HARPER Adams Countryside and Environmental Management graduate Alex Gregory has been named the winner of this year’s Tilhill Top Student Award.

As part of Tilhill’s work to strengthen links with future forestry, harvesting, and ecology managers, the company presents awards to top-performing students at universities offering degrees in forestry-related subjects across the UK.

Alex’s award was presented by David Crozier, Tilhill Wales senior forest manager – himself a Harper Adams alumnus – at the university’s 2022 graduation ceremony.

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Alex, from Suffolk, studied Sustainable Forestry and Forestry Products on his BSc (Hons) Countryside and Environmental Management degree.

He spent his placement year at an ecological consultancy as an assistant ecologist and has secured a job there following graduation and is looking to further his education with an MSc in conservation or environmental forestry.

Upon receiving the Tilhill award of £250 prize money and a wooden carved trophy, Alex said: “I’d like to express my sincere thanks to Tilhill for presenting me with this award. It was an unexpected surprise.”

He added: “I really enjoyed the forestry-related modules on my course and realise how important the sustainable management of global and national forest resources is for both present and future generations.”

David Crozier added: “It’s a pleasure to see such a high standard of graduates coming from the countryside sector and it gives us all hope for the future.

“We hope to see enthusiastic graduates like Alex applying for the Tilhill 2023 graduate programme which opens for applications in December.”

www.tilhill.com