Chester Vice Chancellor welcomed as new Chair of The Mersey Forest
Professor Eunice Simmons, Vice Chancellor at the University of Chester, has been appointed as the new Steering Group Chair for The Mersey Forest Partnership.
With a strong background in forestry and conservation, Professor Simmons takes over the reins of the Steering Group at a time of increased woodland establishment and a wide range of exciting health, education and climate change projects that are already underway across the Mersey Forest
“Mersey Forest Partnership re-connects people with their place, their planet and their potential. I am proud to be able to support its great work.”
In early 2020, Professor Simmons became Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Chester after an illustrious career that has taken her from research to head the National School of Forestry at the University of Cumbria and then to Nottingham Trent University.
She has a PhD is in Forest Ecology and Conservation and her professorship in Sustainable Environments was awarded for teaching and research in land use and environmental habitats.
“The Mersey Forest is an important delivery mechanism for our climate response delivery plans helping the area to achieve its ambition to become carbon neutral and tackle the climate emergency.”
- Vice Chair, Councillor Matt Bryan
“Mersey Forest Partnership re-connects people with their place, their planet and their potential. I am proud to be able to support its great work.”
– Professor Eunice Simmons
“We are delighted to welcome Eunice to the Partnership. She was the standout candidate for the role and we’re looking forward to working with her as we continue to deliver our long-term ambitions for The Mersey Forest. There are huge opportunities ahead but no doubt challenges too, which we are sure that Eunice’s knowledge and experience can help us overcome.”
– Mersey Forest Team Director, Paul Nolan
Working with landowners and communities, The Mersey Forest Partnership has planted over nine million trees, creating large areas of publicly accessible woodland across Merseyside and Cheshire. With plans to establish a further 6,000 hectares of woodland by 2025, the Partnership will also continue to develop and deliver programmes such as the Natural Health Service that maximise the value of trees and woodlands for health, education, biodiversity and the economy.
“The Mersey Forest is an important delivery mechanism for our climate response delivery plans helping the area to achieve its ambition to become carbon neutral and tackle the climate emergency. We are pleased that Eunice is joining the Partnership at such a pivotal moment as we accelerate our work to establish more woodland, engage more people and create spaces for nature.”
– Vice Chair, Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and the Climate Emergency at Cheshire West and Chester Council
The Mersey Forest
The Mersey Forest is a growing network of woodlands and green spaces spread across Cheshire and Merseyside, which has been creating 'woodlands on your doorstep' for more than 20 years.
The Forest is one of the leading environmental regeneration initiatives in the North West. Through community and partnership working, we have planted 9 million trees - equivalent to five new trees for every person living within the Forest area.
The Forest helps our towns and cities adapt to climate change; creates woodlands that 20% of local people visit at least once a week and, by improving the image of our towns and cities, sets the scene for growth within the region's £98 billion economy.
We achieve all of this and more through our partnership of Local Authorities, landowners, the Forestry Commission, Natural England, the Environment Agency and businesses.
Find out more on the Mersey Forest website - www.merseyforest.org.uk