Program Overview

A career in forest management gives you the chance to make a real difference to conservation and climate change. You could end up responsible for thousands of hectares of productive woodlands or one country park, or you could find yourself managing farm woodlands, or developing urban environments.

Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF), our BSc (Hons) Forestry sets you on a journey to become a Chartered Forester. Studying in a fantastic location for field trips and projects near Eryri National Park Authority, you also have access to the 82 hectares of woodlands, many semi natural, and farmland we own at the University’s Henfaes Research Centre. The Centre, also a Defra study farm and part of the Global Farm Platform, hosts a range of forestry and land-use research experiments that provide excellent learning resources.

Bangor University was the first university in the UK to offer a degree in forestry. We also launched the career of the world’s first female forester, Mary Sutherland. Today, our forestry alumni are part of the forestry and woodland management heritage, capacity, and expertise of a huge array of countries and organisations.

Our graduates have chaired the Government’s Climate Change Committee and worked for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation watershed management project. They currently help manage the Chatsworth Estate, and other large tracts of forestry across working with a range of management companies across Wales and the UK.

Our extensive local, national, and international networks and active research programmes allow us to deliver high quality teaching which addresses cutting-edge issues, from investigating the role of species diversity and forest productivity, identifying future timber species, and increasing the resilience of future plantations. Our research, much world leading, concerns forests and climate change adaption, mitigation, deforestation, biodiversity, flood protection, nutrient cycling, human wellbeing, conservation, and the role of forests in recreation. One recent project with Forest Research, for example, analysed the viability of land sparing and land sharing strategies for commercial woodland expansion within Wales.

We work closely with, and introduce our students to, organisations such as the ICF, Natural Resources Wales and Natural England, Eryri National Park Authority, the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust, Small Wood Association, Forest Research, Tilhill Forestry, Pryor and Rickett Silviculture, and many others. Some contribute to teaching and offer opportunities for projects and work placements.

Becoming a Chartered Forester

Chartered status is an internationally recognised badge of excellence. The Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) is the UK’s Royal Chartered professional body offering the Chartered Forester and Chartered Arboriculturist title. Accreditation of our BSc (Hons) Forestry degree means that, upon successful graduation, you can start the journey to become a Chartered Forester.

Eligibility for Professional Membership Entry (PME) is assessed using a points-based system, where applicants must obtain 10 qualifying points. Points are awarded based on a combination of academic qualifications and relevant professional experience. This bachelor’s degree equates to the maximum four points, and you can obtain an additional one point per year of full-time relevant work in a supervisory, managerial, or scientific capacity.