A Christmas Message from Christopher Williams, CEO
On behalf of the RFS team, I would like to thank all members and followers for your continued support.
This year saw another busy programme of woodland meetings run by the RFS Divisions and a full programme of training events to support skills development. In May, we enjoyed a superb Annual Study Tour, hosted by the RFS South Wales Division. We attended the Royal Welsh and Agroforestry Shows and we celebrated forestry and education best practice at our Excellence in Forestry Awards at Westonbirt Arboretum. This year also saw the return of the NDG James Memorial lecture, at Trinity College, Oxford.
In 2025, the RFS launched a new Strategy, Inspiring excellence in Woodland Management. The Strategy sets out our direction and aspirations for the next 10 years. In September, the RFS proudly became the host organisation for Action Oak, and we are keen to help support this important work to ensure our oaks can thrive in the future.
The Central staff and support team have continued to run various programmes and activities to support our education, careers, media and advocacy work, as well as developing our membership, grants, and bursaries.
A special thank you to all our volunteers who help us run and support our activities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year,
Christopher Williams
Chief Executive Officer
