Shortlist announced for Professional Forester of the Year 2026
The Institute of Chartered Foresters is delighted to announce the three shortlisted candidates for Professional Forester of the Year 2026, the prestigious award that recognises outstanding service to the profession and the sector. This award recognises the contributions made by Chartered Arboriculturists or Chartered Foresters to the betterment of forestry on a community, regional, national […]
Policy: Protecting London’s Urban Forest in a Changing Climate
The Institute of Chartered Foresters has responded to the Future Climate Suitability of London’s Public Realm Trees report, published in November 2025 and authored by Dr Andrew Hirons and Kevin Martin: The Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) fully supports the findings from Future Climate Suitability of London’s Public Realm Trees and calls for swift and decisive action to prevent avoidable […]
ICF launches new mentoring programme
The Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) has launched an exciting new pilot mentoring programme designed to connect early-career foresters and arboriculturists with some of the most experienced professionals in the sector. The initiative creates space for meaningful knowledge exchange, giving emerging professionals the opportunity to learn and benefit directly from those who have honed their […]
Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards returns for 2026 – are you a growing success story?
Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards is once again celebrating excellence in woodlands and forestry across the country, with youngsters leading the way. Entries have opened for the Schools and Early Years categories in the 2026 Awards, with a deadline of March 31. Entering is straightforward and can be done via the Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards website […]
Institute welcomes newest Chartered members
We are delighted to recognise and celebrate the professionals who have successfully completed the Professional Membership Entry (PME) process in 2025. Achieving chartered status is a significant professional milestone, reflecting not only technical competence and experience, but also a strong commitment to professionalism, ethical practice and continuing development within forestry and arboriculture. The PME process […]
Celebrating excellence at Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards 2025
A school which has taken lessons on climate change out of the classroom and into the real world, and a project using trees to stop a notorious flooding problem are among the champions honoured at this year’s Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards. When you add in a project to plant free nut and fruit trees in […]
New mapping tool brings emerging urban greening standard to the UK
Treeconomics has announced the launch of Urban Forest 3-30-300, a new mapping and analysis tool designed to help local authorities understand how neighbourhoods perform against the 3-30-300 principle – an emerging standard for healthy, nature-rich urban environments. The 3-30-300 rule, proposed by international urban forestry expert Dr Cecil Konijnendijk FICFor (Hon), sets out three simple […]
New resilience strategy launched by Forestry England
Forestry England today (10 November 2026) launched a new strategy and action plan that will protect the nation’s forests against the multiple threats they face. Three key principles of assessing, diversifying and restoring will guide foresters across the organisation so the 1,500 forests and woodlands in their care are fit for the future. As the […]
Help gather evidence of grey squirrel damage to trees
A major survey to assess the damage caused to trees and woods by non-native grey squirrels – last estimated to cost England and Wales £37 million a year – is being launched across the UK. The UK Squirrel Accord is asking landowners, managers and anyone with owner permission to carry out tree damage surveys in […]
SocEnv reacts to UK carbon budget and growth delivery plan
The UK Government published a new Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan on 29 November, featuring details on how the country will deliver emissions reductions up to the year 2037, how the government meets its statutory carbon budgets and secures the benefits of this transition for people and businesses. Dr Emma Wilcox CEnv, Chief Executive […]