International Women’s Day is about celebrating and empowering all women, including those most often overlooked. This year’s theme, For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment, aligns with our vision of an inclusive world where the environment delivers for both people and nature. A key focus of our work is ensuring access for all to nature and greenspaces.
This International Women’s Day, we’re profiling just some of the talented women at the Trust and sharing the change they deliver to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises and environmental inequality.
Helen, Project Manager
I work with partners on an exciting project in Levenmouth, Fife. We are delivering an accessible, attractive, and biodiverse public park for the local communities of Levenmouth and visitors alike so they can connect with each other, the natural environment and the area’s rich history.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
That the project is making positive change in so many ways at once. It’s using the expertise of lots of local people and groups to improve nature, people’s experience of a local park, health, and celebrate the rich history of the whole area. At the same time it’s providing long-lasting training and skills. I love having the support of so many colleagues, partners and people from Levenmouth. It means I’m learning from them and we can do something inspiring together.
What is your experience as a woman in the sector?
I love that this sector has so many experienced and knowledgeable women who are making a real difference every day. It’s great to see that and the way they collaborate, sharing knowledge so others can also be inspired to make a difference. There’s a real sense of being lifted up by all the great women around me!
Izzie, Development Officer
I’m a Development Officer, which means that I manage greenspace projects from concept all the way through to delivery. I work with local authorities, community groups, and other landowners who are looking to transform a site into a new greenspace, or improve an existing greenspace for biodiversity, climate resilience and amenity/recreational value.
Every project is different, coming with its own challenges (perhaps a hidden scheduled monument to avoid or contaminated land to remediate) and opportunities (boggy areas ripe for a new pond or developing new connections to existing greenspace or woodland corridors nearby).
Recently we’ve been developing a project in Glasgow, an area of vacant and derelict land that is very overgrown and subject to anti-social behaviour, that could be a fantastic greenspace asset for the local community in an area where greenspace access is very poor.
During the process we’ve been seeking the advice of WiseWomen, an organisation that addresses women’s fears and experiences of crime and violence through the provision of Personal Safety and Confidence Building courses and workshops in local Glasgow communities. They have a particular interest in working with projects offering opportunities to access greenspace. As a woman I’ve felt unsafe walking alone in some urban and rural areas and I welcome their input to ensure this project empowers women to enjoy these public spaces and feel safe in doing so.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Being in a job where I can help improve the local community’s quality of life by creating a welcoming and attractive greenspace and involving them in the process. It’s great being onsite and chatting with site users who follow the project’s journey and are excited to see its completion.
What’s your favourite project moment?
Seeing a project actually start onsite, with diggers getting in to create new seasonal ponds and paths across what was a blank amenity grass canvas in Grangemouth.
A lot of project work and time takes place in meetings, emails, surveys, spreadsheets etc. before anything actually happens onsite so its nice to be reminded of the end goal (and to see birds come and make use of the ponds before the project is even completed).
What is your experience as a woman in the sector? How could we accelerate action?
I don’t feel that being a woman is a barrier to working in the sector. I feel like I’m respected, included in relevant discussions, and that my voice is heard. We could accelerate action with more dedicated funding to support training opportunities to help people get into the sector whether that’s for learning how to use a brushcutter, a chainsaw, or towards ecological qualifications such as bat licences.
Jasmine, Project Assistant
I support the strategy team to research and develop new opportunities for Green Action Trust. Most of my work involves researching new and existing environmental policies and programmes, but my main project currently is organising a Peer Learning Session for the Nature Networks initiative. It’s been great working with NatureScot to develop this workshop to help push forward Nature Network implementation and improve habitat connectivity across Scotland!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I really enjoy meeting and engaging with so many different people from across the environmental sector. Having just finished a masters, it’s been fantastic to also be able to learn from people who have such great experience in this field! Being part of Green Action Trust is also incredibly rewarding — it’s amazing to know that I’m contributing to positive change, not just for biodiversity but also for communities that will benefit from better-connected, thriving natural spaces.
What is your experience as a woman in the sector? How could we accelerate action?
Although I’ve only just started my career in the environmental sector, I have learnt so much already through such amazing and insightful women at Green Action Trust! It’s been incredibly inspiring to work alongside people who are so knowledgeable, supportive, and passionate about making a difference. Their guidance has helped me grow in confidence and develop a deeper understanding of the sector. To #accelerateaction, we need to prioritise collaboration across all sectors and through encouraging inclusive decision-making can drive more innovative and effective solutions for environmental challenges.
If you’re interested in a career tackling the twin climate and biodiversity crises and environmental inequality, check out our latest vacancies on our careers page.