Barbara Murray
Councillor, Liverpool City Council
The Mersey Forest Steering Group oversees the activities of the team and partnership in delivering The Mersey Forest Plan. Members are key links to, and champions of, The Mersey Forest within their organisations. The Steering Group has an independent Chair, an officer and councillor representative from each local authority partner, and a Forestry Commission representative, as well as other co-opted members from time to time. It meets quarterly.
Councillor, Liverpool City Council
Barbara has been the elected member for Yew Tree ward in Liverpool since 2007 and was appointed to The Mersey Forest Steering Group in 2016. She is currently Deputy Chair of The Mersey Forest Steering Group and Deputy Lord Mayor of Liverpool.
Barbara was the Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills from 2018 to 2021, and Chair of Education, Employment and Skills from 2021 to 2023. She has extensive experience as a school governor, was a National Leader of Governance for many years, and was awarded Governor of the Year in 2008 for her work in Liverpool schools. She has been a governor at Alder Hey Childrens’ Hospital Trust since 2012. As an elected councillor, Barbara has been a member of many select committees. She is currently the Chair of Merseyside Police and Crime Panel and a member of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, responsible for chairing the Member Development Group.
Barbara has always had a love of trees and the green environment. She received the North West in Bloom lifetime achievement award in 2017 for her work with communities in Liverpool East.
Councillor, Cheshire East Council
Becky has represented the rural ward of Bunbury in Cheshire East since 2023. She serves on the Environment and Communities Committee which plays an integral part in decision making about the environment and landscape we as Cheshire East residents live and work in.
She loves being a part of The Mersey Forest Steering Group because it is focused on action and improvement. She says that many fascinating and passionate people with a huge range of experience and knowledge get together to deliver The Mersey Forest Plan. Her favourite tree is the turkey oak (Quercus cerris).
Sefton Borough Councillor
Carol has been a Parish Councilor for 6 years and a Sefton Borough Councillor for 3 years. In her current role as a Sefton Councilor, she represents the residents of Harington Ward. She has worked in the voluntary and statutory sectors, as a Senior Lecturer in further education, and a Development Officer in the charitable sector. In her professional and political career she has been deeply involved in community matters and the voluntary sector.
Her favourite part of being on The Mersey Forest Steering Group is being part of the wonderful work that is being done to develop the forest, which not only helps the forest to flourish but also the communities who benefit from the forest development. She is very interested in the involvement of volunteers in The Mersey forest and the health and wellbeing benefits it can bring to local communities.
Carol lives in the Sefton coastal forest, and the protection of this is area is important to her. She is passionate about the beach and the pinewoods on the coast. One of her favourite trees, among many, is the Silver Birch.
Head of Rural and Cultural Economy, Cheshire East Council
Carole is based at Tatton Park in Knutsford, Cheshire and takes a break in the historic gardens and parkland whenever she can.
Carole is enjoying being part of nature based solutions to improve the environment, working and learning from like-minded specialists to deliver change.
Head of Environmental Sustainability and Communities, Knowsley Council
Caroline is the Environmental Lead at Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. She is responsible for the Environmental Sustainability Service which has developed the strategic intent and ambition of the Council in respect to climate change adaptation and mitigation; the drive for a low carbon economy and society; and the green infrastructure agenda.
She is very passionate about creating and maintaining green spaces for local people to enjoy and is proud of the work Knowsley has delivered in partnership with The Mersey Forest.
CEO, Community Forest Trust
Charles has been running Community Forest Trust for 3 years. He joined following a 30 year career in the commercial sector, working with technology and professional services businesses.
Community Forest Trust combines his passion for the outdoors and trees, with his belief that we are responsible for causing and accountable for solving the climate emergency. Charles says that The Mersey Forest is one of the oldest and most established Forests in England’s Community Forest network, and that the insight he gets from the Steering Group helps Community Forest Trust to better support the other 14 Forests.
Partnership and Expertise Manager, Forestry Commission
Jake has worked within the Forestry Commission for almost 20 years, both in his current team and with Forest Research. He studied forestry at university and has experience working in the private sector and on commercial forest surveys.
Jake is driven by working in such an important sector, in the face of a climate and biodiversity emergencies, and his love of the environment. He is passionate about large scale forestry and his favourite tree is a Douglas fir.
Senior Project Manager (Environment), Liverpool City Council
Juliet has worked on a range of environmental and climate adaptation projects for over 35 years. During her time at Liverpool City Council she has led on climate change adaptation initiatives including retrofitting Nature-Based Solutions into urban areas and natural flood management projects.
Outside of work Juliet enjoys pottering in her garden allotment.
Deputy Leader, Cheshire West and Chester Council
Karen is the lead member for Environment, Transport and Highways at Cheshire West and Chester Council. She is passionate about Trees for Climate and the climate agenda more broadly. She says that we simply must act now to safeguard the planet for future generations. She is proud to be playing her part in that.
Assistant Director Climate Emergency and Environment, Wirral Council
Mike’s current role as Assistant Director Climate Emergency and Environment involves leading Wirral Council’s frontline and high demand environmental and regulatory services. Mike is also leading the response to the Council’s declared environment and climate emergency and commitment to being net zero by 2030. This has involved establishing the Council’s Environment and Climate Emergency Policy, which commits the Council to be net carbon neutral by 2030, launching Wirral’s Tree, Hedgerow and Woodland Strategy in 2020, and establishing the Council’s Biodiversity and Net Gain Strategy in 2023.
Mike has worked in local government for all his career and has held senior management positions for over 25 years in the Northwest and his native Midlands.
Countryside Development and Woodlands Officer Council, St Helens Council
Mike has worked at St Helens Council since 2006, within the Planning Section, and helping to establish Bold Forest Park. Before that, since 1986, he worked in the Warrington and Halton areas with the Mersey Valley Partnership, on landscape and access improvement and management. Work included initial surveys to look at the potential for Urban Forestry in North Cheshire, which helped support the creation of The Mersey Forest.
Mike says that The Mersey Forest have always been a creative and innovative organisation that makes things happen on the ground, so being involved with the Steering Group is highly rewarding.
His main interest is creative conservation, especially within the urban fringe. When not working, he spends time in wild areas practicing his main passion, which is wildlife and landscape photography.
Halton Borough Council - Community, Design and Cemeteries Services Manager
Nick is the Community, Design and Cemeteries Services Manager in Halton Borough Council. He is responsible for both cemeteries and new public realm development and community consultation for the Council. The team consists of Community Development, Cemetery and Cremation Officers, and Landscape Architects. Nick is a chartered Landscape Architect with over 30 years experience. He has practised in both the public and private sectors, mainly in the Northwest of England. He has a particular knowledge of and interest in Victorian public parks, with three successful Heritage Lottery Funded restoration schemes completed to date.
Landscape Manager (Tree Strategy), Wirral Council
Nicola has been Landscape Manager (Tree Strategy) at Wirral Council since 2021. She has expertise in ecosystem services, urban tree management, and local authority policies. Nicola leads a team of five in delivering Wirral’s Tree, Hedgerow, and Woodland Strategy.
Nicola brings experience in project management, planting initiatives, and tree strategy implementation to enhance sustainable urban environments.
Chair, The Mersey Forest Steering Group
Eunice’s twin enthusiasms are education and the environment, and she is fortunate to have a career combining both. Her role as Vice Chancellor at the University of Chester connects her with students from across the world who share a love for their subject, a commitment to learning and a confidence in the future.
As an environmentalist, she says that convening The Mersey Forest Steering Group is a privilege as she gets to hear about amazing projects and people transforming habitats and communities across our region.
Head of Planning and Place Making, Cheshire West and Chester Council
Rob is Head of Planning and Place Making for Cheshire West and Chester Council. As a local authority planner for over 20 years he understands and supports the need to invest in our green spaces and woodlands to realise the benefits such spaces can bring.
Councillor, Halton Borough Council
Stefan has been a councillor for 28 years. He has always supported the valuable work The Mersey Forest carries out, which supports our environment and biodiversity. The Big Halton Forest is a key council programme.
His favourite trees are silver birch and horse chestnut.