Baroness Young Named Forestry Commission Chair

The new Chair will continue to drive the Forestry Commission's efforts to protect and expand England's trees, woodlands and forests for future generations

By Royal Warrant, His Majesty King Charles III has today (Monday 26 January) appointed Baroness Barbara Young of Old Scone as the new Chair of the Forestry Commission.

The announcement comes as Sir William Worsley's tenure as Chair ends after six years in post. Baroness Young has been appointed for a four-year term, commencing on 10 February 2026.

The new Chair will bring extensive leadership experience across environmental protection, land management, regulation and public service to the role. Under her leadership, the Forestry Commission will continue its work to deliver a resilient and sustainable future for England's trees, woodlands and forests.

Baroness Barbara Young of Old Scone said:

It will be a great privilege to join the Forestry Commission team at a time when the importance of trees, woods and forests for the economy, local communities, resilience and security, climate change, biodiversity, and human health and wellbeing is great and growing.

The Forestry Commission has a huge contribution to make and I look forward to helping take that forward.

Minister for Nature, Mary Creagh said:

Baroness Young brings a wealth of experience in environmental protection and land management to this vital role. She is therefore ideally placed to champion England's trees, woodlands and forests, and I look forward to working with her to help restore our natural environment.

I'd also like to thank Sir William Worsley for his service and dedication throughout his tenure.

Richard Stanford, Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, said:

I'm pleased to welcome our new Chair, Baroness Barbara Young, who brings a wealth of experience from her distinguished background in the environmental sector. I'm excited to work with Barbara to deliver our strategy of helping to tackle some of society's biggest challenges with thriving trees, woods and forests.

I would also like to acknowledge the fantastic contribution of our outgoing Chair, Sir William Worsley. William's leadership has been instrumental in driving the growth of the Commission in recent years and building strong foundations for the future.

Sir William Worsley, outgoing Chair of the Forestry Commission, said:

It has been a great honour to serve as Chair of the Forestry Commission. Together with dedicated colleagues, we have strengthened the organisation and helped lay firm foundations for the future of our nation's trees, woods and forests.

As I step down, I am delighted to welcome Baroness Young as the new Chair. Her deep experience and commitment to the environment will serve the Commission exceptionally well.

As Chair of the Woodland Trust from 2016 to 2024, Baroness Young led the organisation through a period of significant growth and impact, expanding woodland creation and the protection and restoration of ancient woodland across the UK.

This appointment has been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process, nor is a bar to appointment. Baroness Young has been a Labour Life Peer in the House of Lords since 1997 and has canvassed locally for the Labour Party.

Biography

Barbara Young, Baroness Young of Old Scone, is one of the UK's most experienced public service leaders, with a distinguished career as both chief executive and chair of large, complex public and not-for-profit organisations, many operating in regulated, competitive and commercial environments.
She is currently Chair of the Labour Climate and Environment Forum, an independent organisation working with senior leaders across the Parliamentary Labour Party to strengthen climate and environmental ambition and coherence across the Labour movement. She has particular interests in agriculture, land use, trees, forestry, climate change and regulation.
She has held numerous senior leadership roles, including Chair of English Nature (1998-2000), Vice Chair of the BBC (1998-2000), Chief Executive of the Environment Agency (2000-2008), Chair of the Care Quality Commission (2008-2009) and Chair of the Royal Veterinary College (2019-2025), She has also served as Chief Executive of Diabetes UK and as Chancellor of Cranfield University.
She holds an MA (Honours) in Classics from the University of Edinburgh, is a Chartered Environmentalist, and has received numerous honorary degrees and fellowships in recognition of her contribution to public life, environmental protection and education.
Headshot attached.

The Forestry Commission

The Forestry Commission is the non-ministerial government department responsible for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands.
Established a century ago, the Forestry Commission works with two agencies: Forestry England, which manages the Public Forest Estate, and Forest Research, the principal organisation for forestry and tree-related research.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/baroness-barbara-young-of-old-scone-appointed-as-forestry-commission-chair

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