Faces of Forestry

Forestry England | 2023

In a first-of-its-kind celebration of women in forestry, the Forestry Commission, Forestry England and Forest Research, supported by Defra, have commissioned The People’s Picture to create a photo mosaic that is now on display at the Forestry England exhibition: Women in Forestry, The Lumberjills’ Story hosted at Grizedale Forest from May to December 2023.

The exhibition celebrates the contribution of the Lumberjills, a group of women who played a vital role in maintaining the supply of timber in WWII.

The giant mosaic created by the People’s Picture features over 2,000 publicly submitted photographs, past and present, of women from across the forestry sector and the general public. It will be on display throughout the exhibition., as well as available to view online below as a virtual interactive artwork. Thank you to all the women who submitted photographs. photographs.  Please explore the mosaic below illustrating the connection today’s women have with forests and woodlands.

Zoom In

“Doing this as my work, being a part of this ecosystem of woodland and doing something which influences it is profoundly satisfying. To be a small part of a bigger picture, watching it unfold around you, knowing it will be here long after you’ve left, is a great privilege.”

Kate Jordan

Learning and Engagement Officer, Grizedale Forest

Exhibition

Photography by Dayve Ward

Submissions


2032 photos found.

Further Information

Women have long played a role in modern forestry but are underrepresented. As tree planting across the country increases, so does the demand for a larger skilled domestic forestry sector to deliver Government tree planting and net zero ambitions. There are a wide range of careers in forestry available for women from all backgrounds, from being a forester, ecologist, or tree surgeon, to working in conservation to scientific research. There are also lots of exciting wider roles linked to our nation’s forests, from business planning and management to leisure and tourism.

Forestry England is supported by the government’s £750 million Nature for Climate Fund, part of which will kick-start a step-change in tree planting in England. This will help us achieve our commitment to increasing and protecting our biodiversity by providing habitat connectivity, as well as capturing carbon as part of the pathway to net zero emissions by 2050.

Celebrate Women in Forestry 2023