Webinar – June 16, 2020 (10-11:15 am)
Women Owning Woodlands: Networks for Inclusive Land Stewardship
The following is from our partners at the OSU Environmental Professionals Network. For more information, click here.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Women are woodland stewards around the globe. They participate in stewardship on their own property, within their local community, or on shared public lands. When looking at woodland owners, researchers find that similar proportions of women and men hope to inherit their family forestland, yet fewer women than men have been involved in management of the family forest [1]. In the US, women tend to outlive men, with a life expectancy of an additional five years on average. This means that it is likely that final land use decisions, including selling or dividing land, will be made by women [2].
Women Owning Woodlands (WOW) is a national movement striving to provide topical, accessible, and current forestry and natural resources information, and support women in forest leadership. WOW consists of women who own and manage their own woodlands, and all who facilitate the stewardship of forests. WOW utilizes peer learning so that female professionals, landowners, and enthusiasts can learn from one another. The networking opportunities that WOW provides for female natural resources professionals have also proven to be very valuable.
Learn from leaders of Ohio’s two regional chapters about how WOW is impacting their local community. Partners will also share how WOW helps to accomplish state level stewardship objectives, while tailoring messaging towards local needs. One key partner that guides messaging around oak ecosystems and management in SE Ohio is the Interagency Forestry Team. Holden Forests and Gardens coordinates much of the current programming in northeast Ohio. Ohio WOW initiatives help raise general awareness of forest health, management, and knowledge of basic forestry, utilizing resources from many partners in the natural resources community.
This program will feature three brief presentations and lots of time for audience Q&A and interaction. Just like all WOW and EPN programs, all natural resource enthusiasts are welcome! We hope you join us to learn about this important movement to increase the capacity and diversity of decision-making in Ohio’s forests and to grow your social network in this field.
[1] Mater, Catherine. “Family Forests: What will the next generation do?” Presented at the National Association of State Foresters Annual Meeting, Madison, WI. October 2005.
[2] Butler, Sarah M.; Huff, Emily S.; Snyder, Stephanie A.; Butler, Brett J.; Tyrrell, Mary. 2017. The Role of Gender in Management Behaviors on Family Forest Lands in the United States. Journal of Forestry. 116(1): 32-40. Available at https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/55195
AGENDA
9:45 a.m. Waiting room opens
10:00 a.m. Jeff Sharp, PhD. director, School of Environment and Natural Resources provides welcome remarks.
Jamie Dahl, forest outreach coordinator, Central State University Extension and McIntire-Stennis Program, and Jenna Balazs, AmeriCorps environmental educator, Hocking Soil & Water Conservation District provide a National WOW overview and inclusive stewardship of natural resources.
Dani Gill, wildlife specialist/forester/technician, Hocking Soil & Water Conservation District, Southeast Ohio WOW contact, and Jessica Miller, community forester, Holden Forests & Gardens, Northeast Ohio WOW contact present “What’s happening in Ohio WOW chapters?”
Stephanie Downs, southern region service forestry coordinator, ODNR Division of Forestry discusses the WOW contributions to forestry education and outreach in Ohio from state perspective, and connections to the Ohio Interagency Forestry Team.
11:15 a.m. Program concludes
Please note: Opportunities for Audience Q&A with the Speakers will be available throughout the program.