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From district director to the conservation officer, an important part of the shift of the forester is spent with the villagers. Relations with the forest villagers is of vital importance, especially in the Dirgine District Directorate of Forestry, which is administered by a director like Ms. Esra who gets involved personally with the whole process, knows the site very well and follows the things going on. The villagers are satisfied. They say, “You never know where our director is. All of a sudden she appears in the forest” speaking of her with love and respect.
Getting on well with the villagers, strengthening the relations, convincing them to the new practices can be easier for woman forest chiefs. “We never heard any insult from the villagers; a possible conflict or a fight that could normally take place is avoided when there is a woman forester”, says Ms. Esra.