Passing on the passion

Mia Gordon, Graduate Forester, has only been with the company for just a year and was invited by Discover Forestry to talk to a select group of Year 9-13 students who are part of the young farmers group at Southland Girls High.

Discover Forestry is a non-profit organisation which provides education programmes to inspire youth and inform them about the incredibly diverse forestry industry.

Mia says it was great to be able to share her experience with the girls. “I wish someone had come to my school and told me about the opportunities in forestry. It wasn’t an industry that was talked about by my teachers and it wasn’t until I spoke with a friend’s mother involved in the sector, that I even realised there was a career path there,” says Mia.

Matariki Forests will be hosting a field trip for the students to visit one of its forests for a close-up look at forestry operations and what the industry can offer.

Mia, who loves the outdoors, had started a fine arts degree but was always drawn to biology and engineering. So when a university careers advisor suggested that if she loved nature and had a passion for the environment, then a career in forestry could be a good option, she switched degrees and has never looked back.

“My job is absolutely awesome. I have plenty of autonomy, manage my own areas, have great guidance and supervision from the team who have a wealth of experience and knowledge to tap into.

“There’s a misconception that you’re going to be only working in monocultures, and in my job that couldn’t be further from the truth. I get to explore pockets of native areas across the region which we manage alongside the crop trees,” says Mia.

“There’s a very strong environmental focus and I feel like I’m getting paid to make a real difference. I’m excited to continue growing my knowledge and learning from great people.”