Stroud and Rodborough Educational Trust, Stroud Hospital League of Friends.

Vice chair of Hawkesbury Parish Council.  Holiday let owner/manager, pest controller.  Specialist knowledge:  Biodiversity and horse riding.

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2007; re-appointed December 2007 -  December 2010 with the possibility of a further 3 year appointment.  Post Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Real Estate and Construction, Oxford Brooks University. Specialism: rural and knowledge-based economies; interests include trekking, sailing, architecture. Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, Society of Property Researchers, European Real Estate Society, the Country Land and Business Association. 

Parish Councillor, Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council, farm and countryside adviser. Specialism: farming, cattle. Chair of Ruscombe Valley Action Group.

Secretary of State appointee 1st April 2008 - 31st March 2011. Head of Policy, NFU. Specialism: Agriculture, environmental land management, landscape protection. Chartered Landscape Architect - landscape management.

Parish Councillor, Bredon Parish Council. Farmer.  Until recently a historian and design consultant for the Landscape Agency.   Specialism: landscape history, nature conservation, farming & forestry, sustainable development. Founder-governor of Kemerton Conservation Trust, Trustee of The Iris Darnton Foundation. Member of the Croome Appeal Committee.  Member of Garden History Society, CPRE, National Trust, RSPB, Plantlife, Historic Houses Association.

Councillor, Wiltshire Council.   Environmental Adviser and Managing Director - Ecobody Ltd. Specialism: Soil Science, Agricultural Chemistry; Pollution; Environmental Policy; Waste Management (former editor of 'Waste & Environment Today').

Councillor, Tewkesbury Borough Council. Specialism: planning, building conservation, historic environment.

District and County Councillor, Wychavon and Worcestershire County Council. Specialism: biology, biodiversity, planning matters, natural history, walking and conservation. Member of the Cabinet of Worcestershire County Council with responsibility for Children and Young People.

Retired. District Councillor, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Long Compton ward, Cabinet member and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Revenues.

Councillor: Wychavon District Council

Parish Councillor, Broadwell Parish Council, farmer. Specialism: farming (own farm part of Countryside Stewardship Scheme), local government. Formerly a Councillor for Cotswold District Council, founder member of Gloucestershire Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, General Commissioner of income tax.

Town Councillor, Chipping Campden Town Council. Farmer/Agricultural Contractors. Specialism: Food Microbiolist (ret'd), Agriculture. Chairman Food & Consumer Interests Committee, Women's Food & Farming Union, Central Executive Committee Member, Women's Food & Farming Union, Director Cotswold Edge Enterprise Ltd, Town Trustee Chipping Campden Town Council.

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2007 - 1st December 2010.  Director - Countryside and Rural Economy Research, Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.  Specialism:  Agri-environment policy and practice, biodiversity, woodland and rural recreation.  Member of Institute of Ecology & Environmental Management.

Chair, Sherston Parish Council, farmer. Specialism: farm diversification & environmental issues. President Wiltshire branch of Country Land and Business Association, Director Wiltshire Strategic Economic Partnership.  Interim Chairman South West Chamber of Rural Enterprise.  Council member Royal Agricultural Society of England.

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2007.  Re-appointed 1st December 2007 - 1st December 2010.  Semi-retired consultant. Specialism: conservation policy, protected areas, international conservation, countryside policy. Trustee National Trust.

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2006; re-appointed 1st December 2006 - 1st December 2009 & for a further 3 years until March 2013.  Solicitor. Specialism: property. Head of local government and housing services at Lawrence Graham, Board member of Affinity Homes Group, former local authority elected member and Government housing advisor.

Councillor, Cherwell District Council. Farmer from North Oxfordshire.  Executive Member for Health, Environment & Recreation on the Council.  Also a member of the planning & licensing committees.

Councillor, Warwickshire County Council. Chartered Engineer. Member of British Computer Society, Institution of Electrical Engineers.

Don Seale is a former Royal Air Force senior officer who, after flying Canberra and Valiant aircraft, graduated from the RAF Staff College and Birmingham University with an MBA.

He joined British Aerospace as a weapons analyst and then was course director for an armed forces version of an MBA at Cranfield University. Don has significant experience in leadership and organisation.

During his time at NATO Headquarters his career took on an international dimension. He is currently a County Councillor with Oxfordshire County Council specializing in Social and Health Care, and negotiations with staff across the spectrum of personnel management and pensions.

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2006; re-appointed 1st December 2006 - 1st December 2009; reappointed from 1st December 2009 - 31st March 2013.  Designer and company director of private business meetings service. Specialism: transport/traffic, rural home zones, branding of the AONB. Member of Rail Passengers Committee, Freight Quality Partnership, Transport 2000, South West Transport Activists’ Roundtable.

Secretary of State appointee 1st April 2007 - 31st March 2010.  Part-time lecturer Hartbury College. Specialism: Agriculture, planning, rural policy, diversification, land management & rural economy. Member of Defra agriculture appeals panel.

Councillor, Bath & North East Somerset Council

Councillor, Gloucestershire County Council. Leader of Tewkesbury Borough Council, Member of LGA Rural Commission, Member of Gloucestershire Local Access Forum.

Secretary of State appointee 1st December 2004 - 1st December 2006; re-appointed December 2006 - December 2009; re-appointed December 2009 - 31st March 2013.  Forestry and Woodlands Adviser. Specialism: woodlands and their management with wide-ranging linked interests from botany to deer. Member Forestry Commission England National Committee and Advisory Committee for Wales, Director Deer Institute, parent governor Ewyas Harold Primary School.