Room G6, Thoday Building

Bangor University

Bangor Gwynedd LL57 2UW Wales

Telephone: +44(0)1248 382448

Email: [email protected]

ResearchGate 

As a lecturer my primary focus is teaching and inspiring forestry students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.  

I'm interested in all aspects of forestry and my research experience reflects this: I've led my own research / supervised student research relating to topics including whole-tree harvesting and stump harvesting in UK forests, perceptions of tree disease, the domestic use of firewood, woodland establishment, nursery practice, policy analysis, cost-benefit analysis, re-wilding, artisanal charcoal production, Reduced Impact Logging in tropical forests, forest inventory and carbon sequestration and more.  

I take great pride in my teaching and I am fortunate to work in a collegiate and supportive university where the learning experience of all students is paramount.  I am always keen to celebrate the achievements and successes of our amazing students. You can find many such stories on this webpage as well as in recent forestry@bangor alumni newsletters.  Follow @BUForestry on Twitter to find out more! 

If you want to find out more about what my role entails, this (fairly) recent article published in the Forestry Journal will give you some idea.

I maintain active links across the forestry profession within the UK and beyond and use these to develop excellent opportunities for teaching, learning and research.  These include:

• Government agencies (such as Natural Resources Wales, Forestry England, Forestry Commission, Forestry and Land Scotland),
• Research agencies (such as Forest Research and the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana)
• Private forestry companies (such as Tilhill Forestry, Scottish Woodlands, Gresham House Forestry, Euroforest Siviculture, James Jones & Sons, etc)
• Non-governmental organisations (such as the Woodland Trust, National Trust, Llais y Goedwig)
• charitable bodies (such as the Royal Forestry Society and Woodland Heritage)
• professional organisations (the Institute of Chartered Foresters)
• community woodland groups 
• bangor forestry alumni who are dispersed across the UK and beyond

One of the best things about my job is helping the dreams of Bangor University students come true.  Take a look at the profiles of some of our postgraduates here: Graduate profiles and some of their activities here.

Programme Director (postgraduate): 

• MSc Forestry (distance learning)

Module Organiser:

• ENS-4304 Forest History, Policy and Management
• ENS-4321 MSc Dissertation
• ENS-4313 GIS for Forestry and Land Management
• ENS-4311 Forest Protection
• ENS-4314 Forest Management Planning
• ENS-4315 Forestry Study Tour

Module Contributor:

• ENS-1031 Forestry in the 21st Century
• ENS-2307 Silviculture and Inventory
• DXX-3701 Honours Project

Hi, I'm James.  The main focus of my work in Bangor University is supporting our forestry students and, in particular, the distance learning postgraduate programmes.

I really enjoy creating and facilitating an interactive teaching and learning experience and students at Bangor University clearly recognise this: I have been nominated for several Student Led Teaching Awards and in 2014 I was awarded a Teaching Fellowship by Bangor University.

I also act as mentor and staff liaison officer for the Bangor Forestry Students' Association (BFSA). 

Since 2023, I've been working closely with partners at the Centre for Forest Protection, to deliver a brand-new postgraduate module 'ENS-4311 Forest Protection'.  This module was a huge success when it ran for the first time in 2024-25.  I've been heavily involved in finalising a new agreement that will run until 2027.

Since 2011, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission has generously supported postgraduate distance learning students from developing commonwealth countries to study on our MSc Tropical Forestry programme.  Up to Autumn 2025, this has involved well over 150 scholars from over 20 different countries.

I oversaw these scholarships from 2011 to 2022, with fantastic support from a number of colleagues and continue to support these amazing scholars as best I can.  A particular highlight of this scheme is the Tropical Forestry Study Tour,.  Find out about some previous tours (and much more!) on this webpage.

Trustee, Woodland Heritage

Professional Member, Institute of Chartered Foresters

Committee Member, Royal Forestry Society (North Wales Division)

Committee Member, Continuous Cover Forestry Group (Wales)

Member, Snowdonia Society

Member, National Trust

Member, North Wales Wildlife Trust