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Tribute to environmental farmer | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A prominent public servant and environmental farming advocate has died after collapsing while with a group of walkers on a hillside in Snowdonia. | |
Michael Griffith CBE, 75, a farmer and landowner from Trefnant, Denbighshire, was a former chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales. | |
Lord Roberts of Conwy described Mr Griffith as "one of Wales' best ever servants" and a friend to farmers. | |
Mr Griffith had been near Beddgelert, Gwynedd, when he collapsed on Saturday. | |
A retired doctor with the party tried to revive him and efforts were continued during a flight to hospital at Bangor in a rescue helicopter from RAF Valley. | |
Mr Griffith had been prominent in fields of higher education and health. | |
He served the National Trust in Wales, the Welsh School of Medicine and Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust. | |
He also held positions with the British Library, Cardiff University, Land Authority for Wales and Countryside Council for Wales. | |
It was Lord Roberts, as Welsh Office minister, who had appointed him to preside over the Countryside Council for Wales. | |
He had also chaired the former Clwyd Health Authority, along with being a former high sheriff and had been a deputy lieutenant since 1985. | |
"He was particularly proud of being a descendant of Llewellyn ap Griffith and the Welsh princes," said Lord Roberts. | |
"Michael was very much an environmental farmer and his friends will be as shocked by his death as I am." | |
He helped draw up and launch the Tir Gofal agri-environment scheme in 1999, which saw farmers being paid for environmental work on their land. | |
Eton-educated Mr Griffith also once rode as an amateur jockey at Aintree. | |
He leaves a wife and a surviving son. |