Public appointment: Members appointed to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority Board

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, today announced the appointment of Susan Davies, Alan Hendry, Amanda McGuigan, Sarah Robinson and Dr Hannah Rudman as Members of the Board of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority.

Susan Davies brings over 35 years of experience in conservation and land management, having held senior roles with JNCC, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, and latterly as CEO of the Scottish Seabird Centre. Currently she is Chair of the James Hutton Institute and is recognised for her strategic leadership, governance, financial and people skills. Throughout her career, Susan has championed evidence-based approaches that balance nature priorities with community, land and economic wellbeing. She has built a strong track record in partnership working, bringing together diverse interests to deliver lasting benefits for people and nature. 

Alan Hendry is an experienced sustainability leader currently working at Mott MacDonald as their European sustainability and Glasgow lead. He is a former town planner and has worked in both the public and private sectors for local authorities in both England and Scotland and with consultancies AEA Technology, Jacobs, Worley and now Mott MacDonald. Alan brings a wealth of experience around sustainability and net zero and has an extensive Scottish, UK and international network of contacts working across all aspects of sustainability. 

Amanda McGuigan brings financial, governance, and risk expertise alongside a commitment to Scotland's people and places. As a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Governance Professional and Certified Risk Professional, she has a strong track record in financial oversight, audit and risk management within complex organisations. Her Trustee work with The Robertson Trust and Culture and Business Scotland reinforces her focus on strategic, long-term decision-making. 

Sarah Robinson is the Director of Conservation for the Scottish Wildlife Trust leading the organisations wide variety of ecosystem and species conservation activities. Her career has centred on ecology and conservation working for Research Institutes, Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Organisations including the British Antarctic Survey, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation, NASCO. Built on a strong foundation of scientific training and practice, Sarah has over 20 years of experience in nature restoration and advocating for nature. 

Dr Hannah Rudman FBCS FRSA is Co-Chair of the Scottish Forum on Natural Capital and Honorary Fellow at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Sustainable Forests and Landscapes. She is also Development and Policy Director at Highlands Rewilding, a mass-ownership company enabling nature recovery and community prosperity through rewilding. Previously Hannah founded and developed two environmental tech start-ups, and designed multi-national digital transformation programmes, eventually licensing her framework to Leidos, a global technology services company. She is elected Fellow of the British Computer Society and the Royal Society of Arts.  

Appointments 

Susan Davies, Alan Hendry, and Amanda McGuigan will be appointed for four years from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2030.  Sarah Robinson and Dr Hannah Rudman will be appointed for three years from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2029. 

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. 

Remuneration and time commitment 

The appointments attract remuneration of £251.69 per day for a time commitment of three days per month. 

Other Ministerial appointments 

Dr Hannan Rudman is a Member of the Board of the National Galleries of Scotland. The role is not remunerated but has a time commitment of one day per month. 

Susan Davies, Alan Hendry, Amanda McGuigan and Sarah Robinson do not hold any other public appointments. 

Political activity 

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. 

Susan Davies, Alan Hendry, Amanda McGuigan, Sarah Robinson and Dr Hannah Rudman have had no political activity within the last five years. 

Background 

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park was established by the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 to safeguard areas of outstanding and diverse landscapes, habitats and communities. We do this by working to co-ordinate the delivery of four main statutory aims: 

• conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area; 
• promote the sustainable use of the natural resources of the area; 
• promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public; and 
• promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities. 

This means being involved in developing key strategic documents such as: 

• National Park Partnership Plan, which sets out our priorities for the Park’s development in association with partner organisations; 
• Local Development Plan, which guides all future development and the use of land; 
• The National Park’s response to the Climate and Nature Emergencies and the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. 

Additionally, the National Park Authority has full statutory planning powers and is the statutory access authority. While the full Board oversees preparation of the Local Development Plan and occasionally takes decisions to determine planning applications for major developments, the Planning and Access Committee meets more regularly to determine a wide range of planning applications as well as deal with occasional statutory access matters. Significant planning issues for the National Park area include provision of affordable housing, sustainable tourism development, rural economic development and ensuring climate-resilient communities and businesses for the future.