Thuringia has a woman at the head of the state forest for the first time!

Thuringia has a woman at the head of the state forest for the first time!

A historic step for the forestry industry in Germany: From 2026, Corinna Geißler will take over the management of the Thuringian State Forest. This is not only a personal success for the qualified forester, but also a milestone because she will be the first woman in this position in a German federal state. The appointment was decided in a Germany-wide selection process, and Thuringia's Forestry Minister Tilo Kummer expressed enthusiasm about Geißler's future role thueringen24.de reported.

Geißler is currently heading the Forestry Research and Competence Center in Gotha and, from 2024, will lead the State Forestry Institute in a mixed dual leadership team with Jörn Ripken. She succeeds Volker Gebhardt, who is retiring at the end of 2023. Their goal is clear: “The adaptation of the Thuringian forests to climate change” is at the top of their agenda. Geißler sees the current state of the forests as a result of social action and emphasizes the urgency of raising public awareness of the importance of forests.

Don't shy away from challenges

Geißler looks at 130,000 hectares of damaged areas in Thuringia's forests and recognizes the challenges that these numbers bring with them. Nevertheless, she makes no secret of her confidence: “We must develop and use new, innovative methods for forest conservation.” This includes adjusting planting times and greater promotion of natural processes. Their goal is to make the forests in Thuringia more robust, richer in structure and more species-rich and thus prepare them better for the future.

The Thuringia Forest is also facing structural changes caused by demographic change. The workforce is not only becoming younger, but also more diverse in its skills. The Thüringenforst currently employs over 1,400 employees and trainees as well as increasing demand for study places in the field of “Forestry and Ecosystem Management” - an impressive 311 applications were received for eight places MDR.de reported.

A trend towards more women in forestry

At a time when the forestry industry needs more diversity, Geißler's appointment is a signal. The topic of more women in forestry is currently being discussed like never before. Initiatives such as the “Forest in Women’s Hands” project, which was launched over ten years ago, aim to increase the proportion of women and create specific training opportunities. Studies also show that women are often underestimated in the industry and can bring new perspectives. That confirms Forstzeitung.at, highlighting the challenges women face in a traditionally male-dominated environment.

The developments in Thuringia and the increasing influence of women are not only local, but also part of a larger trend in forestry as a whole. Corinna Geißler is in the fortunate position of not only acting as a role model, but also actively working on shaping a sustainable forestry industry. After all, it is not only a challenge, but also an exciting opportunity to preserve our valuable forests for future generations.