We are pleased to announce that the Professional and Educational Standards Committee has promoted three new members to Fellows of the Institute of Chartered Foresters.
Gareth Hare FICFor
Tree and Landscape Protection Officer, Cannock Chase District Council
Gareth’s first experiences of forestry and arboriculture came from growing up on Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire. He attended Newton Rigg College and left with a HND Forestry, BSc (Hons) Forestry and passed the RFS Certificate in Arboriculture. Gareth joined the Forestry Commission as a Trainee Forester, later gaining experience at a local tree surgery, before moving to local authority work. He was the longest serving Tree Officer (from 2002 to 2023) in Lichfield District Council’s history, continually striving for better tree work standards, diverse and successful landscaping schemes, better tree protection on development sites, and always considering how his work impacted the local environment.
In 2022, Gareth spoke to delegates at the National Tree Officer Conference (NTOC) on a five-year project on digital TPO management that has since gained interest from other local authorities. He has shown a sustained commitment to the sector, with consistently high standards. Gareth recently joined Cannock Chase District Council as Tree and Landscape Protection Officer.
Gareth said:
“A questionnaire about progression to Fellowship in Autumn 2022 prompted some initial thought about an application. Prior to the questionnaire, I had assumed Fellowship was a membership grade that was the result of recommendation by peers. I had never really considered – as a tree officer – that I would be suitable to progress to a Fellow, or that I would be recommended. A conversation with a Fellow at the National Tree Officers Conference in November 2022 changed my views.
I am immensely proud of becoming a Fellow and my career leading up to it. The formal recognition of my experience and achievements is an honour which I don’t think has really sunk in yet! The support from Chartered members and Fellows during the application process was invaluable and I feel that I now have an obligation to help others on their routes to Professional Membership and ultimately, Fellowship.
Sometimes Local Authority work is viewed as challenging but with little reward in comparison to many private sector roles. Whilst it is true that it can be less financially rewarding, the level of dedication and technical expertise required is equal and there are few parallels in terms of public service in arboriculture.
Tree and Arboricultural Officers play a vital role in the profession and I hope that by attaining Fellowship, I will be able to promote the role and inspire others to follow this career path.”
Sonia Lorenzo Martín FICFor
Operations Support Manager – Forestry Standards, Woodland Trust
After achieving a BSc in Forestry Engineering and an MSc in Forestry from the University of Valladolid (Spain), Sonia moved to the South of England where her professional career has developed over the last two decades. In 2002 she joined the Forestry Commission working a variety of roles, from Beat Forester to Head of Planning and Environment with Forestry England, and Woodland Officer to Local Partnership Advisor while with the Forestry Commission’s South East & London Area team. From there Sonia moved to the South Downs National Park Authority to lead the strategic approach to trees and woodlands within the National Park. After 20 years in the public sector, she joined English Woodlands Forestry Ltd as their Forestry Business Lead, and she has recently joined the Woodland Trust as their Operations Support Manager for Forestry Standards.
After being awarded Professional Membership in 2016, Sonia has acted as a PME Assessor for the past five years and has recently become the Chair of the South East England Regional Group Committee. She also represents the Institute on the England Woodland Biodiversity Group and is the Woodland Trust’s representative with both FSC-UK and UKWAS Steering Group.
Sonia said:
“Becoming a Fellow of the Institute is a personal achievement for me, one which I feel truly honoured. I consider it a privilege to be part of this sector where I have found extraordinary colleagues eager to share their knowledge and passion for the profession. The encouragement and support I have received from colleagues across different organisations, and specially from my mentor Alison Field FICFor, has helped me to develop my skills and confidence and I will always be grateful to them. I hope I can inspire and support others in their journey towards becoming Fellows of the Institute of Chartered Foresters”.
John Tucker FICFor
Senior Relationship Development Manager – Ambassador, Woodland Trust
A well-respected figure across the sector, John has devoted most of his career to the Woodland Trust having joined in 1995 as a Regional Manager. He has extensive experience of multi-purpose forestry, project development and management, and woodland creation and agroforestry. He is passionate about demonstrating the wide range of benefits that trees and woods can deliver.
John has written articles for a range of publications including Quarterly Journal of Forestry, Green Places and City Trees – Journal of the American Society of Municipal Arborists. He has supported the Institute throughout his career, having hosted and spoken at various CPD events, and sat on the steering group for the National Conference 2023, Connecting Trees, Farmers and Foresters.
John said:
“Throughout my career I have continually sought to keep learning and keep improving, but in a profession that has such a diversity of sectors it can be difficult to gauge progress, success and where you feel you stand in the profession. When I attained Professional Membership of the Institute in 1994, many years ago, it gave my self-confidence a huge boost and this has been magnified by my promotion to Fellowship.
I feel it is recognition from my peers of my knowledge, experience and what I have achieved to date, both personally but also for the sector and the Institute and it has fired me up to do more. We need trees and woods more than ever, of all sorts of species and for a diverse range of objectives, and we need a growing and increasingly professional Institute to help deliver this. Becoming a Fellow has certainly helped me and I am sure it will help others – I would encourage you to give it a go!”
