Mr. Ainsley Henry, OD, JP. is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Conservator of Forests at the Forestry Department, Jamaica and so is responsible for the strategic direction of Jamaica's efforts to conserve, protect and sustainably use the island’s forests and their resources.
Mr. Henry completed a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Life Sciences at The UWI in 1997 which included courses in marine and coastal ecology, agro-forestry and sustainable watershed management. Thus equipped, he started his professional career working at the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) as an Environmental Officer. He continued working with the newly established National Environment and Planning Agency moving from a Manager to a Director as his work expanded to include greater levels of planning and supervision. During this time, he completed a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree in Environmental Management which saw him extending his research on coastal species with an assessment of the Mangrove Forest in the Great Morass of St. Thomas. From 2015 to 2020 he was the Project Manager for a 5-year Climate Investment Fund/Inter-American Development Bank funded project on Climate Resilience, based at The UWI and implemented across five Caribbean countries.
Mr. Henry joined the Forestry Department in his current position in 2020. He was awarded Jamaica’s Order of Distinction, Officer Class (OD) for his public service in the fields of environmental management, forest conservation and sustainable development. Mr. Henry is the first President of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Chapter of the UWI Alumni Association.