Forestry continues to be perceived as a typically male occupation even though the number of female students of forestry subjects has recently increased to almost 50%. The only research into the situation of women in the State Forest Authority (Lasy Państwowe) was conducted ten years ago. That research found inequality and diversity in equality on a regional scale, and included recommendations for areas that were problematic. In other uniformed services – under the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA), discrimination prevention measures and procedures have been introduced, while in forestry the issue of discrimination against women continues to be considered unimportant.
Under the project, a study will be conducted to determine the situation with regard to gender equality in the entire forestry sector, encompassing the state forests, national parks, institutions of higher education, and research institutes. The project will also include four workshops on preventing discrimination for 100 women working in forestry authorities. There are also plans for sharing of know-how with partners based in Iceland and Norway in the form of three study tours. The partners are organizations for women in the forestry sector in those countries. Under the project, the Association will cooperate more closely within the European network of an organization of women forest rangers and women working in the uniformed services. The project will also include a media campaign and two conferences attended by members of the key institutions.
The research findings will be published in a report and made public at a conference and during a media campaign. Based on the research findings, and sharing of know-how with the partners, a guidebook on best practices will be produced. The Forest Women Association (Stowarzyszenie Kobiet Lasu) will take measures advocating for the guidebook to be made the official document binding in forestry authorities.
