All in the family
A GISBORNE STUDENT HAS WON A FOUR-YEAR, NZ$32,000 scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming the first female forester in her family. “I have always been passionate about the environment but you don’t see a lot of female participation in this industry. That’s why I want to make a mark,” says former Gisborne Girls’ High School student, Phoebe Naske.
Like her father, she is pursuing a Bachelor of Forestry Science at the University of Canterbury. Her dad loved the idea of Phoebe doing the course and getting a “hands-on” understanding of the industry just like he and Phoebe’s uncle did. “He keeps telling me stories about the field trips during his time at university,” she says.
Phoebe’s parents were advocates for experiencing what the outdoors has to offer, and she has fond memories of hiking with her dad. She was also lucky enough to go on an Outward Bound experience in Anakiwa last year. “That’s probably where my interest in forestry comes from,” she says.
Phoebe says she learned about the scholarship through an online course organised by GirlBoss — an initiative that creates programmes for a network of high schoolers. “My mum shared the Facebook link to the course with me and I took up the programme relating to the primary industry,” she explains. After the course she was given the opportunity to speak with mentors from the agriculture and forestry industries.
“That’s how I got to know about the scholarship,” says Phoebe. The scholarship programme, now in its fourth year, aims to increase the number of those that identify as female or of Māori descent, encouraging greater diversity in the industry.
She is hopeful that becoming a forester will encourage her younger sister to pursue a career which lacks a female presence. “It is important to see other women and people of Māori descent joining this industry to have more inclusivity,” she says.