A Day in the Life: Assistant Forester

Wednesday 29th May

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A Day in the Life at Maydencroft: Assistant Forester

Joe Western gives us the inside scoop on what it's like working as an Assistant Forester at Maydencroft:

After finishing university, I entered the forestry industry, having previously worked as an arboriculturist.

I started as a Trainee Estate Forester on a large estate in Southern England before moving into a management role. I believe that my experience working with the tools, such as driving a tractor forwarder set up or hand cutting, has given me valuable practical knowledge that has contributed to project success.

A typical day for an Assistant Forester can be challenging to define, as the job is flexible and requires quick thinking and adaptability. A day's work might involve mapping, writing woodland management plans, putting together grant applications, or standing on a footpath in a high-visibility vest to temporarily close paths for dangerous tree removal.

The workweek usually consists of a 70/30 split between office work and site visits. Site visits can involve supervising work operations, taking compartment notes, mapping rides, and calculating restocking areas. It's important to take notes and photos during site visits, as simple information such as the state of tracks or which gate to use can be easily forgotten but is vital information for contractors.

I like to separate my work between "tasks" and "responsibilities". Tasks consist of one-off projects, such as mapping, invoicing, and writing work instructions. Responsibilities can include writing woodland management plans, leading grant applications, and delivering annual work programmes. Separating the two is useful for managing your own schedule and prioritising work.

An example of a task could be preparing a map of a selective fell area for restocking. To do this, I would visit the site and map the area by walking the boundary with GPS, which can later be put onto mapping software. This allows me to calculate the hectares of restocking, any open ground or ride lengths (and remove the open areas from the restocking area to avoid over ordering).

While on site, I also assess the state of restocking, such as whether there is plenty of brash on site, areas of standing water, or obstacles such as piled brash or burnt ash. I also keep an eye out for deer tracks and species, as ecology checks are essential to avoid habitat disturbance.

I always take a W3W of the access point, which helps me decide where to deliver trees and materials. I also consider the type of access available, whether an articulated or rigid lorry can enter the site, and whether the driver needs to self-unload as there is no forklift or telehandler on site. Once I have this information, I can calculate how many trees I will need by looking at the felling license.

I also calculate the length of deer fencing if being erected. A felling license provides information on the density of restocking and species percentages. With this information, I can determine prices for trees, labour, and protection materials from suppliers and contractors. Although protection materials are typically pre-agreed with the client, it's essential to check with your line manager. For example, if I spot a high presence of Fallow while checking the site, I shouldn't be planting in anything less than 1.2m shelters (1.5m preferably) if the area is unprotected by deer fencing.

The forestry industry is constantly evolving, with new ideas, policy changes, the impact of climate change, and shifting social considerations. It's important to remember that a single forest rotation in a broadleaf woodland can take up to 100 years, and many governments, policymakers, public opinions, and economic fluctuations may occur during that time. As an Assistant Forestry Consultant, it can be overwhelming to keep up with these changes, especially at the beginning of your career. That's why working for a company that values people and their insight is essential to your career.

Maydencroft is in a fantastic position to offer both support and updated training through the Green Skills Training Academy, which provides training from specialists in the field.

Being an Assistant Forester is both rewarding and challenging, and there is always more to learn as you grow towards becoming a manager.

If you are interested in joining Maydencroft then you can contact us at here.

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