To celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March, we interviewed a number of our female members who are excelling in our profession. Lucy Pitt MICFor is a Senior Officer of Forest Operations at Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales.
What do you love most about your job?
I love the variety my job brings. One day I could be walking an area to mark a thinning, the next day I could be doing a riparian habitat survey or Schedule 1 bird survey.
Why choose forestry?
I actually came into forestry from an Environmental Science degree as a support role doing mainly GIS to begin with, but instantly gained a love for forestry and managed to take on more jobs out in the forest rather than desk-based, went on training, shadowed foresters and then applied for a forester role at a later date using this experience and haven’t looked back!
How can ICF support women in forestry and arboriculture?
I think the ICF does a brilliant job in supporting women in forestry. It is an inclusive Institute and I have certainly never felt at a disadvantage because I am a woman. So much support is available for anyone who requires it.
What can professional organisations like the ICF do to attract a more diverse workforce?
I think advertising the inclusive nature of an organisation goes a long way in terms of attracting a diverse workforce. I find it encouraging to see articles and pictures of other women in forestry and to learn more about different roles other women do. It’s empowering.
