Caroline Haines has been elected as the new Chair of the Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee.
She succeeds Ben Murphy and will lead the decision-making body responsible for conserving and managing some of the UK’s most historic and ecologically important landscapes.
They include sites of national and international conservation significance such as Epping Forest (east London and Essex), Burnham Beeches (Buckinghamshire), Ashtead Common (Surrey), and the Coulsdon and West Wickham Commons in southeast London.
Spanning around 10,000 acres, Epping Forest and “the Commons” are nearly 12 times the size of New York’s Central Park and attract almost 12 million visits each year. Together, they make up almost 90% of the total amount of open space protected and managed by the City Corporation as a whole.
Chair of the City Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Caroline Haines, said:
“It’s an honour to take on this role, helping to protect and care for these remarkable landscapes for generations to come.
“Our open spaces deliver extraordinary value – the health and recreation benefits of Epping Forest and the Commons alone are worth over £59 million a year to society. And for every £1 we invest, £26.80 is returned in public benefits.
“Not only do these green spaces support people’s wellbeing, they also play a critical role in tackling climate change, capturing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and cutting carbon emissions.
“As someone with a background in education and a passion for engaging young people, I’m particularly committed to helping build the next generation of environmental champions. Through initiatives like our Youth Natural Environment Board and outdoor learning projects in Epping Forest, we can inspire more young Londoners to connect with nature and take action on sustainability.
“I’m excited to lead the next chapter in the stewardship of these vital green spaces and look forward to working with our dedicated staff, volunteers and partners to ensure these much-loved landscapes continue to thrive long into the future.”
Caroline formerly chaired the City Corporation’s Natural Environment Board – the overarching policy and strategic body for its Natural Environment Division, and its City Gardens function. It is also responsible for the day-to-day management of the gardens, churchyards and green spaces within the Square Mile, and Bunhill Fields Burial Ground in Islington.
She has also previously Chaired the organisation’s Education Board, served as a Trustee for the Academy Trust, and completed a five year term as Chair of Governors at the outstanding Newham Collegiate Sixth Form College.
At present, she also Chairs the City’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee; Suicide Prevention Group; and the Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce. She has also been recently re-elected as Vice Chair to the City Corporation’s Policy and Resources Committee.
The Corporation protects 11,000 acres of green space across London and the southeast, investing millions of pounds every year. Most of these sites are run as charitable trusts, at little or no cost to the communities they serve.
Many are nationally and internationally important habitats, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation, and National Nature Reserves, all protected under environmental legislation.
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Notes to editors
The Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile, dedicated to supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK – .
Epping Forest stretches from Manor Park in the south to Epping in the north and is one of the last remaining extensive natural woodlands in southern England.
Two thirds of the Forest is designated as a nationally important Site of Special Scientific Interest and an internationally designated Special Area of Conservation for habitats, including ancient wood-pasture, old grassland plains, and heathlands.
It provides access to a range of facilities for sport and recreation such as walking, running, cycling, horse-riding, angling, football, cricket and golf. There are three visitor centres, a museum, and more than 100 ponds and lakes.
The Forest is home to over one million trees, some of which are up to 1,000 years old – including 50,000 ancient pollards of beech, hornbeam, and oak. They support a wealth of insects and fungi including many rare and vulnerable species.
The Commons comprises: West Wickham Common and Spring Park (The West Wickham Commons); Farthing Downs, Coulsdon, Kenley, and Riddlesdown Commons (The Coulsdon Commons); Burnham Beeches and Stoke Common; and Ashtead Common.
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