Ross Murray
Biography
Ross Murray is a Trustee owner of woodland in South Wales, and also oversees management of family woodland in Herefordshire and Scotland. He is a Chartered Surveyor and a Trustee of the Bradford Estate in Shropshire.
Formerly a Secretary of State appointed member of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and of the Forestry Commission’s Advisory Committee for Wales. He was also National President of CLA (Country Land and Business Association) 2015-2017.
Ross is currently chairman of Knight Frank’s rural practise and sits on the rural committee for the Duchy of Lancaster.
He is an enthusiastic planter of trees and, with his wife, is steward of a notable arboretum at their home in Monmouthshire.
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.