Fem4Forest - Empowering women in forestry

Fem4Forest Interreg project was set up to spread innovative approaches and multi-actor interactions to increase womens’ skills in forestry and support their entrance into the labour market. The main objective of Fem4Forest was to strengthen the forest sector at local, regional and interregional level through increased involvement of women by supporting their equal presence and competences.

Fem4Forest, now at the end of its programme, has implemented pilot activities in 10 countries in the Danube region. These pilot activities were:

1. A training programme: a range of modules suitable for different target groups (owners, employees, managers). The combination of modules and their content can be adjusted according to national circumstances.
2. Gender reflected mentoring: a way to promote the professional and personal development of women. It is a support action to make existing skills of women visible and usable. This activity provides resources in the forestry sector by implementing a “Train the trainer programme for gender reflected mentoring to open and strengthen the perspective of women. 
3. New ways of cooperation: such as forming an association of women in forest sector, or the organisation of forest walks or any other way of connecting women in forestry sector. The most important action in this part is establishment of an International umbrella organisation for women in the forest sector. The official establishment is foreseen for November 2022. 

“Good practices and feasible ideas for more active women in forestry exist. They just need to be mainstreamed and implemented” - Dr. Nike Krajnc, Slovenian forestry institute (Fem4Forest coordinator)

The project will hold its final event - an international conference - “Forests in women hands – yes, we do forestry” on 17-18 November in Bled, Slovenia. More information soon on their website.