When Laura Learned About Trees, Walking Through the Forest Felt Like Entering Narnia

Last week, we spoke with Anders Brunstad Haarbye about how to build the best collaboration with your machine operator. This week, we had a chat with Laura Bjerre Jordans about her education in forest and landscape engineering and her passion for forestry. 

Originally from Copenhagen, Laura made the move to Nøddebo to start her studies in Forest and Landscape Engineering, while her friends stayed in the city. Today, she works at HedeDanmark in the Customer and Innovation department. 

With both of her parents working in the climate and environmental sectors, it was almost inevitable that Laura would develop a love for nature.

After just a few classes at the Forest and Landscape College (Skovskolen) in Nøddebo, Laura noticed her perspective on nature begin to shift.

“After learning about trees in our first lessons, walking through the forest felt like stepping through Narnia’s wardrobe into a completely new world. It was suddenly a whole new experience being in nature,” she recalls.

Her studies, which also covered landscape management, gave her a deeper understanding of how nature works as an interconnected system.

“Suddenly, I knew about different types of ecosystems – and how it made a difference whether it was a cow or a horse grazing in a field,” she continues.

Although the course covered much more than just forestry, Laura was particularly fascinated by the long-term impact of working with trees. Being able to stand among trees planted by previous generations and see how their decisions shaped the forest years later was captivating for her.

From Theory to Practise: A Natural Transition

The forest and landscape engineering programme includes an internship from April to September, which Laura speaks highly of. 

“Doing an internship not only provided practical experience but also gave me the chance to build a network within the industry,” she explains.

Years after completing her internship at HedeDanmark, Laura still emphasises the importance of being given responsibility and trusted during that time.

“You were given responsibility quickly, even as an intern. It made it much easier to take ownership when moving into a full-time role,” she adds.

The Importance of Sustainability and Certifications

In her daily role in HedeDanmark’s Customer and Innovation department, Laura works on certifications, climate, biodiversity, communication, and education. In the certification team, she helps certify forests and supports forest managers in meeting the requirements of modern forestry.

“I think it's really important that we certify forest management. It helps demonstrate to the wider world that we manage the forests sustainably and responsibly,” Laura says.

She emphasises that certification plays a key role in ensuring forests are preserved for future generations. When asked if she would recommend certification to forest owners, her answer is immediate:

“I encourage everyone to get certified.”

She explains that certification is not just a good idea because of increasing demand from companies buying timber. The added documentation also provides proof that forests are managed responsibly, without over-exploitation.

“We Must Not Forget the Importance of Production Forests”

One of the major debates in forest management is the balance between production forests and untouched forests.

Laura acknowledges the strong focus on biodiversity, especially in light of the 75,000 hectares designated as untouched forest. However, she warns against overlooking the need for production forests, which are vital for future timber production.

“There needs to be space for both production areas and biodiversity areas,” she says.

At Forsler, we've previously highlighted the campaign “Thanks to the Forest”, which focuses on the importance of wood in our daily lives.

While Danes love their wooden furniture, they are less keen on the idea of trees being cut down in Denmark – a contrast Laura has also noticed.

She stresses the importance of balancing both:

“It’s just as important to have production areas as it is to have biodiversity areas – and understanding that there’s room for both is crucial. If you certify your forest, you can manage it for production while also setting aside areas for biodiversity,” she explains.

The Future of Forestry is Digital

Looking ahead, Laura envisions a future for forestry that incorporates both biodiversity and production. She highlights that digitalisation will play an increasing role, particularly in mapping biodiversity.

“We know a lot about trees and how they grow, but we don’t know as much about biodiversity. I believe new digital tools can help us with that.”

However, despite the benefits of digitalisation, Laura believes it will never replace the human presence in the forest:

“No matter how many digital tools we have, we won’t be keeping forest managers out of the woods. They still need to be out there. That’s why many people choose this career path – to get away from the office and be in nature,” she concludes.

As the demands on forests grow – both legally and from users of the forest – communication from the forestry sector is more important than ever.

“People are increasingly asking why we do what we do. Communication helps us explain our work and maintain our licence to operate.

Laura Bjerre Jordans’ story is not just about how a love for nature can shape an entire career. It also shows how forestry work is constantly evolving. What Laura learned during her studies just a few years ago is different from what the latest group of students are learning today.

Work in the forest is ever-evolving, requiring flexibility and a willingness to learn new things – whether you’re newly qualified or have decades of experience under your belt.