The third Advancing Women in Conservation (AWIC) Summit in Richmond, B.C. highlighted both the significant role and the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in conservation and the outdoor community. Co-hosted by the Saskatchewan and BC Wildlife Federations in early April, the event provided a vital platform for women involved in various aspects of conservation including politics, science, enforcement, education, academia, and grassroots hunting and fishing, to connect and share their experiences.
The summit aimed to create a safe space for women to discuss their challenges and successes, and to identify barriers to their full participation, with an overarching outcome of fostering an accepting, supportive, and collaborative environment.
AWIC Summit attendees
For the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), representation at the summit offered a crucial opportunity for four of our female representatives, including three staff and the chairwoman of OFAH Foundation, to attend and learn strategies for enhancing female engagement.
Attendees at AWIC shared relatable challenges, such as the difficulty in finding suitable outdoor gear designed for women, the experience of being the only woman on a team, and examples of workplace challenges where improvement needs to be made.
The summit emphasized solutions, focusing on intentionally creating space for diversity in perspective and experience, encouraging male coworkers to be supportive allies, and the importance of women supporting each other. Leveraging existing groups of outdoorswomen was also identified as a key strategy. Furthermore, the summit underscored the inherent capabilities women bring to conservation work and the importance of empathy and trusting intuition.
Summit insights
The insights gained from the AWIC Summit serve as a clear call to action for hunting, angling, and conservation organizations in Canada. To foster greater inclusivity and empower women in the outdoors, organizations are encouraged to consider the following:
- Conduct internal staff reviews to identify and address barriers hindering the full participation of women. This includes assessing inclusivity in communications, leadership diversity, and the
availability of resources. - Actively seek out and amplify the voices of women within leadership. Create platforms for sharing experiences, offer mentorship, and contribute to decision-making processes is crucial.
- Invest in creating inclusive environments. This involves providing training on allyship, promoting diversity in recruitment, and ensuring access to appropriately sized gear and facilities as needed.
- Partner with existing women’s outdoor groups and initiatives. Collaboration can amplify reach, support diversity in women’s voices, and create a stronger support network.
- Recognize and celebrate the unique contributions of women to conservation. Highlighting achievements to inspire future generations.
“By embracing the concepts and intent of AWIC and implementing these actionable steps, Canadian conservation organizations can cultivate a more thriving and inclusive community where the passion for angling, hunting, and conservation is shared equally, OFAH Community Engagement Coordinator Andrea Bauman said. “This commitment will ensure a vibrant and diverse future for the outdoor industry and conservation in Canada.”
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