THE FOREST CLASSROOM

Building Skills and Confidence: Chainsaw Safety and Operation for Women

By Amy Arsenault

Did you know that women landowners help make management decisions on the over 1.8 million acres of New Hampshire forests and are primary decision makers on approximately 23 percent (429,000 acres) of the state's private forestland? The health of New Hampshire’s forestland is defined by the ability of private landowners, including women landowners, to make informed management decisions on their property. However, research has revealed that women are less likely to participate in management activities1 , in part because outreach efforts have not connected with women as successfully as men.

In response to this need for more outreach to women, UNH Cooperative Extension, NH Timberland Owners Association, the Forest Society, and other partners joined together to host Women in the Woods, an effort aimed at connecting women forest landowners, managers, and stewards with the resources, skills, and community they need to make informed stewardship decisions that promote healthy forest resources. The first Women in the Woods workshop taught a skill that is in high demand for women landowners: chainsaw safety and maintenance.

The two-day workshop was held in early November at the Forest Society’s headquarters in Concord. It was led by Wendy Weisiger, managing forester for the Forest Society, Tish Carr, consultant and certified arborist, and Mike Gagnon, Hillsborough County extension forester. Fifteen participants, including landowners, natural resources professionals, and volunteers from across New England, gathered for the introductory course. In a pre-workshop survey, most participants noted having less than one year of experience or no experience using a chainsaw prior to the course. Several attendees noted that they felt uncomfortable or nervous handling a chainsaw safely and hoped to walk away from the workshop feeling more comfortable and confident.

The focus of this workshop was on safety: safe posture, safe practices, safe clothing, and safe habits. The first day focused on safety gear, parts of a chainsaw and function, chainsaw safety features, basic saw maintenance, and an introduction to proper and safe saw operation. On day two, participants had the opportunity to practice chainsawing in a safe, controlled, and supervised environment. Participants practiced basic chainsaw operation, safe movement and operation, making straight up and down cuts, limbing, bore cutting methods, and cutting tension and compression wood.

Women in the Woods aims to foster an environment that provides peer-to-peer learning and knowledge transfer opportunities. In the post-workshop evaluation, participants remarked that the workshop was “very empowering” and that they “enjoyed watching others gain experience and cheering each other on. ” Another goal of offering these women-focused programs is to create a comfortable space for participants to ask questions. One participant noted that they appreciated “the pace [they] worked at and the space to ask questions as needed.

Women in the Woods participants are all smiles after spending two days learning how to maintain a chainsaw and operate it safely.

Learn More:

Due to high demand, the Women in the Woods program team is gearing up to offer a variety of workshops this year. Are you interested in learning about upcoming events? Sign up for the Women in Woods newsletter at https://bit.ly/3sJQXZ0 to receive updates.

Amy Arsenault is the forest stewardship outreach program manager for the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension.

References: 1Butler, S. M., Huff, E. S., Snyder, S. A., Butler, B. J., & Tyrrell, M. (2017). The Role of Gender in Management Behaviors on Family Forest Lands in the United States. Journal of Forestry.