South West Environment Network

How we work

SWEN is an independent network of environmental agencies, organisations and groups in the South West Region.

SWEN's goal is to add real value to efforts of those organisations, interests and individuals involved in protecting and enhancing the environment of the South West - in the context of sustainable development - by providing at a regional level:

• A shared voice for what is important about the environment in the South West and why;

• A forum for development of a more common understanding of key regional environmental issues and relevant initiatives, amongst member bodies and with others.

• A forum to share intelligence, co-ordinate action and add weight to the environment sector’s influence in support of the emerging South West Region Environment Strategy and on other key regional organisations, strategies and initiatives.

• An `informed customer’ role for the South West Observatory, particularly the Environment Module, advising on its priorities and work programme for monitoring, research, state of the environment and other reporting and the exchange of information on environmental issues and related activity.

• A forum from within which nomination and election of environmental members for the Regional Assembly’s Social, Economic and Environmental Partners (SEEPs) and other South West regional fora is managed, and a facility to support communication between the these representatives and the wider environment sector.

Members

The 2010 Management Group are listed below. They have opted to work without a formal Chair for 2010 and instead will allocate tasks across the group. The first point of contact will be Jo Traill Thomson.

Membership of this Group includes representation from at least one statutory agency, one non-governmental organisation and the SEEPs. Efforts are made to try and ensure a fair representation of key environmental issues / themes on this Group.

The current Management Group are:

• Mark Robins - RSPB

• Kevin Ward - Environment Agency

• Phil Collins - Natural England

• Dave Dixon - SW Protected Landscapes

• Simon Brenman - SW Wildlife Trusts

• Cate Le Grice-Mack - CPRE

• Steve Crummay - Cornwall County Council

The Management Group have agreed the following structure and roles for 2010. 

1. Plenary Programme  Kevin Ward

2. Management Group matters (development plan, agenda, etc.) All rotating Chair

3. Managing SWEN contracts Dave Dixon

4. Communications & Networking Dave Dixon / Simon Brenman

5. Stakeholders link/s Mark Robins / Cate Mack

6. Banking Services RSPB 

Member organisations

The following organisations are members of SWEN. Contact should only be made through the chair or secretariat .

• ADAS

• BTCV

• Cornwall County Council

• Country Land & Business Association

• CPRE

• Environment Agency

• Exmoor National Park Authority

• Forestry Commission

• Friends of the Earth

• Groundwork
• Natural England
• National Trust
• RSPB

• South West Regional Assembly

• South West Regional Development Agency

• South West Tourism

• Sustainability South West

• South West Protected Landscapes Forum

• The Wildlife Trusts