Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarship has enabled another eight aspiring New Zealanders to study and pursue careers in forestry, with its 2021 scholarship recipients announced. Now in its third year, the scholarships are increasing diversity in forestry sciences and engineering, with a strong focus on encouraging Māori and women to embark on forestry careers.
“Māori and women represent only a small percentage of the forestry workforce. Te Uru Rākau endeavours to change that and make the forestry and wood processing sector more reflective of our communities,” Henry Weston, Acting Deputy Director-General Te Uru Rākau/ Forestry New Zealand said
With the latest cohort, the scholarship program has supported 22 Māori and women to study forestry science/engineering at the University of Canterbury, providing NZ$8,000 each year during the degrees’ four-year duration.
Mr Weston says forestry science and engineering keeps New Zealand wood at the cutting edge of innovation and sought after by customers around the globe.
“The insights and experiences these recipients will bring as future forestry scientists and engineers will help us grow the forestry industry, ensuring science and technology underpins this thriving sector.”
“We consider many factors in the selection of scholarship recipients, including students’ interest and commitment to a career in forestry, as well as their community involvement and leadership skills are considered.
“Receiving a scholarship is something recipients can take much pride in, as can their whānau and friends.
“The Scholarship recipients, through their study and the summer internship programme will see a huge range of career paths aside from planting, pruning, and harvesting trees in forestry – a sector key to our country’s economic wellbeing and to more sustainable environmental outcomes.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the big things these Scholarship recipients achieve throughout their studies and forestry careers.”
The eight recipients (in alphabetical order) of the 2021 Forestry Scholarships are:
- Anaru Walker studying a Bachelor of Forestry Science.
- Angus Syminton studying a Bachelor of Forestry Science.
- Chloe Small studying a Bachelor of Forestry Science.
- Heather Harper, Wellington studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Forest Engineering.
- Lana Parker-Hay studying a Bachelor of Forestry Science.
- Maude Rogers studying a Bachelor of Forestry Science.
- Steven Doherty studying a Bachelor of Forestry Science
- Tessa McCarthy studying a Bachelor of Forestry Science.
