New members welcomed to Expert Committee on Forest Science

The Forestry Commission Expert Committee on Forest Science has appointed two new members. Tom Coates, appointed as Member forestry sector representative, will commence his role on 1 May 2026. Dr Anna Gardner joins the Committee as Professional Observer from 1 April 2026.  

The Expert Committee on Forest Science (ECFS) is established by the Board of Forestry Commissioners to provide independent, expert advice and assurance on the quality of science and evidence provided by Forest Research and other providers. 

The ECFS also acts as a resource to advise, if required, the Research Strategy Reference Group, which provides the cross-border mechanism by which the Forestry Commission, the UK Government and the devolved administrations formulate and deliver strategies for forestry science in the UK to support the objectives of forestry in the UK. 

Professor Andrew Millar, current Chair of the ECFS said, “I warmly welcome Anna and Tom to the Forestry Commission Expert Committee on Forest Science and look forward to working closely with both. I am delighted with their appointments. Serving on the Expert Committee on Forest Science will help us to develop forest science in the UK, over several years. This comes at a time of important focus and awareness on the many benefits that forestry can provide to society, alongside a growing recognition of the needs for evidence in guiding decisions.” 

Tom and Anna will contribute to the work of the ECFS in reviewing and providing feedback on applied research, particularly in relation to forest science, forest genetics, silviculture, tree-breeding, forest management and related topics. Going forward, their role will include helping to identify opportunities to enhance knowledge exchange and research impact, contributing to the development of future research programmes as well as sharing informal guidance with researchers looking to make connections across forest science. 

Tom Coates said, “I am delighted to be appointed as the forestry sector representative, and I am looking forward to supporting the Expert Committee on Forest Science by bringing a practitioner’s perspective from the forestry and wood processing sector. Ensuring that robust science informs both policy and practice is vital for the long-term resilience and productivity of our forests.” 

I am looking forward to supporting the Expert Committee on Forest Science by bringing a practitioner’s perspective from the forestry and wood processing sector

Dr Anna Gardner said, “I’m delighted to be joining the Expert Committee on Forest Science and contributing to the important work of Forest Research. I look forward to working with colleagues across the sector to strengthen the links between forest science, research impact and decision-making, and to support research that can help address the challenges facing forests now and in the future.” 

I’m delighted to be joining the Expert Committee on Forest Science and contributing to the important work of Forest Research.

Tom Coates

Tom Coates MICFor is a Chartered Forester and Timber Buyer for the UK’s leading sawmilling company, James Jones & Sons Ltd. Since completing a BSc (Hons) Degree in Forestry at Newton Rigg, Tom has gained extensive experience in the forestry and forest products industry working for some of the largest primary wood processing companies in the UK.

His work spans both domestic and international contexts, with a strong focus on evidence-based practice, sustainable resource management, and the optimisation of forest supply chains. Tom has expertise in forest certification, due diligence systems and traceability, contributing to improved transparency and compliance across complex timber supply networks. 

Dr Anna Gardner

Dr Anna Gardner is a forest ecophysiologist and ecosystem modeller at the University of Birmingham, where she is Research Fellow and Academic Data Lead at the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR).

Her research explores how trees and forest ecosystems respond to climate change, focusing on the physiological and biogeochemical processes that control carbon and nutrient cycling, productivity and ecosystem function. By combining large-scale field experiments with ecosystem modelling, she works to improve predictions of how forests will respond to environmental change. Her works spans forests across tropical, temperate and montane environments and contributes to major international research infrastructures including BIFoR FACE, AmazonFACE, CLEANFOREST and ForestGeo. 

Further information

For more information about the Expert Committee on Forest Science, visit Expert Committee on Forest Science – GOV.UK