Forest/woodland manager
Forest/woodland managers or foresters are responsible for managing forests and woodlands for the multiple objectives of timber production, conservation and recreation.
They maintain and manage the balance between various issues associated with woodland areas, such as commercial interests, biodiversity and public access. The challenge for modern forestry is to establish a balance between competing economic and social demands for forest and land use. This challenge includes a change of emphasis towards multipurpose forests, regeneration of native woodlands and sustainable forest management.
Tasks typically involve:
Forest managers/foresters are also involved in forest protection, which is a wide-ranging part of the role reflecting the government’s desire to promote sustainable forest management. This includes:
To enter this area of work you need to have a degree in a relevant area. In particular, the following degree subjects may improve your chances:
A small number of forestry HNDs, degrees and postgraduate qualifications are offered at UK universities and colleges, which have traditionally acted as an entry route to the profession. However, with the diversification of the industry away from purely timber production, a wider range of degrees, combined with relevant experience, is becoming more acceptable.
Entry without a degree or HND is possible at lower levels but further progression will depend on gaining relevant experience and study towards a qualification on a part-time basis.
A pre-entry postgraduate qualification, either a postgraduate diploma or an MSc in Forestry, is necessary for holders of a non-relevant degree or HND.
It is advisable to take a course accredited by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) . Courses are listed on their website. Successful completion of an accredited course will be the quickest route to Associate membership. With further experience and study this can lead to Chartered membership, which will give you professional recognition.
Should you wish to arrange summer work experience, speculative applications to forestry companies and forestry management groups are worthwhile.
A driving licence and physical fitness are essential. Candidates will also need to show evidence of the following skills:
In addition to relevant qualifications and skills, practical experience is important for entry to the profession. Some forestry degrees are sandwich courses, enabling you to complete a year in industry as part of your study. The Forestry Commission provides student sandwich placements. There are several voluntary organisations working in woodland management (e.g., the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) , the National Trust , The Woodland Trust and Trees for Life ) and taking up volunteering opportunities with such organisations is valuable.
Overseas volunteering opportunities are available through specialist agencies such as Eye on the Rain Forest in Puerto Rico, Tree People or the US Forest Service in the USA and Evergreen in Canada. (These organisations are based abroad, so you would need to make your own travel arrangements.) In addition, many of the organisations that run a range of volunteer programmes abroad offer forestry-related projects.
There are varied job opportunities within this field, especially if you are willing to travel. There is strong competition for jobs, so gaining as much varied work experience as possible is crucial and will enhance applications.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Structured technical and management training is offered by the Forestry Commission and all large private companies within the industry. A large amount of practical training is delivered on the job.
If you take a degree course accredited by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) and gain associate membership, you can follow the ICF’s Professional Membership Entry (PME) route. This leads to professional chartered status and the use of MICFor after your name. Chartered status can be gained through examination after at least two years of approved professional practice in forestry or arboriculture. The second part of the examination involves an interview as well as an assessment of professional competence, and presentation of a professional practice portfolio.
In order to retain chartered status, continuing professional development (CPD) is essential. Suitable CPD activities include participating in conferences, meetings, discussion groups and short courses, as well as publishing technical work and delivering lectures.
The Forestry Commission encourages staff to engage in formal training courses to advance professional development. Their internal training division provides training for its own employees as well as external personnel working within the sector. They provide traditional forest management courses as well as courses in people management, business and IT. Use the Lantra CourseFinder for a wide range of skills-based forestry courses.
Career progression is initially dependent on further study to achieve chartered status through the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) and undertaking continuing professional development (CPD). Relevant experience is also an important factor.
You may find that promotion is easier if you are able to be geographically mobile, as it is often necessary to change jobs, and in turn location, to gain a wide range of industry experience. Promotion depends on the size and structure of the organisation you join and on acquiring a variety of experiences across many different work activities.
Progression to senior roles inevitably means less time spent in forests and more time spent in the office and in meetings. Some may find this difficult as a love for the outdoors is the main reason many first enter the industry. Senior managers, especially in charitable organisations and public bodies, have the opportunity to be involved with influencing government policy on the nation's woodlands.
Over 30,000 people are employed in the forestry sector in Britain. More than 3,000 are employed by the Forestry Commission . Others work in private estates and the wood-processing industry, other forest management companies and timber harvesting companies.
The types of employers involved in forest management can be roughly divided into the following categories:
Conservation is an increasingly important factor in forest management and there are a number of organisations, such as The Woodland Trust , involved with this work. Although volunteers perform crucial roles for such organisations, there are paid jobs open to graduates with suitable experience.
The growing importance of wood processing has led to more opportunities for graduates in forestry and related disciplines. Over 10,000 people are employed in this sector, which offers jobs with timber merchants, contractors and importers, and in sawmills, pulp mills, and paper and panel-board mills.
The recent change of emphasis towards multipurpose forests, the regeneration of native woodlands and sustainable forest management has led to several initiatives such as community forestry (see England's Community Forests ) and The National Forest in the Midlands. Such initiatives have led to job growth in this highly competitive and multifaceted area. As global warming now has a higher profile on the political agenda, public funding has been put into tree planting - with tree cover having dramatically increased in the last decade, the number of jobs in the sector is set to increase.
The Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) register of consultants and Click Forestry are useful directories. Also use the Yellow Pages for contact details of local woodland management companies and contractors.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
Tweet