“Forestry is a field for everyone
I belong to forestry equally as a woman.”
IFSA delegate opinion at Women’s Forest Congress
I was dragging my little suitcase and sore body after a very long day of travel into the Intercontinental hotel in Minneapolis. Suddenly, “Giggles, laughter, and chit-chats” chimed over my eyes. Never had my eyes witnessed over four hundred women, yes, women of all colors, backgrounds, and ages, under one roof of the forestry sector.
“But why did you choose a field meant for men?”,
Over the six years of my career in forestry, I have heard this question over and over again. Whether that was hiking up in the mountains of Nepal for field visits or at a thanksgiving dinner at my friend’s house here in Canada, my identity to the world as a forester is always countered by a question mark.
When I heard about the Inaugural Women’s Forest Congress for the first time in May at the XV World Forestry Congress, I immediately knew this was the moment and platform through which I could roar loudly to everyone who doubts that forestry isn’t a sector for women. My desire was strong as I was invited to the congress to serve as a delegate for the theme “Supporting Each Other.”
While Angela Coleman was quoting, “We need women supporting women as allies’ ‘ in the congress, I reflected on my own journey in forestry from an institution in Nepal to the congress in the USA, which was possible through the support, belief, and inspiration of several women mentors, I have met at RECOFTC WAVES Program, Female Foresters’ Network Nepal and International Forestry Students Association.
I am a woman of forestry
As a Young Woman of Color from the Global South, my intersectionality helped me represent multiple women in our diverse sector. From Theresa Klara Loch, Head of Gender Sub-commission in IFSA advocating for gender equality in forestry education to Dhanamaya BK, a Community Forestry leader from Nepal, Sarah Namiiro, a student of color like me in North America building her strong foundation in research. I gracefully carried these identities into the congress, on the discussions, and my contribution to passing the resolutions.
Delegates for Supporting Each Other theme
Over the course of three days, discussions on the importance of diverse perceptions, ideas, and experiences were shared by women through their unique stories. Some of these included stories of women leaders like Sujita Dhaka, who is creating WAVES of female leaders in the forestry sector of Nepal. Kathy Abusow, CEO of Sustainable Forest Initiative, about the mentor-mentee learning opportunities through the Green Mentorship Program. Natalie Warren’s experience of interconnecting nature, community, and development during her adventurous paddle to Hudson Bay from Minneapolis has excited and inspired me to take the next adventure in my own world of forestry.
Forestry has moved beyond the historical definition of just trees, wider into landscapes, deeper into communities, and broader into data and technology.
Multiple challenges are evolving in forestry with this increasing scope. The Congress thereby brought together women from different sectors (academia, policymakers, researchers, advocates, community practitioners, and other International students like me to draft common solutions needed to address today’s challenges in forestry. Specific resolutions on congress themes, i. Equitable and Inclusive leadership ii. Supporting each other iii. Building workforce opportunities, and iv. Catalyze Change in the forestry sector was endorsed gracefully at the end of the congress.
The Congress has ignited a deep sense of enthusiasm in me, I was able to meet, talk and listen to mentors and idols in our sector. The congress helped me navigate answers to the questions I have been asked over the years. Today, a month after the congress, I am confident enough to roar aloud to anyone that “forestry is a field for everyone.”
Author: Apsana Kafle, Regional Representative for North America
