Professor Alastair H Fitter CBE, FRS has been appointed as the chairman of Trustees of the Arboretum Trust, Kew at Castle Howard.
Alastair Fitter joined the Department of Biology at the University of York in 1972 and was appointed Professor of Ecology in 1992 and Pro-Vice-Chancellor in 2004.  He is a member of the Council of Natural Environment Research Council.
Professor Fitter has published several ‘tree’ books but perhaps his best known is his “Wild Flowers of Britain and North West Europe”, written jointly with his father Richard Fitter and illustrated by Marjorie Blamey.
Professor Fitter is no stranger to the Arboretum as he is a long-standing member and has undertaken research on mycorrhizal symbioses in our acers (maples).
Professor Fitter takes over from Professor Sir Ron Cooke who has held the post since 2002 and who, we are delighted to say has agreed to remain on the Board of Trustees.