Women in Forestry 2023

In a first-of-its-kind celebration of women in forestry, the Forestry Commission, Forestry England and Forest Research have commissioned The People’s Picture to create a photo mosaic. The mosaic will feature women from across the forestry sector and general public to illustrate the connection today’s women have with forests and woodlands.

We invite you to submit photos showing yourself in a favourite forest spot, either related to your work or enjoying woodland spaces. The mosaic will go on display at the Forestry England exhibition: Women in Forestry, The Lumberjills’ Story hosted at Grizedale Forest from May – December 2023. 

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

Submit your Image/s:

We want to celebrate women and forestry through images of women in forests either working in them or enjoying them.

  • NUpload your photos and stories here
  • NUpload a selfie or a portrait of you, a female relative or friend, your team or your colleagues in the forest
  • NSubmit as many pictures as you like. We need hundreds and thousands!
  • NPlease check that you have permission to use the photo, especially if it features other people
  • NSee your photo and story appear live in the gallery below and on social media
  • NSpread the word and help us capture stories of women in forestry

“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

Gallery

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.

The People’s Picture 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