By Jen Weimer

We’ve come a long way, baby, but not far enough. Forestry is, and has historically been, a male-dominated field. Women currently make up only 15% of forestry and conservation workers, but not from a lack of interest. Fifty years ago, women struggled to be accepted into forestry programs based on their gender alone. Even today women contend with sexist professors who tell them they “aren’t strong enough” or they “don’t look like a forester.” It is not surprising then that women make up only 23% of undergraduate students enrolled in forestry programs. For women who do graduate with forestry degrees, some experience gender biases during the hiring process and find it difficult to get hired. Women often switch from traditional forestry to fields such as urban forestry or land conservation, which often have more female representation.

Even women who succeed in the industry face ongoing challenges such as sexism and sexual assault; favoritism and gaslighting; being overlooked in meetings and undervalued in leadership roles; and finding properly fitting safety equipment. Connecting with other woman may help individuals overcome these obstacles. Fortunately, it’s becoming easier for women to network and find support through social media groups, online zoom chats, and in person workshops developed specifically by and for women. Here are four such resources to help ensure success in your forestry career.

Women Foresters Collaborative is a group that supports New England women in forestry related fields, including students and professionals. Though informal and primarily active on Facebook, the collaborative also organizes an annual gathering. Meeting attendees – mostly foresters or forestry students – come from all over New England.

Levine became the first female consulting forester in the Northeast when she started her company Forest Care in 1978, after struggling to find a job in forestry. She had a successful 41-year career prior to retiring a couple of years ago. She is also a writer and co-authored the book "Working with Your Woodland: A Landowners Guide" in 1983 with Mollie Beattie, the first female director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition, Levine is the owner of Heartwood Press and has published six other books.

Another co-founder and top contributor to the group is Karen Bennett, who worked for the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension as a county forester and extension specialist for 40 years before retiring in 2019. She was also the project manager and editor for "Good Forestry in the Granite State: Recommended Voluntary Forest Management Practices for New Hampshire," which is currently undergoing its third revision. In addition, Bennett has been the recipient of numerous awards over her career and has served on the board of the Society of American Foresters.

Levine says the mission of the group is to empower women and help them know that they are not alone. The annual gathering, which includes lodging, meals, and field tours, allows women the chance to network and learn from other women in the industry. This year’s gathering is in the planning stages. Financial support for meetings and scholarships are provided by SAF Foresters Fund grants.

Women in the Woods is an initiative that connects women landowners and forest managers with resources that enable them to make sound stewardship decisions. The program, which officially began in 2022, builds on decades of women-focused programming and is a collaboration between the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension (UNHCE), the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association (NHTOA), the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF), and other partners such as the US Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). A US Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration Grant provides funding.

The program includes a website and blog; a newsletter with over 850 subscribers; workshops on tree ID, tracking, and chainsaw skills; and an annual Women Landowner Summit that fosters skills, connections, and resources for women managing land. Last year’s summit hosted around 90 participants, with a diverse age range, from every county in New Hampshire. The program’s success is guided by ongoing evaluations and a 2022 statewide needs assessment, which captured input from 415 women landowners to tailor programming effectively.

Additionally, the Forest Service grant funds to a Women’s Forest Planning Program that supports the creation of forest management plans for women-owned forest land. Participants range from recent landowners motivated to start planning to women who have owned their land for decades but lacked resources or guidance to act. There are currently 40 landowners enrolled and about a third of the plans have been completed and funded so far.

The Women in the Woods program is staffed by four women from UNHCE: Haley Andreozzi, an Extension State Specialist in Wildlife Conservation; Wendy Scribner, an Extension Forestry Field Specialist; Amy Gaudreau, an Extension Field Specialist in Forest Resources; and Lindsay Watkins, an Extension Field Specialist in Forest Resources. Other cooperators include NHTOA Program Coordinator Cheri Birch, SPNHF Managing Forester Wendy Weisiger, and NRCS Soil Conservationist Ashley Newell.

This year’s Women Landowner Summit will be held on March 7, 2025, at The Rocks in Bethlehem, NH. Topics include forest management planning, wildlife habitats, maple sugaring, tree and shrub identification, wildlife track and sign, trail planning and maintenance, and more.

Women in Trees is a group open to women who are working or interested in working in any tree related field. The group is active through monthly zoom meetings where women in the industry network, provide support, discuss professional development, and share tips on work/life balance. Their website highlights diverse women in urban forestry to inspire young women and highlight different pathways into the industry.

The group was started by Rebecca Johnson, a consulting arborist in Texas, who missed connecting with women at meetings that were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. With her company Arborholic LLC she specializes in providing arboricultural education and services such as tree inventories, tree management plans, and urban forestry program reviews for small communities and colleges. Rebecca also provides individual education consultations and landscape inspections for homeowners and has served on the board of directors for the Texas Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture.

Rebecca would like to change the face of the industry so that when thinking of an urban forester, one is as likely to think of a woman just as much as a man. She sources photos for the website from women in the group, highlighting themselves at work, to show women the diversity of careers available working with trees. Another focus of the group is to improve PPE for women, and some members are working with manufactures and OSHA to make improvements to safety gear. The group meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm Central Time.

Women in Wood is a networking forum that brings together women who work in the woods, with wood, or for the woods from across Canada and around the world to share their love for the woods. The Facebook group currently has over 3,300 members, primarily women aged 25–44, with 17% based in the US. The forum is a space for women to connect, share experiences, and foster community. Initially informal, the group evolved into a platform hosting meetups, events, and discussions, including fireside chats at conferences.

Co-founded by Lacey Rose and Jessica Kaknevicius, the forum is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Kaknevicius is the Chief Executive Officer of Forests Canada – a national forestry nonprofit focused on conservation and restoration across Canada – and Rose is a county forester in Ontario. The two met at a male-dominated meeting and came up with the idea over a few beers. Together they’ve cultivated a growing network of women, inspiring local chapters and initiatives across Canada and beyond.

Gatherings at conferences are open to everyone, including men. Rose and Kaknevicius say that men show up and listen. They find that integrating these discussions into broader forestry events increases dialogue about challenges faced by women in forestry and promotes allyship with men. While women-focused spaces remain vital, engaging men is valuable in shifting perceptions and fostering collaboration across gender lines.

FIND MORE INFORMATION ONLINE:

Women Foresters Collaborative: facebook.com/groups

Women in the Woods: extension.unh.edu/natural-resources/forests-trees/woodlot-management/women-woods

Women in Trees: arborholic.com/women-in-trees

Women in Wood: womeninwood.ca

 

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