CWA and FCS Seek Forestry Mentors

The Community Woodlands Association (CWA) and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) are seeking to create a database of retired and working foresters who would be willing to mentor a Scottish community group on the forest management aspects of their projects. The role of the mentor would be to help them the community group make informed decisions on what forestry management inputs they require from the private sector.

Whilst many community woodland groups employ forestry managers and/or consultants directly, not all are in a position to do so, especially early on in their development when they may have very limited resources. Once established, smaller groups may be operating at a level where they occasionally need an hour or two’s advice, or they may require independent assistance, e.g. when preparing contract briefs, or evaluating tenders.

Mentors will not seek to substitute for professional forest advice but to enable community groups to be better informed users of professional forestry expertise and to feel confident in so doing. The scheme is not intended to displace professional forestry advisers but to encourage greater use of professional expertise by understanding the benefits of so doing.

While these are voluntary positions, travel and necessary subsistence expenses will be covered. This is also a CPD-relevant activity.

Register Your Interest

CWA are currently collecting expressions of interests from potential mentors, before a database of mentors is compiled and made available for prospective community groups. If you wish to take part, please take this short survey to collect your details.