International project Fem2forests

In January 2024, a consortium of 15 project partners launched an international project Fem2forests: Innovative pathways for efficient involvement of girls and young women in the forestry sector. The project is co-funded under the Interreg Programme Danube Region. The project involves 15 partners from 9 countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania, Czech Republic, Ukraine). The leading partner of the project is the Slovenian Forestry Institute and the project leader is dr. Nike Krajnc.

There is a shortage of labour in forestry and other forestry-related sectors, and interest in careers in this sector is also declining. Nevertheless, forestry is known for creating "green jobs" that not only contribute to the preservation of forest ecosystems, but also ensure the sustainable production of forest wood assortments and non-timber products. The Fem2forests project builds on the foundations of the previous Fem4Forest project (DTP3-500), which gave us an insight into the position of women in forestry in the Danube region and is also a motivation for further work with girls and women in forestry. With this project, we want to contribute to strengthening the forestry sector in the Danube region at local, regional and international level by involving young women and girls to a greater extent.

The aims of the Fem2forests project are:

1. To develop innovative career paths for girls and young women,
2. To strengthen the capacity of forestry education institutions by integrating the gender equality aspect and
3. To create favourable conditions for the effective inclusion of women at different levels in forestry and forestry-related sectors.

To achieve these goals, the Fem2forests concept follows an interactive and innovative model that involves different actors and covers different levels of career paths in forestry, from the early stages of orientation to leadership positions. Various methods are used to identify the needs and interests of girls and young women in the forestry sector - workshops, surveys, interviews and more. Educational institutions, companies and organisations and other stakeholders will also be involved in the project to help change awareness and create a framework for a more diverse workforce that promotes sustainable development, especially in rural areas. With these activities, we aim to increase the proportion of young women in the forestry sector, for which communication and involvement of the target groups from the beginning of the project are crucial.

PROJECT ID:
Title: Innovative pathways for efficient involvement of girls and young women in the forestry sector
Acronym: Fem2forests
Start date: 01.01.2024  End date: 30.06.2026
Project budget: €1.6 million (€1.3 million of which are Interreg funds)
Leading partner: Slovenian Forestry Institute
Partnership: 15 partners, from 9 countries