Room G6, Thoday Building

Bangor University

Bangor Gwynedd LL57 2UW Wales

Telephone: +44(0)1248 382448

Email: j.walmsley@bangor.ac.uk

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, Pryor and Rickett 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 (such as Llyn Parc Mawr)
• 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.  The following are just a few examples:

• Top placements with Natural Resources Wales for three exceptional Bangor forestry students
• Graduate profiles (distance learning)
• The most decorated BSc Forestry graduates for a generation?
• Blazing a trail into the forestry profession
• Where can a BSc Forestry degree from Bangor University take you?
• MSc Forestry distance learning graduate wins writing prize at Houses of Parliament
• Tropical Forestry students publish findings from their research in Ghana
• MSc Forestry (distance learning) student receives special Silviculture Award

Course Director (postgraduate): 

• MSc Forestry (distance learning)

Module Organiser:

• DXX-2010 Forest and Woodland Management
• DXX-3705 The Forestry Profession
• DXX-4530 Forest Management Planning
• DDL-4999 MSc Dissertation
• DXX-4532 Forestry Field Course

Module Contributor:

• DXX-1003 Forestry in the 21st Century
• DXX-1006 Making Snowdonia
• DXX-2016 Forestry Field Course
• DXX-3701 Honours Project
• DXX-3702 Management Plan
• DXX-3507 Renewable Energy
• DDL-4536 Urban Forestry
• DXX-4101 MEnvSci / MFor Dissertation

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 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 2019, this has involved well over 100 scholars from over 20 different countries.

I oversee these scholarships, with fantastic support from a number of colleagues.  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