We were delighted that Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England, was our guest speaker ahead of our AGM on Saturday 8th October at Lopping Hall, Loughton.
Tony broadly discussed the future of nature recovery in the UK, with National Nature Reserves (NNRs) as key drivers and more specifically focus on Epping Forest, amongst others, as a critical local asset of enormous value in the overall need for nature recovery.
Watch the talk recording here.
Keynote speaker: Tony Juniper CBE
Tony Juniper CBE is Chair of the official nature conservation agency Natural England. Before taking up this role in April 2019 he was the Executive Director for Advocacy and Campaigns at WWF-UK, a Fellow with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and President of the Wildlife Trusts. Until January 2018 he was an independent sustainability and environment advisor, including as Special Advisor with The Prince of Wales’s International Sustainability Unit.
Juniper speaks and writes widely on conservation and sustainability themes and is the author of many books, including the multi-award winning bestseller ‘What has Nature ever done for us?’ published in 2013. Tony began his career as an ornithologist, working with Birdlife International. From 1990 he worked at Friends of the Earth, initially leading the campaign for the tropical rainforests, and from 2003–2008 was the organisation’s executive director. From 2000–2008 was Vice Chair of Friends of the Earth International.
He was the first recipient of the Charles and Miriam Rothschild medal (2009) and was awarded honorary Doctor of Science degrees from the Universities of Bristol and Plymouth (2013). The Ladybird guide to climate change, co-authored with HRH The Prince of Wales and Emily Shuckburgh, was published in January 2017. In 2017 he was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE).
About Epping Forest Talks:
‘Epping Forest Talks’ is a series of talk programmes that we are hosting throughout the year to celebrate Epping Forest’s heritage, culture, and environmental importance. We aim to host each talk in different venues in and around the Forest, to celebrate the diverse landscape and rich history of this wonderful ancient Forest.
Click here to find out more about the talk series.