Strategic Advisory Board

Alex works for The River Trust where he is leading on the development of a new Water Stewardship service, which aims to help business work collaboratively to deliver sustainable solutions for water at a catchment level by working with their local catchment partnerships and is the UK lead for the Courtauld 2025 commitment for collective action on water.

Alex is a member of the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) national support group, the CISL Catchment Declaration advisory group, an Alliance for Water Stewardship expert practitioner and member of the BSI technical committee for water management, he is also a Town Councillor.

Kevin leads the agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity, ecology & geomorphology work of the Environment Agency to secure more resilient, diverse and valued wildlife and fisheries in order to bring greater benefits for people. He is the national Head of Profession, managing seven teams and the national budgets for these areas. He also acts as the Agency's lead on the DEFRA post-Brexit Future Farming Programme and the England Fisheries Group.

He was previously Assistant Director of the Agricultural Division and Head of Sustainable Management for the Welsh Government.

Stephen has provided farm business consultancy in the UK and internationally for over 20 years, and has actively influenced agricultural policy at UK / EU levels. He has a masters in Soil Science, was a 2011 Nuffield Farming Scholar and was Founding Director of the Institute of Organic Training & Advice.

Building soil health & resilience to maintain biodiversity and productive potential should be at the forefront of the minds of farmers and land managers. Stephen’s combination of scientific rigour and practical farming experience helps direct the SSA to facilitate and deliver an improved understanding of practical soil management options.

John founded the annual Groundswell show which began with 700 attendees and has doubled in 3 years. He is a passionate practitioner and supporter of no-till from his home farm base of 2500 acres in Herts. He aims to establish an agronomy label to educate and train farmers in regenerative farming to facilitate a move away from intensive agriculture & the industrial food system.

I’ve always been interested in soil, which in the end is the most important thing about farming. To see someone farming without moving the soil is mind-blowing.

Chris coordinates the SSP, a £multi-million research project to understand how soils resist, recover and adapt to land use and climate change, and is Professor of Environmental Science at Reading University.

Chris also sits on the government’s Natural Capital Committee. He is on the Board of Linking Environment & Farming and Director of the Soil Research Centre, bringing together researchers with external stakeholders to explore challenges around soil as a key resource. He is Chair of the SSA Science Panel.

An award-winning author, strategist and campaigner working on farm policy, environment and food issues for 25 years, Vicki was previously Campaigns & Policy Director at War on Want, Head of the Friends of the Earth Food Programme, Sustain’s Policy Director and Director of the SAFE Alliance.

She published Perfectly Safe to Eat? in 2000 and was Chair of the Eating Better Alliance. With a background in entomology and pest management as well as decades in driving policy change Vicki will be able to bring both scientific and policy expertise to help the Alliance’ work.

Julius works within the Shropshire Group (G’s) as a Group Product Director, and as an evangelist for Regenerative Agriculture in general and within the wider G’s group specifically.

We have seen the benefits in soil conditions and crop performance achieved by harvesting the low hanging fruit in reducing disturbance, cover cropping and optimising broad spectrum nutrition. We are building an understanding of how the regen biological engine works and the new metabolic efficiency opportunities that we need to reach.

Gareth joined the Soil Association after many years at the RSPB as Head of Agriculture Policy and External Affairs. Prior to this he served as Senior Agriculture Policy Officer for Natural England.

It’s no surprise that the work of the Sustainable Soils Alliance is of great interest to the Soil Association which has its roots in the idea that truly sustainable farming starts with an understanding of the central role of soil. My own background lies in environmental policy and before that biochemistry, and I recently joined the Soil Association as Head of Farming and Land Use policy because I think a recovery in the UK’s biodiversity can only come with a transformation in what we eat and the way we produce it. I’ll be working with the SSA to ensure that soil health is properly reflected in government environment policy, and good soil management is provided with the right incentives and support.

Sue runs an organic, permaculture livestock farm in Wales, and is also Director of the FFCC, an independent inquiry that aimed to shape a future for food, farming and the countryside that is fairer, stands the test of time and aligns more closely with public expectations and values. The SSA is partnering with the FFCC on research into improving soil fertility on Lincolnshire farms.

In light of the 25 YEP, our priority for achieving soil recovery is to involve farmers, businesses, citizens and communities in more thoughtful, informed conversations about choices that face us and the actions we urgently need to take.

With a background in agriculture and forestry, Charlotte has been a commercial-scale organic farmer for more than thirty years. She has been Head of Learning at Eden for nearly 10 years, with experience and background in environmental education, agriculture and food policy.

The Eden Project is passionate about soil and its crucial role in maintaining life on the planet. Through their work on climate change and connection and communication with global audiences, the organisation hopes to tell the stories, actively support and give voice to the vital work of the SSA.

Elizabeth is a researcher and sharer of soils knowledge with growers – and hence is often found in a hole in the ground. She is currently Head of Farming Systems Research at NIAB and leads the cross-sector levy-funded Soil Biology & Soil Health Partnership (AHDB/BBRO; 2017-2021). This Partnership is working with and for the agricultural industry to develop practical tools for soil health assessment and supporting information for farmers to use to develop site-specific soil management approaches.

Bringing together the knowledge of research into the detailed interactions within the soil together with the practical husbandry skills and local knowledge of farmers can lead to amazing breakthroughs in the our understanding of the ecosystems beneath our feet. I’m looking forward to working with the SSA to help ensure that all stakeholders develop an enhanced understanding of soils’ value and functions and look to work in ways that ensure all land is managed sustainably.

Andrew works with food and agriculture brands, financial institutions and governments to help them enjoy the business benefits of the transition to regenerative agriculture at scale across the value chain and build a market that values these practices, as part of Soil Capital.

Andrew brings his experience of the superior economics of practices that improve soil health, and how to make those benefits accessible to brands, financiers and governments, into the SSA's work.

Prior to this, Andrew led the sustainable finance practice at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership for 10 years, where he remains a Senior Associate.

Dr Wei Yang is an internationally renowned town planner and urban designer who champions a place-based whole systems approach to tackle the grand challenges of our times. Wei was President for 2021 of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and an Independent Trustee of the Landscape Institute (LI). She is an influential thought leader and a powerful advocate for climate actions, nature-based solutions, health & well-being, and social equality.

Wei has extensive experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and implementing large-scale regeneration and low carbon master planning projects in Britain and internationally. Her professional strengths lie in combining innovative planning inspirations with feasible implementation solutions. She is also a popular keynote speaker, an author, and a scholar.

Wei is a lead figure in researching, promoting, and implementing 21st Century Garden City and green & low-carbon development approach worldwide. She is co-author of a bestselling book, Humanistic Pure Land and Garden Cities (Shi & Yang, 2021).