Rachel joined Forest Research in June 2023. Prior to joining FR, Rachel was a craftsperson with Forestry and Land Scotland in Aberdeenshire and the Scottish Borders, which involved practical forest maintenance tasks and completing an SVQ level 6 apprenticeship in Trees and Timber at the Scottish School of Forestry, UHI. In 2023, Rachel completed a part-time MSc in Sustainability and Ecology from the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT). Her MSc dissertation researched forest manager’s views on improving resilience to wind damage in Scotland’s conifer forests. At FR, Rachel is working on a variety of projects on the themes of wildlife, tree health, and land managers views on woodland creation approaches.