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As a membership organisation, the Trust is governed by a Council of Trustees elected by members.

Each year Council reports to the members at the AGM. Trustees are elected either at the AGM or by postal voting in accordance with the rules laid down in the Articles of Association.

The Trust’s activities are bound by the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, which is regulated by OSCR. The Scottish Wildlife Trust is also a company limited by guarantee and all Trustees are registered as directors of the company. The running of the day-to-day operations is delegated to the Chief Executive, who is responsible for the employment of staff.

Chair and Vice Chairs

In this section

Get in touch

To contact the Chair, Vice-Chairs or any member of Council, please call 0131 312 7765, or email enquiries@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk.

Dr Kenny Taylor
Chair

Dr Kenny Taylor FRSA  is a well-known figure in the world of conservation as an ecologist, writer, editor, broadcaster and musician. He has extensive knowledge of the Scottish Wildlife Trust as Chair of the North of Scotland Local Group and previously a Vice Chair of the Trust and Convenor of the Trust’s Conservation Committee.

He has been involved when the Trust supported the community buy-out of the Isle of Eigg in 1997, along with more recent involvement in the campaign to save Coul Links and the establishment of Riverwoods.

Dr Tim Duffy
Vice Chair (Watch and Groups)

Tim is currently Vice-Chair and Planning Secretary of the Trust’s Lothians members Group. He has previously served terms as Chair of that group and many terms as a Trustee on this Council, during which time he has cycled between all the Trust’s wildlife reserves to raise money for the 50th anniversary. Currently Vice-Convenor of the Council’s Conservation sub-committee and recently retired from a career in the Natural Environment Research Council, Tim has three degrees in ecology and is now studying botany, Gaelic, Chinese painting, calligraphy and the clarsach!

Dr Ian Jardine OBE
Vice Chair (Convenor, Conservation Committee)

Ian was born in Edinburgh and lives in Perthshire. He has degrees in Ecology and Zoology and spent most of his career with Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot) where he was Chief Executive for 15 years. He also worked for Scottish Government and the European Commission, helping to review its nature legislation. He has a life long interest in wildlife and in helping people to experience and enjoy it sustainably. He is also a Trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.

Bill Lambert
Vice Chair (Finance)

Bill worked in the investment management industry for 27 years, holding a range of positions from fund management to oversight of investment activity.

Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Whinney in London, Bill moved to work in fund management with Martin Currie in Edinburgh. Bill moved to Standard Life Investments in 2003, where he was a member of the Executive, holding a range of responsibilities across the global Investment Team. These included responsibility for oversight of all investment activity globally and the Sustainable Investment.

Bill retired from Standard Life Investments in March 2017 and now holds a number of non-executive roles. Bill is an active participant in a number of outdoor activities, including golf and hill walking.

Members of Council

Chris Arnold
Council Member

Chris’s passion for nature is borne from being brought up in the countryside and, more recently, living next to a Local Nature Reserve in Edinburgh. He has particular interests in birds and bees, having completed a beginners’ beekeeping course. A member of several conservation charities, Chris has been involved in a number of charity fundraisers and is a keen wildlife photographer, regularly contributing photographs to nature websites. Having retired in 2016 from a career in construction law, Chris now holds various voluntary roles, including as a Trustee of the Scottish Seabird Centre and the founding Chair of the Scops Arts Trust.

Jen Baxter
Council Member

Jen inherited her love of nature from her parents and spends hours in her garden and surrounding green spaces. She regularly encourages others to reconnect with the natural environment to support their wellbeing when teaching meditation. She does this alongside her role as Programme Manager, having worked in the change environment for over 20 years, managing projects/programmes and leading governance and assurance work. As a Trustee, Jen will strive to encourage changes that build a deeper connection between people and wildlife, to support nature’s recovery, help us to thrive in harmony and to protect nature for future generations to enjoy.

Julian Caldecott
Deputy Convenor, Conservation Committee

As an ecologist, Julian has mainly worked on tropical wildlife research and conservation, and on consulting and writing about solutions to challenges around biodiversity, ecosystems, water and climate change. His priorities include promoting ‘peace with nature’ and the climate emergency response by advising official aid donors on partnership-based ecosystem protection, education and governance. His interests include history, natural history, and exploring Scotland’s landscapes. His key aim is to promote globally aware and networked actions that build on Scotland’s precious resource of public enthusiasm for safeguarding heritage, natural beauty and ecological integrity.

Alasdair Lemon
Council Member

Alasdair has volunteered for the Trust for a number of years, currently he is a Trustee and sits on the Conservation Committee. Previously he sat on the committee for the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Local Group and was a Young Leader. He has an Honour’s degree in Marine Biology and a Master’s degree in Wildlife Biology and Conservation. Having previously worked for Froglife, Buglife and the RSPB he currently works for NatureScot as a Marine Ornithology Adviser.

Craig Marshall
Council Member

Craig has worked in financial management roles within the public sector for nearly 20 years, specialising in financial planning and strategy. Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant, he initially worked within the NHS holding a range of responsibilities before moving to Historic Environment Scotland in 2018. In addition, he is the treasurer and a trustee of the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home as well as being actively involved in the governance of the Scottish Seabird Centre. In his spare time, Craig enjoys various outdoor activities as well as growing his vinyl collection.

Alistair McVittie
Council Member

Alistair is an environmental economist working in the research and analysis of environmental and agricultural policies for a range of funders including Scottish and UK Governments, and the EU. He has engaged with Scottish Wildlife Trust for several years through its initiatives including the Scottish Forum for Natural Capital and the Nature Finance Pioneers. He also contributes to teaching of undergraduate and masters programmes. In his spare time, Alistair is a keen cyclist, particularly enjoying the opportunity this gives to get into the countryside and to enjoy nature and landscapes.

John Morris
Council Member

John was educated at Allan Glen’s School in Glasgow and thereafter at Strathclyde University where he graduated with an LLB Law degree in 1975. He worked in the legal profession for over 40 years, retiring from full-time employment in April 2017, but continues to sit as a Sheriff and High Court Judge on a part-time basis. Primarily residing in Edinburgh, John also spends time in his house in Angus which is very close to the Trust’s Loch of Lintrathen Wildlife Reserve, where he spends a great deal of his spare time.

Anthony Robson
Council Member

By day a financial services solicitor, by night and weekends a Fife smallholder, Anthony is doing what he can to encourage the wildlife around him, from Badgers and Pine Martens to Barn Owls and Cuckoos. With a keen interest in sustainability, as well as wildlife art and photography, Anthony is the UK co-chair of his employer’s Social Responsibility Community, and has recently begun volunteering on surveys carried out by Scottish Badgers. Even his budding microbrewery is named after the Brown Hares that proliferate around his home. Very much an amateur environmentalist, but one whose passion for nature is ever-present.

Emma Steel
Council Member and Young Leader

Emma grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Stirlingshire and has a degree in Zoology and an MSc in Environmental Science, both from Aberdeen University. Currently, she works as Policy Officer for Whale and Dolphin Conservation, expanding the Shorewatch citizen science programme into the Northern Isles (Orkney, Shetland and Fair Isle). Shorewatch involves training and supporting local community volunteers to collect sightings data on whales, dolphins and porpoises. Based in Stromness, Orkney, Emma also volunteers as a Young Leader for the Scottish Wildlife Trust and is the Internal Communications Officer with A Focus On Nature. Emma is passionate about Scotland’s wildlife and enjoys spending time by the coast.

Jane Stuart-Smith
Council Member

Jane lives close to Rahoy Hills in Argyll and has served as a member of the Management Committee for the reserve for several years. She is an employment lawyer specialising in discrimination issues and has experience advising Boards on strategic and HR matters. Living and working in the remote peninsular of Morvern, Jane is passionate about the importance of Living Landscapes and the connection between communities and nature in the wilder areas of Scotland. She is co-founder and manager of the award-winning Whitehouse Restaurant in Lochaline, a member of the Agricultural Wages Board and has been a trustee of several local charities.

Hayley Whyte
Council Member

Hayley works in Marketing & Communications for a global business consultancy, leading efforts to communicate the importance of sustainability for business and for people, and advocating for sustainable transformation within the corporate sector. She is involved in a variety of nature-related projects, from bringing cross-industry organisations together to identify and address biodiversity loss that business contributes to, to exploring how we might leverage technology to engage and inspire people to support conservation. Hayley enjoys spending time in the outdoors, particularly the Pentland Hills on the outskirts of Edinburgh, and credits her grandma for igniting her passion for nature.

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