Young forestry ambassadors receive writing prizes at Westminster

The 22-year-old, also a graduate agricultural consultant with ADAS, won £500 and a certificate, presented by Forestry Minister David Rutley MP at a Westminster reception organised by Confor for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Forestry. 

Sandy Davidson, a Forest Management student at the Scottish School of Forestry in Inverness, won £250 for second place, while Rob Coltman and David Pelly of Tiilhill Forestry were placed joint third, receiving £100 each. 

The event, sponsored by Tilhill Forestry, was organised to celebrate the contribution of young professionals and students to the profession. They were asked to write on ‘How can forestry and wood processing help deliver a Green Brexit and a more sustainable society in the UK?’ 

Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive of Confor, said: “We were delighted with the response to the competition and there could have been many more winners from the entries received. It was fantastic to see all four winners at Westminster to receive their prizes. They were excellent young ambassadors for our industry - thoughtful, articulate and passionate about the future of forestry.” 

Peter Whitfield, Business Development Director at Tilhill Forestry, said the forestry and wood sector was gathering really positive momentum - and that his company had been delighted to support the competition and encourage young professionals to think creatively about the future - and to challenge convention. 

Click here to read Lorna Johnson's winning essay, which will also appear in Forestry and Timber News in February 2019.

Read Sandy Davidson's second-placed essay here.

Read the joint third placed essays of Rob Coltman here and David Pelly here.