Steering Group - Terms of Reference and Operation

Terms of Reference

• Take a lead and championing role, providing direct liaison across the themes; setting up task and finish groups for individual themes, providing terms of reference, targets and deliverables and monitoring their progress
• With a shared understanding of issues/barriers and opportunities facing the management of trees, woodlands and forests in the West Midlands identify and prioritise common actions that can be taken to address them
• Fully utilise opportunities for advocacy, linking strategies and plans at local and national level whilst contributing towards the information and data gathering processes
• Ensure delivery of the Forestry Framework through monitoring activity and targets. Develop monitoring review process that satisfies sustainability assessment
  
• Ensure sufficient infrastructure, systems and resources are in place to ensure the effective development, implementation and monitoring of the Forestry Framework Delivery Plan, year on year for the foreseeable future
• Develop and maintain clear lines of communication with the West Midlands Woodland and Forestry Forum. The Steering Group will also have the role of managing the Forum, which will include ensuring that the Forum is informed and has appropriate opportunity to contribute to the delivery plan and its implementation.
  

Modus Operandi

The Steering Group will be kept to an effective working number but nevertheless representative of the sectors covered by key Forestry Framework stakeholders. The membership of the group may fluctuate according to the need for expert knowledge, which may entail co-opting key stakeholders onto the group at future times according to need. Effective communication with the Forum will be helpful in this respect.

The Steering Group will meet quarterly or as required, with the support of Heartwoods with appropriate progress reports and other papers being supplied.

The core membership of the Steering Group will be drawn from the following stakeholder groupings:

• West Midlands Woodland and Forestry Forum (Chair)
• Forestry Commission – technical and forestry policy lead and funder
• Natural England – policy integration
• Woodland Owners – policy integration, policy/technical expertise
• Woodland Initiatives – policy/technical expertise
• Forestry sector NGOs – policy/technical expertise
• Private forestry sector – technical/commercial expertise and perspective
• Arboriculture – technical/commercial expertise and perspective