The Executive Committee and Officers are elected at the Annual General Meeting.
| Lead Contact: | Other LMG related roles: | |
| Executive Committee | ||
| Mike Tristram (Chairman) |
SDNPA Partnership |
|
| Nigel Clutton OBE (Founder President) | ||
| James Cooper (Vice Chairman) |
Rural Economy |
Land Agents (+JY) |
| David Taylor (Vice Chairman) |
Access Lead, + ESx/B&H Access | SDNPA Partnership. SDLAF |
| Dr William Wolmer (Secretary) |
Farming & Environment/Landscape | |
| Christopher Passmore OBE | SDNPA Partnership | |
| David Ashcroft |
Hants Access | SDLAF, Sustainable Communities Fund |
| Jonny Morris | Education & Communications | |
| James Youatt | Planning |
Land Agents (+JC) |
|
Mark Lee |
||
| Edward Tupper | ||
| Sabrina Harcourt-Smith | ||
| Remony Moser | ||
| Additional Lead Contacts: | ||
| Simon Ward |
Cultural Heritage | |
| Andrew Thomas | West Sussex Access | SDLAF |
| Observer members representing Land Manager organisations: |
||
| William White NFU |
Rupert Ashby CLA | |
| John Archer NFU |
Tim Broomhead CLA | |
| |
Tim Brock CLA | |
| Administrator: | ||
| Gwenda Teear sdlmg@southdownsland.com |
Membership & Consultations | |
| SDNPA Members with Land Manager liason responsibility: | ||
| Jo Carr |
Alun Alesbury | |
|
Other SDLMG Members serving as NPA Members: |
||
| Sebastian Anstruther | David Burden | Tom Tupper |
| Other Partner Organisation Observers invited to General Meetings: | ||
| James Seymour |
Natural England |
|
| Tony Whitbread |
Chairman, South Downs Network |
|
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Brief CVs of EC members are found below:
NIGEL CLUTTON OBE, FRICS Founder President
Background and land management experience
Nigel grew up on a farm in mid Sussex, and after further training at Plumpton Agricultural College and National Service in the Royal Marines he joined Cluttons, the sixth generation of his family to have been engaged in the management of landed estates. Having qualified as a Chartered Surveyor he became a Partner and was appointed a Receiver to both the Church Commissioners for England and the Crown Estate Commissioners, whose extensive estates in southern England he managed for forty years, together with many other institutional and privately-owned estates throughout the country. He served his professional body, the RICS, in various capacities and was Crown Steward for Portland.
Current interests in the SDNP area
During his professional life he served variously as Trustee or Advisor for a number of landed estates, some of which he continues in retirement, and within the new National Park boundaries he is Trustee of the Edward James Foundation and the West Dean Estate, and is also Trustee of the Weald and Downland Museum at Singleton. He lives at The Dover near Arundel, within the Angmering Park Estate owned by his wife and her sisters, and plays an active part in the management of the in-hand farming and sporting operations. Virtually the whole estate lies within the Park boundary.
MIKE TRISTRAM Chairman
Background and land management experience
Mike has been engaged in horticulture - wholesale garden plant production – since 1987. One of his Binsted Nursery sites adjoins the SDNP; the nursery produces 3 million plants a year in pots. It is one of 5 members of the nationally market-leading cooperative Farplants.
Since the 1980s Mike has also managed aspects of his family’s 1800-acre Sompting Estate. As a landowner and a grower, Mike is a member of both CLA and NFU. Most of the Sompting Estate is in the SDNP area: Upton Farm is in ESA arable reversion (sheep and cattle); Lychpole Farm is in HLS with a mixed livestock and arable farming system. Mike has also devised and implemented conservation management plans for in-hand woodland and other habitats. In 2008 Mike used funds from a development sale, with 15% contribution from the SDJC Sustainable Development Fund, to create a base for his family to manage and enjoy the Estate which also doubles as the Downs Barn Environment Education Centre - see website www.somptingdowns.com .
Current interests in the SDNP area
At the Downs Barn, Mike is gradually building up a portfolio of courses to enhance people’s understanding of the working landscape of the Downs, and the wildlife it supports. Alongside commercial agriculture/horticulture, Mike has an interest in traditional culture of the South Downs including traditional song and local history, literature, heritage and archaeology. Mike has acted as Secretary for the LMG for several years, and has built and manages its website www.southdownsland.com .
JAMES COOPER Vice Chairman
Background and land management experience
James trained as a land agent at the Royal Agricultural College. He has spent his professional life working for Smiths Gore and the National Trust, and currently is Resident Agent on the Stansted Park Estate, near Petersfield, an estate wholly within the South Downs National Park.
James was a Countryside Agency nominee on the Board of the South Downs Joint Committee (2001-8), he sits on the Chichester Conservation Area Advisory Committee (Chairman 2002-6), and he is currently a Council Member and Chairman of the Historic Houses Association (South East Committee). He counts countryside pursuits, sailing and going home amongst his interests. He is married with three children.
Current interests in the SDNP area
James has spent most of the last 15 years working in the South Downs. As a Resident Agent of the Stansted Estate, he has been engaged on the planning and redeveloping of a rural estate within the former AONB, finding a commercial use for many listed buildings, the restoration of a listed landscape and structures in a tight planning regime.
DAVID TAYLOR Vice Chairman
Background and Land Management experience
David started farming in 1974 having obtained an HND in agriculture from Writtle College. He joined his father at Housedean Farm which has been rented by the family since 1937. The main farm is between Lewes and Brighton and is part of the Stanmer Estate which is owned by Brighton and Hove City Council. The farm is bisected by the A27 trunk road and has a section of the South Downs Way running through it. He also rents other land near Ditchling Beacon on which there are large areas of chalk grassland. He was a member of the Sussex Downs Conservation Board from its start in 1992 until 2001. Subsequently he has sat on the South Downs Access Forum and the Brighton and Hove Local Access Forum. He is currently on the Council of the South Downs Society.
Current interests in the SDNP area
Whilst enjoying recreational time walking on the downs his main interest is farming. Housedean Farm is a mixed farm with around 280 hectares of arable crops – Wheat, Malting Barley and Oilseed Rape , and permanent grass supporting a 50 cow suckler herd. The whole farm is in the Entry Level Stewardship scheme and parts are in the Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme. David is currently considering joining the Higher Level Stewardship scheme.
WILLIAM WOLMER Secretary
Background and Land Management Experience
William is the Managing Director of Blackmoor Estate near Selborne in Hampshire. Before farming full-time William spent ten years working in rural development in Africa as a research fellow at the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex University. His research, amongst other topics, encompassed: sustainable agriculture; wildlife management; and the impact of national parks on local communities – all of which have provided valuable insights into the potential challenges and opportunities facing farmers in the South Downs National Park.
Current interests in the SDNP area
William’s main farming activity at Blackmoor Estate is apple, pear and plum growing. With its range of fruit enterprises, from rootstock and fruit tree and soft fruit production and online tree sales at Blackmoor Nurseries, to orchards, storage and grading, to the Blackmoor Farm Shop, Blackmoor is involved in every link of the production chain. As well as the fruit enterprises the estate has a dairy herd and a number of agricultural and non-agricultural business tenants.
In his capacity as a SEEDA-funded ‘Sector Champion’ William has recently been looking at the implications of climate change for the top fruit sector and exploring ways of reducing carbon emissions from fruit production.
DAVID ASHCROFT
Background and land management experience
David is a past Chairman of Hampshire National Farmers Union and member of the Regional Livestock Board; also a past council member of the NFU Council. David is a full time farmer based in Selborne, Hants running a 90 cow pedigree South Devon herd of sucklers (progeny go for breeding or meat), on a single handed unit running to some 180 hectares.
Current interests in the SDNP area
David is a member of Hampshire Access Forum, currently Vice Chairman; a Parish Councillor on Selborne PC; and a committee member of the Selborne Association. He is a member of FWAG and joined up to Countryside Stewardship and ELS on the farm. His farmland includes about 10 hectares of woodland part of which is a SSSI supervised by EN. David’s other relevant interests include game shooting stalking fishing showing working and training flatcoated retrievers, renewable energy from sustainable sources and water conservation. His children are also in farming and related work (inc RPA inspectorate).
CHRISTOPHER PASSMORE OBE
Background and land management experience
Christopher Passmore farms at Applesham, near Lancing, in partnership, with his nephew Hugh Passmore. This Downland farm is a mixture of arable cropping, rotational grass leys and permanent grass, which are grazed by sheep and beef cattle. The farm has a Higher Level Stewerdship agreement with Natual England. He is member of the Southdowns Society and the Sussex Wild Life Trust. He is Chairman of Coombes Parish and a school Governor. He was a founder member of the Sussex Downs Conservation Board, serving on the Executive Committee. He has been chairman of several local farming organisations. LEAF and Sussex FAWG have both used Applesham as a demonstration farm. He was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to Nature Conservation and Agriculture.
Current interests in the SDNP area
In addition to his continuing farming and conservation activities as above, Christopher is a member of the SDNPA Partnership.
SABRINA HARCOURT-SMITH
MARK LEE
EDWARD TUPPER
Background and land management experience
Edward gained a Degree in Land and Farm Management at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. He has travelled extensively to the USA, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. He returned to work on the family farm in 2000, and became a partner in 2007.
Current interests in the SDNP area
Their farming enterprise consists of arable and dairy on an owned\tenanted and contract farming basis. Their milk is produced for M&S. They are ELS and HLS registered. Edward has a keen interest in wildlife, and they also have their own shoot. Edward is an active member of his local NFU and is the local Vice Chairman. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Petworth & District Agricultural Association.
JAMES YOUATT
Background and land management experience
James was raised in West Sussex, his mother’s family had farmed in Cumbria and Wiltshire for 150 years. He has worked as a Land Agent in Sussex for 15 years for Strutt and Parker, being a Partner of the firm for the last 9. He has over the years acted for a number of tenants and owner-occupiers on the Downs, giving him a good overview of issues that face the rural community in the South Downs. In addition to running a team of Land Agents for the firm, he has, for the last 5 years, also run their Planning and Development Team in Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire and for the last 6 months established and run a new office in Chichester.
These roles have given him a balanced view of and interest in the issues facing the South Downs, from the sustainability of farming, to ensuring ongoing protection of the landscape, to diversity of rural incomes in order to support sustainable development, to protecting the services that rural communities require such as schools, bus services, shops etc., and the growing need for Affordable Housing in order to help communities thrive.
Current interests in the SDNP area
Within the roles described above, James manages 2 Estates on the South Downs, which have a combined acreage of just over 5,000 acres. He consults on a further 2 Estates located on the South Downs with a combined acreage of just under 10,000 acres. He is a member of the Sussex Game Conservancy Lodge in Lewes and works closely with the CLA and NFU for the South. In his spare time he enjoys country pursuits, walking and travel.
JONNY MORRIS
Background and land management experience
Jonny was raised in Pembrokeshire; both his parent’s families have farmed in Pembrokeshire for over 150 years. He has worked for Smiths Gore as a Land Agent in Sussex for 4 years following his training at the University of Reading. He has acted for both public and private clients in Sussex and Surrey and his principal management clients both lie largely within the SDNP. Jonny’s roles with both public and private sector clients have given him both a balanced view of, and a keen interest in, the issues facing the South Downs; from the sustainability of farming, estates and rural communities to ensuring ongoing protection of the landscape.
Current interests in the SDNP area
Within the roles described above, Jonny assists in the management of 2 Estates on the South Downs, which have a combined acreage of just over 16,000 acres. When he is not working from the estate office at Arundel he works out of the Smiths Gore office in Petworth from where a range of clients within the South Downs are managed. In his spare time he enjoys country pursuits as well as cricket and rugby.
REMONY MOSER
Background and land management experience
Remony, who qualified at Sparsholt as a shepherd, was born into a farming family in Buckinghamshire and moved the farm to NEHants in 1989, working a 200 acre farm until 2001. She ran a flock of 400 ewes with texel rams and supplied lamb to Waitrose. Since 2001, having also qualified as a teacher in an earlier life, she has concentrated on educational courses in a barn which she has converted to a rural studies centre ('Field Farm Project'). The farm is currently moving from Stewardship into HLS.
Current interests in the SDNP area
As above and with particular interests in biodiversity and education relating to farming and the national park.