Countryside and Forestry Services Manager - Andy

What do you do?

In 2004 I took on the role of Countryside and Forestry Services manager to oversee the strategic delivery of countryside access and forestry management across the rural portfolio while continuing to supervise the operation of the Glenlivet estate ranger service and the services and facilities provided on the Glenlivet estate.

I am based on the Glenlivet estate in north east Scotland but now travel to Crown Estate offices throughout the UK as required

Where did you come from?

I have a BA (Hons) degree in geography and a postgraduate Master of Science degree (MSc) in natural resource management. Following completion of my MSc I worked as a ranger for the National Trust for Scotland at various different properties. I started as Ranger on the Glenlivet estate (the largest of The Crown Estate’s rural properties) in July 1990. This role expanded into the Head Ranger’s role, as project work and a wide range of services and facilities were developed leading to an increase in staff resources and subsequent management requirements.

How does your role fit into your department and The Crown Estate as a business?

The Countryside and Forestry Services Manager’s role involves overseeing the financial performance and strategic operation of the forestry portfolio of The Crown Estate and implementing the rural estate business plan in relation to countryside and forestry management across all of the rural estates. This also involves a particular responsibility to oversee countryside management operational matters on the Glenlivet estate and to act as line manager for the directly employed forestry management team at Applegirth and Dunster, the ranger service team at Glenlivet and the maintenance workforce based on the Fochabers and Glenlivet estates.

What are your favourite aspects of the role and why do you enjoy working for The Crown Estate?

The huge variety of work activities, the people I work with and deal with, the geographical locations in which I am involved and the degree of job satisfaction involved in helping to deliver a wide range of both public benefits and added value to The Crown Estate are what give me most satisfaction.

The Crown Estate combines the best elements of a progressive, efficient and commercially aware but people oriented and environmentally conscious organisation, which has the interests of the people who work for it, its tenants and stakeholders and the wider public at its heart and which aims to deliver good value and balanced objectives across all elements of the business.

What are your future career plans?

I hope to continue to pursue a career in countryside and rural land management, and where that will take me either within The Crown Estate or elsewhere is hard to say. I hope ultimately throughout my career to have been able to make a genuine difference to how people enjoy, appreciate and understand our countryside, while contributing to the development of a better rural environment from an economic, recreational and community perspective.