Andrew Walton

After some soul searching and realising that trees were my passion, I used voluntary redundancy from my public relations job as an opportunity to retrain and transition into forestry and arboriculture. One of the most important things I did during this transition phase was to complete my MSc Forestry with Bangor, which I undertook via the distance learning program.

The MSc Forestry degree is demanding of your time and mental resources but totally worth it. I loved being able to think critically about forestry, having the autonomy to seek out radical perspectives, and to synthesise my findings into original hypotheses of my own. The study tour was so much fun and I even made some friends along the way. Teaching staff were engaging, encouraging and supportive. My final year thesis supervisor even helped me get my work published in a peer reviewed journal following graduation! Although I was relieved to get to the end of the course (and rejoiced at the prospect of lazy nights in front of the telly once more) I was also sad to no longer have the mental stimulation that this course provided.

Following graduation I immediately found a job as a Woodland Officer with the Forestry Commission and have since moved to Staffordshire County Council where I work as a Tree Strategy Manager. Having the MSc degree has given me the knowledge and confidence to undertake these roles – I honestly don’t think I would have reached this stage of my forestry career without it. I would fully recommend a forestry career. The UK is crying out for new entrants with degree level qualifications and it is one of those rare sectors in which you can make a really positive difference to society and the environment.