CIEEM welcomes a new Fellow: Dr. Andrew Tharme FCIEEM

Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) is the highest level of professional recognition awarded to individuals who have made a significant contribution to ecological and environmental management. It recognises leadership, knowledge, skills and experience, while also highlighting those who inspire and support others across the profession.

Dr. Andrew Tharme FCIEEM

Andrew (Andy) Tharme currently works for South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) as the Natural Resources Strategy Manager. In this role, his duties include coordinating the South of Scotland Regional Land Use Partnership, and playing a key role in devising the RLUP pilot phase 2021-24 during which the Regional Land Use Framework (Scotland’s first) was developed as part of the Scottish Government’s pilot. Prior to taking up his SOSE role in 2021, Andy worked as an Ecology Officer, for the Scottish Borders Council (2002 – 2021) and as Species & Habitats Policy Officer, and Senior Research Assistant for the RSPB (1995 – 2002).  

Andy’s work has been assessed as having made a significant contribution in the following areas:

Influencing the evolution of policies or legislation relating to the natural environment

Andy has had a key role in leading successive land-use and woodland strategies, and developing biodiversity offsetting, over many years at a regional and national level. These projects have involved many stakeholders, attracted significant funding, and have been used at conferences and in publications as case-studies of good practice. Andy’s influence in this area has included the development of national land use strategies and forestry policy, and taking a lead and innovative role in biodiversity offsetting approaches at an early stage of the development of this policy area.

Andy also co-authored the Scottish Borders Woodland Strategy, which was adopted under the Local Development Plan, and recognised as good practice featuring in Scottish Government. Andy was council lead for the Scottish Forestry Regional Strategic Woodland Creation Pilot, working with local authorities to draft a Woodland Creation Framework, and presented on this topic area at a CIEEM conference. He has been on Scottish Forestry’s national Customer Representative Group since 2019 and is a member of Scottish Forestry’s Regional Stakeholder Group in the South of Scotland.

Promotion of ecological professionalism among employers, organisations, companies and other institutes

Andy has embedded legal and good practice guidance within the work of the Scottish Borders Council, through awareness-raising and training of colleagues within the planning sector, and connected more broadly with ALGE, CIEEM and other organisations. His work has covered LBAPs, species conservation actions, farming and wetland work. Andy’s work includes the production of technical advisory notes, training, presentations, development of methodology and approach to HRA, and development of the Council’s Local Biodiversity Sites system.

Innovation through establishing new partnerships, leadership, techniques or awareness for ecological professionalism
Andy’s lead role in developing an innovative approach to biodiversity offsetting for developments led to award wins, a successful public enquiry and featured case studies. He has presented at two CIEEM conferences on the pioneering approach which developed a successful mechanism for delivery, negotiating developer contributions under planning and securing this through legal agreements.

The practical application of the principles of ecology and environmental management, including to biodiversity conservation

Although less recent than the work referred to above, Andy made significant contributions to species conservation projects on Corncrake, Red Kite, and other bird species in his earlier work with RSPB/GCT through the 1990s-2000s.

From the evidence provided, the review panel agreed that:

Over a 30+ year career, Andy has made a significant contribution to ecology and environmental management. This is particularly true of the strategic work he has done in the Scottish Borders area – where his leadership and influence on LBAPs, Land Use Strategies, planning guidance, and habitat/species work appears to have enabled nature conservation to become a key element of regional policy and decision-making. Andy has clearly demonstrated a significant professional influence during his career and is thoroughly deserving of Fellowship.

I’m delighted to have been made a Fellow of CIEEM, looking back on my career it has not always been a straightforward path, there’s been the need to be resilient and adaptable, to think laterally and creatively and seize the opportunities such as in developing early approaches to biodiversity offsetting. For those in their early career, we will need your energy and creativity to develop the nature-based solutions needed to adapt to climate change, enable nature recovery and to find a course through the headwinds our profession is currently facing. Be resilient and adaptable.

Dr. Andrew Tharme FCIEEM

CIEEM is currently on the road to reaching 100 Fellows by the end of 2026, a milestone that reflects the strength, diversity and expertise within the profession. If you have made a significant contribution to addressing ecological or environmental management challenges, Fellowship could be for you.

Becoming a Fellow is a powerful way to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and experience, while contributing to the continued development of the profession. Fellows play a vital role as leaders, mentors and advocates, helping to inspire and support others through their work and influence.

If Andy’s journey resonates with your own career, now may be the time to consider putting yourself forward.