Since its establishment in 2008, the UKEOF had been hosted by the Natural Environment Research Council, but that role has now been transferred to the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. The move to CEH creates a more stable future for the Secretariat in light of plans to streamline research council activities as set out in the Government’s white paper Success as a Knowledge Economy: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice.
UKEOF is a partnership of public sector organisations with an interest in using and providing evidence from environmental observations. It works to improve coordination of the observational evidence needed to understand and manage the changing natural environment.
"Hosting the UKEOF aligns well with a key element of CEH’s National Capability focused on environmental observations."
- Professor Rosie Hails, CEH’s Director of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services
The new Secretariat team is led by Dr Anita Weatherby as Programme Manager and includes staff with experience of environmental monitoring and data sharing.
The move to CEH was welcomed by Professor Rosie Hails, CEH’s Director of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services.
Professor Hails said “The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology is pleased to host the UK Environment Observation Framework which delivers a valuable role in bringing together UK monitoring organisations, and aligns well with a key element of CEH’s National Capability remit focused on environmental monitoring.”
“The change in host does not affect the way UKEOF operates and its work programme will continue to be independently agreed by its Management Group.”
The Secretariat can still be contacted on the same UKEOF email address: office@ukeof.org.uk.