Mike Pugh

Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Business Development Officer
Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Mike's first degree was in History and Economics at Cambridge University and later he took an MBA (with Distinction) at the University of Nottingham. Mike moved to Bowland when he retired from business after a marketing career with multinational companies (Procter and Gamble, Hozelock Group), SMEs and new business start-up.
In 2005, the Forest of Bowland AONB had just been the first protected area in England to be awarded the EUROPARC Charter for Sustainable Tourism and Mike was recruited as its first Business Development Officer. He founded a Sustainable Tourism Network with now over 120 members, 35% of whom have set up as tourism operators since 2006. Mike introduced to Bowland the Green Tourism Award scheme, which has since become the only tourism eco-label recognised by Visit Britain. He worked with colleagues in the EUROPARC Charter Network to define the criteria for Charter Partner status under Part 2 of the Charter. In November 2007, the Forest of Bowland had the first 18 EUROPARC Charter Partners; it now has 40.  In 2009/10, Mike was instrumental in the formation of Bowland Experience Limited, a social enterprise company to provide member support and training and to take on the promotion of private sector tourism in the protected area.
Mike's interests include rowing (nowadays  recreational rather than athletic!), fell walking and bird watching and he is a volunteer researcher with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Contact details:
Forest of Bowland AONB
The Stables
Root Hill Estate Yard
Dunsop Bridge
BB7 3AY
United Kingdom
+44 1200 448 000
www.forestofbowland.com