I met a few people with entrenched ideas and closed minds but these were mostly from outside of the industry; those within the arboricultural world were almost always kind, encouraging and supportive of my aspirations. I think my own naivety in the early days actually helped me. We’re pleased to announce that booking is now open and thanks to our sponsors Ego, Lantra and Pfanner we are able to make the inaugural Women in Arboriculture Group event FREE for all delegates.

Ans: The poet did not mention the departure of the forest from her house because it is a part of human nature to ignore the important matters of their life. We all know that trees are so important for our survival on earth. But still human beings are cutting them for making profits without even thinking of the aftermath. Support International Women's Day: You can find out more about International Women's Day and the #PressforProgress campaign here: www.internationalwomensday.com/ . The poem has a symbolic meaning, the trees are an extended metaphor for women. The poet says that the women have rested, healed and recovered and are ready for their primary purpose – to renew the empty forest of mankind. On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning? Other women in the photographs look uneasy about straddling a branch in a hitched-up skirt, annoyed at having to endure the rough bark against their bare legs. In one image, the male photographer is standing close enough for his long shadow to fall eerily over the trunk of the tree, a shadow as large as the woman herself. What’s fascinating about viewing so many amateur images of the same curious phenomenon is the chance to guess from the women’s expressions and gestures what this fleeting moment of mischievousness a few feet off the ground meant to them, if it meant anything at all.Sharon: Working with Mencap in the woods and seeing people gain confidence. Many Mencap clients were uncomfortable outside and, in particular, getting dirty. To see the team start to carry out coppicing and work with them was very heart warming. It's not all about trees, but about how trees can affect a life change. Top of the list is a good sense of humour; I just wouldn't have been able to progress without it. I am quite a determined person and enjoy healthy competition. I always strive to improve on the last report or the last job that leaves the office. Over the years I think I've developed humility as I've gained experience. What do you do now? Alternatively, how many female arborists have heard 'Surely you’re not going to be lifting/climbing/cutting that?!' Sometimes harassment and discrimination at work come from clientele and the wider community. Simply by association, it may alter their perceptions. It began with a single photograph Raiss found while rummaging through the bin of hodgepodge vintage ephemera at a Frankfurt flea market — a woman, in a tree, happy and carefree.

Bo: I have always loved climbing. When I was little I used to climb on whatever I could find: doorframes, scaffolding when we were rebuilding the roof, etc. When I found arboriculture it was like a dream come true. I could be outside, climb trees and get paid doing it!!

Emma Schaffert

Arboriculture or Urban Forestry is relatively young industry. Traditionally many people started their careers working on the tools, then progressing into local authority work as a Tree Officer or by going into private consultancy. As the industry has grown and the importance of trees has become more widely known, so has the variety of roles available.

Some claimed she had been a German spy while others wrote books and Simon Holt wrote an opera about her. The verdict of an inquest into the death was "murder by person or persons unknown" but police investigations ended up at a dead end. Thanks also to our hosts at Kew and its Head of Tree Collections and Arboriculture Kevin Martin, who has kindly offered the world-leading botanic garden as the setting for the day. Already confirmed on the programme is Italian arborist Stefania Gasperini, who has featured at several international conferences in recent years, as well as two outdoor afternoon workshops taking in parts of the Kew arboretum.

Entrance Exams

The poem “The Trees” by Adrienne Rich is a metaphor which compares the trees to women. The poet is a feminist and highlights the desire of women to be free and go out in the open. The trees want to free themselves from the floor of the house and go in the open forest. They are cramped in the houses and their feelings can be felt and heard by the poet. Arboricultural Association (2014). 48th Annual Conference. The ARB Magazine. Winter, Issue 167: 16. Bo: Being self-employed, my work is very shifting and goes from doing NPTC assessments solid for a few weeks to full-on climbing the next, or a mix between the two. It also involves doing surveys, working at trade shows, running workshops or training courses and setting up and judging the 3ATC competitions.