Hannah Jones CEnv

I have always loved being outdoors and within nature, so pursuing a career in this area seemed like an obvious choice. Having completed a BSc in Environmental Management my first full time paid job was as a countryside ranger, which included managing a diverse range of woodlands. This inspired me to complete a MSc in Temperate Environmental Forestry, after which I worked for over 6 years at Maelor Forest Nurseries growing trees.

After a short career break, I joined the Civil Service working in Plant Health managing Phytophthora ramorum, before transferring across to NRW in 2012 to work in their Woodland grants and licences team. In early 2019 I came to work for the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA), managing the varied and diverse Welsh Government landholdings (soft estate) that form part of the Strategic Road Network in Wales. Here I have developed a specialism in Arboriculture, completing a level 4 diploma and ATP (level 6 equivalent) in Urban Tree Management with Tree Life Consultancy, alongside practical application on the job.

I am the Environment and Climate Team Lead for NMWTRA. There is a lot of variety as I manage a diverse specialist team, including Arboriculturists, Environmental officers, Ecologists and other specialists. We have a broad project and programme portfolio including capital delivery, maintenance works and provide support on Environmental matters to other teams and partners. Alongside this we carry out a comprehensive inspection programme including general tree safety and soft estate surveys.

An average day could include project and budget management; providing technical support, advice and leadership across the agency; attending and leading meetings; working with a range of partner organisations; writing strategy, policy and briefing notes; ensuring environmental and health and safety compliance; auditing; researching and implementing new ways of working; producing and presenting reports; site visits etc. It’s really varied and very busy!

I really love working on capital delivery (and maintenance) projects that have a positive impact on nature and people. For example, this year on behalf of Welsh Government we’ve completed the last phase of a street tree renewal and replacement project within Machynlleth Town Centre. We’ve included some fantastic species and the tree pits act as sustainable drainage. We had amazing support from the community throughout and school children have recently drawn the tree leaves, which will be displayed on plaques at each tree and supported by an online tree ID map.  We also have two ongoing street tree projects in Aberystwyth and Bala. I really enjoy seeing the positive impacts our work makes over time.

People skills are key as are a good all-round knowledge of environmental compliance and health and safety. Strong decision making, and the ability to interpret technical and environmental knowledge to multi-disciplinary teams are also critical. Keenness, enthusiasm, team working and commitment are all very helpful, as is taking a long-term view.

For Arboricultural work specifically, a good knowledge of tree physiology, UKFS, BS3998, BS5837 and a professional tree inspection qualification (PTI).

Biodiversity is being lost, pressures on the natural environment are increasing and we know how vital it is to ensure that it’s protected, enhanced and managed sustainably. Becoming a Chartered Environmentalist provides a wealth of opportunities to navigate these complexities, for example, by providing a platform for a network of professionals to work together to share learning, drive innovation and provide the right solutions.

It also plays an important role for NMWTRA to demonstrate to the public and Government that its staff are committed and want to make a difference. My advice is to commit to the challenge because it is certainly worthwhile.