Women Owning Woodlands

The Wisconsin Women Owning Woodlands program connects women landowners with each other and with resource professionals. The events create a collaborative and inspiring environment where women landowners share their experiences, gain skills, and learn from their peers and professionals.

Chainsaw Trainings

We hold in-person chainsaw workshops across Wisconsin in which women landowners learn to safely operate, handle, and maintain chainsaws to participate in land management activities on their property.

Attendees learn how to fit proper personal protective equipment to their body and how to start different types of chainsaws. They practice taking down trees of various sizes, removing invasive woody species, and bucking up firewood. Most women who have attended our workshops had never used a chainsaw before, and by the end of the classes they could all start and operate a chainsaw safely. Attendees are empowered to make land management decisions and capable of undertaking management activities themselves.

Awesome class! Very well run and informative.

—Workshop participant

Women should definitely register for this class. I struggle with anxiety and feeling self conscious when I don’t know how to do something but the instructor and other women in the class made me feel so comfortable. My anxiety was still present but I was able to work through it knowing I wasn’t being judged.

—Workshop participant

Field Days and Retreats

In May 2023, we held a weekend retreat for 70 Wisconsin women woodland owners. Attendees built a sense of community and left inspired to stay connected with each other.

In fall 2022, we held a series of field days where women woodland owners visited each other’s properties to learn about their challenges and successes and get new ideas for their own land.

Upcoming Events

We are planning a series of webinars on chainsaw maintenance and safety, more in-person chainsaw workshops, and other opportunities for women landowners to connect with each other.

If you have questions about our Women Owning Woodland program or would like to stay up to date about future events, contact:

Our Women Owning Woodlands program is funded in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Page last updated February 2025.