Reclaiming Women’s Place in the Forest
Women have historically been powerful guardians of the trees, while nature is a powerful tool for women’s emancipation.
When I was growing up my mother warned me about forests. She told me I shouldn’t go there alone, not playing or walking or jogging. Scary men might be lurking amongst the trees. Murderers, perverts, rapists. I was taught to see forests as hostile territory, the geographical manifestation of the risks of being a woman. The spectre of bad men peeks out from behind every tree just as it hides around every corner of everyday life. Our fairy tales gave us fair warning: forests were a place where magic happened but where women met misfortune. Little Red Riding Hood always runs into a wolf.
Despite this, I always felt — and still feel — so safe in a forest. I feel wholly myself, free from society. Until a twig cracks, I spin round and I know that I would far rather see an angry boar than a strange man. Women feel vulnerable in a place that could make them powerful.
As a teenager, naturally, I didn’t listen to my mother. There was a huge forest next to my boarding school, and several times a week I would go for long runs in the dark trees. It was always empty and beautiful. I especially loved going early in the morning, when there would be…
