Travel bursary deadline ticking

Foresters young and old hoping to travel to enhance their knowledge during 2009 are being invited to apply for a bursary from the Royal Forestry Society’s Randle Travel Fund. The bursary can be used to fund all or part of travel and subsistence, both in the UK and abroad, either for independent learning-based projects or to become involved in Royal Forestry Society (RFS) study tours and activities. During 2009, for instance, the RFS Worcestershire Division has a study tour to Germany and the Gloucestershire Division to France. Over the last 10 years 17 people have benefited from the bursaries awarded by the Trustees of the Donald Randle Trust, enabling individuals to, amongst other activities, attend conferences in Canada, take part in a study tour to Turkey and to travel to Geneva to take up an internship with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Timber Section. RFS Chief Executive Dr John Jackson said: “The bursaries have already encouraged large numbers of people to undertake a very wide range of projects in woods and forests around the world, bringing back and sharing their experiences with a very wide audience.” Bursaries are available to new and existing members of the Royal Forestry Society, and are usually worth between £300 - £600. Successful applicants are required to submit an article on their experiences for potential use in the Society’s Quarterly Journal of Forestry. There are no age restrictions. More details about bursaries are available on the About us section of this web site under Careers and Training Application forms are available from the Royal Forestry Society, 102 High Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 4AF, Tel 01442 822028. All applications must be received at the Royal Forestry Society Head Office by March 11 2009.