Forestry
Forestry Manager, Forestry Supervisor, Forester
The Sector
Forestry is the science and practice of managing forests and woodlands, embracing everything from planting and managing large coniferous forests to creating and tending small broadleaved woodlands, raising young trees in nurseries and felling and delivering timber to wood-using industries.
Within modern multi-purpose forestry, the forestry staff’s remit is broader than ever. Forestry is now seen to have a far wider range of objectives and, instead of primarily focusing on timber production, it includes amenity, recreation, conservation, shelter for animals, crops and community work. Woods and forests are now managed holistically, offering multiple benefits to the economy, environment and society.
Sector Profile
The sector employs nearly 30,000 jobs in the forestry and primary wood processing industries. The government department, the Forestry Commission, employs 13% of the sector, with private estates employing 29%, wood processing companies 36%, and the rest in forest management companies and contractors.
Over the last 50 years, much work has been done to develop the timber resource in the UK through extensive planting of conifers. As these forests have matured, timber production has doubled over the past 15 years and is set to double again over the next 15 years. This will bring many challenges to further develop the wood processing sector and to ‘restructure’ first rotation plantation forests. The number of women employed in the sector is low, although increasing, and many women now hold key roles in forest management and research.
Issues and Trends
The UK suffered from serious deforestation throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century, with tree cover down to 5% after the Second World War. It now stands at 15%, whereas many European countries average 30%. With much work still to do, the UK now finds itself in the position of being one of the few places in the world where tree cover is actually expanding as more trees are planted. Amenity tree care is moving up the agenda, and new disciplines such as urban, environmental and social forestry are emerging. Community woods and educational forests are also new trends.
site designed by ludwood interactive