It is with great sorrow that we inform you of Peter’s passing aged 75.
Peter had a long career with James Latham PLC, starting as a salesman in 1972, serving on the Board from 1983 and as Chairman from 2006 until his retirement in 2017.
He was also a Forestry England Commissioner – a trustee of the Commonwealth Forestry Association and a trustee of the William Robinson Gravetye Charity.
Peter served on the International Board of Directors of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification for ten years, including five years as Chair from 2016 to 2021. During that time, he helped guide the organisation through a period of significant growth, strengthening the PEFC alliance and expanding its global reach. PEFC recall how Peter did so “with wisdom, humility and a genuine belief in collaboration – he had a remarkable ability to bring people together, listen carefully to different perspectives and build consensus”.
In 2012, Peter was awarded an OBE for his services to the UK wood industry. In 2018, the Timber Trade Journal honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his extensive 44-year career and advocacy for sustainable timber procurement.
Peter loved Trebartha and served on the Board from 1997 to 2012. In 2001, he took over responsibility for forestry from Christopher and retained this responsibility until 2018. He saw his priorities as looking at the areas of woodland that had no commercially attractive timber to extract, but required cleaning up and restocking, planting small areas of conifers and encouraging regeneration of broadleaves. At the October 2018 AGM, Peter noted how climate change would increasingly influence the composition of our woods and urged the family to increase the areas of amenity woodland.
If you would like to share fond memories, condolences or photos, an online condolence book is available at: www.online-tribute.com/peterlatham
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