CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY WITH NICOLE FORRESTER

On Saturday 8 March, International Women's Day celebrates the theme "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment." It calls for action to unlock equal rights, power, and opportunities for all, envisioning a feminist future where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation—youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change. WWF-Australia’s Chief Regenerative Officer, Nicole Forrester, talks about what this theme means for her – and for WWF-Australia’s work to regenerate nature.

Q: Can you introduce yourself and talk a little bit about your joining WWF-Australia as Chief Regenerative Officer? 

I'm Nicole Forrester. I’m a proud Wiradjuri woman who has the honour and privilege of living on Quandamooka country, in Moreton Bay in Southeast Queensland. I joined WWF-Australia in July 2024 as the Chief Regenerative Officer. It’s a title that is unusual in the Australian environmental NGO landscape or any landscape in Australia really. It’s on the cutting edge of the thinking about how, as a society, we intersect with nature and climate - through communities and through new and old ways of thinking. Past conservation practices haven't always best served communities of all types, even with good intentions. The thinking we're doing around regeneration at WWF-Australia now really looks at how best to care for nature by addressing climate and embedding communities in decision making.  That's really what brought me to this role: the opportunity to work alongside an incredible team of deeply passionate people, all experts in their field, as we look to the future and how to - in the words of my community - care for Country. 

Q: What does International Women’s Day mean to you – how have you celebrated it in the past? 

In a way, every day in my life is International Women's Day. That sounds a little tongue in cheek but that's been my experience. I’m very fortunate to come from a family that embraces women and girls and all our talents and potential. From my earliest memories, having Tonka trucks alongside Barbie dolls, I could fully express myself regardless of the construction of gender. I feel that upbringing has allowed me to recognise the generations of women that I have come from, upon whose strength I have drawn, and who have helped guide me to where I am today.

The women who came before me, like those in my family who provided inspiration, and the women that I worked with early in my career who gave me mentorship. Their sacrifices and struggles, their fight for the rights of women and girls in this country and then my travels having opened my view to the experience of women and girls in other countries too. My life experience set me on a journey professionally that no matter where I was, what I was doing, I was always embedding those voices for a future which allowed all women and girls to live to their potential and in service of their aspirations. I’ve always felt supported to achieve because of these incredible women who have come before me, who are with me and who are coming in the future, like my nieces.

So, International Women's Day means a lot to me. I really enjoy celebrating it. I've done many things in the past professionally, like podcasts, panels, keynotes. What I enjoy most though is the opportunity to be in a room with incredible women and our allies. The best celebrations that I've been to are not just rooms full of women, but rooms full of women and allies celebrating the strength and contributions of women across all walks of life in our society. 

Q: This year’s theme calls for action to empower the next generation— particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change. You also speak of being a ‘better ancestor’. How are these two visions linked? What does that look like? 

The decisions we make will impact future generations today and tomorrow and the tomorrows after that. In being a better ancestor, one of the things I think we need to be more conscious of is how to incorporate those future generations and their voices in our decision making. That will help us become better ancestors. If we understand the concerns and the aspirations of those future generations today in some way, then our decision making is more informed and can actually serve those future generations better.

Personally, I take a mindset that I can always learn more from others. While I have my own expertise that I bring to the table, I'm always listening to understand the lived experience of others and their aspirations for the future and attempting to incorporate that into my decision making. That's what I mean by that concept of better ancestors and that's how I try to engage future generations for action taking - to listen, but also to refer the power that I’m privileged to have now, by taking on their aspirations and incorporating that into my decision making. 

Q: There is a trend on social media at the moment of taking your younger self for coffee. What would you say to your younger self if you met her now? How would you encourage her? 

I’ve seen this on socials. It’s great. So, I’d say: ‘Nikki, you don’t understand this yet, but I want you to know that your perspective of the world is valuable. Your way of seeing, knowing, doing and understanding is something that benefits those who have the opportunity to hear that from you. Others can’t see those perspectives and make those connections and understand that information like you do. Your inherent lived experience and your perceptions and perspectives are valuable to problem solving for so many contexts. Once you understand that, you’ll be able to really amplify your voice for the benefit of many.’

You see, I was fearless about me and my place in the world, that was given to me by my parents, how I grew up, the opportunities and experiences they gave me. The lesson I needed was that my individual experience was not so unique that it wasn't valuable to others. I thought: ‘I'm just different, this is just the way I think’. I didn't understand the power of that uniqueness in many other situations for problem solving and for helping people make sense of complex situations. 

Q: Why is it important to include women and girls in conservation work – how are women’s rights and regenerating nature interlinked?

Quite simply because including women and girls in decision making around caring for Country and how we look after nature and climate creates better impact. When you involve communities, you have to involve women and girls - and boys - not just the traditional power structures. This results in outcomes for nature and regeneration that are more sustainable, longer lasting and have a higher impact. It’s about delivering the best outcome in the best possible way. When you involve women and girls in decisions and they can deliver on their aspirations through both an intergenerational and a regeneration lens. Everybody benefits from that, including wildlife, nature, climate and the communities they're from. It's not just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do.

Something special happens when you bring women together. The power of women adds to the power of everybody – it doesn't take power away. Women, especially women from Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), have a concept of power that I tend to think is more like a ‘magic pudding’ - when I share with you a spoonful of my power, you get your own magic pudding, and my magic pudding fills up again. I've been using that analogy for a long time. A collective of women amplifies their power, it doesn't take power away from anybody else.

I think it's important to say thank you here too. Thank you to the women who have walked this path before. Thank you to the women who walk alongside me now and thank you to the future generations of women who will continue this work. We are central to the solutions. We won't be able to have the future we want to have without centring women. It's something that I think is really important to call out.

Q: Can you share some examples from WWF-Australia’s work that demonstrate this?

Our work in the Solomon Islands, our sea grapes programme, is an incredible example. In the Western Province of Solomon Islands, women are the main harvesters of sea grapes - a type of seaweed that is rich in iron. In the face of increasing pressures on coastal fisheries, the inclusion of women engaged in fishing is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of this food source and to avoid overharvesting. This programme is whole of circle, it’s intergenerational. It includes future generations, it includes women’s economic self-determination, it includes caring for Country.

In Australia, WWF-Australia works with women rangers to run the Women Ranger Environmental Network (WREN). This is the most beautiful example of First Nations women amplifying each other's strength, wisdom and impact. WREN is led by Indigenous Australian women and supports the rangers, coordinators and cultural advisors to discuss the challenges that face female rangers, identify solutions and push for policy changes and more jobs.  

The partnership between Bangalow Koalas and WWF-Australia is another wonderful example. A non-Indigenous woman working with Indigenous women rangers from Githabul Rangers, Minyumai Rangers and the Jagun Alliance, together with Tanya Pritchard, WWF-Australia’s Senior Manager Koala Recovery. These women are collaborating to save koalas and to reconnect large areas of habitat destroyed by the 2022 floods in the Northern Rivers. This work illustrates when women come together, impossible is nothing!

Q: It can be overwhelming and hard to know where to start and how to help. What’s your advice for those who want to help empower women – what is one thing we can do today?

A cup of tea and a yarn. To understand the lived experience of another starts with a cup of tea and a sharing of stories. From there you can understand each other’s aspirations and what you have to offer in service of those. We're not going to change the world if only women change, we must have allies with us. Allies, how you can help? First, understand the lived experience, understand the aspirations, and then get clear on what you can bring to help shift that dial. One of those things is referral of power - opening doors will help, allowing not just spaces for voices but also actual decisions will help. Voice is not enough, to be heard is not enough, we must make sure that decision making is influenced through, and reflective of, those voices. The key role for allies to play is the referral of their power in service of that. Allies understand that in doing so, their power only ever amplifies.