What made you become a member of RSFS?
Eager to connect with colleagues and peers across Scotland and hear news and learn what is going on in different parts of the Scotland following an extended period working abroad.
Where did your interest in forestry begin?
Always been interested in the outdoors, but didn’t realise it was a profession I could pursue until my 30s. Started with tropical forestry management in Kenya in 2019 and been learning ever since. I love the connectivity between people, place, and the environment and the broad spectrum of people I get to meet and fascinating and beautiful forests I get the privilege to work with across the world and in Scotland.
Where is a great place in Scotland that not everyone knows about? I
have a lot of soft spots for woodlands across Scotland. A lesser known place may be Lagalochan forest just East of Kilmelford in Argyll. It is a Sitka plantation but that’s not what makes this place special, it’s the geology with the forest sitting within the caldera of an extinct volcano which is just wild to see! It’s a fun windy drive that takes you along Loch Awe if you are into that kind of thing too.
Do you have a favourite tree and why?
In Scotland, my favourite is a good old Granny pine, but my favourite favourite is a Baobab (Adansonia digitata). These are incredible trees to see and have strong links with local culture, faith and spirituality, and traditional medicine across the continent, the evidence of which you can often see scoured into the bark or hanging from its branches. It is a very good way to feel small and reflect on some of the bigger questions.
Can you give us a book, movie, TV show or podcast recommendation? It doesn’t have to be forestry related!
I am a total nerd and into my fantasy. If you spend a lot of time in your vehicle and like things like Dungeons and Dragons, The Dungeon Crawler Carl series is a NSFW (‘lil bit sweary) audiobook series that will keep you chuckling between site visits.
What do you think is an important issue in forestry today?
My day-to-day work is in Forestry Certification as the Forestry Training Development Manager for the Soil Association Certification Forestry team. This gives me a very different look on the industry from my operational forestry days and a privileged overview above the canopy as it were. Foresters in the UK and across the world are under immense pressures to not only be foresters, but economic fortune tellers, sociologists, ecologists, climate scientists, soil specialists (a lot of “ists”), conflict negotiators, engineers, and whatever else may come their way. This is often complicated by increasing and changing regulation, legislation, and requirements of various standards. The challenge I am trying to solve, along with the accredited training we offer, is how we can support foresters and the forest products industry to understand this maze of specialist topics and support them to make the best decisions they can through impactful and meaningful training.
Outside of forestry, what is a hobby or activity you enjoy?
I am slowly trying to get my spoon carving resulting in something that looks a bit more like a spoon.
What was your first job?
My first job was as a stable hand in a training stable my parents managed.
What do you love most about forests or forestry?
Obviously, the trees and the landscapes, but most importantly it’s the people I have the privilege to interact and work with. Something that I am continuously reminded of throughout my work is that I have yet to meet a “bad forester”. I may have some significant disagreements on approach, but I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t truly care about the land and trees under their stewardship. This makes forestry a very unique and special sector to be a part of and one I am very fortunate to work in.