Female's on the tools?

[Sam Thompson]

yes, do most mornings.

 

Cool I'm based in Sandbach, over that a fair a fair bit, more small scale forestry than arb though.

 

I was thinking about this thread again whilst at work yesterday....

 

Now whilst I don't think that there is any reasonable reason for women to be disadvantaged in arboriculture, I do wonder if the same is true of forestry. I'm a big and quite strong chap, and a day in the woods leaves me knackered and aching without fail. It's the wrestling of hung trees, dragging brash, dragging and stacking logs and the sheer amount of time on the saw that does it I think. The same would of course apply if comparing to a weak and skinny chap. My point is that women start off with a base level of strength so much lower than guys, it's difficult to make up the difference.

 

For example, a good friend of mine is (soon to be) married to a former Britain's strongest woman and competitive power lifter. She is at the top of her game in the UK and whilst she out squats me (apparently of all the muscle groups, there is the least disparity in leg strength between the genders), I can deadlift and bench about the same despite not having trained for a good year (and being decidedly wiry myself!). How can you get around that biomechanical disadvantage as a woman in a manual job?

 

Very true Jonathan, I don't think hand cutting is a job for the weaker end of the spectrum, male or female.

[Old Mill Tree Care]

My opinion?

 

An average girl wouldn't cope as well as an average man, same as an average 45 year old wouldn't cope as well as an average 19 year old.

 

When was the last time you met anyone average being a successful arb?

 

What? That makes no sense at all!

Female climbers can perform as well as men except for when a big saw up a tree is needed.

I've worked with very good male climbers who really struggle with an MS 660 up a tree.

[janey]

... When was the last time you met anyone average being a successful arb?

 

If I've read the meaning of this correctly, then I think it deserves a

 

We're sooooo far above and beyond the average!

[Sam Thompson]

What? That makes no sense at all!

Female climbers can perform as well as men except for when a big saw up a tree is needed.

I've worked with very good male climbers who really struggle with an MS 660 up a tree.

 

It makes perfect sense. You have 26 years more wear and tear on your joints muscles etc. if nothing else.

[Mark Bolam]

Anyone who saw Skyhuck comprehensively outclimb a load of much fitter people over 20 years younger than him last weekend will get this.

 

Janey has got it.

 

There's an old Northumbrian saying;

 

'If you're good enough - you're good enough'

[Lorry thompson]

Don't forget that other saying mate 'If your not good enough.....your not good enough' haha

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Anyone who saw Skyhuck comprehensively outclimb a load of much fitter people over 20 years younger than him last weekend will get this.

 

Janey has got it.

 

There's an old Northumbrian saying;

 

'If you're good enough - you're good enough'

 

I agree with all that Mark. Misunderstood your previous post.

[Big J]

I'll probably burn in feminist hell for saying, that in general, I do tend to agree with you on this.

 

For work that is so incredibly physically demanding as forestry, the average woman will be at a distinct disadvantage. No amount of equal rights can change the fact that women have a lower muscle ratio than men (and I have to stress that I'm talking generally and there are always exceptions). However, as you also said, a large proportion of men wouldn't be able to cope with this work either. Even though modern mechanisation goes someway to redress this, I think women will always be at a disadvantage in forestry.

 

Which is why we'll use our superior intelligence and choose better payed and slightly less strenuous work

 

Phew! I thought that I was going to be shot!

 

I would completely agree that you have to be an idiot (ie, male) to be a hand cutter, so it's of no surprise to see few women doing the thinning!

 

I believe that what it boils down with gender equality is that nobody should be at a disadvantage based on their gender. However, if a job requires a basic level of strength, that is the job requirement whether you are male or female.

 

Jonathan

[Mark Bolam]

Phew! I thought that I was going to be shot!

 

I would completely agree that you have to be an idiot (ie, male) to be a hand cutter, so it's of no surprise to see few women doing the thinning!

 

I believe that what it boils down with gender equality is that nobody should be at a disadvantage based on their gender. However, if a job requires a basic level of strength, that is the job requirement whether you are male or female.

 

Jonathan

 

After 16 pages, Big J has sorted the argument once and for all.

 

Next - Stihl or Husky?

[western]

Anyone who saw Skyhuck comprehensively outclimb a load of much fitter people over 20 years younger than him last weekend will get this.

 

Janey has got it.

 

There's an old Northumbrian saying;

 

'If you're good enough - you're good enough'

 

enough said tread, tread closed:thumbup: