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Prince of Wales Forest Leadership Award Winners Announced
Four top students from the UK and Canada have been selected as the first recipients of The Prince of Wales Forest Leadership Award. Keira Tedd and David Johnes, both hailing from University of Cumbria, beat off stiff competition from UK applicants, while Jaqueline Hamilton, of The University of Toronto, and Ross Hobbs, The University of Alberta, were selected as the two Canadian winners.
Endorsed by HRH The Prince of Wales, and delivered in partnership by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF), the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF-IFC), and the Duchy of Cornwall, the award recognises young forestry professionals in Canada and the United Kingdom who possess a dedication to sustainable forestry and the skills and aptitude to become our future forest leaders.
Top Forestry and Natural Resources Placements
The UK and Canadian recipients will participate in an international exchange experience during the summer of 2015, taking up work placements in their alternative countries. They will be placed in roles at some of the top forestry and natural resources management employers in Canada and the UK, in addition to receiving a $12,000 CAD bursary.
ICF's Deputy Director Russell Horsey, praised the award winners, saying;
"ICF congratulates all recipients of The Prince of Wales Forest Leadership Award. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our future leaders in the fields of forestry and urban forestry to broaden their knowledge and make great contacts among their UK and Canadian counterparts. We look forward to welcoming the Canadian winners to the UK, and hope that it is an invaluable learning experience in both countries."
Dana Collins, Acting Executive Director of the CIF-IFC, said;
"This inaugural award has already generated a lot of interest. The number of well-qualified applicants can leave us all confident that our global forests are in good hands given the caliber and talent of these young, up-and-coming forestry professionals.
"On behalf of the Canadian Institute of Forestry, the Duchy of Cornwall, the Institute of Chartered Foresters, and TD Bank Group, we are all pleased to present Jacqueline Hamilton, Ross Hobbs, Keira Tedd and David Johnes with the inaugural Prince of Wales Forest Leadership Award, and help develop the future leaders of the forestry community".
Further information on the recipients of the 2015 Prince of Wales Forest Leadership Award is available below:
Keira Tedd – University of Cumbria, Carlisle, United Kingdom
With a passion for the outdoors and iconic landscapes, Keira was driven to the forestry profession, and is now in her final year of study at the National School of Forestry, University of Cumbria, studying Forest and Woodland Management. With varying experience, including a year with Forest Commission Scotland and time spent as a volunteer tree planter, in addition to research on light intensity and levels of regeneration under the canopy as a part of her dissertation, Keira is well versed in a diverse suite of interdisciplinary forestry topics.
David Johnes – University of Cumbria, Carlisle, United Kingdom
David is in his final year at the National School of Forestry, University of Cumbria studying Forest and Woodland Management. In addition to academic experience, David had gained a wealth of work experience in the forest industry, including a position as an assistant forest manager, completing a variety of long-term forest plans for a diverse range of estates across Scotland. Moreover, with experience as a trainee instructor with an organization providing outdoor pursuits, David recognises the strong social benefits that forests and woodlands can provide when managed sustainably. Through this international exchange, David is particularly keen to expand upon his knowledge of sustainable forest management in Canada.
Jacqueline Hamilton – The University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Jacqueline recently completed a Master of Forest Conservation from the University of Toronto, with a previous Honours degree from the University of Ottawa in Environmental Sciences. Jacqueline's extensive experience in forest ecology management, environmental monitoring, geographic information systems, and international forest conservation has enabled her to develop a strong reputation amongst colleagues and peers, and top-honours in her graduating class, along with receiving the T. W. Dwight Prize for exemplary performance in one of the field camp courses in the program.
Ross Hobbs – The University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Ross will be graduating from the University of Alberta (UofA) this spring with a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management, plus holds a previous Forest Technologist Honours diploma from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Ross is actively engaged in the academic community as the President of the Forest Society at UofA as well as the professional forestry community, particularly within forest fire management. Ross's steadfast dedication to sustainable forestry has earned him other prestigious awards, including the CIF-IFC Gold Medal in Forestry, the Jim Beck Prize in Forest Management, the CIF-IFC Rocky Mountain Section Award, amongst many others.
Geraint Richards, the Duchy of Cornwall's Head Forester, commented;
"I am delighted by the considerable interest that there has been in this new Award, as highlighted by the calibre of the young people applying. The Award will further forge our relationship with the Canadian Institute of Forestry. I wish Jacqueline, Ross, Keira and David every success and I look forward to hearing about their wonderful experiences."
Karen Clarke-Whistler, Chief Environment Officer at TD Bank, sponsors of the award, said;
"Forests are key to a healthy environment, and it's tremendously important that we develop forestry leaders who understand the significant social, cultural and economic contributions forests make. These leaders will have an essential role to play as our world becomes more urbanised and the pressure on our existing forest resources increases."
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