This year saw eight arboriculture students given awards as the top students on their courses.

From the BSc (Hons) arboriculture degree, Paul Melarange, from Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, won the soil science award, Claire Harbinson, from Shepton Mallet, Somerset, won the Institute of Chartered Foresters best student award, and Rebecca Gawthorpe, from Scarborough, won the Myerscough progress award.

Aran Kimberlee, from South Brent, Devon, won the landscape planning group best dissertation award for the BSc (Hons) arboriculture degree online.

Jenny Metcalf, from Bolton, won the Myerscough College best student award, for the FdSc arboriculture degree.

From the National Diploma in Arboriculture, Owain Holland, from Ormskirk, won the Tree Link award and Lee Walker, from Blackpool, won the Dick Leigh cup practical award. Christopher Fairbairn, from Barrowford, East Lancashire, won the Leonard Cheshire Homes salver award for the first diploma in arboriculture.

The awards recognise the exceptional dedication and commitment that they have put into their studies.

Paul Melarange will now set up his own arboriculture consultancy business. Claire Harbinson is looking to combine further research with work in the industry, hopefully with an international component. Rebecca Gawthorpe plans to go over to Vancouver to further her study at the University of British Columbia. Jenny Metcalfe will apply the skills and knowledge gained from the course to her day to day work. Lee Walker will begin a full-time position with D.R Tree Surgeons with whom he completed a mid-year work placement with. Aran Kimberlee, Owain Holland and Christopher Fairbairn will all now progress on to the next level of education at Myerscough College.