A Bradford man who braved two years in the frozen wastes of Antarctica has landed a top job with the Forestry Commission to help everyone see the woods and the trees.

Vince Carter has been appointed as the co-ordinator of the Commission's first forest strategy being drawn up for Yorkshire and the Humber.

The blueprint - to be unveiled at the end of the year - will set out ways to create more woods, particularly in urban areas, and highlight the critical role that trees play.

"This is not just a paper exercise," said Mr Carter, 51, of Birkenshaw. "The strategy will guide where money is spent and make a real difference at a local level. It covers all aspects of trees and forestry, from recreation to the commercial growing of timber. But one of the major themes is creating more urban fringe woods. That means more trees in the areas where people live. The spin-offs are obvious - places for people to walk, bike and ride to keep healthy, a better landscape and also a boost to wildlife."

Mr Carter has worked as a meteorologist with the British Antarctic Survey, working at a base near the South Pole. Apart from a small team of other ice-bound colleagues, his only contact with the outside world for two years was a single visit by a supply ship. With temperatures plunging to minus 52 centigrade, Mr Carter had to maintain measuring equipment and take daily recordings. His next posting was in the North Sea oilfield. Soon after, he opted for a career change and took a master's degree in environmental forestry and he has spent the last 17 years with Calderdale Council's Countryside and Forestry Unit.

Mr Carter added: "This is a real challenge. What's needed is an overall framework and direction for this work. Once we have a draft plan it will be considered by a vast array of interested parties and offered up for public consultation."