Rooted Thoughts from the Heartwood Chapter 5: Deanna Noble - Growing Stewards, One Walk at a Time

When we think of forest management, we often picture tools, maps, and technical checklists. But if you’ve ever stepped foot at a ForestHer NC workshop, you know that the true heartbeat of forestry is something much deeper: connection.

We are thrilled to share this beautiful blog post by Deanna Noble. In addition to serving as a ForestHer NC Board Member and the Chair of our Workshop Planning Committee, Deanna is a Wildlife Conservation Biologist with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. Every day, she helps landowners across North Carolina care for their woods and wildlife.

In this post, Deanna reflects on her own journey, sharing a touching tribute to her first mentor, her father, and reminding us all why bringing new voices into the woods is the ultimate key to growing the next generation of forest stewards.

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When I look around at a ForestHer NC workshop, I see something inspiring:  women of all walks of life coming together to learn about and care for the land. Some grew up in families who have owned and managed land for generations; others are new landowners trying to figure out where to start. No matter what their experience, each person brings something valuable to the conversation.

As chair of the Workshop Planning Committee, I have seen firsthand what happens when women feel empowered to engage in forestry.  The conversations become about more than trees and land management. They become about family, community, conservation, and the future. Stewardship becomes less about technical checklists and more about connection.  Connection to the land, to community, and to each other.

The reality is that our forests need even more voices, not fewer. Our landscapes are rapidly changing, and so are the people that care for them. To ensure healthy forests for the future, we need landowners who feel welcomed, informed, and confident to take part in stewardship. That includes women, new landowners,  families, and communities that may not have traditionally been included in forestry conversations.

Building the next generation of forest stewards starts with connection. It starts with someone taking the time to share knowledge, encourage curiosity, and create a sense of belonging. Looking back, that’s exactly how my journey began.

Some of my earliest memories of the outdoors are tied to time spent with my dad. We took walks together in the woods and  he treated nature as something worth paying attention to.  Every tree, every plant, and every animal had a place and purpose. And because he saw the world that way, I learned to see it that way too. 

He taught me how to identify trees long before I could spell or pronounce many of their names. He would hand me a leaf and ask me what I saw-, how it was arranged and the shape of the edges. He’d point out the bark and show me what to look for in its color and pattern. Those small lessons gradually shaped the way I learned to observe the natural world.  

Over the years, we have planted trees together on our family farm. He taught me how to dig the holes,  loosen the roots, and give a tree the best chance to grow. More than anything, he taught me patience. The work you do today may take years before you see the results.

Those walks and hours spent in the woods and fields were never just walks. They taught me curiosity, respect for nature, and the importance of paying attention to the world around me.  My love for the outdoors didn’t just happen, it was handed down from a man who understood that the best way to teach someone to love something is simply to love it yourself. His example shaped not only how I see the land, but how I help others learn to see it too.

That is why mentorship matters. Often, all it takes is one person willing to take time and share their knowledge and invite someone else along. The future of our forests depends on more people seeing themselves as part of the story. We need more voices, more perspectives, and more opportunities for people to connect with the land and with one another- just as my dad did for me. 

So, the next time you take a walk in the woods, bring someone with you. Share what you notice. Ask questions. Have a conversation. You never know what seed you might be planting!

Sincerely,

Deanna Noble