#WomenInForestry – meet Veronique Borcherds
Sappi Forests, KwaZulu-Natal
Forest Manager Own Operations KZN South
Qualifications
- National Diploma Forestry
- Business Management certificate
- New Managers Development Programme Certificate (USB)
Forestry career: 11 years
As the Forest Manager for own operations, I am responsible for the overall management of Sappi own operations of +/- 200 people that are focusing on harvesting timber in Sappi plantation within the Umkomaas district KZN. My team and I are responsible to drive the safety and production goals for the operations. Safety is one of our key priorities of keeping our employees safe and our operations incident free whilst still producing the tonnage to our Saiccor and Tugela mills. My role involves working with employees, safety management, cost management, fleet management, employee well-being, training and development and providing technical assistance to my forester and teams on the ground on how to achieve our production targets.
WHY I LOVE WORKING IN THE FORESTRY SECTOR
I love working in forestry because it is an incredibly challenging industry and there is never a dull moment, you are always challenged to think out of the box and think on your feet. It also stretches you to focus on multiple tasks, you have to consider safety, the environment, being productive and cost effective and then you also get to interact with communities and different business forums, traditional councils and the list goes on. I just enjoy how it gives me a vast exposure to not just forestry focused industries, but it stretches beyond just forestry.
MY ADVICE TO THOSE EXPLORING A CAREER IN FORESTRY
Forestry has traditionally been a male dominated industry and women are still progressing in making our mark in the forestry sector, therefor I would encourage young women to pursue it. There is a certain strength and resilience that forestry brings out in you also the unique approach women have to leadership and management is something the industry can really benefit from. I would like to see women not just taking on the positions in admin or finance but leading in the operational spheres of forestry, becoming harvesting specialist, area managers etc.
