The Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) has admitted a record number of new Professional Members (MICFor) following its annual professional examinations which took place in November 2012. Thirty-three new members will be awarded with chartered status – the highest number of candidates in the Institute’s recent history and an increase of over 25% on last year.
The ICF, which was founded in 1925, is the Royal Chartered body for foresters and arboriculturists in the UK that regulates the standards of entry to the profession and offers qualifications to promote expertise in tree and woodland management.
Welcoming the new members, ICF President Fenning Welstead FICFor said:
“Chartered status is a matter of pride for all who hold it. It is also a reassurance for professionals in other fields, for employers and for the public. It demonstrates our members’ proven expertise, skills and integrity and is no doubt one of the reasons that applications for ICF chartered status are at an all time high.
“Recent events which saw the UK’s ash trees hit by Chalara fraxinea, or ash dieback, has shown the vital role of the professional forester or arboriculturist in managing our woodlands and trees and protecting them from this and other diseases and pests.”
“Also, in the current economic climate the value of being qualified to chartered standard is increasing in importance. It is estimated that the lifetime economic benefit associated with holding professional qualifications and membership of a professional institute is around £152,000 in today’s terms. The fact that Professional Members have to continue to prove their learning through continuing professional development adds a reassurance that they remain qualified to do their job.
It is a privilege and a pleasure to congratulate our 33 new Chartered Foresters and Chartered Arboriculturists who have gained Professional Membership of the Institute. All of them have demonstrated their commitment to professionalism in our industry.”
ICF’s new Professional Members are:
Bailey, Sallie – Forestry Commission Scotland
Booth, Samuel – Fountains Forestry Ltd
Casey, Paul – Harrogate Borough Council
Cloke, Peter – Forestry Commission Wales
Cooper, Matthew – SAC Consulting (a division of SRUC)
Dobson, Henry – Forest Enterprise Scotland
Driver, Dominic – Forestry Commission England
Freer-Smith, Peter – Forestry Commission England
Greaves, Jennifer – SAC Consulting (a division of SRUC)
Hall, Andy – Forestry Commission England
Hare, Gareth – Lichfield District Council
Jones, Martin B – The Woodland Stewardship Company
Keen, Jago – Beeching of Ash Ltd
Lawrence, Anna – Forestry Commission Scotland
Levett, David – Jacobs Engineering UK Ltd
MacDermott, Andrew – Lockhart Garratt
Moseley, Philip – TEP
Oaks, Rebecca – Cumbria Woodlands
Odendaal, Erik- UPM Tilhill
Ohlsen, Julian – UPM Tilhill
Pendlebury, James – Forest Research
Phillips, Graham – Bell Ingram
Robson, David – Self employed
Rogers, Kenton – Hi-Line Consultancy
Snape, Stewart – Forestry Commission Scotland
Stalker, William – UPM Tilhill
Tipping, Andy – London Borough of Barnet
Trewin, Matthew – Bidwells
Tuer, Kate (with Distinction) – Forest Enterprise Scotland
Venables, David – Lockhart Garratt
Vickers, Gregory – Englefield Estate
White, David – Forestry Commission England
Wightman, James – National Trust for Scotland
