The Institute’s Special Interest Groups aim to represent the needs and interests of different areas in the sector and facilitate increased knowledge exchange. They work to provide relevant CPD and training for members around their areas of expertise, all whilst working towards a shared understanding of what professionalism means across forestry and arboriculture.
Nurseries
The Nurseries Special Interest Group aims to raise the profile of forest nurseries, from commercial to amenity and everything in between, to the wider Institute membership through internal promotion and partner organisations. The group want the nursery sector to feel heard and be supported, and is also working towards professionalising the nursery sector and growing the pool of professional nursery staff. Through building relationships between the nursery and forest sector, the disconnect with the wider industry will be reduced by increasing the understanding of nursery sector practices, systems and constraints.
Harvesting & Marketing
The Harvesting & Marketing Special Interest Group seeks to represent the needs and interests of the timber sector and facilitate increased knowledge exchange. They want to provide relevant CPD and training for members around health and safety implications, sector practices, systems and constraints, all whilst working towards a shared understanding of what quality looks like. The group wants to help the Institute foster relationships between commercial operations and the rest of the sector. By raising the profile of the harvesting sector and awareness of the Institute within the wider timber sector, it is hoped that the professional pool will grow.
Environmental
The Environmental Special Interest Group have raised the issue of polarisation within the woodland sector, with it never been a more important time for jobs and our roles within nature and climate. The group want to support the sector with increased collaboration, with a wider opportunity for ecosystem services and broader CPD opportunities, to address the uncertainty and confusion on this in the sector. They aim to create a shared space for learning and experience, with a particular focus on early career professional development.
Lea Brandes (Chair)
Operations Manager – Forestry England
Chris Hardy MICFor
Head of Science Centre – Forest Research
Kasia Lee MICFor
Biosecurity and Health & Safety Officer – Forestry England
Lorenza Pozzi
Nurseries Data, Insights and Liaison Officer – Forestry Commission
Josh Roberts MICFor
Innovation Manager – Forestry and Land Scotland
Keith Sacre MICFor
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry Director – Barcham Trees
Imam Sayyed
Production Director – Trees Please
Ed Midmore
Site Manager (North West Wales) – Woodland Trust
Clint Parker
Arboricultural Team Leader/Tree Nursery Manager – Warwickshire County Council
Amy Shepherd
Sales – Forestart
Tim Peters
Forestry Teaching Associate – Bangor University
Alistair Yeomans MICFor
Independent Consultant – Sylva Foundation
Iwan Lloyd-Williams MICFor (Chair)
Director – DSH Wood
Euan Borthwick MICFor
Assistant Harvesting Manager – James Jones & Sons
Cat Kent
Woodlands Manager – Castlemilk & Corrie Estates
Emma Grey
Operations Manager – Scottish Forestry
Andrew Powers MICFor
Head of Land Management – Forestry England
Donald Beaton MICFor
Investment Manager, Harvesting – Gresham House
John Deakin MICFor (Chair)
Head of Trees and Woodlands – National Trust
Justin Mumford FICFor
Director of Consultancy – Nicholsons
Gordon Pfetscher FICFor
Head of Estate – Woodland Trust
Luke Barley MICFor
Trees and Woodland Adviser – National Trust
Dr Andrew Weatherall MICFor
Principal Policy Officer (Woodlands and Forestry) – RSPB
Wendy Joss
Specialist Advisor Forest Planning – Natural Resources Wales
Sonia Winder MICFor CEnv
Forest Manager – Tilhill
Dr Neil Strong MICFor
Biodiversity Strategy Manager – Network Rail
Huw Davies FICFor
Principal Adviser Funding Development Team – Natural England
Arboriculture and Urban Forestry Steering Group
The Arboriculture and Urban Forestry Steering Group is interested in raising the profile of arboriculture careers and providing CPD opportunities to aid the development of professionals transitioning into the sector and recent graduates.
Amelia Williams MICFor (Chair)
Arboricultural Consultant & Director – The Arboricultural Company
Dean Bell
Doctoral Researcher, Urban Forestry – University of the West of England
Terry Crick MICFor
Director – Apex Arb Training Ltd
Sam Hobson MICFor
Director – SEED
Russell Horsey MICFor
Director – Goetre Villa
Graham Owen MICFor
Senior Engineer – Network Rail
