The Institute of Chartered Foresters is delighted to announce that Peter Wharton MICFor, Director of Wharton Natural Infrastructure Consultants, has been awarded Professional Forester of the Year 2025.
Presented on 19 February at the Confor Dinner & Awards 2025, the prestigious award recognises contributions to the betterment of forestry on a community, regional, national or international level. Professional Forester of the Year is awarded on the basis of a specific project or a range of activities undertaken by a member of the Institute within the last three years.
Competition for this year’s award was fierce, with the judging panel shortlisting three worthy candidates from a significant number of submissions. Made up of four Institute Fellows, the judging panel was made up of Steve McCartney FICFor (Chair), Rachel Chamberlain FICFor, Shireen Chambers MBE FICFor and Dr Mike Yerbury FICFor. In addition to Peter, the other shortlisted candidates were Mark Child MICFor, Great Northumberland Forest, and Kath McNulty MICFor, Natural Resources Wales.
Commenting on his award, Peter said:
“This is just the start of a journey for the sector. The first step is to remove the stigma around neurodiversity, ensuring people are comfortable to talk about it and that as a sector we are not creating barriers. I challenge everyone to go back to your teams; start conversations; and appoint a champion for neurodiversity. Only when we create safe spaces will people feel they can remove the mask. Any neurodiverse condition should not be used as an excuse, but should be embraced, challenged and worked with to get the best result of everyone. I personally can’t wait to continue to work with the ICF and others to further remove the stigma and make it open to all.”
Peter has acted as an assessor for the Institute’s Professional Membership Examination (PME) process since 2018, working tirelessly to break down barriers for individuals with neurodiverse conditions within the ICF membership. His continued advocacy for greater awareness has led to significant process changes, including the introduction of a neurodiversity declaration option and a dedicated budget for assessor training. He continues to raise awareness and destigmatise neurodiversity, championing the successes that neurodivergent individuals can achieve. Peter’s numerous and ongoing contributions highlight his role as a visionary leader in the sector, committed to fostering a more inclusive professional community.
Steve McCartney FICFor, Chair of the judging panel, said:
“Whilst members of the awards panel were very impressed with the standard of submissions this year, the detail concerning Peter caught our attention due to its relevance and recentness. To the fore was his tireless promotion of the need to consider and adapt everyone’s actions and reactions regarding those who are neurodiverse: most of us can relate to this issue, and Peter’s promotion and personal honesty shone through. A worthy and worthwhile winner.”
Learn more about the Professional Forester of the Year award at charteredforesters.org/what-we-do/icf-awards/professional-forester-year-award
