The Royal Forestry Society (RFS) has appointed Adam Todd as its first Future Foresters Project Officer to support and inspire more people to take up careers in arboriculture, forestry and woodland management.
He will support and take the lead on a number of ground breaking projects that comprise the RFS Future Foresters Programme. These include managing the Conifers for Colleges research project, the online Forestry and Arboriculture Careers Guide hosted by RFS on behalf of the Forestry Learning and Development Working Group, and other projects aimed at inspiring young people into careers working with trees and in woods. Adam will also assist with several RFS student bursaries and awards, such as the new £2000 Viking bursary and the Silky Saw awards.
Future Foresters is supported by the Prince’s Countryside Fund and RFS members and aims to address an acknowledged skills shortage in the sector. A number of new initiatives are also being planned for 2016.
Adam, 22, holds a BSc (Hons) in Forest and Woodland Management from the National School of Forestry, University of Cumbria and is a qualified arborist. His BSc dissertation investigated the impact of deer browsing in woodlands around Thirlmere Reservoir in the Lake District National Park. He also has a background in Scouting and was a cadet in the Air Training Corps.
He says: ” I am eager to take up the challenges presented by Future Foresters. As a recent Forestry graduate myself, I feel these projects really are a first rate opportunity to encourage more young people to take up a career in the UK and global Forest sector. ”
