International Women’s Day: We celebrate women working with greenlife

By Gabrielle Stannus
 

International Women's Day is held annually on 8 March to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year’s theme is ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’. We profile three women to find out what it means to them to be a woman working in this industry.

Anita Campbell came to the greenlife industry after working in five other industry associations across the automobile, caravan, housing, interior designers and fire protection sectors. Anita holds two bachelor’s degrees and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Since joining this industry, she has discovered a new appreciation of the greenlife around her.

What does it mean to you to be a woman working in the greenlife industry? 

It means that I can be a positive role model to any young woman thinking about a career in horticulture. I have pursued a slightly different career path out of the many varied roles available in the industry and I hope that all young women see that they too can get to the top of their field.

Which other women have inspired you in the greenlife industry and how? 

This industry is full of inspirational women. In New South Wales we are fortunate to have a woman who sits on our Board, Sam Birkwood, who owns Bamboo World Nursery. As well as running a business, Sam also runs a household with three children and volunteers with Fire and Rescue NSW. I have also had the great pleasure of working with Judy Horton OAM, an absolute industry stalwart. Judy is an editor, freelance writer, radio horticultural adviser and is another example of the variation of career paths available.

What words of encouragement would you provide to other women seeking to enter the greenlife industry? 

A career in horticulture can not only be self-fulfilling but gives you the opportunity to make a positive impact on society through the creation of liveable cities, providing healthy environments, protecting natural habitats, securing Australia’s food security, and supporting the physical and mental health of Australians. A horticulturist might work in a production nursery, a garden centre or parks and gardens, while others might be involved in research and development or discovering new species of plants. There is a role for everyone and a career path that gets you there. I would say grab every opportunity with both hands and just see where it can take you.

Rowena McMahon is a teacher of horticulture at TAFE NSW Ryde campus, mostly in the Landscape Design section. Rowena has been teaching students about plants for more than 30 years. After school, she studied architecture before finding her true passion when she completed an Advanced Certificate in Urban Horticulture at Ryde. Now, she enjoys visiting gardens in Australia and overseas, going to landscape design conferences and industry related seminars, then sharing ideas and information from these events with her students.

What does it mean to you to be a woman working in the greenlife industry?

In horticulture education I am part of a team of male and female educators. There have always been women in senior positions in TAFE. Women in TAFE are respected for their knowledge and skills in organisation and communication.

Which other women have inspired you in the greenlife industry and how?

I am inspired by our students. We teach a wide range of people, from school leavers to retirees, with many students beginning a change of career. Mature female students are often working part time plus balancing the care of their family. The Landscape Design Diploma is a demanding course, and these students strive to do well.

I am so proud to see them start their own businesses or find work as designers in larger companies. Some of them go on to win awards and be active in the Australian Institute of Landscape Designers and Managers (AILDM), the professional body for landscape designers and managers.

What words of encouragement would you provide to other women seeking to enter the greenlife industry?

I have never met anyone who regretted studying horticulture. It is life enriching, and there are many employment opportunities. I meet women graduates working in nurseries, garden maintenance, landscaping, arboriculture, the media and landscape design. They all share an interest in plants, which is why I still enjoy teaching.

Sonya Gifford came to Greenlife Industry Australia with extensive experience in association management, having worked for the Australian Veterinary Association, the Public Relations Institute of Australia, and Master Builders Australia. She is also a self-described green thumb who, having spent a great deal of her childhood on a farm roustabouting, lambing, cherry picking and sleeping in wool classing bays, has an affinity with the land.

What does it mean to you to be a woman working in the greenlife industry?

Whilst my association management and corporate governance skills were a good fit for the position description, I applied for the role simply because I am a green thumb! What I have found since starting in this industry is there are not as many women working in industry as I expected. However, more and more women are in decision making and management roles, which is very encouraging to see.

Which other women have inspired you in the greenlife industry and how?

There are some great women out there who are very positive about the industry and want it to grow, pushing it forward and helping it to adopt better practices. Sonja Cameron (from Cameron’s Nursery) is one of those women; she is very much a guiding light.

I have also met some great young women in my work that are inspirational; this is a very positive sign for the future of our industry.

What words of encouragement would you provide to other women seeking to enter the greenlife industry?

The greenlife industry is a beautiful, creative and nurturing industry to be in because you are working with living things. To watch something grow from a seed or a seedling into a plant that then becomes part of someone’s environment and makes them happy is a wonderful thing to be involved in. You are creating life and you are creating happiness for future generations.