A space for everyone – Part 5
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...
Florence Mullins
BSc (Hons), Dip Arb L4 (ABC), Senior Arboricultural Consultant
‘My pathway into arb can be described as more of a meandering river than a raging torrent.
‘After finishing college, I found myself a little directionless. As friends went off to university, I found a factory job. During this time, I saved money to buy an old banger and before long enrolled in an extended BTEC in Wildlife and Countryside Management, before studying a BSc in Ecology and Conservation Management.
‘During my second year of university, I welcomed my first daughter. Following graduation, unsure how to juggle the new “mum life” with building a career, I took on the role of manager in a local shop. Fast forward a couple of years and after welcoming our second daughter, I decided to take the plunge back into the environmental sector.
‘After being out of industry for almost five years, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I secured a full-time contract as an assistant ecologist for an environmental consultancy. This was a great experience, but I felt there was still a missing piece. Enter the age of arb!
‘Without an official arboricultural background, I had assumed this line of work would be closed to me. Following an initial call with ADAS, I applied for an assistant consultant position.
‘I quickly settled in at ADAS. This was due in part to both the strong network of support and mentorship and having some cracking work colleagues. I was sponsored through further studies, completing a Level 4 Diploma in Arboriculture. Despite a challenging time fitting in family life, work and studying, this has enabled me to progress to become a Senior Consultant, the role I will be fully stepping into this summer post-maternity leave.
‘As a woman in a predominantly male-led industry, working with mostly male clients, I was a little uncertain of how attending site with an ever-expanding baby bump would be perceived. However, I found it to be an overall positive experience and demonstrative of the inclusion of women in arb.’
‘I was a little uncertain of how attending site with an ever-expanding baby bump would be perceived. However, I found it to be an overall positive experience and demonstrative of the inclusion of women in arb.’
Florence Mullins
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.