Are you a forester who wants to make a real change to the way Scotland’s forests are managed? Do you want to see a more diverse and resilient woodland landscape in Scotland?
There is evidence that managing forests under Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) can provide improved resilience, biodiversity value and multifunctionality compared to forests managed under conventional clear fell rotations. Yet, it’s estimated only 5% of Britain’s forests are currently managed under CCF compared to 22% across the whole of Europe. Diversifying Scotland’s silvicultural strategies to include more CCF is therefore one option for improving the resilience of Scotland’s forests in an uncertain future. However, transformation of forests to continuous cover silvicultural systems requires careful thinning throughout the rotation to develop stand stability and a lack of skilled professionals confident in delivering this management is a recognised obstacle to greater adoption.
To encourage more diverse and resilient forests in Scotland, Future Woodlands Scotland is continuing its Skills Programme, with funding from bp, and inviting applications for a new training opportunity to build essential CCF skills in forest professionals.
What the training includes
The training is delivered by TreeStory, bringing expertise in early-stage thinning interventions and practical forest management and includes follow up mentoring and peer-to-peer support alongside a three-day practical forest-based course using a Marteloscope.
Over the year long programme, participants will be required to undertake seven days of training and mentoring plus two 1-hour online sessions. Participants will also be required to engage in feedback exercises after completing the programme and are expected to maximise the peer-to-peer support they will build throughout the year. The programme will start with a three-day course from 12 to 14 May at the Birnam Arts Centre in Dunkeld. The course will be a mixture of classroom-based lectures and forest based practical exercises delivered in a nearby Norway spruce stand – although the principles taught are broadly applicable to other types of woodland.
Future Woodlands Scotland wants to equip a new cohort of foresters with the skills and confidence to undertake adequate thinning operations to support later transformation to continuous cover forestry where appropriate and we are now looking for applicants to this fully funded programme.
Who we’re looking for
We welcome applications from individuals who are currently living and working in Scotland. The primary aim of delivering this training programme is to get more woodlands thinned that wouldn’t have been otherwise. To benefit most from the follow up mentoring and support, we are prioritising applications from foresters who can demonstrate clear opportunities to implement early-stage thinning programmes in the forests they manage. We will also be prioritising applications from foresters who have not previously undertaken thinning training and who will have a wide reach in terms of the number of woodlands they have influence over.
Additional funding to cover subsistence and accommodation may be available for applicants who would otherwise face difficulties covering these costs.
Apply today
Applications are now open.
The deadline for applications is 23:59 on Sunday 1 March 2026.
If you have any questions, contact Project Manager Kieran Leigh Moy