The strength of any profession depends on its ability to attract the most capable and enthusiastic people. More specifically, the strategic capacity of the UK to sustain and manage woodland resources is dependent on a continuing supply of skilled professionals. Enrolments to university undergraduate courses in forestry have steadily declined over the last ten years, despite the overall expansion of higher education (HE) in the UK. While the government is attempting to ensure half of young people areenrolled in HE, there are more people studying Ancient Greek and Latin, than taking forestry courses in the UK. Clearly, this is a matter of concern for everyone in the sector and should be of broader concern. Here, we focus on the role of professional foresters in the UK, describe external/internal factors and consider some opportunities for re-positioning and strengthening forestry as an independent discipline into the future.
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