Rangers touch wood as top award beckons

RANGERS working for the Forestry Commission in South Yorkshire have won a national award for their work with people in former coalfield areas, where new woodlands have been created.

South Yorkshire’s team of rangers won the “Understanding and engaging with communities award” at the Civil Service diversity and equality awards 2010 and will now go forward to the overall Civil Service awards, to be held at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, November 11.

Judges commended the rangers for their work in encouraging access to local woodlands. Particular highlights, the judges said, included providing interpreters for deaf people so that they can participate in wildlife surveys and conservation work at Phoenix Park in Thurnscoe, near Barnsley and at Bentley Community Wood in Doncaster, as well as offering training opportunities and apprenticeships at woodlands throughout South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

Social forestry manager Jo Atkinson, who nominated the South Yorkshire and East Midlands team, said: “It is fantastic that the hard work, dedication and achievements of the team have been officially recognised.

“We pride ourselves on serving the community and that means engaging with everyone who lives locally to any of our sites.

“The fact that we can bring new visitors to woodland while also helping people to learn new skills, make new friends and grow in confidence is huge bonus for us,” added Ms Atkinson.