SWC Forest Products Scholarships 2017

University of Canterbury forestry student picks up major award

A University of Canterbury forestry student has just received top forest industry honours with a major scholarship being awarded. This year’s Southern Wood Council (SWC) Scholarship has been awarded to Logan Robertson, a Bachelor of Forestry Science student, studying at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch.

The Scholarship is the sixth that has been awarded to students as part of an annual scholarship programme set up by the Council in 2011. The annual scholarship awarded by the SWC is one of the most prestigious and valuable awarded to forestry students in New Zealand. In any one year, the SWC has up to $13,500 committed to three student scholarships.

Logan, born and raised in Southland has farming and forestry in his blood. Both of his grandfathers were bushmen in Southland and on his father’s side, his grandfather worked as a bushman in Canada, moving to Tuatapere in the early 60’s to continue his with his trade. Logan has continued family traditions studying forestry whilst working on wilding pine control eradication in Arthurs Pass over his holiday break. Logan is in his second year of study.

“The Annual Scholarship is an opportunity for forestry and wood products companies in the lower South Island to put back something into the industry and to support outstanding students studying towards either the Forestry Science or Forest Engineering courses at the School of Forestry” says SWC Chairman, Grant Dodson.

“The SWC is delighted to award this year’s scholarship to Logan and the industry is keen to continue to support all of the current scholarship recipients, both in their study – and in their future employment” says Mr Dodson.

The University Scholarship is offered each year by the SWC in addition to running a major industry training and awards programme for the forestry, wood products and transport industries in the lower South Island in Dunedin in May of each year.