Forestry expert receives gold medal
Picture: Lord Anthony Hamilton, left, president of the Royal Forestry Society, presents the RFS Gold Medal to forestry expert Dr Peter Savill
One of the UK's foremost forestry experts, Dr Peter Savill, has been awarded the prestigious Gold Medal by the Royal Forestry Society (RFS) for his contributions to science and education.
Dr Savill is known throughout the world for his research and for the guidance he has given to generations of forestry students.
For many years a reader at Oxford Forestry Institute, he has published four books, including the acknowledged classic, The Silviculture of Trees used in British Forestry . His wide-ranging research has primarily focused on the silviculture of semi-natural broadleaved woodlands, the ecology and silviculture of beech, and the genetics of oak, walnut and ash.
Presenting the award at the Woodfuel Conference at the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh Park, held jointly by the Royal Forestry Society, the Royal Agricutural Society of England on April 17, Lord Anthony Hamilton, president of the RFS, said: "Besides his scientific career, Dr Savill has been instrumental in supervising a whole raft of students, both at Doctorate level and, importantly, on the MSc in Forestry at Oxfdord University. Many up and coming foresters both in the UK and far further afield owe an enormous debt of gratitude to him."
Dr Savill holds a forestry degree and an MSc from Bangor University, a PhD from Queen's University, Belfast and an MA by decree from Oxford. His most recent research involves supervising overseas students working on Douglas fir in Portugal and hardwoods in Mozambique.
During his career Dr Savill has worked in a number of countries and capacities, initially as a professional forester in commonwealth countries, then in Northern Ireland, before entering the Oxford Forestry Institute in 1980.
Recieving the award, Dr Savill said he was honoured and added: "I've been very lucky in my career. In Oxford I have been associated with very able and special students and many have gone on to have distinguished careers."
The RFS Gold Medal is a rarely awarded honour, presented to people who have offered outstanding services to forestry and who may not have been acknowledged through other national honours. Winners over the last decade have included Cyril Hart, author of books such as the forester's 'Bible' , Practical Forestry for the Agent and Surveyor; John Fletcher who established Tree Aid and RFS Past President Tony Spencer who devised the system of restructuring large even-aged monocultures such as Kielder Forest .
