Celebrating Women in Sustainable Forestry
As we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th, it’s essential to recognise and uplift the incredible achievements of women across all sectors, including the vital area of sustainable forest management. This year’s theme, “Inspire Inclusion,” emphasises the importance of creating an inclusive world where women’s contributions are acknowledged and valued, not just in traditional roles but in every aspect of societal progress, including environmental stewardship and sustainable forestry practices.
In the context of certification of sustainable forest management, the inclusion of women at all levels of decision-making is crucial. Women play a significant role in natural resource management and have unique knowledge and perspectives that can lead to more sustainable and effective practices. By ensuring women’s involvement and leadership in certification processes and forest management, organisations can harness diverse talents and insights to promote environmental sustainability and resilience.
Our Standard Supports Equality
In line with the ethos of International Women’s Day and our collective aspiration to “Inspire Inclusion,” our forest management standard, particularly Sustainability Objective 7, serves as a robust framework to ensure that long-term social and economic benefits are not only preserved but enhanced through sustainable forest management practices.
This objective explicitly underscores the importance of equality, non-discrimination, and freedom from workplace harassment, aligning closely with the principles of inclusivity celebrated on this day. It mandates that forest managers commit to equitable treatment of all workers, base recruitment and advancement purely on qualifications, skill, experience, and merit, and place special emphasis on training and employment opportunities for local communities, including Indigenous peoples.
Such commitments are vital in providing an environment where the unique contributions of women are recognised and leveraged for the betterment of generational forest management. By fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity, we pave the way for more innovative, sustainable, and equitable solutions to environmental challenges. This approach not only aligns with the global movement towards gender parity but also significantly contributes to the achievement of sustainable development goals, ensuring that our forests remain a source of life and livelihood for all, now and in the future.
Women of Forestry Spotlight
As we honour women in sustainable forestry this International Women’s Day, we celebrate two of the many women making great contributions to the forestry sector – Monique Blason and Suzette Weeding for their outstanding contributions to forestry certification and their commitment to a sustainable future.
Suzette Weeding
As the General Manager of Conservation and Land Management at Sustainable Timber Tasmania, Suzette is a seasoned forest industry professional and a distinguished senior executive with over 20 years of direct experience. Suzette holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tasmania and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Currently serving as Vice Chair for PEFC International, Chair of the Gottstein Trust and Director of the Forest Education Foundation, Suzette is at the forefront of promoting responsible forestry practices. Suzette’s commitment extends to being a vocal advocate for Responsible Wood and PEFC, actively engaging with key legislators across various government levels to garner support for sustainable forest management certification systems.
Suzette’s leadership as a woman in the forest industry has been instrumental in championing environmental management, sustainable forest management, and biodiversity conservation.
Monique Blason
As the General Manager of Community Services at ForestrySA and a distinguished member of Forestry Australia (IFA/AFG) Board of Directors, Monique’s dedication spans a remarkable 30-year career.
Monique holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management and a Graduate Diploma in Water Resource Management from Adelaide University and has been an ambassador of evidence-based, sustainable public land, fire, and biodiversity management. Her expertise extends to policy and regulation development, strategic planning, project management, multi-tenure partnerships, and stakeholder engagement.
Beyond her impactful role, Monique’s passion aligns with diverse interests in Civil Rights, Disaster Response, Education, Environment, Science, Technology, and Social Services. She has played pivotal roles in emergency management and crisis resilience at the state and national levels, as well as being an active on-ground firefighter. When she’s not in the forest for work, she’s in the forest to hike, ride, or camp.
Monique’s dedication to responsible forest management is evident through her representation on national councils and committees, emphasizing the importance of sustainable forests and certification.
