Special to the T&D
Sandy Kumm from Tamassee in South Carolina joined Women Owning Woodlands for specific reasons. She is a woman who has woodlands that are specifically designed for wildlife habitation.
Kumm stated that she found the instructions ideally suited to her needs during a WOW event in Clemson.
Kumm stated that the workshop allowed me to learn safety, operation, maintenance, and how to choose the right type of saw for me. I left the class with the knowledge, confidence, and ability to choose the right saw for my needs, how to operate the saw, and how to safely do small jobs by myself.
This training is exactly what WOW hopes to offer in foundational learning.
WomenOwningWoodlands.netThis is a collaborative national project of the National Woodland Owners Association, USDA Forest Service and Cooperative Forestry Office. Clemson Extension Area Forestry/Wildlife Agency Janet Steele and Molly Darr, Clemson University Postdoctoral Associate, founded the South Carolina chapter.
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More than 11,000,000 owners make decisions about private forest land in the United States. These decisions have an impact on more that 420 million acres, or 58 percent of the nation’s total forestland.
The United States has 58 percent of family forest ownerships that have at least 10 acres of forestland. At least one female owner is also found in this country. 31% of landowners are single-owners. Women own the majority of land and make the decisions.
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Darr said that this is true for the people we work with in South Carolina. Darr added that it is also true nationally. Darr said that women in these families have been historically or traditionally excluded from the management of land. It will most likely be the men and the sons who do this. What we’ve seen in South Carolina is that the husband will pass away and the wife will inherit the land. She will not know how to use it or what to do about it.
Data from the 2013 U.S. Forest Services National Woodland owner Survey supports these statistically significant differences between male landowners and female owners: Female landowners are more likely have inherited land, especially from a spouse; male respondents were more likely have managed for wildlife, harvested timber commercially, and undertaken management activities within the past five years.
While there are many similarities between male and female owners’ attitudes and behaviors, the differences in their behavior are important for understanding constraints and barriers. They must also be considered when designing outreach programs and forestry programs.
Darr said that she spoke with women whose fathers owned the property. These women are next in the succession line and want to feel a sense ownership with the forestland, which will one day become theirs.
It doesn’t matter if they want it to be managed for timber, hunting, recreation, or ecological purposes. What I have learned from these women is that it can be difficult to jump in and say, “I want a piece of that.” Darr said, “I want to feel ownership of the property, even if I don’t know how to start.”
Apps calculate fertilizer mixtures to save growers time
A chainsaw is a piece of equipment that requires a lot of understanding. Clemson Assistant Professor in Forest Operations Patrick Hiesl gave the workshop in Clemson last year with a focus upon laying a foundation.
Hiesl stated that the literature showed that women are more likely than men to be hurt when working on farms, with chainsaws, or with heavy equipment. This is because they don’t work as hard as their male counterparts. Literature also suggests that women are more likely than men to attend workshops if they’re single-gender. We have also seen this in our evaluations.
Hiesl explained that the workshop was created to equip women with the skills to clean up stormwood if a tree falls on their farm or property.
The literature clearly shows that there is a shift in forest ownership from traditionally male to more women, regardless of whether they inherit or buy their own land. We wanted to be ahead of the curve and train this new group of forest owners.
The workshop was intended to teach novice or experienced users of chainsaws. It also included information on maintenance and safety.
Hiesl explained that we teach at a very basic level. We focus on personal protective equipment, safe handling chainsaws to prevent injuries, making sure they are comfortable wearing safety clothing, how to safely handle trees and logs, and how to safely move them away. It is a very basic course, but it also shows them how to make certain cuts that will make their lives more easy to safely use the saws and reduce the strain on the body.
Protecting the peaches: Farmers receive the latest information on pests, referred to as ‘baby blankets.
The South Carolina Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), Implementation Committee, funded the first three WOW Chainsaw Workshops in the state. The grant funds were granted in June 2021, and were used to purchase a variety chainsaws and safety equipment for the workshops.
The S.C. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Committee proudly supports the S.C. WOW Network, which engages, educates, and supports female woodland owners in the state.
According to the U.S. Forest Service National Woodland Owner Survey, there is an estimated 4 million family forest owners (with 10+ acres) in the U.S. About 20% of these forest ownerships have a woman primary owner.
Darr stated that WOW is an even more valuable support group for this growing group forestland owners.
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Darr stated that it can be intimidating to go to a male-dominated environment. Although it is not a bad thing, it can be difficult if you are the only woman in the room to speak out and say, What do cruising timber mean? This creates a more relaxed environment for these women. They can come and meet other women who have gone through it. Through all of the programming we do, we really try to teach them everything.
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