Minnesota Women’s Woodland Network

Abstract

Minnesota’s forests are important ecologically, economically and socially and approximately one third of the forest is owned by family forest landowners. Family forest landowners face many challenges including pressures to convert, sell or subdivide their land. Women are increasingly becoming the primary land manager, sometimes unintentionally, and they generally lack the confidence and knowledge to make informed decisions to manage their land. To address this emerging issue of reaching an underserved audience, University of Minnesota Extension-Forestry Program recently sought federal grant dollars to develop a steering committee composed of landowners, foresters, educators and conservationists. The task of the steering committee was to become aware of the significance of developing an outreach program, review similar programs in Maine and Oregon State University. From that point of discovery, the steering committee cooperatively developed a platform with a mission statement, identified core topics, and delivery method for this targeted audience and is seeking financial support for this new program. Ultimately the goals for the Minnesota Women’s Woodland Network are to recognize the growing numbers of women forestland managers, increase their knowledge and confidence on forestry through informal learning opportunities, encourage women to network with themselves and with 18 natural resource professionals and to be a stepping stone into Extension’s Woodland Advisor Program.