Four top students from the United Kingdom and Canada begin the inaugural Prince of Wales Forest Leadership Award program having secured unique summer work placements in their respective partner countries. UK winners Keira Tedd and David Johnes will work in iconic coastal British Columbia with Strategic Natural Resource Consultants (SNRC) and in Algonquin Park with the Algonquin Forestry Authority (AFA) in Canada, while Canadian winners Jacqueline Hamilton and Ross Hobbs will be placed in the South West England and Wales at Pryor and Rickett Silviculture, as well as spending time interning with the Duchy of Cornwall.
David Johnes and Keira Tedd, will take up forestry placements this summer in coastal British Columbia and the Algonquin Park respectively
Endorsed by HRH The Prince of Wales, and delivered in partnership by the Institute of Chartered Foresters, the Canadian Institute of Forestry, and the Duchy of Cornwall, the Award recognises young forestry professionals in Canada and the United Kingdom who possess a dedication to sustainable forestry and the skills and aptitude to become future forest leaders.
Canadian Students to be Placed at Pryor and Rickett Silviculture
Jacqueline Hamilton, of The University of Toronto, and Ross Hobbs of The University of Alberta, will be based in Hereford, England and Brecon, Wales, respectively, with Pryor and Rickett Silviculture, a top woodland management and silviculture company in the UK. They will also be located close to The Prince of Wales’ own Duchy of Cornwall estate woodlands where they will take part in the Duchy’s forestry activities. Jacqueline recently completed a Master of Forest Conservation from the University of Toronto and has strong interests and experience in forest ecology management, environmental monitoring, geographic information systems, and international forest conservation. Ross will be graduating from the University of Alberta this spring with a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management. He is actively engaged in the professional forestry community in Canada and abroad, having completed his bachelor’s degree on exchange in New Zealand.
Graham Taylor MICFor, Managing Director of Pryor and Rickett Silviculture, noted:
“Although Canadian and British forests are different, the aims of forest management remain the same: providing a sustainable supply of wood, protecting the unique ecological characteristics of forests and woodlands, and generating social and economic benefits for local communities. We are very excited to host Jacqueline and Ross in the UK and to offer them the opportunity to learn about silvicultural and forestry practices here.”
UK Students to Enjoy Diverse Forestry Experiences in Canada
Keira Tedd of The University of Cumbria, will intern with the AFA, based out of Huntsville, Ontario, and work in Algonquin Provincial Park. The AFA is the Crown Agency that undertakes a wide variety of activities to ensure sustainable management of the forests in the well-known provincial park. Keira will have the opportunity to take part in forest operations planning and implementation, tree marking, silviculture treatment layout and effectiveness monitoring, and compliance monitoring. She has spent a year with Forest Commission Scotland, has been a volunteer tree planter, and conducted research on light intensity and seedling regeneration. With the AFA, she will be able to build upon these experiences, all within a Canadian forestry context.
Jeff Leavey, General Manager of the AFA, commented:
“Sustainable forest management is a complex endeavour, requiring the use of the latest science, sophisticated planning and modelling, and on-the-ground data collection, but it’s also largely about people working together. I couldn’t think of a better way to forge strong partnerships in international forestry than for young forestry professionals to do these kinds of work placements in each other’s countries.”
Finally, David Johnes, also from The University of Cumbria, will work for SNRC out of Port McNeill, British Columbia. SNRC is one of the leading natural resource consulting companies in coastal BC, specializing in forestry and environmental conservation. David will have the opportunity to use his training and experience in forest planning, harvest management and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to engage and learn how forestry operations and monitoring are carried out in British Columbia and Canada.
Jon Lok, Managing Partner of SNRC, says:
“We are very excited to take part in this unique program that gives young forestry professionals not only valuable work experience to help kick-start their careers, but also the opportunity to experience forestry and natural resource management in different environments and contexts. This kind of exchange is so important for fostering sustainable forest management around the world.”
