Forests have always been places that I’ve loved to explore. After completing my undergraduate degree in Countryside Management I moved to Cornwall and began working as an education forest ranger. Spending time in the forest encouraging people to connect with nature was a really rewarding experience. Eventually I began to consider how I could learn more about the environment I was working in. I began looking into courses and after researching my options Bangor University stood out for me for many reasons including the diversity of the modules and 110-year history of teaching forestry.
I was initially apprehensive about how online teaching and learning would work for me, but the modules are made so accessible and inclusive for MSc Forestry distance learners and I always felt part of the university despite working remotely. One of my highlights of the course was the Forestry Field Course in South Scotland. The range of people and places we visited was really great and definitely opened my eyes to the many sectors of forestry that exist from sawmills to pioneering rewilding projects.
Inspired and energised by the field course, I applied for my first ‘forestry’ position, had an interview and was offered a job as a student forester at Norbury Park in Staffordshire! Over the summer of 2020 I gained work experience and insights into applied forest research, getting involved with gathering data for experiments including oak irrigation trials and the role of nitrogen fixing trees in woodland creation projects. My role had many practical elements: assessing the survival of tree planting efforts, monitoring soil moisture and installing dendrometers.
After receiving an email from James (Walmsley) containing an advert for a student placement with Scottish Forestry, I decided there was no time like the present and applied. I was successful! So in September 2020, I moved up to Dumfries, filled both with apprehension and excitement to start my new position.
Part of my 12-month student placement included three weeks with Forestry and Land Scotland working out of Ae Forest. This time was invaluable as I got to work alongside many teams including harvesting, forest management, environment and visitor services.
I am now working in a permanent position as an Assistant Woodland Officer with Scottish Forestry based in South Scotland. My role is to help regulate and enforce good forestry practice across the region. This includes assessing felling permissions and applications to the Forestry Grant Scheme. A key part of my role is to handle the complexities of woodland creation applications and ensure that proposals meet the UKFS and mitigate any site constraints.
One of my favourite things about the job is the diversity of the sites I am able to visit. From large scale commercial conifer plantations to small native broadleaved farm woodlands. It’s really great to be able to play a part in encouraging sustainable forestry across South Scotland and contribute to the Scottish Governments woodland creation targets to tackle climate change.