From Forestry Roots to Tree and Woodland Inspector
At the age of 21, Forestry Roots 2019 participant Isaac Carr is now Tree and Woodland Inspector for Lancashire County Council. In the past 4 ½ years, 22 trainees have completed the Forestry Roots programme. In this occasional series of blog interviews we follow some of their careers.
Isaac Carr: Tree and Woodland Inspector for Lancashire County Council
Isaac was awarded the ‘RFS Silky Fox Handsaw Award’ while studying for a Level 3 Arboriculture Diploma at Myerscough College. In 2019 he successfully applied for a Forestry Roots position as forestry assistant at West Acre Estate in Norfolk.
Forestry Roots matches college and university leavers with employers for their first paid employment. It is a project made possible by the support of the ALA Green Charitable Trust and of members who have hosted posts over the years.
Three years on, Isaac says: “I cannot recommend Royal Forestry Society Forestry Roots enough. Forestry Roots and my enthusiasm for the environment have led my career to a wide variety of paths to take in this growing industry.”
Hi, my name is Isaac and I’m 21 from the NW of England. I am a Tree and Woodland Inspector for Lancashire County Council, part of the carbon strategy team.
Tell us about your job role today and what it involves?
As a Tree Inspector, I assess and survey trees and woodlands in Lancashire. I look for defects and diseases that could potentially be a hazard. As a result, I minimise the risk of a council-owned tree damaging property or causing injury to anyone.
I have worked in this position for six months, during which time I have really enjoyed learning more about the diversity of tree species in the county and how they react to their environment. The position has enabled me to build and greatly expand on my knowledge from my years at Myerscough College, which I have found exciting and challenging.
What do you most enjoy about your role?
One of the most enjoyable parts of the job is being able to travel and see new areas of Lancashire and spend my working day walking through thriving woodlands. Also, this position has helped me learn new techniques and skills to further my career. Previously to this job, I worked as an Arborist for a local tree work team carrying out large tree removals, pruning and other domestic tree-related maintenance.
Tell us about your first role with Forestry Roots
I first heard of the Royal Forestry Society during my Level 3 Arboriculture Diploma at Myerscough College. I was proud to be awarded the RFS Silky Fox Handsaw Award. It is one of the most prestigious awards for forestry and arboriculture students in the UK.
At the end of my course, I gained all of my qualifications (manually fed woodchipper, chainsaw maintenance, tree climbing and rescue, tree felling and use of chainsaw from rope and harness) and wanted an opportunity to better my skills in a practical environment. My college tutor told me about a unique RFS forestry apprenticeship with West Acre Estate in Norfolk. I applied and was very excited about the diversity of the role. It opened my eyes to how big the industry is and how many paths it allows you to take in your career. Forestry Roots also aligned with my personal values to impact the environment in a positive way. After a successful interview, I was given the job and got ready to move from Blackpool to Norfolk.
I couldn’t quite believe it. Two weeks after passing my driving test I was on an 8500-acre estate driving tractors and toeing forwarders to transport timber. The West Acre team gave me a warm welcome and I instantly felt part of the group. Throughout the year I was put forward to gain more qualifications in forestry such as forwarding, mulching, flail, swipe and operation of a loader. I am fortunate that I was able to pass my tickets because it has been a massive help to progress my career.
Whilst on Forestry Roots I prepared sites and assisted in planting trees. I also felled large trees alongside a harvester in huge woodlands during the height of summer. In addition, I helped with rewilding projects such as installing bee boxes. I maintained equipment and machinery, recorded survival rates of tree saplings and the ongoing upkeep of plantations throughout the seasons. There is so much work on that estate to be proud of. My greatest highlights were planting 5500 trees on separate plantations across Gayton and West Acre Estate and contributing to preparations to introduce White Park Cattle and Boar into areas on the estate to further the rewilding project.
I greatly benefited from my position as the forestry assistant and felt lucky to be able to work with such interesting and like-minded people whom I am still friends with and speak to regularly years later. I also learned a lot as I moved to another part of the country on my own at 18 years old – things like doing the weekly supermarket shop on my own! I gained great life experience learning how to look after myself and make friends in and outside of work. It helped me to gain self-confidence, make life-long memories, develop my knowledge/skills and overall have so much fun.
Where do you see your career going in the future?
I want to use my diverse skills as an Arborist, Forester and Tree Inspector to further my experience in new landscapes such as New Zealand. Having previously travelled to New Zealand and spoken to arborists based there I know this will be the next chapter of my life and a great way to see the world.
If you are environmentally conscious and enjoy working outdoors, then I cannot recommend Forestry Roots enough. Forestry Roots and my enthusiasm for the environment have led my career to a wide variety of paths to take in this growing industry.
Forestry Roots matches college and university leavers with employers for their first paid employment. It is a project made possible by the support of the ALA Green Charitable Trust and of members who have hosted posts over the years.
More great Forestry Roots opportunities will be posted on our Jobs Board later this year.
