Women in the forest: How to change forestry in Bavaria!

Women in the forest: How to change forestry in Bavaria!

In the forests on the Allgäu Alb, a quiet revolution is loud: The role of women in forestry gains visibility. "Traditionally, forest work is often associated with men," a participant noticed at the last walk of the forest of the forestry community (FBG) Füssen. In fact, a lot has changed. According to the report from the Allgäuer Zeitung are about 10 percent of the forest owners, something around 100 female forest owners. The trend is also evident in other regions: in larger FBG such as Marktoberdorf and Kaufbeuren, the proportion is around 20 percent. Bavaria even impressive 40 percent!

This change makes it easier to recognize and appreciate the space of women in forestry. The FEM4FOREST project, headed by the Slovenia forest institute, is aimed at this. It combines 14 partners from ten countries, including Austria and Germany, to put the various roles of women in forestry more into the spotlight. The project builds on a collaboration with regional forestry offices and the interest group of female forest owners, as the LWF Bayern

women in the forest - a growing community

One of the main goals of the project is to increase the visibility and competencies of women in forestry. In Bavaria, almost half of the forest owners have around 500,000 hectares of forest, which corresponds to 20 percent of the total forest area. However, the proportion of female specialists in forestry is still low on the labor market. This is where the FEM4FOREST project comes in to create new opportunities and to promote gender equality.

The knowledge collected during the forest and the pilot projects carried out are promising. With innovative approaches to education and mentoring, the active participation of women in forest management and decision -making processes is intended to strengthen. The multi-actor approach ensures that both experts and interested women are actively involved in the design of practical training and mentoring programs.

A look into the future

The participants of the last event in Füssen experienced how much nicer and diverse working in the forest is. "We need more female role models in management positions and in the labor market of forestry," said one of the forester. And that is also the goal of the FEM4FOREST project: A modern FEM4FOREST model is to be developed, which is based on a demand-based action plan and an awareness campaign. Not only can the employment rate of young women in rural areas of the Danube region be increased, but also enabled long -term integration of women into forestry.

In a time when environmental protection and sustainable management of the forests are becoming increasingly important, women in forestry can make a significant contribution. Their knowledge and perspectives enrich the industry and let the future of forests shine in a new light.