Peak District chief moving to a new role
SHE HAS LED AUTHORITY FOR SEVEN YEARS
THE chief executive of the Peak District National Authority, Sarah Fowler, is stepping down from her position after seven years in the role.
Ms Fowler is taking over a similar job at the UK’s leading wetland conservation charity. She will remain as chief executive until March 4, 2022, after which Andrea McCaskie, the authority’s head of law, legal and democratic services, will act as interim chief executive during a recruitment process for a new chief executive.
She said: “I have had an incredibly enjoyable seven years working alongside colleagues, volunteers and our members to care for the UK’s original national park.
“The Peak District is a place of exceptional and extraordinary landscapes and at its heart wonderful heritage and varied communities that live, work and come to enjoy this place.”
During her time in the role, Ms Fowler has led for the ten English
National Parks on their nature recovery work, developing plans to meet the Government’s targets on tackling biodiversity loss.
She also chaired a coalition of partners across the north in ambitious plans to restore 92% of England’s upland peatland.
Authority chair Andrew McCloy said: “We are very grateful for the professionalism and hard work that Sarah has put in over the last seven years, especially in the way that she led the response of the Peak District National Park in the face of funding cuts and a global pandemic.
“Sarah’s contribution on behalf of National Parks at a national level has also been immense.
“Although we are sad to see her leave, this is an exciting opportunity for someone to help us build on 70 successful years as a National Park, as we develop ambitious and innovative responses to meet the challenges of climate change and nature recovery.”
The new chief executive is likely to be announced in late spring/early summer 2022.