Alumni Profile: Rachel Leman
 |
Degree: Forest Science 2001 Current Position: Manager, Logging Planning, ForestrySA Rachel Leman is a professional forester whose work is at the hub of a complex relationship between people, culture, commerce and the natural environment. Rachel says that when she first decided to study Forest Science, she never imagined the exciting opportunities that would become available to her. As a Young Forester award winner, Rachel made her first trip overseas in 2005 to live and work in the tropical rainforest of Guyana, South America. Here she shares a few of the highlights of her rewarding and challenging career path, both in Guyana and back at home in Australia. |
I’ve been employed with ForestrySA since graduating. One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about my career so far is having had a number of different positions, each one teaching me new skills.
I started as a Resource Planning Forester in Mount Gambier where my role was to put together cutting plans. From there I transferred to the position of Harvesting Forester in Adelaide, a role that involved project work, supervision of harvesting contractors, and dealing with customers.
I was later promoted to Manager Southern Hills Forest (Kuitpo), where I was in charge of Southern Hills Forest in a district forester-type role. There my tasks involved planning and overseeing planting, roading, harvesting, dealing with customers and managing a workgroup of about 15 staff.
In 2005 I was selected for the Commonwealth Forestry Association’s Young Forester Award, which is an overseas work placement and bursary for foresters under 35. I spent three months in Guyana, South America, working with village loggers in the indigenous Amerindian community of Surama. Although I’d never travelled outside Australia before, I was amazed at how rapidly I was able to adjust to the conditions.
Making my own bread, sleeping in a hammock and sharing my shower with frogs, lizards and snakes soon became part of daily life. I worked with the villagers to improve the organisation and financial management of their community logging co-operative, and to develop more efficient harvesting methods. This increased my knowledge not only about rainforest timber harvesting, but about negotiating between cultures and within difficult political circumstances.
I also worked with staff at a local agricultural college on a project to demonstrate the benefits of ‘agroforestry’ – combining tree planting with food crops. At the end of my stay, I was sad to leave this amazing place where the local people are so friendly and the environment is so significant. My time in Guyana was truly an amazing life experience. You can see my work diary, plus some photos, at www.cfa-international.org.
I came back to Australia and another promotion - my current position as Manager, Logging Planning, based in Mount Gambier. I supervise four staff directly with a team totalling 12, ensuring that our harvesting contractors are delivering their quotas to our customers in the Green Triangle Region.
I ensure that all contractors have appropriate areas allocated to them and that these areas match with customer orders. I also deal with contractors’ concerns and issues. I carry out all the tasks that are associated with managing a work group, and I’m involved in fire season as a duty officer for ForestrySA. Every day brings a new challenge.
I enjoy problem solving and working with my team to ensure the best possible outcomes for our contractors and customers. I also like being able to work both inside an office and in the field. One of the best things about studying at Melbourne was that I had the opportunity to spend two years at the Creswick campus near Ballarat – I particularly remember the field studies and work experience components. In my spare time I run and compete in half marathons and triathlons. I enjoy fitness in general.
