The Full Circle: Edition 16
Editor’s letter
The Full Circle has been going strong for over 7 years now, under the careful curation of Steve McLean and Nick Marshall. This Winter the journal is looking at the women working in the Scottish timber sector, so Steve felt like it was only right that this edition should be overseen by the Full Circle’s first female editor. Having taken over from Nick as ASHS coordinator a year ago, I was excited to take on the challenge of putting together this edition of the Full Circle. With a range of excellent and interesting editorials from women across this industry, I believe that we have created a great addition to the Full Circle’s catalogue that investigates an area which has historically received little attention but has been gaining awareness over recent years.
This journal delves into the experiences of women from across the timber industry; with an article from Helen Mackay, Chief Forester for Scotland, talking about how times have changed since she started working in the industry – when there weren’t enough women around to bother having a ladies’ toilet at forestry events; to an article from Lizzy Taylor, discussing her personal struggles in her woodworking career. While most contributors acknowledge that there are times when their gender has impacted their work life, the severity and extent of this varies considerably from person to person, and between industries.
However, despite the differences in experience, there was one recurring theme, which was the issue of representation; for a long time, the realm of forests and timber has been seen as a ‘man’s world’, which can act as a deterrent to women entering the industry. Nevertheless, women have been working in the woodlands for a long time – going back as far as World War 1 where the ‘Land Girls’ were seen taking up saws and axes to fulfil gaps in the forestry sector when the men were drafted into the army. While we may be in the minority, we’re definitely there. Ros, the Forest Industries advisor at Scottish Forestry, states in her article that ‘if you can’t see it, you can’t do it’. Therefore, to get more women applying to work in the timber sector, we need to show them that there is a place for them in this industry.
Which is exactly what this journal aims to do. By shedding a light on the wonderful and talented women already working in this industry, we hope to show that the woods are for women too.
Kitty Birley, Editor
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The Full Circle is released twice per year, for a subscription rate of £14 per year.
In this issue:
ASHS News & Updates
A round-up from across ASHS, reflecting AGM discussions, new member activity, and updates on ongoing initiatives shaping the organisation’s direction over the year.
Working Woods Scotland 2022
Reflections on the 2022 Working Woods Scotland programme delivered with ASHS members and trainers, highlighting practical sawmilling and woodland learning across the sector. This piece captures the balance of hands-on sawmilling skills, peer learning, and the growing appetite for structured woodland training.
ASHS AGM 2022
Marking the Annual General Meeting, this piece captures member contributions, committee updates, and wider discussion on ASHS priorities and development.
Calculating Carbon at Scottish Wood
At Scottish Wood in Fife, the focus turns to carbon accounting and woodland operations, exploring how small-scale production sites are beginning to measure and understand their environmental impact more precisely.
Success Is When Women Have to Queue for the Toilets
A reflective discussion on gender balance in forestry and timber, drawing on experiences from sawmilling, woodland management, and rural industry networks.
Sewing, Not Sewing!
At Abbey Timber, sawmiller Ellinor Dobie reflects on her route into the industry, moving through practical production work and into sawmilling, challenging assumptions about who belongs in timber processing environments.
If You Can’t See It, You Can’t Be It
Exploring visibility and representation in forestry and timber, this piece reflects on the importance of role models across the sector, particularly the visibility of women working in sawmilling, woodland management, and related industries.
Starting Again at 51
Rachel Archibald reflects on a later-life return to work in woodland and forestry contexts, tracing a shift in direction and the process of rebuilding confidence and capability within a new sector.
10 Years in Forestry
A decade of work across forestry and small-scale woodland management is reflected on in this piece by Leigh Mcivor, with experiences spanning timber production, environmental projects, and day-to-day work alongside local woodland enterprises across Scotland.
We’ll Take Over the Woodlands Yet!
A personal account from within the sawmilling and woodland sector by Scottish Wood’s Kitty Birley, reflecting on returning to family roots in forestry and stepping into coordination work within ASHS, shaped by both environmental management and hands-on woodland experience.
The Age of the Female Architect
Gail Halvorsen reflects on career in architecture, examining gender balance in design practice and the evolving role of women in shaping more sustainable, people-focused buildings.
Battling for My Place
Woodcarver and furniture maker Lizzy Taylor reflects on her path through education, workshops, and professional practice, navigating confidence, craft, and identity within a male-dominated woodworking industry.
My Journey into the Furniture Industry
Furniture maker Anna Nichols traces her route from design training into independent practice, combining engineering experience, woodworking, and sawmill exposure through roles connected to Scottish timber production.
Women Warriors of Abriachan Forest Trust
At Abriachan Forest Trust, this piece highlights the women driving community woodland management, education, and engagement across a 540-hectare forest landscape in the Highlands.
My Life in Heavy Machinery
Louise Bradshaw-Black reflects on her hands-on engagement with sawmill manufacturing and customer sites, from Norwood sawmills to large-scale timber projects across Scotland and beyond.
