Women in urban forestry and arboriculture: Experiences, barriers and strategies for leadership

Urban forestry and arboriculture are male-dominated industries. Although women have experienced current and historical marginalization in these industries, recent years have seen more young women embrace opportunities and pursue careers in these fields. In order to understand and enhance women’s participation in urban forestry and arboriculture, this research assesses the current status of women’s participation in these industries, barriers they have experienced, and strategies used to overcome these barriers and promote women’s leadership. A total of 515 women working in urban forestry or arboriculture in Canada and the United States completed an online survey consisting of Likert-type, multiple-selection, and open-ended questions. Sixty percent of respondents reported unequal workplace treatment by gender, 74% had experienced sexist behaviour or harassment, and 84% had experienced workplace barriers that were gender-based. The frequency of inequitable experiences varied according to socio-demographic factors. Discrimination was the most commonly-experienced barrier, followed by family responsibilities, promotion bias, and the gender pay gap. Open-ended responses, which provided additional context, also varied according to socio-demographics. The top five strategies suggested to promote women’s leadership were sponsorship/mentoring, confidence, communication, work-life balance, and career planning, with suggestions varying by barrier experienced. This research presents much-needed initial insights into women’s experiences in urban forestry and arboriculture, with a focus on barriers to equity and strategies to overcome them. It is intended to begin a larger conversation on gender-based equity in these fields and points to areas for future research.