About us
How the trust came about
The JWS Forestry Educational Trust is named in memory of John Wyatt-Smith CBE who died in 2002. A forester active in his vocation for more than 45 years, John Wyatt-Smith enjoyed a career in forestry that spanned the fields of research, education and policy making. Beginning work in Asia, John devoted considerable time and effort to the consultative process both in the tropics and later in the UK. His belief in the need to communicate the basic principles and objectives of forestry and good environmental management was a key motivating factor throughout his life.
Following John’s death his family and close colleagues from the forestry world formed the Trust using an initial bequest from his widow, Peggy. Read the full obituary of John Wyatt-Smith that appeared in The Times.
The gap we are trying to fill
It is the purpose of the JWS Forestry Educational Trust to assist trained foresters, especially those from developing countries from tropical regions, to develop the skills and expertise needed to be effective communicators of the potential role and responsibility of forestry.
Tropical forests are complex ecosystems whose role in the earth’s biogeochemical cycle is not yet fully understood. More and more, however, we are coming to understand that a healthy environment, including healthy forests, is critical to well-functioning human systems. Increasing demands by a growing population require a careful balancing of human and environmental needs. Foresters can play a unique part in interpreting environmental change and assisting politicians and planners to respond to and reconcile the demands of competing sectors.
However science-based decision making depends on effective communication of science, forestry included. Scientists are recognizing that they have to engage more broadly and that they have the obligation, indeed the moral responsibility, to explain what they do in language that people understand. Explaining complex relationships between forests and other elements of the landscape and elucidating the trade-offs – social, economic and environmental – over time will become an important task of the forester. Above left: Foresters need to work effectively with policy makers as well as with local people in the field.
How we operate
It is a part of the philosophy of the JWS Forestry Educational Trust to see its funds put to use quickly on current issues and over a relatively short period of say 10 years. Therefore the trustees are exploring several models that might make the most effective use of its resources and the inspirational legacy of John Wyatt-Smith to achieve its objectives.
For example the Trust may consider putting a significant proportion of its funds into the establishment of an educational course that places communication skills for forest science professionals at its core. It will also consider making bequests to individual candidates to attend existing courses. The trustees would welcome proposals from educators and sponsors that share its principal aims.
Images: Irfan Ullah, Rainforest Rescue International, Sri Lanka (taken from http://www.cfa-international.org/ )
