(interviewed im Jahr 2025)

Dagmar Möbius

For Cora Pfarre, studying anything other than Forest Sciences in Tharandt was never an option. Since completing a post-grad internship, the Dresden native has been living and working in the United Kingdom. Her English colleagues recently sang her praises as a "star of the industry." As a TUD alumni ambassador, she supports the exchange between the two countries and is also happy to share her expertise with her alma mater. 

Since she was 14 years old, Cora knew that she wanted to work with animals and nature, so she made sure to complete internships at the Moritzburg game reserve every year. This is part of the Saxon State Forestry Management (German: Staatsbetrieb Sachsenforst). "The work in the forest is so varied," enthuses the 35-year-old.

From the forests of Tharandt to the gondolas of Venice 

In 2009, she began her bachelor's degree in Forest Sciences at TU Dresden. The faculty’s good reputation in Tharandt and the proximity to her family were deciding factors in her decision to continue studying in her home region. In the subsequent Master's degree program from 2012 to 2014, Cora decided to focus on biodiversity and organisms. And she has never looked back. She fondly remembers the different teaching projects and excursions. "At one point, we were really looking forward to a trip to Vladivostok. But due to severe forest fires, we had to look for an alternative. So we ended up on a tour of Eastern Europe with Professor Albrecht Bemmann and Professor Werner Große (Forestry and Timber Industry in Eastern Europe) in two vans. We visited Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. It was the hottest summer for a long time and I was really interested to learn what kind of wood was used to build the gondolas in Venice," recalls the forestry scientist.

How to scare off wolves and prevent animals gnawing away at trees

A project supervised by Professor Sven Herzog (Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology and Management at the Institute of Silviculture and Forest Protection) brought her back to the Moritzburg game reserve. Cora focused her efforts on the "olfactory and acoustic deterrence of wolves." She wrote her Bachelor's thesis on pheasantwood and the wild service tree – plants that grow in the historic forest of Wermsdorf, Saxony. In her Master's thesis, she turned her attention to reporting on how trees are subjected to animal damage. "When red deer nibble on the buds, forest owners have to somehow compensate for this," she explains. "I compared different models and examined the economic aspects." The title of the thesis is: "Monitoring methods for the assessment damage caused by game” (German: Überwachungsmethoden für die Bewertung von Wildschäden)

From UK scholarship holder to head forester

An Erasmus scholarship from the Leonardo Foundation enabled Cora to visit the UK as a Master's graduate. "Shortly after the defense of my thesis, I took my dog, got in the car and drove to England." A three-month internship at the Lancashire Wildlife Trust turned into more than ten years in the UK. "I've built a career here," says Cora. She was a conservation officer in London, she worked for a forestry office for three years and has been Head of Department at Maydencroft Ltd. since 2022. As Head Forester, she provides environmental and ecological services to companies across the country. "We advise forest owners," she explains. "This can include everything from forest planting and wildlife management to timber harvesting."

Highest accolade in the British forestry industry

At the end of February 2025, Cora was invited to Edinburgh by Confor, the industry association for British forestry. "I only found out when I got there that I was being given the award Tom A Bruce-Jones Memorial Award for Future Leaders 2025," she says happily. This is the highest accolade bestowed within the British forestry industry. Her commitment to sustainable silviculture, her teaching at the GreenSkills Academy and her leadership qualities were recognized and lauded. "I have worked really hard and I am delighted that my supervisor has nominated me for this award and that my commitment has been recognized," says the 35-year-old. Brexit could not put a dent in her career. "I now have a permanent residence permit. Nothing has changed for me. I'm staying put," she says.

50,000 kilometers per year

As part of her everyday work routine, Cora drives 50,000 kilometers through the United Kingdom every year. "Today was a bit boring," she laughs when asked to describe an exemplary working day. It was the forestry scientist's birthday on the day of the interview and she was working from home. But Monday was a typical working day: "In the morning, I drove two hours to Sussex. Three hectares were reforested there and I was checking whether the trees were growing. After that, I visited a forest in the Knepp Estate. This is a wilderness area where various renaturation techniques are applied and we advise on near-natural forest management. In the evening, there were two hours of remote office work on the schedule."

Passionate teacher and alumni ambassador

The first thing she did upon receiving the accolade was to write to her former faculty: "I am very grateful to TU Dresden for preparing me for my career in forestry and for working life. My forestry studies in Tharandt really laid the foundation for my career."

Cora has been an alumni ambassador* since 2016. "I believe in the exchange of information between countries," she says. She has received and responded to a number of inquiries, not only from forestry students. Most of them deal with everyday issues such as applying for jobs and finding accommodation in the UK. She has been organizing study trips for British forestry workers to Tharandt for three years. "This year, however, we're going to France," she says.

She really enjoys teaching and would also be happy to talk about her experiences in the English forestry industry at her former alma mater.

Contact:
Corazón Pfarre
Maydencroft Ltd
Head Forester

LinkedIn

*Alumni ambassadors are available as important contact persons in the countries they live in. In this way, they help others to find their footing in the new environment or establish contacts. Inquiries about an internship, job opportunities, or specific requests can be sent to the relevant contact: Contact details can be found on the interactive world map – ambassadors like Cora Pfarre are happy to receive your inquiries and provide support.