Women in Forest Leadership: Addressing Climate Change in Forest Management

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University, in collaboration with the Women Owning Woodlands (WOW) network — an organization that supports women in forest leadership — are conducting a research study to understand the views and experiences of women forest owners regarding climate change. The study is being conducted in Pennsylvania (PA), South Carolina (SC), and Maine (ME) from 2021 to 2025 and is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The following article contains preliminary finding from a research project by Ph.D. candidate Kripa Neupane and associate professor Melissa Kreye.

Family Forest Owners (FFOs) are the fastest-growing category of forest owners in the US, controlling nearly 40% of the nation's forests. While forest ownership has traditionally been shared by married couples, women are increasingly becoming the primary decision-makers, either through inheritance or independent purchases. As women take on larger roles in forest management, their perspectives on conservation, sustainability, and climate-smart practices have the potential to significantly influence the future of forestry. 

1. Women expressed multiple values for their forests.

Women's values for forests were found to be based on a wide range of ecological, emotional, and personal benefits. Ecological values supported biodiversity conservation and the provision of ecosystem services, such as clean air, water, and wildlife habitats. One participant shared, "I feel like trees are the lifeblood of this earth because they are sequestering carbon, they are producing oxygen, they are creating habitat for critters that sustain an entire food web." Others emphasized the personal significance of their forests, particularly in terms of family bonding—noting how forests provide a safe space to create shared memories and family experiences. As one woman reflected: "I value family bonding. When we have our family picnics, or when we bring our grandchildren for hunting. I think most women are into that nurturing thing." Additionally, many women highlighted their use of forests for personal recreation, such as walking, appreciating the colors of nature, and finding peace and quiet. As one participant explained, "The major forest value for me is the sense of peace and quiet that I get from walking the trails in my woods and just being outside and smelling all the smells and hearing all the sounds and seeing all the colors." These values reflect the deep and multifaceted connection women have with their forests.

2. Women were concerned overall about climate change, but responses were mixed.

Participants were increasingly aware of the growing threats posed by climate change, expressing moderate to high levels of concern about potential impacts. Concerns largely centered around impacts on forest health, including droughts, pests, and severe storms. As one participant shared, "I am extremely worried about climate change. I worry about drought, forest health diversity, trees migration, water quality, pests, insects, and diseases." For some, anticipated impacts were a source of emotional distress due to their personal attachment to forests. One participant reflected, "That would make me feel very upset and it would be like losing a piece of me." However, some women reported no significant changes in their daily lifestyle or forest management practices, indicating a sense of passive acceptance of climate change. As one woman explained, "It would not affect our lives per say. We would just probably accept the fact that the earth heals itself and eventually those little seedlings would start popping up again." Many women, however, expressed strong concern for future generations, fearing that their children may not enjoy the same forest benefits they do today. As one participant stated, "I think it would be a sadness for my children and my grandchildren that are not even here yet- that they wouldn't have had the opportunity to experience a park or something." These diverse perspectives reflect the complexity that climate change brings to forest management and how expected impacts on human wellbeing may motivate engagement in climate-smart forest management.

3. Climate change is not the only challenge in forest management.

Even though many were highly motivated, women faced several challenges in managing forests. Limited knowledge and skills were a particular barrier for first-time forest owners. As one participant noted, "I definitely think that acquiring knowledge at first was a huge challenge because it was very overwhelming to own a forest and even know where to start and what to do first." Language was another barrier, especially the technical terminology used in federal and state assistance programs, which complicates access to information and resources. One woman described this difficulty, "The language with federal and state assistance programs can be pretty overwhelming for people like us, who have never participated in those before." Financial limitations also pose a critical barrier, as many women lack the capital to purchase tools and equipment for effective forest management. As one participant shared, "Tools and equipment certainly takes capital. We didn't have a whole lot of capital to buy any equipment to take care of the land. It’s a challenge." Additionally, women reported difficulty finding trusted forestry professionals who can provide reliable advice and support. One participant shared, "I think finding some trusted advisors in the forestry community that you can call, and they can come out, take a look, and can give you advice or guidance that you really understand and have that relationship with, is very challenging." Climate change was often seen as exacerbating these existing challenges, particularly regarding knowledge gaps and financial constraints. As one woman explained, "I think that not understanding what's going on and not having an effective plan for dealing with climate change makes forest management challenges much worse." These combined challenges highlight the need for programs that empower women forest owners to manage their forests to address climate change impacts more effectively.

4. Women are willing to use a diversity of strategies to address climate change impacts.

Participants described a variety of strategies for addressing forests and climate change. Some acknowledged that the issue had not quite risen to the point where action was needed. As one participant noted, "I haven't really thought about how to protect my own trees from whatever happens in climate." However, many were interested in being proactive and exploring new opportunities. For example, one participant expressed interest in innovative wood products like biochar, stating, "We've heard a lot about biochar, and it's something that I'm really interested in." Others emphasized conventional forest management practices such as maintaining a healthy overstory and implementing uneven age management to promote regeneration. One woman described, "My strategies would include maintaining a consistently healthy overstory and more of an uneven age management strategy and so that I have desirable <tree> regeneration coming up through the understory and maintaining an overstory depending on my species composition." Some were already taking proactive steps to mitigate climate change by changing their harvesting strategies, planting trees, and protecting forests from development and other disturbances. One participant shared, "We put 287 acres into the family forest carbon programs. This program kicks us a little bit of money in return for us delaying any harvests that would happen in that area, and I wanted to protect it, at least during the rest of my lifetime." Climate adaptation strategies to enhance forest resilience and regular monitoring of forest health were also common. One participant highlighted, "I think keeping it as a forest is the most important thing to do for climate change." The diverse ways women are engaging in management demonstrates how conventional and innovative views about forests are already being applied to climate change challenges.

Researchers concluded that the views that women have about forests under climate change could make them well-suited to become leaders in this space. The importance given to biodiversity, ecosystem services, and personal connections to forests helps shape management objectives that balance ecosystem health and human wellbeing. Interest in both conventional and innovative approaches to forest management suggests that women could be early adopters in new types of markets and programs that address climate change issues. However, there are still barriers related to knowledge, language, finances, and trust in forestry professionals. In order for women to succeed, it is important to offer support that fits the values and needs of forest owners. The next steps in this field of study are to design frameworks that guide further investigation into how community ties and perceptions of climate change help shape forest management decisions and personal financial considerations.

Learn more about the Research Project

Ph.D. student Kripa Neupane and associate professor Melissa Kreye, researchers in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, are using interviews and qualitative research methods to better understand trends in women and forest ownership. Twenty women forest owners associated with the WOW network participated in the study. Interview questions covered topics such as forest management experiences, personal values, challenges in forest management, and strategies for managing forests under climate change. Using NVivo software, researchers analyzed the interview transcripts through line-by-line coding to identify themes and sub-themes that reflect participants' insights.

Preliminary research findings have been presented at several professional conferences, including the Society of American Foresters National Convention, and are currently being prepared for submission to a research journal. Findings were also used to support the development of extension programs that support women's interests in forests. The Climate-Smart Forest Legacy program is currently being delivered through the Forest Owners Climate Change Education (FOCCE) program at Penn State. Incorporating women's perspectives into education resources can help elevate women's voices in conversations about climate change and sustainable forestry. 

For more information about this study and associated resources, please contact Kripa Neupane at  kripa.neupane@psu.edu

If you have any questions or are interested in collaborating with FOCCE, please reach out to Melissa Kreye at mxk1244@psu.edu.