Forest Manager shortlisted for future leader award
A Forest Manager with Scottish Woodlands has been shortlisted for a prestigious industry award.
Jillian Kennedy is one of three finalists in the Tom A Bruce Jones Memorial Award for a Future Leader in the Forestry Industry - sponsored by James Jones & Sons.
Jillian Kennedy
The winner will be announced at the Confor Awards on March 11th, with Jillian up against Jake Burton from Natural Resources Wales, and Ricky Dallow, of Tilhill Forestry.
Scottish Woodlands is also involved in another shortlisted entry, in the Building Industry Resilience category - the Forestry Operations New Entrants Programme, an intensive and fully-funded five-week course at the Scottish School of Forestry designed to attract different people into the industry to tackle skills shortages.
The programme is funded by Aviva Investors and Par Equity, now part of the PXN Group. Scottish Woodlands provided equipment and expertise for the successful 2025 programme, and is now supporting a larger group of students for 2026.
2025 Cohort
Ian Robinson, Managing Director of Scottish Woodlands Ltd, said: "I'm delighted to see Jillian shortlisted. She is a tremendous advert for our Graduate Development Programme, which she joined in 2017. She has since developed into a highly-skilled and talented forest manager who takes time out to support those following her onto the graduate scheme."
"She is also a terrific advocate for building bridges between forestry and farming, and is someone who puts a huge amount of time into her personal and professional development - always with an eye on making rural communities stronger and better as a result."
Neil White of Scottish Woodlands won the future Forestry Leader Award in 2023, and was promoted to Regional Manager for Central Scotland late that year.
Tom R Bruce Jones (left) and Neil White (right)
Mr Robinson said he was also very pleased to see the Forestry Operations New Entrants Programme shortlisted, as it was an "important and innovative effort to tackle industry skills shortages".
He also welcomed a strong shortlist for the Championing Forestry & Timber Products category, sponsored by Scottish Woodlands Ltd - previously known as the Changing Attitudes Award.
The finalists are: Andrew Sowerby, a Director of Bronwin & Abbey Ltd, and current President of the Institute of Chartered Foresters; Dr Eleanor Tew, Forestry England; Forestry Commission Trees to Timber campaign; and Trust UK C16 campaign.
Mr Robinson said: "It's another strong shortlist - like all the other categories - and Scottish Woodlands looks forward to adding the name of another great communicator to the previous list of winners."
"These awards shine a light on the creativity and excellence across all parts of the forestry industry and another, and I am delighted that Scottish Woodlands remains a central part of this major industry event - both as a sponsor and a beacon of excellence in the award categories"
Full details of the awards shortlists can be found here.