A space for everyone – Part 6

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...

Bethany Thompson

MSc, Assistant Arboricultural Consultant

‘I didn’t start my career in arboriculture the traditional way. I began working in an administrative role at Greater Manchester TreeStation, an ARB Approved contractor. My boss had whole collection of arboriculture materials, and whenever there were quiet moments, I would read them. What started as filling time quickly turned into fascination. The way trees behaved intrigued me. I wanted to understand more about the science, the techniques and the thinking behind the work.

‘With a background in restoration ecology, my passion for the natural world was already there. I wanted to use my brain more, to get out into the field and build knowledge to help shape the future of the natural landscape.

‘When I officially joined the team at ADAS, I was genuinely shocked to find so many other women already thriving in the industry.

‘I would encourage other women considering arboriculture careers not to be put off by outdated assumptions. There is space for you here and the industry is stronger because of it! As someone still new to the consultancy side of arboriculture, I’m excited to see where this path will lead. After all, “the wind cannot defeat a tree with strong roots.”’

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.