A space for everyone – Part 3
Eight female consultants share their diverse stories and encourage more women to join our industry
Stella Bolam
Our industry has historically been male dominated, and undoubtedly there are various factors which have played into this bias.
Despite the evolving cultural and social landscapes beyond our working lives, this gender imbalance is proving to be pretty persistent, with women accounting for 15% of the Arboricultural Association’s membership, according to the latest available data. What’s more, in a diversity report by the London Tree Officers’ Association (LTOA) published in 2022, only 23% of respondents were female.
Since changing my career to join the sector in 2021, I’ve noticed how more women are forming networks and supporting each other to make strides into the world of arb, and, in my experience, the times appear to be gradually changing. Some might say change is happening at the sedate pace of ‘tree time’, but a shift is underway towards arboriculture becoming a more gender-balanced industry.
One powerfully simple method to propel this trend is storytelling – sharing the experiences of women working in the sector to help inspire other women to think ‘Oh! That could be me’ or (if she’s a mum) ‘Maybe that’s a possible career for my daughter.’
The arboricultural team I work in at ADAS – the UK’s largest independent provider of agricultural and environmental consultancy, policy advice and research and development – bucks the industry gender trend, with a predominantly female group of arboricultural consultants.
So, with the aim of encouraging more women into our sector, here are our stories...
Molly Hardwick
BSc, Assistant Arboricultural Consultant
‘My passion for the natural world has always drawn me to careers where protection and long-term sustainability sit at the heart of the work. Having studied Zoology, I knew from the start that I wanted to work outside and with nature.
‘Trees play such a vital role in our landscapes, ecosystems and communities, and I was particularly attracted to a career where I could help balance development with conservation in a meaningful, practical way. I particularly love learning about the natural world and the symbiotic relationships between trees and their surrounding environment and biota, and this career provides an opportunity to utilise and expand on this learning.
‘Before I started working in this role, I expected that there would be a steep learning curve, especially in the early stages, but that it would be supported by learning from others with more experience. I didn’t expect the team would be as small as it is! It made it a lot easier to meet everyone and didn’t feel quite as overwhelming as I had anticipated.
‘Since I began working with trees, I’ve been most surprised by the variety the role offers – no two sites or projects are ever the same. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by how collaborative the arboriculture industry is, and how willing people are to share their knowledge and support those who are still learning.
‘The biggest challenge of working in the tree sector has been having the self-confidence to try something I’ve never done before. I’ve been overcoming this by reminding myself of my eagerness to learn and having the humility to admit there’s still lots I don’t know and that’s fine! Everyone is always learning and – especially at the beginning of this career – it’s better to ask lots of questions and know when to ask others for help.
‘I feel very privileged to work alongside such knowledgeable and supportive people. I’m super excited to continue developing my skills, gain more experience and get more deeply involved in the fascinating and ever-changing world of trees. If anybody new to the industry or wanting to get into it ever had any questions or wanted to get in touch, I’d be more than happy to have a chat.’
Find out more
Obviously consultancy is just one of the many paths that can be taken in arboriculture. More inspiration about other options that can be explored – whether you’re just starting out in the sector or are changing careers to join – can be found in the Careers section of the Association’s website - www.trees.org.uk. If you want to find out more about ADAS Arboriculture visit: www.adas.co.uk/get-in-touch.
This article was taken from Issue 213 Summer 2026 of the ARB Magazine, which is available to view free to members by simply logging in to the website and viewing your profile area.