Who we are

HAZEL STUART – South Burlingham (Chair)

I have lived in South Burlingham now for over 16 years and walk in Buckenham Woods frequently.

In the last year I have semi-retired and am now working part time. I am keen, now I have a little more time, to be involved in local projects.

I worked at the James Paget Hospital for 23 years and for the last 4 years on the Board of Directors.

As an executive I gained a range of skills, including working in a Unitary Board where we all had to reach consensus in complex situations. I have experience including problem solving, achieving outcomes, chairing meetings, communicating with the public, and some financial oversight knowledge.

I also have a strong governance background and led on the trust’s responsibility for confidentiality, data protection and ethics. 

I was a Trustee of the Hospital Charity and understand the responsibility of being a trustee, and the relationship with The Charity Commission.

ANJU TIWARI – Lingwood (Vice-Chair)

I grew up in the eastern part of India, where there is one of the oldest forests on Earth. From a young age, I had a deep connection with nature. In 2021, I moved from Dussindale to Lingwood and fell in love with this ancient forest from day one.

I have over 25 years of experience in the field of IT, management and consultancy. I have worked with AVIVA through the Indian company WIPRO (IT). After moving from WIPRO to Camgemini, I am now working as a partner with KPMG.

As a partner at KPMG, I see myself in a position to give back to society. I believe that we are all trustees of this planet Earth and these forests are some of the oldest children of planet Earth.

I see myself in a position to raise awareness about these ancient forests and the many benefits they bring to society. Ancient forests support a great diversity of species and also provide shelter for a large number of wild animals. A forest prevents nutrient loss, improves water quality and reduces the risk of flooding.

As a trustee, I offer IT skills and knowledge to enable more efficient and automated operations for the Trust.  I can also assist with the monitoring and maintenance of the forest.

ALASDAIR FRASER – Strumpshaw

I see Buckenham Wood develop its ancient character with a management plan that is realistic about resources and the human and climate pressures that affect it. I see the wood better connected by hedgerows and green corridors to the communities that will be responsible for working in it and controlling detrimental activities.

My career has inspired my interest in Buckenham Wood; with the National Trust to monitor, manage and restore ancient trees and woodland within a working estate; and on a Soil Association Demonstration Farm to re-create a habitat-connected landscape with visitor access, guided walks and events. My current role with the RSPB develops my ability to review management plans,  work with legislative bodies and grants, manage safety and well-being in the countryside and deliver technical training. 

As Parish Tree Warden and member of Buckenham Woods Project Committee I have been able to improve management practice and draw attention to negative visitor impact, develop a small fell and re-stock to diversify the woodland, engage volunteers in practical work and stand as acting tree safety advisor.

As a Trustee I offer this skill and knowledge to guide the Trust, and neighbours, towards exemplary management of the wood and surrounding landscape.

ASH PARFITT – Blofield

I grew up among the broads of the Yare valley with a family who regularly took me out into these amazing outdoor spaces. After attending sixth form I decided I wanted the outdoors to be my workplace and set out studying Ecology & Conservation at Easton College before swiftly moving on to complete a degree in Countryside Management at Aberystwyth University.

I now work full time as Green Light Trust’s Delivery Manager for Norfolk; if you haven’t heard of Green Light before they are a wonderful charity who operate throughout Suffolk and Norfolk, and whose aim is to use the healing power of nature to improve people’s wellbeing. They work with a range of demographics but to the majority of those who come to Green Light Trust nature and  the  outdoors  is  an unfamiliar and inaccessible place. This is something that I feel strongly needs to change – access to the outdoors should be equitable.

Wildlife photography has been something I’ve always done as a hobby but recently this has developed into video and film-making and creating content for social media platforms. Being able to connect people to nature even through media is something I’m passionate about.

ERNEST HOYOS – Strumpshaw

I’ve had a long-term interest in trees and the countryside, starting as a hobby  back in the 1970s, speaking to local farmers and agreeing planting of mainly roadside oaks in Strumpshaw, Lingwood and Buckenham.

I soon became involved in large County Council tree planting schemes, both the creation of the new woods and walks at North Burlingham followed by further planting on their farm holdings across East and North Norfolk, often replacing diseased Elms. 

I received an award from CPRE Norfolk in 1981 for enhancing the local countryside. I’m Chairman of the local conservation group, BADCOG, and organize the work parties on our sixteen sites.

What can I offer the proposed Trust?  - mainly help and advice with future care and management of Buckenham Woods. Having lived next to the woods for 52 years I’m well aware of what a rare piece of ancient wood this is and what an opportunity this is to be able to both protect it for the future as a haven for wildlife and a valued amenity.

HANS WATSON – Lingwood

I am a retired Health Service Superannuation Manager and  have lived in Lingwood since 1968, which is about the time that I first became acquainted with Buckenham Wood.

I have been interested in all aspects of Natural History since childhood, and started  photographing nature subjects whilst I was at school.  The two interests of nature and photography, together with my love of travel,  have taken me to about 40 countries, including most of the wildlife hot-spots such as Galapagos, Madagascar, India and Malaysia. Although I am interested in all branches of natural history, I nowadays tend to concentrate mainly on Birds, Lepidoptera and Orchids.  

I am a member of the Norfolk Naturalist’s Society, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, RSPB, and Butterfly Conservation. I am also a member of the Blofield and District Conservation  Group that does work in the Eastern end of Buckenham Wood. My colleagues and I in the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalist’s Society are currently involved with surveys  and studies of wildlife for Broadland County Council at the new Broadland Country Park.  My main contribution to the Buckenham Wood initiative would be species surveys.

IAN WHITE – nominated by Lingwood & Burlingham Parish Council

I have lived in Lingwood for 30 years, in 4 different houses but I just can’t seem to leave. I am married with two children and a dog. We all love walks through Buckenham Woods.

I have been a Parish Councillor for 12 years, enjoying tree planting on The Millennium Green and at Peters Wood among other projects. My strong interest in this project is why I was nominated to be the Parish Council Trustee. Given a task, I will see it through to the end. As a signatory of the Parish Council bank account, I am considered trustworthy. 

After a  decade  working  in  engineering,  I  took  redundancy  and went into the Hazardous Waste sector, working with various industries and all the emergency services.  In my spare time I have volunteered at 1st Lingwood and Strumpshaw Scout Troop.

I look forward to all the challenges ahead, of which there will be many. We have an opportunity to ensure this piece of ancient woodland does not get spoiled. For the benefit of the trees and plants, the animals, birds and insects and the whole community, we must ensure it thrives and protect it for many years to come. 

MICHAEL GREEN  – nominated by Strumpshaw Parish Council

 I have worked on this initiative since its early 2022 inception.

Recently retired, my nature conservation career included government, NGO and private sectors in UK and overseas. Childhood dreams in Kenya about becoming a game warden morphed into research on rare Himalayan ungulates in Nepal and India, then focused on planning and managing ‘protected areas’ at individual and system levels, including World Heritage sites and Biosphere Reserves under UNESCO’s remit.

My time at the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge and Norfolk & Suffolk’s Broads Authority were respectively formative: think global, act local. Later, freelancing, mostly in Asia, East/South Africa and the Pacific, my mantra became: management is about people, wildlife looks after itself!

For me, the opportunity for our communities to establish a Trust to purchase some woodland, endowed with bluebells and wood anemones (an ancient alliance), is golden – enabling people to enjoy nature in a world increasingly disconnected from life on Earth. This local touchstone contributes to the global target set by countries party to the CBD1 for 30% of land and of sea to be conserved through effectively and equitably managed PAs2 & OECMs3 by 2030, while also inspiring others to do likewise: act local, think global!

1 Convention on Biological Diversity - 2 Protected Areas - 3 Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures