In May, SCA organized for the first time a forest education for women only. One purpose was to give the women knowledge to be able to make decisions in forest cultivation matters by themselves.
Jill Olofsson is watching Anki Larsson drilling in a pine ready to be harvested.
Between 40 and 50 percent of all forest owners in Sweden are women but when it comes to decisions about forest cultivation men are totally dominating.
“I as a purchaser have only once had a meeting with a woman on her own,” says Jill Olofsson, timber purchaser in Stöde in northern Sweden (SCA’s only female timber purchaser by the way). “Women seem to need a higher level of knowledge to feel comfortable enough to make decisions”.
Lots of questions
Therefore Jill took the initiative to a forest education exclusively for women. An evening focusing on theory was followed by a day out in the forests.
During the theory evening Jill Olofsson informed about basic forestry. The 20 participants, all of different ages, came up with a lot of questions. “What to do if the plants do not grow? How to plan felling? How to use revenues most efficiently to achieve a well-managed forest?”
“This is a great initiative,” said Eva Kristow from Stöde. “The constitution of the group meant that many questions were raised that otherwise would not be put forward.”
Autumn education
On the field day the development of forest was inspected, from planting to felling. The participants for example tried some different ways to decide when the forest was ready for thinning.
Rumours have spread about the education and many women have shown interest in participating. Jill Olofsson will therefore arrange with a less extensive education this autumn.