When Tracie Gibbs was five years old, her dad introduced her to the thrill of professional racing and gave her the first glimpse of the direction her life would take. As she watched the action on the track, she was captivated by the National Hot Rod Association’s Safety Safari team, who wore bright yellow hi-vis suits and ran to help anyone in need. This was the job she wanted to do.

Today, as New England Forestry’s Director of Safety, instead of racing hazards, Tracie’s attention and efforts are focused on the hazards that come with working in the woods.

At its core, safety is about people. Fortunately, Tracie is passionate about forging relationships. When she first stepped into safety, she encouraged open and honest communication both internally within New England Forestry and externally with contractors. Safety quickly became a company-wide focus. In fact, it is now one of the company’s core values.

What started as a team of one has expanded to a safety department with five employees reporting to Tracie. In six years, she has taken New England Forestry’s safety program from one that had only a few measurable goals to one that is applying for OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) — the highest safety certification available.

Under her leadership, New England Forestry has launched a myriad of new reporting and training tools, including a safety app that can be used in the woods without access to cell service. In 2022, the company hosted safety training events in 8 states, helping the logging companies New England Forestry works with to begin developing safety programs of their own and educating more than 650 contractors on OSHA’s safety standards. You can learn more and watch a video about the logger safety training events here. 

Not like other safety professionals

No one goes into safety because it’s glamorous or an easy way to punch a timeclock, especially when it comes to the timber industry, which consistently ranks in the top three of the most dangerous industries in the U.S. Safety professionals are often thought of like police, but Tracie is not like other safety professionals. She doesn’t want to police her coworkers and contractors, she wants to help them think differently about safety. Her philosophy is that, if they understand why certain policies and procedures are in place, they will be more likely to adopt safer behaviors.

Loggers and foresters report some of the highest job satisfaction rates of any profession, but missteps in safety can quickly become a matter of life and death.

“I have three rocks on my desk from the first fatality I investigated. I wanted something to remind me of how I was feeling in that moment because it was the exact situation I wanted to help prevent.

“Seeing a tragedy like this firsthand and knowing there are things we can do—through education, training and maintenance—to help prevent this type of emotional, physical and financial mess from happening to others helped me see the disconnect and wonder what I could do about it. The experience personally changed me.”

Helping others understand why

Convincing folks in the timber industry to think differently about safety can be a challenge. Tracie’s mission is fueled by her passion for helping others and by a deep personal understanding of loss.

She also understands the types of “what-if” questions that pop up in the aftermath of a tragedy. Tracie’s father had a heart attack at work and his coworker, who wasn’t trained in CPR, was unable to save him. Since then, Tracie, who is a certified CPR and first aid instructor, has personally trained all of New England Forestry’s U.S. employees.

“When I’m talking to people, they understand my passion is genuine. Safety conversations are often about telling others what to do, but if you focus instead on what it means to experience a loss or feel a sense of fear about what might happen if you don’t behave in a safe manner, it helps them understand why they need to adopt safer behaviors.”

Day in the life

In Tracie’s world, no two days are the same, but there are some tasks that remain consistent from one day to the next. She begins each day by skimming her email and new near-miss reports to get an idea of what’s happening at New England Forestry locations across the country. She finds out if there are any major issues or fires to put out — sometimes this even includes actual wildfires.

While many of the tasks on Tracie’s to-do list are obvious, such as refining policies, working on new initiatives, reviewing safety communications prior to publication, preparing reports for New England Forestry’s Board of Directors and keeping up with OSHA changes, she also handles things that most people don’t ever think about. On any given day, she may help a department create a job hazard analysis (JHA) for the top four hazards facing their employees; determine how many straps need to go on a load before a truck leaves a landing and how far they can travel before they finish strapping; or work with New England Forestry’s safety mentors to help prepare for the upcoming VPP audits.

Tracie enjoys interacting with others and says, “When you know the people, you really connect.” Because of this, she goes into the woods at least once a week and is often on the road, visiting New England Forestry locations from coast-to-coast. As the main safety resource for New England Forestry’s U.S. employees and contractors, she likens her role to “keeping a ship going in the right direction all the time.” The rapport she works so hard to build is essential for making course corrections as safety issues arise.

Safety as a way of life

A commitment to safety doesn’t end when her workday is done. When Tracie is tempted to look at her phone while driving or do something else that isn’t safe, she asks herself if it’s truly worth the risk. She reminds herself and family and friends of their own value, so that everyone understands what’s at risk if they don’t practice safe behaviors.

“Safety doesn’t have to be painful. It doesn’t have to be intimidating. There are a lot of resources out there that make it accessible to everyone.”

A steadfast dedication to protecting others and Tracie’s willingness to challenge the way things have always been done have inspired her to extend her focus beyond the walls of New England Forestry’s safety program. She truly wants to show everyone that New England Forestry is passionate about safety and unafraid of sharing what they’ve learned.

“People in the timber industry take a lot of pride in what they do and how well they do it. I’d like to see them adopt that same level of pride in doing their jobs safely. To do the work we do should not cost a life.”

Tracie’s goal is to challenge safety practices industry-wide. She is convinced that the only way forward is for the entire timber industry to come together and raise the bar. Strong safety cultures are fostered when expectations and accountability pertain to everyone from the CEO or owner to the new hire breaking in that first pair of boots. It will take an industry-wide effort to improve safety statistics and get off the list of the most dangerous occupations. Everyone must get on board.

“Safety is unique because we all have the right to it. It doesn’t matter what job we have, how much money we make in a year or how we’re different from anyone else. We all deserve to be safe.”

Article written by Karie Kermath, Safety Manager, Western Operations

The post Tracie Gibbs Brings New Perspective to Forestry Safety appeared first on New England Forestry Stories.

Few people can say they’ve been with the same company since graduating college 30+ years ago. Forester and Resource Land Manager Terri Hall is one of those people.

“New England Forestry was my first permanent job after graduating from college. I started working for New England Forestry in 1989 in the old Chandlery Building in downtown Fernandina. At that time, it was known as ITT New England Forestry, Corporate was in Connecticut and the timberlands were primarily in Florida and Georgia.”

Today, New England Forestry’s timberlands span across the Southeast from South Carolina to Texas, and in Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest as well as forests in New Zealand.

Terri soon found her home in New England Forestry’s Florida Resource Unit, our team based in New England Forestry’s southernmost forests in Florida.

“I started in Technical Services, then worked for the Florida region as a timber sales forester. Since 1992, I have had 5 different job titles but my office for all of them has been right here at the Bradford Forest Office.” 

If that isn’t extraordinary enough, her boss has been with her for the span of her career. Rick Piagno, a colleague who eventually became her boss in 1996, is still her boss and Resource Unit Leader today.

“So I’ve had the same boss for 26 years and have worked for the same company for 32 years!” she chuckled.

Forging a career path all her own

Many foresters have a family background in the profession or some previous experience, but not Terri. She chose this career based on her own goals and objectives.

“I had no experience and no family background, I just wanted a job that was not going to be boring. I didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk all day long, and I wanted variety in my line of work. I definitely have variety.  We always say: don’t make too hard of plans because every morning things are likely to change.”

Terri studied hard to earn her forestry education. She holds a Bachelors and Masters degree from Auburn University. Yet, she still encounters many misconceptions about her field of expertise.

“When I say I’m a forester, people think I sit in a fire tower. So I get to explain all that’s involved, from site management to seed selection, planting, disease control, working with loggers, fire fighting, sampling and statistics. People don’t realize all that goes into the education and daily work of it all.”

Terri began when few women worked directly in the field

Terri says it never concerned her that she was one of only a few women foresters. Nor did it motivate her to approach her job or make career decisions any differently.

“When I went to school there were 3 other women in my forestry classes. When I began working I think there was — I don’t really pay attention to this — no, there were not any other field women when I came. Then a couple more did come on but most of them did not stay in the field, they went into specialized things like technical services, GIS or research. I don’t know of many who were actually in forest management.

“I’ve never had a problem though. The nice thing about forestry is everyone is so great. Whether it’s New England Forestry employees, contractors, loggers or employees with the Florida Forest Service, everyone’s just good, down-to-earth people. I’ve loved every minute of it. Honestly, unless somebody pointed out that I was one of the only women around, I never paid attention to it.”

A day in life of this New England Forestry forester

In December 2021, when New England Forestry employee Robert Hall shadowed Terri for a day and took the photos included in this story, she and her team were dealing with seasonal planting. She began her day in the field supervising planting and taking plots.

“In this picture, I’m laying out my pole to measure it for the correct length for a 35th-acre plot. I then swing the pole and count the seedlings on the plot.”

Terri has to count the number of trees to ensure the contractor is planting the correct density. “Planting compliance is complicated. Planting density can be affected by so many factors including bedding width, quality of the site prep and weather conditions. Really, the only thing a planter can control is how far apart the trees are in the bed.” 

Back at the office, there are forest fire maps to review and analyze

“We do a lot of work looking at fire protection and things we can do to reduce fire danger, especially in Florida. Sometimes that’s through release work, in which we chemically spray under the trees to reduce competition. You create a map of all the stands to show what areas need a reduction in fire danger. After evaluating the map, we make plans for the coming year to do activities in these high risk areas such as mowing or spraying to mitigate the danger.”

Next, it’s on to timber sales — of which Terri has 21 pending for Bradford County

This involves checking in on and meeting with the loggers every 10 days to make sure harvesting is going according to plan.

“When I go out there, my biggest concerns are: stumps being low and trees being cut to the right top diameter so they’re getting proper utilization of the trees. Also, I check that the roads are not being torn up, no oil spills, that the right area’s being cut — you’d be surprised what can happen! — and that they only use our designated crossings. Since it rains a lot in Florida and we’re so close to the water table, we’re also very concerned about soil disturbance and wood not being left on the ground.”

“So I go to the field every week to check on the loggers and walk the timber sale area, making  sure they haven’t messed up any sites, channels or roads and ensure they have what they need. I try to maintain a good working relationship with the loggers where they feel free to call and tell me what they need whether it is road work, additional tickets or clarification of the sale area.”

Now, she moves on to overseeing planting and nursery inventory

“Whenever the planting crew works on my forests, I give them maps showing the planting area, number of acres, species to be planted, the seed lot number and the trees per acre to be planted. One of the most challenging things about planting season is getting the seedlings from the nursery to the field when the planters need them. It is a huge coordinated effort when the forests in different states are all planting at once and getting their trees from our one nursery in Elberta, Alabama.”

The seedlings are delivered in refrigerated vans which are left on-site. When that inventory runs low, it’s up to Terri to ensure they have a new van of seedlings on the way so planting isn’t interrupted or delayed.

With the seedlings taken care of, Terri checks on the health of the larger tree stands

No matter how well you plan, cultivate and care for them, some trees are bound to experience pest pressure and/or disease. A regular part of Terri’s work includes evaluating trees for early signs of trouble.

“When you find a spot in a stand where the pine needles are turning red, you look for evidence like pitch tubes, popcorn or sawdust to try and identify the forest pest. Once you figure out the pest, you have to decide on a course of action. For example, if it’s southern pine beetle, we know that pest travels fast! So you might have to cut them down plus create a buffer around them to capture the red, dead and dying. This creates a buffer to protect the healthy trees. So when we see dead spots we have to look at them and see what’s going on.”

This level of consistent observation is critical to preserving and maintaining healthy forests and wildlife habitats.

What Terri loves most about being a forester

Terri’s love and passion for her work comes through in everything she does. Here’s what she loves most about her job. 

“Some of it has to do with the actual work and some of it has to do with the management. I enjoy the freedom and the responsibility, I’m free to make decisions and I’ve been given a lot of responsibility. I appreciate the trust that’s involved. I like the challenge because we’re always looking for better ways to do this and solutions for the problems that come up. I especially like having an area that’s mine to manage.

“I love that I have the whole spectrum. From the time I put the seedling in the ground to the time the loggers cut it. I choose the seedlings for each stand, I determine whether the stand gets some intermediate treatment, and I’m the one who’s out there helping to protect it either through fire fighting or pest management.

“Another thing I like about my job is how we’re structured. There’s a lot of accountability.  If I don’t make sure the logger got it right then I’m going to hear it from the site prep guy. If I don’t ensure that the site prep is right, I am going to hear it from the planting contractor. I’m in charge of the whole rotation. Also, I oversee planning of road work in preparation for new timber sales so just about anything that happens, it’s my responsibility…and I like that.”

Terri adds: “I’ll tell you a secret, the Florida Resource Unit is the best. We have a great time together, we really do!”

The post A Day in the Life of a Forester, Spotlight: Terri Hall (Florida, USA) appeared first on New England Forestry Stories.

April Meeks is a forestry nerd—and she embraces the title proudly. The New England Forestry Tree Improvement Scientist and Research and Development Coordinator loves math, computer models and the outdoors. 

“I grew up in the woods,” says the North Carolina native. “My parents really fostered an environment for me to appreciate the environment—the trees and the plants and the animals.” 

Discovering Forestry

April began her education at Appalachian State University where she studied environmental science. She knew she wanted to work in some aspect of the outdoors or the environment, but it was pretty broad. Then, she discovered forestry and had what she describes as an “aha moment.” 

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is exactly what I need to be doing—working with trees!’” says April. “I learned how much you get to use math and take what you see in the environment and come back to the computer and run different analyses to make projections for what the future might hold.” 

Math, data science, outdoor adventure: forestry checked all her boxes, but April knew she’d need more education. That’s when she enrolled in the Master of Science in Forestry program at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. While there she focused on silviculture. April graduated with her MSc in Forestry in 2015 and decided to continue on at NCSU. She’s currently working toward a Ph.D. with a concentration in forest genetics. 

“My favorite thing about studying forestry is being able to learn about how a tree grows and everything that it takes to make a tree grow,” she says. “The more I learned, the more I wanted. I just couldn’t get enough. That’s why I kept pursuing degrees.”

The Forest as a Living Laboratory

NCSU is one of the country’s top forestry schools, and a big part of its success is students’ access to forest land used for hands-on research and training. NCSU students have access to 85,000 acres of land contained in the Hosley, Goodwin, Gates, Taylor, Timaca, Lee and Hofmann forests. The College of Natural Resources controls another 9,000 acres in the Hill, Schenck, and Bull Neck Swamp tracts. These living laboratories allow students to get out of the classroom and into the forests throughout the course of their education. 

Although she was not able to attend one, herself, April says NCSU’s summer intensive field camps have an excellent reputation. These summer studies, which involve traveling to several different forests, allow students to gain valuable practical knowledge and start to see what a career in forestry could look like.

“You cover everything in forestry in a hands-on manner,” April explains. “It’s that communication through hands-on learning that is really amazing.”

April was able to work for two forestry research cooperatives during her time as a graduate assistant at NCSU. 

“We would do intensive field work in small teams in different parts of the South,” she says. “One time, we were in Alabama in July outside and we were dying from the heat. So, I went and bought Popsicles for everybody. Basically, I said, ‘Go measure this rep, and then you can have a Popsicle’ to keep the team high-spirited and keep them going.”

April has a lot of fond memories of her time at NCSU, but it’s mostly because she truly loves the work.  

“It’s really fascinating to me to be able to take a living organism and correlate that to math, and then take that math and play with it and make projections with it,” she says. “It was the coupling of analytical skills with being outside in the fresh air—it was challenging. I am one of those personalities that need to be challenged and forestry fit the bill.” 

Women Welcome in Forestry

April was the first woman to graduate from Appalachian State with an environmental science degree, so she’s used to being the only woman in her classes. When she got to forestry school at NCSU, it wasn’t much different. 

“My classes in forestry school were all guys, my professors were all men, but I was really surprised at how welcomed I was into the community,” she says. “Everyone there was so excited that I was excited about forestry. The mentorship that I received was just superb. The community as a whole is very open and they just want to foster learning. It’s really a good community.”

Advice for Future Forestry Students

Now working for New England Forestry out of our Andalusia, Alabama, office, April has a very simple piece of advice for students considering whether to study forestry: “Do it. You won’t regret it.” 

“It’s really that simple for those interested in forestry, looking for something fast-paced and fun. There’s math behind it, policy behind it, and it’s a good way to challenge yourself to be a better steward of the environment too.” 

The post A “Forestry Nerd” and Loving It appeared first on New England Forestry Stories.

One seemingly small decision can change where your life is headed.

Sarah de Gouw was one year into pursuing a science degree at New Zealand’s University of Canterbury when she decided to take a forestry course as an elective. By the end of the course, she knew forestry was the career for her.

“Forestry combined my passion for the outdoors with environmental management, sustainability and what I had learned in the beginning of my science degree,” says Sarah, now a New England Forestry harvest forester in Southland, New Zealand. “I knew absolutely nothing about the industry until I took that course.”

It was an exciting discovery for two reasons: first, because it was such an interesting field, with a wide range of subjects, the kind of hands-on work Sarah loves and even field trips across the South and North islands. Secondly, forestry expertise was (and is) in high-demand in the workforce, with many jobs available throughout New Zealand for forestry graduates.

A Wide Variety of Subjects

The more Sarah learned about forestry, the more she confirmed this was where she belonged. 

“The wide variety of subjects that we studied was surprising, everything from economics and engineering to biosecurity, silviculture and wood science,” she says. “The advancement of technology in the industry was also surprising.”

Sarah was able to see how drones, winch-assist machines and other tech was changing the landscape of forestry work, making it safer, more efficient and environmentally-friendly.

“Most classes also had a lab component, which created variety and a chance to complete some practical work or assignments that imitated scenarios in our potential future jobs,” Sarah says. 

Studying forestry was exciting and interesting, but also took a lot of hard work. Determined to get her Bachelor of Forestry Science with honors, she spent many early mornings and late nights in the computer lab and library.

“For me the most challenging part was the statistics courses, as math had never been my strongest point. But the lectures are amazing as well as your classmates, so it was easy to get extra help when needed,” she says.

A Closeknit Group

The school’s forestry classes were small, and the bonds between forestry students were strong. Sarah became involved in the Forestry Society, known as FORSOC, which united forestry students throughout the university. There were also special Women in Forestry events.

“Even several years after graduating, whenever we are in the same city as other classmates, we still catch up for a BBQ or drink,” Sarah says.

Discovering New England Forestry through an Internship

When summer break came around, Sarah made some new friends in her summer internships, joining the New England Forestry team each summer.

“Summer student jobs were advertised through the School of Forestry at uni,” she recalls. “New England Forestry employees and the contractors are all great people, and it creates a work environment that is enjoyable to be a part of.”

The internships gave her real-life experience in the type of work she wanted to do:

“During the summer, I worked as a part of the New England Forestry Canterbury office. I helped create harvests plans, QC logs, QC blocks that had been thinned and complete assessments of significant ecological areas.”

After graduation, Sarah knew where she wanted to go: she immediately began working for New England Forestry.

“The people and high standards were inspiring and something I wanted to contribute to. The ability for growth and development opportunities was also appealing,” she says.

Sarah uses principles she learned at university regularly in her career with New England Forestry.

“Basic harvest planning principles and creating maps using ArcMap are skills that I use every week in my current role,” she says. “Time management is also an important skill to ensure jobs and projects are completed on time.”

Some of her favorite aspects of her work are catching up with contractors in the forest, working on harvest plans and problem solving.

“It is rewarding to be working for a company in a sustainable industry that cares about our environmental impact,” she says. 

Advice for Future Forestry Students

For students considering a forestry degree, Sarah says it is a great first step into a promising career.

“The degree is specialised for the industry and the types of jobs you are mostly likely to apply for when you graduate, so you will be well-prepared when you complete your degree,” she says.

It’s also just plain enjoyable.

“University as a forestry major was so much fun. The class sizes were small so you got to know your classmates and lecturers well. And the wide variety of subjects meant that every semester was different.”

There’s also variety in job options within the field.

“The forest industry provides so many opportunities,” Sarah says. “You can be involved in any part of the ‘cycle’ all the way from the very beginning—when land prepping of a block for planting occurs—to the sale of the logs to customers around the world, and all the many jobs in between.”

The post One Forestry Class Changed Everything for this NZ Forester appeared first on New England Forestry Stories.

NORTH BEND, Oregon—Vanessa McKinney follows her dog through thick forestland.

They use the same natural paths wild animals have made, knowing the elk and bears have a sense for the safest route. Vanessa draws in a deep breath of fresh air and smiles: she gets paid to be here, tromping through the woods just like she did as a child.

There are treasures all around her: a robin’s nest with beautiful blue eggs waiting to hatch; a snail slithering down a branch; a rare wildflower beginning to bloom.

She just can’t help pulling out her iPhone to snap a picture before carrying on with her work in one of New England Forestry’s Oregon tree farms, and no one faults her for that: her photography offers a whole new view of forests that grow for decades with almost no human contact.

“I get to venture out to places that only I will see and touch for years to come,” says Vanessa, a technical forester. “I love being the boots on the ground and the eyes in the forest for New England Forestry.”

She is here today to measure a plot of trees. It’s how a timber company keeps an “inventory” of its forests, tracking how fast the trees are growing to ensure a steady, perpetually sustainable supply of both habitat and timber.

Choosing a Career in Forestry

Vanessa has always been drawn to nature. While friends might prefer the mall, she was more likely to navigate her way through the woods than crowded stores. In fact, she admits, she can easily get lost in a crowd. But with her GPS and her intuition as a guide, she can find any plot point in a dense forest.

She grew up in Eureka, California, known for its majestic redwoods. At an early age, she had an appreciation for renewable resources, and she wanted a career that would give her a role in protecting them.

It wasn’t long after she started college that she found herself drawn to forestry.

“In forestry, the core is that you care for the land and you care for people. I wanted to be a part of that,” she says.

Studying Forestry at Oregon State University

Vanessa was delighted to find herself studying outdoors more than in the classroom while she pursued a degree in forestry, natural resources and conservation at Oregon State University.

The work was challenging, but rewarding.

“You’re put in situations that aren’t a casual walk down the street, so you learn a lot about yourself,” she says.

“There were times I wondered, ‘Am I going to make it? Am I ever going to understand this math?’ There’s a lot of satisfaction when you overcome those challenges.”

During her studies, she helped OSU open a greenhouse, researched forest fires and droughts, and confirmed that forestry was her destiny.

Forestry on the Other Side of the World

After college, Vanessa’s love of forestry took her even further: to the other side of the world. A nonprofit called Kopel had chosen her for an internship replanting trees on an island that had been devastated by fire in Malaysia.

“Trees are different from state to state and even county to county here in the U.S.,” Vanessa says. “In another country, it was really different. We had to come up with a way to reforest a marshy island in tropical conditions.”

Vanessa cherished the experience, which required her to live in a treehouse, eat with her hands, and “shower” using a pan of rainwater collected during a tropical storm. She returned to the U.S. with a new appreciation for modern forestry and for her own abilities. Vanessa joined the New England Forestry team soon after in the fall of 2019.

“My Dog is My Partner in the Woods”

Tasked with managing tree farms on what are often rough, mountainous properties near Oregon’s coast, Vanessa took her new coworkers’ advice and adopted a dog. She chose a Dutch Shepherd and named him Cruiser. It was a fitting name, as they would cruise timber together most days of the week. 

Cruising timber is an essential practice in forest management. By measuring specific plots of trees, our foresters are able to estimate the wood volume of entire forests. Our company uses that data to form an overall inventory that guides our decisions. Watch a video of a forester cruising in our article, Why do Foresters “Cruise” Timber?

She trained Cruiser to assist her in the woods, helping her navigate through thick areas, alerting her to danger and even keeping deer off the road.

“He turns into a different dog when he’s in the forest. He can point, tell me to stop if something’s not right. He can smell things and find things that I can’t,” Vanessa says. “He’s a huge relief. He’s my partner.”

Once, while working in the forest, Cruiser alerted Vanessa to a swarm of hornets that was headed straight for them. Thanks to that warning, Vanessa was able to run and escape the swarm without a single sting.

Forest Photography

Vanessa had been with New England Forestry for about six months when she decided to show coworkers some photos she had taken in the woods. Soon, she had fans from Florida to New Zealand who couldn’t wait to see her artistic, closeup shots of wild plants and critters and breathtaking panoramic views.

“I had no idea I was good at photography!” Vanessa says with a laugh. “I just use the iPhone New England Forestry provided me. I never thought about it being a thing.”

And perhaps that’s part of what makes the photos so special: they weren’t sought out for days with high-end equipment and hundreds of shots. They’re just quick snapshots of moments in the forest that she comes across every day.

Women in the Forestry Industry

The photos are one of the ways Vanessa hopes to “do something bigger than myself” as a forester. 

She’s also a member of Oregon Women in Timber, a nonprofit organization that celebrates women in the industry and strives to raise awareness about the value of forestry and forest management.

“People tend to assume our industry is male. But females have forever been a part of forestry since the Industrial Revolution,” she says.

Women traditionally don’t work at all on the Malaysian island Vanessa interned at. She showed the team there how much a female’s viewpoint can add to a forest plan.

“A woman can offer a different approach and look at things from a different perspective,” she says.

Vanessa wants to encourage and inspire other women to become a part of the forestry industry too.

“If you love being outdoors and want to play an important role in the future, this is the field for you,” she says.

The post Meet Vanessa: Forester, Photographer and Dog Lover for Life appeared first on New England Forestry Stories.

GAINESVILLE, Florida—Olivia Johnson is in her element as she leads a team of students through the forest.

“This area would be perfect for recreation,” she says, gesturing to a sunny stand of trees. The students nod in agreement as they continue walking through Austin Cary Forest, University of Florida’s official teaching and research forest. Their assignment: to come up with a business plan for a pretend landowner, figuring out how to get the most value from a 95-acre section of the forest.

“I love tromping through the woods. I can’t believe you can just do this as a major,” says Olivia, a fourth-year student who is finishing her bachelor’s and working on her master’s this semester.

A Love for the Forest

Olivia, who recently received the first-ever New England Forestry Scholarship to Support Diversity and Inclusion in Operational Forestry, says she never feels more at home than when she’s in the forest.

“My family moved from the mountains of North Carolina to Key West, and I missed the forest,” she says. “I volunteered at Key West’s botanical gardens, and that’s the one place that felt right.”

Olivia enrolled in the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources & Conservation expecting to go into a conservation career, or perhaps to work at a national park. But then she fell in love with something unexpected: operational forestry.

“I love going through the woods of course, but I also love the math part of it,” she says. “I love taking what I see and making sense of it. I love figuring out, just from the height and diameter, how much a stand is worth.”

She says operational forestry is a perfect “win-win” because a forester can determine ways to enhance the value of the property while also maintaining sustainable practices and protecting the ecosystem that depends on the forest.

Workforce Diversity in Forestry “Is Already Here”

In the past, college-level forestry programs throughout the U.S. have struggled to attract women and minorities. Asked if she expects to see more diversity in the forestry profession in the future, Olivia says, “It’s already happening. In my forestry department, there are so many people of different backgrounds.

“Everyone respects each other. I’ve never felt like I was treated any differently than anyone else in the program,” she says. “My advice to anyone considering forestry is that it shouldn’t be a barrier. There are more and more of us going into natural resources fields.”

She says the rich array of perspectives will benefit the forestry profession as it becomes more diverse in the years to come.

Entering into Forestry Research

Determined to work her way through college, Olivia has been using a job at Gainesville’s Kanapaha Gardens to cover her tuition. But she’s become passionate about genetic research in forestry and wanted to find work that would give her experience in that field. 

“The scholarship from New England Forestry helped a lot. It’s paying for this next semester of college, which is allowing me to pursue forest genetics,” she says. 

The financial support allowed Olivia to take a position as a research assistant for the Cooperative Forest Genetics Research Program that UF manages. Ironically, as a member of the coop, New England Forestry will benefit from the work she does.

Olivia says she’s looking forward to working full-time in the industry after she graduates next year.

“I love that you can just be outside and make money at it,” she says. “It’s such a fun profession and it’s really cool.”

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