Profile
Angela Douglas
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About Me:
I live in the Scottish Highlands, north of Inverness and have been a forester for over 30 years and love it! Luckily, often I can take my dog(s) with me 🙂 I enjoy being outside, walking, gardening and have started to re-learn to play the piano!
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I was born in Glasgow and brought up in Fife near St Andrews – home of golf although I don’t play but my three brothers all do! Was lucky to work in Sweden to get some forestry experience when I was 20-21 years old and have enjoyed travelling a lot. Moved around in my career to get more experience – Aberdeen is where I studied then Sweden, Edinburgh, North Yorkshire, back to Scotland and Blair Drummond (next to the Safari Park!), back to Fife where I grew up and then to the Highlands which I love. Have been lucky to compete horse-riding (eventing mostly) whilst at secondary school. Have had my own dog or two since I was 14 years old and now-a-days one very old spaniel called Jasper. I am lucky to live in a timber built house imported from Nova Scotia, Canada. We also have 5 beehives as well as large garden. Enjoy my friends and enjoy socialising. I struggled at university scraping through despite working hard but love forestry which is a wonderful, very varied and rewarding career. Have done lots of sports – horse-riding as above, swimming, cycling, rowing – river and coastal, ski-ing and a little diving as well as lots of hill climbing.
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My pronouns are:
She/her but no need for any ‘title’ happy you use my 1st name, Angela.
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My Work:
I work part-time in my own consultancy and am starting to wind down to retiring. I do forest management work and recently looked after a forestry awards’ programme – see photos!
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I have done lots of different roles – everything from tree planting to tree felling, to presenting at conferences to looking for wildlife and surveys, to deciding how protect against wildfires, to measuring timber and checking on forestry practical work, to working with people and communities, to helping government decide who can buy or lease public land for community benefit, to helping care for a National Park, oh and lots more!
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My Typical Day:
On week days I get up, have breakfast and walk my old dog, Jasper, in the forest behind the house. If I’m working at home (I’m self-employed), I make my own lunch before taking my Spaniel out again. But if I’m out, I might have lunch with others or take a packed lunch to eat in the forest or in the car if it’s rainy! Every day is different – sometimes in the office, sometimes out, sometimes meeting other people in person or virtually. I normally stop working by 6pm, make supper and enjoy the evening.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Run a competition for pupils to learn more about forestry!
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Education:
I went to a very small rural primary school – Dunino, near St Andrews in Fife, with only 11 pupils. The biggest class was mine with me, my twin brother and his best friend! However when I was in P4 we merged with another school to about 30 pupils. When I was 11 we moved to Secondary school – Madras College, St Andrews where there were 1,200 pupils. A huge change! I left school after 6th year and Aberdeen University where I was accepted to study a BSc in Forestry recommended having a year’s practical forestry work experience before I studied. I therefore worked on a local estate for a year before becoming a student again. I studied for three years at Aberdeen Forestry. I’m not academic therefore found that very hard work and I have exam resits every year! I always worked in the holidays to get more experience eg planting trees at Easter-time, weeding in the summer or something else.
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Qualifications:
1991 – Full Corporate Member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (MICFor) and from 2011, Fellow (FICFor)
1983 – 1986 BSc (Forestry) – University of Aberdeen
1976 – 1982 Madras College, St. Andrews, Fife
SCE 1 Certificate of Sixth Year Studies: Biology
SCE 4 ‘Higher’ Grades: Chemistry, English, Geography and Mathematics
SCE 5 ‘Ordinary’ Grades: Arithmetic, Fabrics and Fashion, French, Music and Physics -
Work History:
May 2010 to present, Self Employed trading as A Douglas Consultancy
1998 – May 2010 Scotland Director, The Woodland Trust, Grantham, Lincolnshire
1996 – 1998 Chief Executive, Tayside Native Woodlands, Perth
1993 – 1996 Project Director, Tayside Native Woodlands Initiative, Perth
1990 – 1993 District Officer, Central Scotland Countryside Trust, Lanarkshire
1988 – 1990 Forestry Assistant, Tilhill Forestry Limited, North Yorkshire
1988 Dutch Elm Disease Surveyor, City of Edinburgh District Council
1987 Forester, Domänverket, Oskarshamns, Sweden
1986 Forestry Contractor and Groom, Deeside, Kincardineshire
1982 – 1983 Forester, Mountquhanie Estate, Fife.Professional Appointments and Other Relevant Experience:
2016 – 2021 Forestry Commission Scotland, Highlands & Islands Forestry Forum Member
2014 – 2021 Scotland’s Finest Woods, Executive Company Director and Secretary, and Charity Trustee
2013 SGS Qualifor Forest Stewardship Council, Forest Management Lead Auditor, 90% pass mark
2013 – 2021 Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) Finance & Delivery Committee Member
2013 – 2016 Forestry Commission Scotland, National Forest Land Scheme Evaluation Panel Member
2013 Lead Environmental Auditor (ISO 14001:2004), 79% pass mark
2010 – Cairngorms National Park Authority, Board and Planning Committee, Audit Committee (2010-2013), Ministerial appointee
2007 – 2023 Olsson Forest Limited, Company Director
2005 – 2008 Scottish Forest Industries Cluster, Leadership Group Member
2001 – 2009 Deer Commission for Scotland Round Table Member
2001 – 2004 Forestry Commission’s Mid Scotland Regional Advisory Committee Member
1999 – 2002 Forestry Commission Advisory Panel, Environment Sub-committee Member
1990 – 2002 Royal Scottish Forestry Society Regional Committees’ Member
1996 – 1999 Forestry Commissioners’ Native Woodland Advisory Panel for Scotland Member
1996 – 1998 Institute of Chartered Foresters Part II Examiner
1991 – 1998 Royal Scottish Forestry Society Council Member
1991 – Professional Member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters. Fellowship awarded in 2011
1987 BSc(For) University of Aberdeen. -
Current Job:
Forestry consultant.
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Employer:
Self-employed.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Forester and love it!
What did you want to be after you left school?
A forester
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Ummm yes!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Soil scientist
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Lots - love variety.
What's your favourite food?
Chocolate!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Always to be happy, fit and in excellent health
Tell us a joke.
What's a bumble bees favourite sweet? Bumble-gum.
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