A day in the life of a Forester

My name is Nick and I run a small forest management company in Scotland.

The forester nowadays has to have many skills. I started out as a woodcutter working for the Forestry Commission which is responsible for looking after the state owned forests. This also involved me in tree planting, fertilising, weeding, fencing and draining work which is needed to look after the trees. Later on I drove a tractor which was used to drag felled trees out to the roadside. The trees were then cut up into lengths and then taken by lorry to the local sawmill or pulpmill .

After a few years I decided to learn a bit more about forestry and studied at University before graduating with a degree. I then had a job working as a forester for a big forestry company which looked after forests which belonged to private owners. I was involved in supervising the work which was carried out in the forests. After a few years I sat further exams and now am a Chartered Forester.

As a forest manager I usually spend half the week outside and the rest of the time inside dealing with paperwork or in front of my computer. I work from home which saves me time travelling to the office but it also means that I am around when Peter (my son) comes home from school.

If I am not supervising contractors who carry out the vital work in the forests, I am usually planning what work is needed to manage the forests well. The planning starts with looking at how best to design the forest so it can produce timber for industry but also so as to provide many other benefits. Sometimes I have to take photographs which help me to design the forest so that it will look attractive. More importantly I look at how to improve the habitat for the plants and wildlife found in the forests.

Wildlife around here includes badgers, red squirrels and ants which can be beneficial. Some wildlife however can damage the trees - rabbits and deer eat young trees. Where possible fencing is used to protect the trees but sometimes they have to be controlled by shooting. Part of my job is to check that the trees are not being damaged and find ways to prevent it.

In the UK felling is not allowed unless there is a felling licence which I have to apply for on behalf of the forest owner. I also apply for grants which help the owner manage the forest to provide the resources and needs of the community.

Part of my time is finding the best markets for the timber coming out of the forests. The timber is used for a wide variety of uses: the small sized timber is used for a range of uses including paper and the bigger logs go to the sawmill. The owner gets more money for the logs used by sawmills so it important that I manage the forests well so as to produce good timber. The money the owner gets helps to pay for managing the forest which includes any replanting. This provides work for many people - not only in the forest but also lorry drivers and people in the mills.

Occasionally I have to design a new road in the forest which allows the timber to be collected. So you see a forester has to have many skills which includes understanding soil, engineering, chemistry, botany, management and business skills - the list goes on!!

E-mail me if you have any comments or want more information.