The City of London Corporation has appointed a new Natural Environment Director, Emily Brennan.

She will be responsible for overseeing the management and strategic vision of the City Corporation’s 11,000 acres of open space in London and southeast England, including Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath, Burnham Beeches, and West Ham Park.

Emily has over 25 years’ experience in the environmental sector and joins the City Corporation from Forest Research, where she was Head of Centre.

She has worked for a wide range of organisations including the National Trust, WWF, the Natural History Museum, the South Downs National Park Authority, the Zoological Society of London, Butterfly Conservation, and the Wildlife Trusts.

Natural Environment Director at the City Corporation, Emily Brennan, said:

“It’s a real privilege to be given the opportunity to lead some of the UK’s best-loved open spaces, which play such an important role in protecting the health and wellbeing of our communities and our planet.

“I look forward to working with our stakeholders to protect and conserve these sites for generations to come.”

Chair of the City Corporation’s Natural Environment Board, Caroline Haines, said:

“Emily is a passionate, knowledgeable, and experienced leader, with expertise in nature conservation and a keen interest in community-led conservation, arts, engagement, and inclusion.

“Her diverse and extensive experience make her the perfect candidate to set a new strategic vision for our Natural Environment Division, ensuring we continue to protect these world-renowned open spaces, which provide so many benefits for us all.”

Emily served as an elected Commissioner for the 2012 Olympic Games from 2007-2010, helping to ensure that the biodiversity of Olympic venues was protected, enhanced, and enjoyed by everyone.

She is also Trustee for the National Park City Foundation, a grassroots network which led the establishment of London as the world's first National Park City and which aims to make cities greener, healthier, and wilder.

The City Corporation’s open spaces, most of which are charitable trusts, are run at little or no cost to the communities that they serve. They include important wildlife habitats, Special Areas of Conservation, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and National Nature Reserves.

They remove around 16,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere a year, equivalent to 44% of the City Corporation’s annual carbon footprint.

They are protected from being built on by special legislation.

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk