English In September 2023, Women and Diverse Genders in Forestry and Landwork (WDG for short!) had their first formal gathering in the form of a 3 day long skill share. WDG is a relatively new LWA identity group, which formed organically at the first annual national LWA Forestry gathering in spring 2022. The group started with a conversation about the lack of gender diversity in forestry and a feeling that there should be a space for women and diverse genders to share their experiences, learn from each other and find strength among each other to tackle issues of sexism, exclusion and discrimination in our workplaces.
“We are overworked, undervalued and undermined, it has become a ‘man’s job’ to do the ‘hard graft’ required to make a living in our fields and woods. And for women, or those marginalised by their genders, to complain about the nature of the work or to speak about a different way of doing things can be hard, because it can serve to confirm the false narrative that we can’t hack it, that we just aren’t strong enough, or that we’re too sensitive.”
The skill share was exclusively for women and diverse genders (those identifying as trans, non-binary, gender fluid, intersex, gender questioning and any other non confirming gender expressions). This was an important decision made to create an environment in which women and diverse genders could learn from each other without the inherent power dynamics which occur with cis men present. We attempted from the very beginning to create a space which encouraged openness and care so that we could learn from each other in the least judgemental and most supportive way.
Workshops included chainsaw maintenance, wood splitting, chainsaw demos, knot tying, hedgelaying, forestry practices, using and sharpening hand tools, we even had power tool workshops led by ‘In Her Hands’ a female and non-binary lead CIC empowering women and gender diverse people through DIY, and carpentry! It was a beautiful sight to pan around the field and see 45 women and gender diverse folk enthusiastically wielding axes, taking apart chainsaws and even holding a tool for the first time.
The event was held at Common Flora, a female led agroforestry project in South Devon. While a beautiful site, it was very exposed to the weather! On Sunday morning the winds picked up and forced an emergency packdown of our main marquee. This demonstrated the collaborative and supportive culture we all developed over the weekend as we worked so calmly together to safely complete the task at hand while the wind attempted to take the marquee over the rolling hills of Devon and far away.
As with any LWA event, eating good food together was central to the program. We took care to source all the fresh produce, including bread and cider, from local organic and LWA member farms and the meals were prepared by volunteers on each day.
Over the course of the weekend it felt like we managed to create a tiny model of the kind of society we’d like to live in, a glimmer of a possible future, and an example of the kind of culture our group is trying to foster- one in which everybody’s grievances are heard and welcome, where we are encouraged to speak freely, where we embrace diversity and listen to each others experiences and genuinely try to learn from them.
Of course it wasn’t perfect, being our first event we did learn a lot… aside from the over-catering of delicious food and alcohol and trying to jam a little too much into the program, we learned that as a group we want to become more understanding of people’s marginalised experiences. Whether they be pertaining to disability, neurodiversity, social standing, or race, by deepening this understanding, we hope to create a space which can lift those marginalised voices. Perhaps the most important lesson is understanding that trying to create a truly radical space of inclusion requires listening to those who the space is for and being open to respond to their needs.
“Over the course of the weekend it felt like we managed to create a tiny model of the kind of society we’d like to live in, a glimmer of a possible future, and an example of the kind of culture our group is trying to foster- one in which everybody’s grievances are heard and welcome, where we are encouraged to speak freely, where we embrace diversity and listen to each others experiences and genuinely try to learn from them.”
I think it’s fair to say that most of us walked away from the weekend feeling empowered and inspired to step back into the real world. In coming together and discussing our grievances and experiences, we have realised that while we love the work we do, often the culture in which we do it doesn’t serve us. We are overworked, undervalued and undermined, it has become a ‘man’s job’ to do the ‘hard graft’ required to make a living in our fields and woods. And for women, or those marginalised by their genders, to complain about the nature of the work or to speak about a different way of doing things can be hard, because it can serve to confirm the false narrative that we can’t hack it, that we just aren’t strong enough, or that we’re too sensitive.
The hope is that this group and events like this skill share will give folks the strength to go into their workplaces, or take that first step into forestry or landwork, knowing that there is love and support behind them. And hopefully we can empower each other to imagine a different way of doing things and go that step further together to make it a reality.
Sasha Georgiades (they/them) is a member organiser for the Landworkers’ Alliance ‘Women and Diverse Genders in Forestry and Landwork’ group, which promotes a lens which questions the power structures that exist in society through centering the experiences of women and gender diverse people. Find out more about getting involved yma.
