Brian Salter was initially appointed Forestry and Conservation Officer by the Development Corporation in 1971. 25 percent of the New Town area was designated as green space, with parks, river valleys, woodlands, meadows, lakesides and landscape corridors. Brian oversaw the innovative planting and maintenance of trees and shrubs, now numbering more than 22 million including the Cathedral of Trees. In 1991 The Parks Trust was established by Brian and colleagues at the Development Corporation, with all these green assets transferred from the Development Corporation to this unique charity. Brian became the first Chief Executive of The Parks Trust. He championed the growth and enhancement of the green estate and with his staff and team of many volunteers, which now number 200. They developed activities for the community including environmental education programmes for children, young people and adults. The Trust’s sheep and cattle graze in parklands, helping to create a richer diversity for wildlife and encourage the growth of wildflowers and meadows. The park areas now display many of the New Town’s 220 works of public art; there are 50 horse and pony paddocks and a number of bird watching sites at several nature reserves in the Parks Trust’s care.