Successful forestry expert: Corazón parish receives top award in the UK!

Successful forestry expert: Corazón parish receives top award in the UK!

Corazón Pfarre, a forestry graduate from the Technical University of Dresden (TU Dresden), recently won the prestigious “Tom A Bruce-Jones Memorial Award for Future Leaders 2025”. This award, considered the UK forestry industry's highest honor, was given to her because of her outstanding commitment to sustainable forestry and her leadership skills. Parish now lives and works in the UK and holds the position of Department Manager at Maydencroft Ltd. Here it provides environmental and ecological services to companies across the country, making it an important figure in the forestry industry.

The winner, who completed internships in the Moritzburg game reserve as a teenager, is pursuing her professional career with great passion. Her studies in forestry sciences in Tharandt laid the foundation for her career. Pfarre is grateful to the TU Dresden, which prepared her optimally for the challenges of forestry. As an alumni ambassador, she now supports the exchange between Germany and the United Kingdom and is available to her alma mater for active professional exchange.

Winners and nominees of the Confor Awards 2023

In parallel with Pfarre's honor, other outstanding personalities were recognized at the Confor Awards 2023, which took place in Surgeons Quarter in Edinburgh. Neil White of Scottish Woodlands Ltd. also received the Tom A Bruce-Jones Memorial Award for Future Leader in Forestry. This event was the largest of its kind that Confor has ever held. Recognized for his extensive skills and commitment to the industry, White leads mentoring and training in his company's graduate program.

Shortlisted candidates included Miriam Jones Walters from Natural Resource Wales and Dr. Kate Palmer of Pryor & Rickett Silviculture. White himself has successfully completed several significant training courses and is responsible for managing some of the largest forests in the UK. Tom Bruce-Jones, chairman of James Jones & Sons, which sponsors the award, expressed his delight at receiving the award in honor of his late father.

Sustainability in forestry

Sustainable forest management is a key aspect that is becoming increasingly important in both Germany and the United Kingdom. Forests in Germany are spread over around a third of the land area and fulfill numerous functions. At the same time, however, they are challenged by environmental pressures, climate change and human use. Between 2018 and mid-2022, around 245 million cubic meters of damaged wood were registered in Germany, largely caused by insect calamities.

The federal government has set itself the goal of implementing near-natural forest management on most forestry areas by 2050. According to the National Sustainability Strategy and the Forest Strategy 2050, maintaining biological diversity and ensuring productivity is of central importance. The 1993 Helsinki Declaration defines sustainable forest management as maintaining the biological diversity, productivity and vitality of forests.

In Germany, around 36% of the forest area is currently classified as very natural or near-natural. Certification systems such as PEFC and FSC play an important role in the implementation of sustainability standards. Despite challenges in the area of ​​natural development, the forestry community remains committed to finding a balance between ecological, economic and social requirements.

In conclusion, both Corazón Pfarre and Neil White are outstanding examples of future leaders in the forestry industry. They are actively committed to promoting sustainable practices, helping to preserve and improve forests in both the UK and Germany. How tu-dresden.de emphasizes, the role of education and exchange in promoting environmentally conscious forestry is of great importance. Plus, it’s busy Federal Environment Agency with the challenges and solutions for sustainable forest management that meets the needs of today.

Through their efforts, Pfarre and White show that the future of forestry is shaped not only by the current challenges, but also by the many opportunities for innovation and collaboration that exist.