Public appointment: Members reappointed to the NatureScot Board

The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Gillian Martin MSP, today announced the reappointment of Dr Ian Gambles; Professor Pete Higgins; David Johnstone; Colin MacPhail; Professor Wayne Powell; Dr Heather Reid and Nikki Yoxall as Members of the NatureScot Board. 

Members 

Dr Ian Gambles is the former Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission and has extensive experience in public sector land management. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and an experienced Audit Committee Chair. He was previously Chair of the James Hutton Institute and brings a strong understanding of science in environmental policy and management. 

Professor Pete Higgins is Professor of Outdoor, Environmental and Sustainability Education at the University of Edinburgh. His early career was as an environmental scientist, freshwater and fisheries biologist before he retrained as a teacher and outdoor educator. He brings to the Board a lifetime's experience of working in and for the environment, promoting its value through teaching, research and policy development, including chairing the Scottish Government Ministerial Advisory Groups on Learning for Sustainability, and Membership of the National Parks Act Review Group (2008). He is Chair of the NatureScot Scientific Advisory Committee, representative on the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and a Member of the International Union for Nature Conservation Commission on Education and Communication.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an expert adviser to the UK Commission for UNESCO. 

David Johnstone has spent a lifetime in the rural sector. He is a Board member of South of Scotland Community Housing, Chair of the Johnstonebridge Community and Development Trust, Chair of the Moorland Forum and Chair of Fishery Management Scotland.  He previously chaired Scottish Land and Estates before stepping down in 2020. He brings a link between NatureScot and those with practical rural experience. 

Colin MacPhail has a broad understanding of practical land management and the challenges facing land managers.  He is a farmer and an agricultural business consultant and has worked across a variety of rural businesses. His experience of hill farming, intensive livestock, arable production and crofting on the Machair’s on the Western Isles provides him with knowledge on how many farming systems are currently delivering for nature and further contribute to nature recovery.  He is business focused and brings a commercial outlook to the Board. 

Professor Wayne Powell is Principal and Chief Executive of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). His previous roles include Chief Science Officer at CGIAR, a global agri-food partnership, Professor and Founding Director of the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Deputy Director of the Scottish Crop Research Institute and CEO and Director NIAB, Cambridge. He is a Senior Fullbright Scholar and worked for the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. Professor Powell has over 30 years’ experience working in the field of contemporary plant genetics and has extensive experience leading organisational and cultural change programmes. Professor Powell is a member of Scotland’s Science Advisory Council and Board Chair of Interface. He also sits on the research advisory board for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. 

Dr Heather Reid is a science education consultant and former weather forecaster with the Met. Office and BBC Scotland. She brings significant experience in science and science engagement, especially in the areas of climate change, sustainability and the environment. She is a former Chair of the Institute of Physics in Scotland and has served on several Scottish Government Advisory Committees related to science education. She is currently the Convener of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, a Member of the Board of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, a Trustee and Chair of the Scotland Committee to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Vice-Chair of Dynamic Earth Science Centre.  

Nikki Yoxall is Technical Director at Pasture for Life and a first generation farmer based in North East Scotland, managing livestock operations with her husband across 2500 ha. With a background in teaching and learning in the tertiary context, Nikki now focuses on agricultural knowledge exchange whilst completing a PhD in agroecology.  She is a Director of Grampian Graziers Ltd and a partner in Rottal Land and Livestock along with Rottal Estates. 

Reappointments 

Dr Ian Gambles and Professor Pete Higgins were reappointed for four years from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2029; Colin MacPhail and Dr Heather Reid were reappointed for three years from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028; and David Johnstone, Professor Wayne Powell and Nikki Yoxall were reappointed for two years from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027. 

The reappointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. 

Remuneration and time commitment 

The reappointments attract remuneration of £320.22 per day for a time commitment of 30 days per year. 

Other Ministerial appointments 

Dr Heather Reid is Convener of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority and receives £228.69 per day for a time commitment of eight days per month.  She is also a Member of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland and receives £304.34 per day for a time commitment of one day per week. 

Dr Ian Gambles; Professor Pete Higgins; David Johnstone; Colin MacPhail; Professor Wayne Powell and Nikki Yoxall do not hold any public appointments made by Scottish Ministers. 

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. 

Dr Ian Gambles; Professor Pete Higgins; David Johnstone; Colin MacPhail; Professor Wayne Powell; Dr Heather Reid and Nikki Yoxall have had no political activity within the last five years. 

Background 

Scotland’s nature, land- and sea-scapes are a superb inheritance and internationally renowned.  Through their life-giving processes they sustain all our lives and wellbeing: a healthy natural environment not only provides food and water, minerals and energy, flood protection and climate regulation, it also sustains our mental and physical wellbeing. 

NatureScot is an Executive Non Departmental Public Body which advises the Scottish Government on all aspects of nature and landscape across Scotland.  NatureScot’s role is to help secure the sustainable management of Scotland’s natural heritage for the benefit of all.  It delivers its purpose by providing advice to Scottish Ministers and Local Authorities, promoting good practice, and by working in partnership with others in the public, private and voluntary sectors to help secure the enhancement of, and benefits from, our natural assets for society.