We represent and support women in the Forestry Sector of New Zealand.
Wahine in Forestry is a professional development group that combines women enrolled in the New Zealand School of Forestry and working in the forest sector of New Zealand to further connections, mentoring and skills for women entering the forestry workforce and within their careers.
Wāhine in forestry represents a dynamic and inclusive collective dedicated to supporting women in the forestry sector of New Zealand.
We are a growing community of wāhine from various areas of the forestry sector, coming together to exchange personal and professional insights, learn from experts, network, provide support, and celebrate our contribution to the industry.
This group was started by the Canterbury West Coast Wood Council in response to requests from female students for more links into the forestry sector, and considering the low number of female employees working in forestry. Currently women only account for 18% of our sector workforce!
To encourage & empower women to succeed in the forestry industry.
Our mission is to create a thriving community that supports, connects, and advocates for wāhine in forestry through initiatives that promote gender equality, professional development, and networking opportunities.
The attraction and retention of women in forestry is a critical topic that we need to address.
When using the term ‘women’ in relation to this group, the term includes all those who identify as a women.
This morning, our founder Erica Kinder joined the Ministry for Primary Industries Grant and Contract Management team to talk about the work we’re doing across the sector.
Thank you to Donna Walzl, Susan Chalmers, and the team for inviting us along. We really appreciated the opportunity to share more about Wāhine in Forestry!
From the School of Forestry to the NZIF Conference in Dunedin!
Next week, Wāhine in Forestry is supporting five @ucnz @nzschoolofforestry students to attend the NZIF Conference. Congratulations to Sylvia Gordon, Lily Morris, Liv Bayne, Lucy Cartledge, and Rylee Kilsby-Port.
These opportunities give students the chance to spend time with people working right across the sector, and we can’t wait to hear what they take from the experience.
In many fields, students wouldn’t find themselves in the room at a national industry conference before they graduate. We think that says something pretty special about forestry.
Wow. What a response to our new mentorship programme! A huge thank you to every woman who has offered her time and encouragement. We are now working through the matching process and cannot wait to see these relationships begin.
Simple and informal is what we want this programme to be! Each pair will catch up around once a month for six months, either online or in person. There are no formal lessons, and mentors are not expected to have all the answers. There`s so much value in creating a trusted space where students can ask honest questions and learn from someone else`s experience.
We have enough mentors for now but, if you are a currently studying forestry and would like chat to someone in the know .... visit wahineinforestry.co.nz/mentorship-programme/
There’s more to forestry than most people realise. Wāhine are working across every part of it. Kinda chic, actually.
What would you add? Comment below!
Rain couldn’t stop these wāhine!
Despite the wild Tairāwhiti weather and plenty of downpours, women from across the forestry sector gathered at the beautiful Acton Estate in Gisborne for the inaugural Wāhine in Forestry Tairāwhiti networking event.
The evening was all about connection, sharing stories, building relationships and celebrating the important contribution wāhine make to forestry in our region.
A huge thank you to our sponsors Ernslaw One and Juken New Zealand for helping make this event possible, and to Black Fig Catering for the delicious canapés that kept everyone smiling.
The weather may have been wet, but the kōrero, laughter and connections were warm.
Here’s to making this a regular fixture on the Tairāwhiti forestry calendar!
Gisborne wāhine...we would love to see you at our event coming up on Thursday 9th July. A huge thank you to Ernslaw One for sponsoring the event and Juken New Zealand for providing the venue. Please RSVP to lara@discoverforestry.co.nz ASAP
See you soon!
Forestry students and Wāhine in Forestry, this one’s for you!
Come along to our Workforce Skills Evening and learn about CVs, mentoring opportunities, interviews, contracts and more!
Plus pizza, drinks, networking, and honest advice from women who’ve been there before.
That`s a wrap! A huge thank you to everyone who attended conference this year. We appreciate you all. It was a valuable couple of days and we would like to thank our sponsors Te Uru Rakau | New Zealand Forest Service, PF Olsens, and Prime Forest Management.
If you`d like to see any more of our 2026 conference photos then please head to our website.
Women students and employees of the forest sector of New Zealand. We are rare, we are brave.
This morning, our founder Erica Kinder joined the Ministry for Primary Industries Grant and Contract Management team day to talk about the work we’re doing across the sector.
Thank you to Donna Walzl, Susan Chalmers and the team for inviting us along. We really appreciated the opportunity to share more about Wāhine in Forestry!
From the School of Forestry to the NZIF Conference in Dunedin!
Next week, Wāhine in Forestry is supporting five University of Canterbury New Zealand School of Forestry students to attend the New Zealand Institute of Forestry Conference. Congratulations to Sylvia Gordon, Lily Morris, Liv Bayne, Lucy Cartledge, and Rylee Kilsby-Port.
These opportunities give students the chance to spend time with people working right across the sector, and we can’t wait to hear what they take from the experience.
In many fields, students wouldn’t find themselves in the room at a national industry conference before they graduate. We think that says something pretty special about forestry.
Would you have liked an opportunity like this when you were starting out in an industry?
The recent Canterbury West Coast Wood Council Awards saw a record number of women nominated, highlighting the growing influence of women across our industry. Congratulations to these three category winners, whose leadership, passion, and expertise are helping shape the future of forestry in New Zealand.
Cass Hetherington (Port Blakely) – Emerging Talent of the Year.
As a Harvesting and Planning Forester, Cass has already made a significant impact through innovative research into forest roading, helping improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and deliver better environmental outcomes. Beyond her technical expertise, Cass is a skilled communicator who generously shares her knowledge with students and industry newcomers, helping inspire the next generation of forestry professionals.
Nicole Neas (Trackit Logistics ) – Distribution Excellence.
Nicole is an exceptional logistics professional whose dedication, leadership and attention to detail keep a highly complex forestry supply chain running smoothly across Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Each day she coordinates the movement of around 4,000 tonnes of logs between multiple clients, harvesting crews, transport operators and customers.
Aimee Hyland (Ekos Kamahi Limited) – Excellence in Environmental & Sustainability Management.
Aimee leads a diverse portfolio of forestry carbon and biodiversity projects, managing thousands of hectares of forest and supporting more than 40 NZ ETS clients. Renowned for her ability to combine technical excellence with a collaborative, people-focused approach, she works closely with landowners, iwi, businesses and communities to deliver meaningful environmental outcomes.
Their collective achievements are inspiring.
Thank you for the incredible contribution you make to our industry.
#WomenInForestry #IndustryExcellence #Leadership #ForestryNZ
Did you see our latest newsletter? 👀
Look what our Wāhine in Forestry have been up to!
mailchi.mp
Supporting the next generation is a big focus in this newsletter, and it has been great to see so many women across the sector getting behind it. Wāhine have been sharing their experience at events a...
Wow. What a response to our new mentorship programme! A huge thank you to every woman who has offered her time and encouragement. We are now working through the matching process and cannot wait to see these relationships begin.
Simple and informal is what we want this programme to be! Each pair will catch up around once a month for six months, either online or in person. There are no formal lessons, and mentors are not expected to have all the answers. There's so much value in creating a trusted space where students can ask honest questions and learn from someone else's experience.
We have enough mentors for now but, if you are a currently studying forestry and would like chat to someone in the know .... visit wahineinforestry.co.nz/mentorship-programme/
Our newsletter with a frequency of approximately one monthly will keep you updated about our conferences and other events as well as news about our mentoring programme. Subscribe to receive the news in your inbox. You can unsubscribe anytime.
