A pupil from Llanidloes High School has gained an insight into a career in forestry on a week’s work experience with Forestry Commission Wales.
Danny Beeson, 15, spent his placement out and about in Hafren and Coed Sarnau Forests, near Llanidloes, where he learnt how Forestry Commission Wales looks after the woodlands it manages on behalf of the Welsh Government.
In Hafren Forest, Danny learnt how foresters protect the trees in the woodlands that have been created and saw the recreation facilities provided for visitors.
He spent a day with the harvesting team, along with supervisor John Mills, observing how trees are felled for timber and measured for despatch to the sawmills and chipboard manufacturer in Chirk.
Danny learnt how the ground is prepared for planting new trees and how the trees are looked after as they start to grow. He also helped forest designers as they planned the forests of the future.
He also searched for tree damaging beetles, Hylobius, under the watchful eye of Dave Levy and Wildlife Ranger Malcolm Jerman enlisted Danny’s help to check the conservation and wildlife habitats under his management.
His last day was spent looking at the world of forest civil engineers who build and maintain the hundreds of kilometres of roads in the area to allow the timber to be transported to businesses throughout Wales, as well as providing routes for mountain biking and rallying.
Forestry Commission Wales Area Manager Jim Ralph said, “The forest sector employs thousands of people in Wales and offers a variety of career opportunities across a broad range of professions.
“By offering work experience to local school pupils like Danny, we can give them an idea of the career opportunities available within Forestry Commission Wales and the forest sector as a whole.”
