Ian Macleod

Ian joined the Forestry Commission in 1984 fulfilling a range of administrative roles before joining what is now Information Services. During this period Ian became increasingly involved in Geographic Information systems (GIS); initially supporting the Laser-scan software that was first used to capture spatial data in the early 1990’s, then ESRI software as it began to come increasingly to the fore.

Ian became Mapping & Geodata (M&G) Programme Manager in 1999 and fulfilled the role until 2019. During this time M&G was heavily involved in the capture of many of the FC’s major spatial datasets; subcompartments, coupes, deeds, roads, utilities, soils, Woodland Grant Schemes, Felling Licences and many others.It had an important spatial datamanagement role, intially via the Spatial Data Repository, latterly via Geostore.

In 2019 Ian became NRS Head of Station on a part time basis. Allied to this he continues to have involvement in data management, principally taking forward the aims of FR’s Data Strategy.