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³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has been ranked first amongst all UK universities in the "Agriculture and Forestry" subject area in the . 

This top ranking in such a well-regarded national guide confirms ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ’s outstanding excellence in conservation, forestry, and land management education and research. The result is based on measures including student satisfaction, teaching quality, graduate employability, research impact and entry standards.

Consistently among the UK’s best

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has a long-standing reputation for Agriculture & Forestry, previously ranking second in the 2024 Guide. Achieving the top spot this year confirms the University’s position as one of the UK’s leading institutions in these fields.

John Healey, Professor of Forest Science at ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ, commented:

The forestry group at ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ are delighted that the excellence of our forestry, agroforestry, conservation and land management teaching has been recognised by this fantastic outcome.  ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ was the first University in the UK to teach degrees in forestry, starting more than 120 years ago. Our teaching is built on world leading research to address the challenges of sustainable forest management and conservation in the face of huge threats to the global climate and biodiversity.  Our ranking of first in the UK by the Times and Sunday Times is matched by a record number of students since the 1990s starting their BSc degrees in forestry subjects in ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ this week.

Professor Nia Whiteley, Head of School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, added:

This recognition is a tribute to the vibrant community of students and staff, which along with our research expertise, makes ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ such an inspiring place to study forestry, conservation, land management.

World-class teaching and research

Students in the School of Environment and Natural Sciences benefit from hands-on fieldwork in one of the UK’s most diverse landscapes, ranging from coastal ecosystems to upland forests. Our teaching is informed by our research excellence brought together in two interdisciplinary research areas Conservation and Restoration of Resilient Ecosystems (drawing on expertise across ecology, oceanography, remote sensing, policy and economics to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises) and Sustainable Food Production (which focuses on improving the sustainability of agricultural, agroforestry, fisheries and aquaculture systems through resource-efficient production and supply chains).

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ also boasts its own research farm, Henfaes Research Centre, which is often the focal point of activity. Henfaes Manager and Professor of Agriculture & Environment, Prysor Williams, commented:

Henfaes offers students and researchers unrivalled opportunities to study contrasting environments from sea-level to amongst the highest land in Wales, with diverse soils, habitats, climate, and management. We have a host of cutting-edge trials and experiments that generate great research outputs but also serve as inspiration for our student visits.

Dr Leejiah Dorward, director of the Environmental Conservation course, which contributed to the ranking added: 

As the UK’s top university for Agriculture & Forestry, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ will continue to lead the way in sustainable land management and conservation science.  

Find out more about studying at ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ:

Undergraduate

• Conservation
• Forestry

 Postgraduate

• Agroforestry and Food Security
• Conservation and Land Management
• Environmental Forestry
• Tropical Forestry 
• Wildlife Conservation