| About the CWA |
CWA Directors |
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 | Mark Lazzeri | | Position: Chair | | Mark trained originally as a botanist and then as an agronomist. After a brief sojourn in forestry he started work as an arboricultural consultant and then moved to agricultural research before migrating to agricultural and environmental economics and land management. Mark is a dog-owning, whisky-drinking deerstalker with an abiding passion for the outdoors, particularly woodland. Currently works for the North Harris Trust. As a CWA Director, Mark’s career history contributes practical knowledge and experience of land management to the Board, particularly in the areas of deer stalking, sporting potential, and estate management. | | |  | Jean Barnett | | Position: Treasurer | Jean was born in London but her family moved to the West Country whilst she was still quite young and so spent most of her childhood and early adult life living on farms in the rolling hills of Somerset, this move probably nurtured an early passion for trees and the great outdoors.
Jean moved to Caithness in the 70’s, it was a culture shock with the lack of trees, the landscape is often bleak but beautiful and it took her a while to settle down and appreciate the sea, land and sky. She was asked to join the Board of Dunnet Forestry Trust in 2004, and became Chair in 2008.
| | |  | Chris Marsh | | Position: | | Chris Marsh lives and works in south Skye where he is Community Forester for Sleat Community Trust who have owned and managed the ex-FCS Tormore Forest since 2011. He previously worked as Conservation Forester for the Forestry Commission’s local Forest District – primarily overseeing a large oakwood restoration project but also a broad range of wildlife and environmental duties over a ten year period. Chris has a croft where he raises rare breed pigs and - since arriving on Skye in 1995 - has worked previously as a tree surgeon, contract tree planter, run a croft-based organic vegetable box scheme and worked as a forestry consultant for the Scottish Crofter’s Union and in his own practice. Spare time is spent happily tending the croft, communing with the pigs and being a Dad. | | |  | Mike Steele | | Position: | | Mike Steele is a Director of Nith Valley LEAF Trust in Dumfriesshire striving to acquire Clauchrie Woodlands from FCS. He is also a community councillor. He keeps sheep and runs an academic society about animal science. Mike has been planting trees since 1971 from coconuts to Scots pine in the firm belief they will add much to our communities, economy & environment. | | |  | Isobel Knox | | Position: | Isobel Knox grew up in a Dundee housing scheme - which had a huge corner garden with mature trees, part of the original country estate.
She has been convenor of Dunbar Community Woodland Group for 5 years, 2005 to 2010, retiring at AGM last month. She has been delivering John Muir Award for 4 years at Dunbar Grammar School, where she is a Pupil Support Worker. She is involved peripherally with the Dunbar Arts Trust, and helped them to organise an Easter Arts, crafts, music & poetry event. She also supports the friends of John Muir’s Birthplace Museum. | | |  | Amanda Calvert | | Position: | Amanda Calvert lives near Kingussie in a draughty old farmhouse with many children, parents, dogs, cats, hens and ducks. She has been involved with voluntary conservation work since she was 16, with Young National Trust, Urban Wildlife, WATCH and young ornithologist groups and so a move into working in the woods was the logical step. Over the past 10 years Amanda has taken another degree, and an MSc in Forest Ecology and Management, worked for Laggan Forest Trust, The Community Woodlands Association and Reforesting Scotland as well as carrying out consultancy work and some academic research.
Amanda currently works for Highland Birchwoods as a project manager for Use Green Heat, a renewable heat support and advice service and is co-opted as a director of Kingussie Community Development Company. | | |  | Gordon Gray Stephens | | Position: Company Secretary | | Gordon Gray Stephens is the Director of Scottish Native Woods, a conservation charity that aims to restore native woodlands as well as the links between people and woodlands. He is also one of the founding members and the Company Secretary of the Argyll Green Woodworkers Association (AGWA). | | |  | Charles Dixon-Spain | | Position: | Charles Dixon-Spain lives and works in Glendaruel in South-west Cowal. He is chair of the Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust which is in the process of purchasing 600ha Stronafian Forest under the NFLS scheme. Charles’s varied professional interests include: Managing Director of Dunans Castle Ltd., the social enterprise which is restoring Dunans Castle and grounds into an events and visitor attraction; Internet Services Director of ForArgyll.com (Argyll’s online broadsheet) and Business Director of the Walking Theatre Company. In 2011 Charles was also Marketing Manager for Brandish Bute, the wholly-own subsidiary of the Bute Community Land Company, tasked with promoting the products and producers of the Isle of Bute. Charles is also the founder of ARSN (the Argyll Rural Schools’ Network).
Charles is married to Sadie, has two delightful daughters and a truculent bassett hound. He has spent much of last decade renovating the family home using wood he has won and milled onsite. He is also a member of
Glendaruel and Colintraive Development Trust | | |
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