Strengthening the Field — Women in Forestry
Elisa Schine, a graduate student in forestry at the University of Maine, is accustomed to being in predominantly male academic and professional settings. Although forestry has become much more inclusive of women during the past several decades, it remains, after all, a majority male profession.
How much the culture of forestry has changed for women, and how it’s continuing to change is, of course, variable across regions, and specific to workplace and individual circumstances. But without dismissing challenges that remain, the three Maine foresters profiled in these pages describe an industry that has changed – and is continuing to evolve – for the better, thanks to active efforts of people in the profession, especially trailblazing women who began their careers in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.
Today, female foresters are rising to the top of their profession in government, private industry, and nongovernmental organizations. They are recognized by peers and are taking on leadership roles. Perhaps most important, they offer models, encouragement, and mentoring to younger women.
The three foresters profiled here include Schine; Barrie Brusila, a highly regarded Maine forester, now winding up a long and successful career; and, between them, Maren Granstrom, who at 31 has completed a comprehensive apprenticeship under Brusila’s watchful eye and soon will be taking over her business.
Published in Northern Woodlands on March 21, 2023
