The inaugural prize for the University of Aberdeen forestry student to come up with the Best Forest Management plan has been awarded to recent graduate, Katherine Evans-Smith.
The award is courtesy of UPM Tilhill as part of the company’s work to strengthen links with budding foresters. UPM Tilhill offers awards to nominated best performing forestry students at leading universities which offer degrees in Forestry. The company also runs a popular graduate placement scheme.
Katherine was presented with a specially carved wooden trophy in the shape of an acorn by UPM Tilhill District Manager Eddie Addis along with a £250 cheque.
Katherine said: “I am absolutely delighted and most honoured to be the first recipient of the UPM Tilhill award for the Best Forest Management Plan. I feel that it's a great achievement to receive this award. The management plan is regarded by most forestry students as the most important piece of work of the degree and so for my piece of work to be recognised in this way is a great achievement and I feel very proud.”
UPM Tilhill Senior Forest Manager David Hardie commented: “We’re delighted to be supporting Aberdeen University and recognising the hard work of students who are studying forestry. It’s an excellent university which regularly feeds students into our graduate trainee programme.”
Dr Andrew D Cameron, Senior Lecturer in Forestry at the University, added: “The Forest management plan is by far the biggest piece of work that the students undertake and focuses on the preparation of a fully costed, professional forest management plan. The skills that they learn from this fit well with those required by the industry. We were very pleased with Katherine’s efforts and she is a worthy winner of the award.”