University professor appointed Deputy Chair of Natural Resources Wales

A leading Cardiff University academic, Professor Steve Ormerod, has been appointed Deputy Chairman of Natural Resources Wales – a Welsh government sponsored body tasked with ensuring that Wales’ natural resources are used and managed in a sustainable way.

With over 1900 staff and an annual budget of £180 million, Natural Resources Wales is Wales’ most important environmental organisation, and has responsibility for providing advice to government, environmental regulation, natural resources management, incident response, environmental monitoring, and management of 7% of Wales’ land area.

Professor Ormerod is an expert on freshwater ecosystems and, as well as being a Professor of Ecology at the School of Biosciences, is also Co-Director of Cardiff University’s flagship Water Research Institute.

Over the course of a research career spanning almost 40 years, Professor Ormerod has held a number of high-profile roles, including Chairman of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, President of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, Chairman of the Environment Advisory Panel of Welsh Water, and Chairman of Europe’s only invertebrate Charity ‘Buglife’.

Speaking of his new position, Professor Ormerod said: “With a long-term perspective that integrates the well-being of people, ecosystems and nature, our environmental policy in Wales is setting trends across the world.

“Natural Resources Wales is at the heart of turning that perspective into actions that will make a real difference, both now and for future generations. To have the opportunity to help lead this mission is both an enormous honour and a major challenge – particularly at a time when the need for environmental action is so urgent.”

Professor Jim Murray, Head of Cardiff University School of Biosciences, added: “I am delighted to congratulate Professor Ormerod on his new position as Deputy Chair of Natural Resources Wales. Like the rest of the world, Wales faces a number of environmental challenges, and Natural Resources Wales has an important role to play in developing conservation strategies with real impact. I am certain that Professor Ormerod’s research knowledge and expertise in this area will be of immense value, helping to improve the resilience and quality of our ecosystems for future generations.”