Ballogie, Dinnet and Glen Tanar Estates have resumed their ‘School of Forestry’ programme which aims at introducing children to the skills and career opportunities from the Forestry industry. This collaboration between the estates offers exciting opportunities for local communities and brings awareness to the rural industry and an emphasis to learning about specific topics not addressed in Schools.
The estates have worked to develop the programme in line with the school curriculum, covering Maths, Science, Climate Change and Biodiversity on the programme even including exercises on measuring linked to the school’s own biomass system. Depending on what their in-house forestry team or industry professional can offer, estates can offer pupils 4 practical sessions on 4 different topics. These are: Harvesting and Processing; Tree safety and measuring; Establishment of woodland; and wider benefits.
The Program starts with a morning visit to the school to introduce the pupils to the different options for careers within forestry, a Q&A session, and a briefing for the full day field visit to follow. Once the pupils have completed their field day, they create a project based on Forestry, with some excellent products having come from this including websites, models, and presentations.
The Scottish Government has ambitious targets for Forestry in the coming years, and along with Outdoor Woodlands Learning Northeast Group, these Estates have identified a way to intervene at a stage where pupils are finalising their subject choices with thoughts towards future careers. With the hope some will choose forestry as a career and remain in the area to fill a skills shortage.