Institute of Chartered Foresters

Institute of Chartered Foresters The Royal Chartered body for forestry and arboriculture professionals in the UK. www.charteredforesters.org

As the only Royal Chartered body for forestry and arboricultural professionals, our members are part of the UK's leading professional body dedicated to forests, woodlands and the welfare of trees. We provide support to members, guidance and information to the public, as well as training and educational advice to students and professionals developing their careers in the forestry and arboricultural sector. We also regulate the standards of entry to the tree professions and offer examinations for professional qualifications for the management of trees. We have over 1,900 members who practice in every branch of forestry and arboriculture and related disciplines – in the private sector, central and local government, research councils and universities and colleges. The Institute provides services to assist members including support and promotion of the work of foresters and arboriculturists; information and guidance to the public and industry about the specific expertise offered by those in the profession; and training and educational advice to students and professionals looking to build upon their experience of tree management. We work closely with UK and international partner organisations.

A proper Aussie experience! 🌏 Karen Batten (Forest Manager at F&W Forestry UK) has now completed her three-month placeme...
10/10/2026

A proper Aussie experience! 🌏

Karen Batten (Forest Manager at F&W Forestry UK) has now completed her three-month placement with the Forestry Corporation of New South Wales as part of our Young Professional Foresters’ Exchange Programme 2026.

From wildlife monitoring and native hardwood harvesting to plantation establishment, fire management and natural regeneration, Karen experienced the breadth of forestry operations across New South Wales.

She also explored some striking differences from UK forestry, including approaches to ground preparation, harvesting rates, wildfire management and the role of fire in Australia’s eucalyptus forests.

Read Karen’s full blog to discover more about her exchange: https://charteredforesters.org/a-proper-aussie-experience-karen-batten-reflects-on-forestry-exchange-in-new-south-wales

📷 Credits: Karen Batten, Marc Brown and Brett Keough

“Being a chartered professional gives me professional credibility. It demonstrates that I am competent and trustworthy.”...
09/10/2026

“Being a chartered professional gives me professional credibility. It demonstrates that I am competent and trustworthy.”

Having always loved trees, Ruthe Davies MICFor trained as a tree surgeon before discovering the breadth of career opportunities within arboriculture.

She returned to university to study arboriculture and went on to become a Tree Officer in the maintenance team with The City of Edinburgh Council, before moving into her current role within the planning authority.

Today, she advises on the impact of development on trees, manages Tree Preservation Orders, assesses applications for tree works and takes enforcement action where tree protection is breached.

For Ruthe, the work is ultimately about more than trees:
“My work is to give people a better city and better lives.”

Professional membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters is an important part of that work. Ruthe became an ICF member to develop herself professionally and demonstrate her capabilities and commitment to the profession.

She believes chartership provides professional credibility, demonstrating competence and trustworthiness and helping arboriculture have a stronger voice when working alongside other professions.

Discover Ruthe’s career journey and find out more about her experience as an ICF member 👇
https://charteredforesters.org/member_story/ruthe-davies-micfor

Looking for your next hire? 🌳From experienced professionals to emerging talent, the ICF Job Board helps employers connec...
08/10/2026

Looking for your next hire? 🌳

From experienced professionals to emerging talent, the ICF Job Board helps employers connect with people at different stages of their forestry and arboriculture careers.

Advertise your vacancy to a network of more than 2,000 professionals working across:
🌳 Forestry and woodland management
🌳 Arboriculture and tree management
🌳 Consultancy and environmental management
🌳 Ecology and conservation
🌳 Research and academia
🌳 Technical and specialist roles

Whether you're recruiting for an Urban Forestry Consultant, Woodland Manager or Forest Operations Officer, put your vacancy in front of a targeted professional audience, including Chartered Foresters, Chartered Arboriculturists, Technical Members and Chartered Environmentalists.

Advertise your next vacancy through the ICF Job Board 👇️

https://charteredforesters.org/job-board

What happens when fire reaches the forest? 🌲From the Cairngorms to the New Forest and Portugal, the Wildfire Resilience ...
08/10/2026

What happens when fire reaches the forest? 🌲

From the Cairngorms to the New Forest and Portugal, the Wildfire Resilience Summit 2026 will bring together those with first-hand experience of wildfire incidents to share lessons learned and practical insights.

This event is crucial for those working in forestry, land management and environmental management, with the opportunity to contribute to the conversation on wildfire resilience.

📅 20 October 2026
🕥 09:00-12:45
💻 Online

Register now: https://charteredforesters.org/event/wildfire-resilience-summit-2026-preparing-uk-forestry-for-a-changing-climate

Just four weeks to go until NTOC 2026 🌳 The National Tree Officers Conference (NTOC) is heading to Sheffield on 4 Novemb...
07/10/2026

Just four weeks to go until NTOC 2026 🌳

The National Tree Officers Conference (NTOC) is heading to Sheffield on 4 November, bringing together professionals from across tree management, urban forestry and planning for a day of expert insight, practical case studies, discussion and networking.

With expert speakers and real-world examples, NTOC is an opportunity to hear how others are approaching the challenges facing trees and green infrastructure, share experiences with colleagues and take away ideas that can be applied in your own organisation.

🎟️ Over 80% of places have already gone so don't miss out!
⌛ Bookings close on Monday 2 November
👉 Find out more and book: https://charteredforesters.org/event/national-tree-officers-conference-2026

NTOC is sponsored by Geosynthetics Limited and Hillier Nurseries Ltd.

Last chance to book ⌛ There’s still time to join our free Introduction to Technical Membership webinar – but registratio...
05/10/2026

Last chance to book ⌛

There’s still time to join our free Introduction to Technical Membership webinar – but registrations close at 12 noon on Wednesday 7 October.

Find out about the Technical Membership Entry (TME) process, what’s involved in applying and the support available to applicants. The session will also include a live demonstration of the TME application dashboard and an opportunity to ask questions.

📅 8 October 🕥 10:30-12:00 💻 Online
🔗 Register by 12 noon on Wednesday 7 October: https://charteredforesters.org/event/introduction-to-technical-membership

The webinar is open to everyone, including those who aren’t ICF members yet. If you’re considering applying for TME, you’ll need to register by 1 February, with applications submitted by 1 March.

📧 Got questions about TME? We're here to help – [email protected].

Growing the future forest 🌱Join our Nurseries Special Interest Group for a two-day event exploring the journey from fore...
03/10/2026

Growing the future forest 🌱

Join our Nurseries Special Interest Group for a two-day event exploring the journey from forest seed to nursery production, and the role of high-quality Forest Reproductive Material (FRM) in creating resilient future forests.

Day 1: Visit Forestry England's state‑of‑the‑art seed centre to explore Forest Genetic Resources, seed processing and testing, with hands-on demonstrations.

Day 2: Tour Forestart’s new processing site and hear about current research and challenges, including seed maturity, seed collection and Conifer Breeding Coop projects.

Attend both days or book either day separately depending on your interests.

📅 4 & 5 November 2026
📍 Lobslack and Shrewsbury
✅ Discounted tickets for ICF members

Find out more and book your place: https://charteredforesters.org/event/growing-the-future-forest-seed-processing-nursery-production

The Forestry Workforce Census is now open 📢 A clearer understanding of the forestry workforce is important for understan...
01/10/2026

The Forestry Workforce Census is now open 📢

A clearer understanding of the forestry workforce is important for understanding the scale of forestry operations across Great Britain and planning for the sector’s future.

The Forestry Workforce Census, led by Forest Research on behalf of the Forestry Commission, Scottish Forestry and Welsh Government, is now open to organisations across the forestry sector.

Every organisation is invited to take part, from one-person businesses to larger companies with multiple employees and sub-organisations. This includes both employed and contracted workers.

The Census asks for information about your workforce on 1 October 2026, with organisations having until 30 October to complete the questionnaire. Please note the Census is aimed at employers, not individual employees.

📝 Find out more and take part: https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/census

A second Census will take place in March 2027 to capture seasonal roles.

Already familiar with the UKFS? It’s still worth refreshing your knowledge. The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) is now in it...
30/09/2026

Already familiar with the UKFS? It’s still worth refreshing your knowledge.

The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) is now in its 5th edition and staying up to date matters. Our UKFS e-learning course provides a structured way for forestry professionals to refresh and strengthen their understanding of the latest edition of the Standard and demonstrate that knowledge through accredited learning.

From planning and management to decision-making and delivery, understanding the UKFS helps professionals apply that knowledge with confidence.

Refresh your knowledge. Strengthen your understanding. Apply the UKFS with confidence.

Find out more: https://silvestor.org.uk/silvestor/ukfs-online

📍 UKFS e-learning is hosted on the Silvestor platform.

Hear expert voices at the Wildfire Resilience Summit 2026 ⬇️ How can forestry strengthen its resilience to wildfire? Joi...
28/09/2026

Hear expert voices at the Wildfire Resilience Summit 2026 ⬇️

How can forestry strengthen its resilience to wildfire? Join experts from across forestry, research and land management to explore the lessons from recent wildfire incidents and the practical steps needed to prepare for future risk.

Chair: Dr Mariella Marzano (Forest Research)
Keynote Speaker: Kim Dowsett (Climate Change Committee)
Speakers: John Clark (Natural Resources Wales), Rob Gazzard MICFor (Forestry Commission), Tiago Oliveira (University of Lisbon), Michael Pittock MICFor (Forestry England), Aaron Vernon (Bangor University) and Euan Wiseman MICFor (Forestry and Land Scotland)

The programme will also feature a Forestry 2050 Leaders Panel, bringing senior representatives together to discuss the changes needed to strengthen forestry's resilience to wildfire.

📅 20 October 2026 | 09:00-12:45
💻 Online

Join us to share knowledge, learn from recent wildfire incidents and explore practical steps towards more resilient forestry.

Book your place: https://charteredforesters.org/event/wildfire-resilience-summit-2026-preparing-uk-forestry-for-a-changing-climate

Address

Scott House (Mull Office 6th Floor), 10 South St. Andrew Street
Edinburgh
EH22AZ

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441312401425

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