10 City Trees
When Fleming College Professor
of Urban Forestry Katrina Van Osch-
Saxon first asked me to speak at the
one-day
Women in Trees Conference
and Awareness Day
on Earth Day 2017,
I didn't know what to expect or what
I could offer. When I first started my
career in urban forestry I often found
myself surrounded mostly by men during
meetings. Getting acquainted with other
women professionals who inspired and
supported me was instrumental to my
growth and confidence as I moved along
my journey.
And so, in preparation for this event, I
started making a list of all the women
who have influenced and supported me
in my career thus far. This quickly became
an exhaustive exercise as I realized how
many women imparted lessons and
shaped my professional development. I
knew I wanted to be part of the Women in
Trees event to share some of the lessons
I've learned and experiences I've had with
respect to applied practice, policy devel-
opment, and research.
There were two parts to this day: the
morning included a panel of three speak-
ers and the afternoon involved climbing
trees! Yes, climbing trees—ropes, har-
nesses, hard hats, carabineers, steel
The author with her hand-carved sou-
venir from the event.
Author Adrina Bardekjian (right) with Fleming College Professor of Urban
Forestry Katrina Van Osch-Saxon.
Women in Trees: Sharing Experiences and Lessons Learned
By Adrina C. Bardekjian, MFC, PhD
Manager, Urban Forestry Programs & Research Development, Tree Canada
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of British Columbia
Photos Courtesy Women in Trees Conference
You can see
a video about the Women
in Trees Conference
here.
