Initiative Aims to Encourage Women to Get Outside
Following a long history of supporting women in the outdoors, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, is proud to designate May as “Outdoors Women Month”.
A recent commissioned study of over 2000 women in the outdoors pointed out the 72% of women feel liberated and free when outside, while 63% of women said they could not think of an outdoor female role model and 6 in 10 women say that men’s interests in outdoor activities are taken more seriously than women’s. Additionally More than seven in ten women say they would like to spend more time outside than they currently do, but are held back by practical barriers like weather, time and not having someone to go with.
The month-long initiative aims to bring attention to the many women in Tennessee who make the state an outdoors mecca and who exemplify the outdoor lifestyle and to encourage women to get out and explore all that the state has to offer.
“It has been TWRA’s experience that if we can introduce women to outdoors opportunities, most of them can’t wait for their next chance to learn more, and then share what they have learned with family and friends,” said Ed Carter, Executive Director, TWRA. “We believe taking advantage of our rivers, lakes, forests and fields is the best way to help create great family memories and we hope more women continue their natural leadership in the outdoors.”
Tennessee has several initiatives planned throughout the month of May, leading up to it’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshop June 2-4th. Throughout the month of May, Tennesse will also be highlighting women from the state of Tennessee fishing, hunting, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency hosts several BOW and Beyond BOW events every year. Tennessee events include canoe trips down the Hiwassee River, muzzleloader workshops, and an entire weekend workshop filled with classes and activities every aspiring outdoors-woman will enjoy. Some of these classes include basic archery, reading the woods, ATV operation, dutch oven cooking, fly-fishing, and nature photography.
For more information:
Doug Markham
Doug.Markham@tn.gov