Forestry Commission
Economics Branch, Edinburgh
The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible for advising forestry Ministers within Westminster, Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly on forestry policy and for implementing the three seperate forestry policy strategies across England, Scotland and Wales. Its Economics Branch is based in Edinburgh.
What do our economists do?
Our economists provide economic advice on sustainable forest management across the whole of the country. This involves being able to provide information on the economic, environmental and social outputs from the UK's public and private forestry. It also involves carrying investment appraisals in areas like forest research, investment in recreation, landscape and the environment.
Also our economists manage economic research studies in areas such as the financial viability of forest industry businesses, forests' contribution to tourism and the rural economy, and the measurement of social and environmental outputs from forests, for example landscape, recreation and biodiversity, the results of which feed into policy.
Besides forestry policy, the Forestry Commission is responsible for various forest grants and it is up to our economists to provide economic advice when any policy appraisal and evaluations are carried out.
Finally we are also involved in representing the UK and the Forestry Commission at various international meetings both within and outside Europe, including the United Nations economic forum in Geneva.
Assistant Economist starting salary is £25,447..
More information
For more details about being a Forestry Commission economist contact Alastair Johnson on telephone 0131 314 6254 or email alastairjohnson@forestry.gov.uk.