AWA Tree Consultants Limited welcomes Lucy to the team.

This month AWA Tree Consultants Limited welcomes Lucy Garbutt to the team.

Lucy is a highly qualified ecologist, having graduated with a masters degree in Animal Behaviour from the UK’s highest rated university, St Andrews of Scotland, following the completion of her BSc degree in Biology from Lancaster University.

She has experience in botany, working as a Research Assistant at Knepp Estate, Sussex and in Indonesia, and is experienced in protected species’ surveys, including surveys of bats, reptiles, and dormice.

Skills shortages in arboriculture and forestry are at critical levels, and a new generation is not being recruited to take over from an ageing workforce. A report from the Institute of Chartered Foresters says the industry needs to recruit 70% more people to meet planting targets set by government and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (IPCC)

We’re also pleased to make a small step in encouraging more women into arboriculture. In terms of representation and participation arboriculture is heavily weighted towards men, with only 13% female Arboricultural Association members according the 2016 membership survey. Although this has been slowly changing, with many more women proving that working with trees is not just for men, there is still much work to be done to help improve the current numbers and make it a more attractive career prospect for women.

We’re very grateful Lucy has chosen Sheffield and AWA Trees to progress into the world of arboricultural consulting!