Create a sense of belonging

It’s that time of year: Conference season is in full swing. The winter months seem to bring the industry together for education, leading to networking and camaraderie. I remember my first professional meeting clearly. As a female student in a Turfgrass Science B.S. program, I was used to being the only woman in my classes. What I wasn’t prepared for was being the sole female in a crowd of 300 male attendees at a state conference. I knew there weren’t many other women in the industry, but to see the scarcity so obviously was striking. The loneliness was overwhelming and inhibited my ability to make connections.

Not fitting in at conferences is a common sentiment felt by other women in the green industry. As part of my graduate studies, I conducted research on factors affecting recruitment and retention of women in turfgrass management. Many study participants described negative experiences at meetings such as being mistaken for a waitress or assumed to be someone’s wife or girlfriend instead of an industry professional. Women also expressed their discomfort in being pursued romantically and handling inappropriate commentary on their gender.

I know firsthand in these situations the difficulty in processing your own feelings of being different without others calling further attention to it. Moving forward, the industry should take steps to create a stronger sense of belonging for all its members. Conferences are one of the best opportunities we have to develop a more welcoming culture for women. These meetings may be the first — and are often the biggest — exposure women have to the landscape profession. Ensuring a positive experience is essential to keeping women already working in the business engaged and to attract more to choose it as a career.

Increasing diversity in the profession in this manner is important to foster innovative thinking and to meet labor needs. The 2021 NALP Foundation Workforce Demographic Study found that while women represent 47% of the U.S. labor force, they comprise only 8% of roles in landscape management. As many lawn and landscape businesses face challenges in hiring, closing the gap of women in the workforce could help solve the issue.

So, what can be done to change the dynamic? As individuals, we should strive to maintain professionalism at events and in the workplace. Assume the women you see at jobsites and conferences are industry professionals. Take time to make connections with new faces and remember “if you see something, say something.” It’s on all of us to make sure our female colleagues are treated appropriately and with respect.

At the industry level, progress is being made with each passing year. NALP’s launch of the Women in Landscape Network is an excellent initiative establishing space for women to meet and connect. These forums offer mentorship, ideation and ultimately comfort in finding similarity. Expanding involvement and developing new opportunities will only strengthen female participation in the industry.

I challenge us all to reflect and take action toward improvement. It’s been exciting to experience positive change happening for women and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Women in Landscaping is a column brought to you in partnership with the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Devon Carroll, Ph.D is an active member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals Women in Landscape Network (powered by Envu) which provides a forum for industry professionals to support each other’s professional growth. The Network is free to all industry professionals.