A Day in the Life of…
Michael Dickinson, our Forester & Estate Maintenance Worker
A few miles north-east of Leicester, there’s an undulating landscape knitted together in a patchwork of fields, woodland and hedgerows that is home to Michael Dickinson, our ‘man on the ground’, quite literally, on the Little Dalby Estate.
Forestry has always been Michael’s passion. After completing a two-year City & Guilds course at Riseholme College, he began his career on many private estates, then was prompted to make the move to the Trust. Michael explains:
On private estates the emphasis is more on commercial forestry. It was the educational element that attracted me to the Trust. Enabling people to experience the outdoors and woodland is one of the great things we do.
Over the past 16 years, Michael’s work has followed the seasons across the 5,600 acre estate, particularly the natural rhythm of the woods. Winter brings essential felling for tree safety and good forestry management, always scheduled outside the bird-nesting season. Autumn and winter are also for replanting – last year saw him replacing large numbers of roadside trees lost to ash dieback, following the Trust’s regular tree safety surveys along public roads and rights of way.
Observing the woodland with a familiarity and understanding that speak to his years of experience, Michael is always on the lookout for older trees, particularly those vulnerable to high winds.
At the moment we’re about to remove a tree from a playground that has become unsafe, just one example of the constant vigilance required.
Michael liaises with contractors and plans large forestry and tree safety projects, ensuring the work causes as little disruption as possible to farm tenants and the local communities.
Beyond forestry, his role on the Trust’s Little Dalby Estate has evolved over the years:
“As an estate worker, I’m on hand to deal with issues across the estate, which is important as I’m the only staff member based here, which is nearly 100 miles from our head office in Gloucestershire. I enjoy working with our contractors and tenants, and my interest in environmental and habitat improvement has grown – it’s now an integral part of what I do.”
Alongside the estate’s woodlands, the Trust manages 600 acres of in-hand farmland under a Higher-Level Stewardship Scheme, aiming to enhance environmental outcomes over a ten-year period. One of the Trust’s farm tenants, Dan Belcher oversees day-to-day operations, but a major capital project is under way to install new fencing and water supplies, coppice trees, and plant new trees and hedgerows. One initiative excites Michael in particular:
We have many ideas for the site, but I’m especially interested in our aspiration to plant a new seven-hectare woodland to the south of the site. I’m working closely with colleagues and external agencies to plan the project and hope to see it realised in the coming years
Michael’s work embodies the Ernest Cook Trust’s commitment to both caring for the land and inspiring people to connect with nature. His days may be shaped by the seasons, but his eye is firmly on the future—ensuring that Little Dalby’s landscapes will continue to thrive for generations to come.
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