·                      Bill Banzhaf’s “State of the Society Report”:  Our budget projection is to be $62,000 in the black in 2002.  We have total assets close to $3 million even using “book values” for our real estate.  The State of our Society is very strong.

·                      Membership:  While we were down in numbers last year, the Heissenbuttel Challenge was a tremendous success with 298 new members and 65 reinstated members just in December 2001. Initial pledges were made to begin a membership campaign for 2002.  Our help is needed in the area of membership!

·                      Discussion on Conditions, Trends and Issues Affecting SAF from the Public Standpoint and within the Forestry Community.  Information used in formulating our 2003 Strategic Plan.

·                      CONSENSUS - Council feels comfortable with John Helms’ definitions of “Forests”, “Forestry”, “Forester” and “the Broad Field of Forestry.”  It is important to view the definitions in their entirety and to realize their relevancy to our membership categories.

·                      ·           MOTION PASSED to accept the updated draft of the 2003 SAF Strategic Plan.

·          Futuring:  Excellent input as to 1) Issues facing our profession and 2) Picturing the SAF in twenty years.  President Smith asked Lisa Shocker, John Helms and John Heissenbuttel to do an initial analysis of the information and report back to us at the June Council Meeting.

Should you have comments or issues you wish to share, please forward them to me at <french@socket.net.

MEETINGS

KTSAF Summer Meeting     July 24-26, 2002 

Location: Drury Suites, Paducah, KY, Reservation number: 270-441-0024.  Mention the Society of American Foresters meeting.

Room cost: $72.00 plus tax, includes free breakfast and manager’s reception in the evening (snacks, drinks, beer, wine).

July 24 at 4:00 PM Executive Committee Meeting.

July 25 leave Motel at 7:30 AM for tour of MeadWestvaco fiber farm and Island # 3 (located in Missouri-approximately 1 ½ hour drive).  MeadWestvaco providing transportation for the day plus a box lunch.

July 26 at 8:00 AM Business meeting.

We will visit the MeadWestvaco Fiber Farm and Island # 3 properties.  The Fiber Farm is in its seventh growing season and the farm has six years of plantings.  The farm uses a process called “fertigation” which is liquid fertilizer in water fed to the trees through tubing.  Goal is to produce trees 8 inches in diameter at 80 feet in height in seven years yielding 100 tons per acre.  The company’s island properties are in the third rotation of ten years for the cottonwood plantations.  Plantations reach heights of 120 feet and exceed 100 plus tons per acre.  This is intensive hardwood plantation forestry and it has incorporated wildlife management into the system.

KTSAF Winter Meeting

Hosted by the SE Tn Chapter. Tentatively,  January 29-31, 2003, in either Fall Creek Falls State Park, Monteagle or Chattanooga.  “Forestry Laws and Regulations Now and in the Future”

The SE -Tn SAF Chapter will be holding a meeting on June 12, Wednesday at 10 am CST at the Tracy City Woodyard of MeadWestvaco and tour their land. A small lunch will be provided compliments of MeadWestvaco. Thank you. Diana Gennett

22^nd Annual Central States Forest Soils Workshop

October 15 - 17, 2002 in the Toledo Ohio Area. For more information, please contact Frank Gibbs, USDA-NRCS, 7868 County Road 140, Suite F, Finley, Ohio 45840-1898, 419-422-8347, Registration form and a detailed agenda will be distributed July 2002, and will be available at .

KT-SAF AWARDS FOR 2002 - NOW IS THE TIME TO NOMINATE

At the KT-SAF winter meeting, four awards will be presented: the Herman Baggenstoss Forestry Recognition Award, Outstanding Member Service Award 35 years and younger, Outstanding Member Service Award over 35 years old, and Outstanding Service Award to a Technician. Now is the time to select your candidates and submit a KT-SAF Award Nomination Form for each. The form is available on the , from Pam Snyder, KT-SAF Awards Chair (502-564-4496(work), 502-859-2368(home)), or John Rennie (865-974-8048, 865-974-4714 (FAX)). Address questions to Pam Snyder.

IN SIGN LANGUAGE, THERE IS NO SYMBOL FOR SILVICULTURE - DAVID MERCKER

Reaching the unreached. Seeking new audiences. Conveying the same message but in nontraditional ways. Reevaluating how our words are articulated. All of these are the goals of our 45 member West Tennessee SAF Chapter. And all of these steered us to handicapped children.

On April 3, 2002 we sponsored a forestry field day for 9 to 12-year old deaf children. Thirty children arrived from both Memphis and Jackson schools. Together they grew, learning and discovering about the forest and the creatures that inhabit it. Yet in the end, it was our circle of professional foresters that was perhaps most blessed. As the children attentively watched the presenters, our skills in simplifying the forestry message were both challenged and strengthened.

Given the audience’s limited vocabulary, our presenters were instructed to avoid technical jargon. For instance, species of trees became types of trees; forest products = things we get from trees; nocturnal = hunts at night; diameter at breast height = how thick is the tree. This directive pressured us to be thinkers before speakers. In sign language, there is no symbol for “silviculture.” Instead, its “taking care of the forest.” One word becomes five.

A lesson for our entire profession began to emerge. Maybe its time to examine our story from the roots up, rather than from the perch down. Maybe support for foresters and our fascinating profession will more likely be embraced if we pause, contemplating well chosen words before speaking. And maybe, just maybe, we can then achieve our underlining goal of sustainable forestry (which when simplified means a forest that keeps going).

Next target ... blind children.

David Mercker is Associate Extension Forester with the University of Tennessee and serves as the chairman of the West Tennessee Chapter. He can be reached at 731-425-4703 or dcmercker@utk.edu.

NEWS FROM THE UT-FWF - GEORGE HOPPER 

We are concluding another excellent spring term. This year we had two spring camp in full swing, as the WFS students enjoyed their second year of spring camp activities. For more information about the camp activities see the link on our home page . The forestry students are in the 35^th annual forestry field camp. This year the students raised enough funds to make the trip to Manitou Springs, Colorado for their Ecosystem Prescription course and conclusion of the spring camp. This trip allows our students a chance to see and experience western forestry, range and grassland ecology, work with the US Forest Service, and travel beyond the confines of the Southern Appalachians and Ames Plantation.

Our Forestry students competed in the Southeastern Conclave hosted by Texas A&M. We finished a respectable 8^th out of 15 teams; but more importantly, we  brought home the Sportsmanship Trophy. I am proud of the professionalism this trophy indicates.

Our WFS students competed in the Wildlife Conclave hosted this year by Murray State. Our students won the event and received designation as “Best Overall School”.  More than 300 students from 25 schools participated in the event. Needless to say our students were very happy and received a ticker tape parade on their return to Knoxville. “Best Overall School”..... I like the way that sounds.

The USFS-FIA unit has moved in to their new headquarters on Old Kingston Pike. The interaction between the Forest Service Station and our faculty has already improved from having the USFS on campus. Plans are underway to work on several research projects of mutual interest.

Visit us at         Please note our new address:

Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries

University of Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-4563

A UNIQUE RECORD OF A UNIQUE CONVENTION

The 2001 national convention of the Society of American Foresters was to be held in Denver, Colorado, September 13-17, 2001. But as the catastrophic events of the morning of September 11 events unfolded, the Society of American Foresters, like the rest of the nation and the world was challenged like no other time in its history.

By mid-day convention organizers had made the decision to go ahead with an abbreviated version of the convention, designed for attendees and volunteers already in or en route to Denver. For some 300 foresters, students, and staff members of SAF personal stories of September 11 included a modified SAF national convention; for 1,600 or so other registrants it includes their inability to travel to Denver and participate in the convention as they had planned.

I cannot begin to tell you how proud I was of all the volunteers and the national staff who worked to make adjustments, drop two years of plans, rebound, and lean on each other for support,  says Tom Thompson, general chair of the convention. In the larger picture, our convention was inconsequential, but for those who were there it was an important time to show our will and our respect for who we are and what the forestry profession is about.

In conjunction with each SAF national convention, scientific papers are published in a conference proceedings, which serves as a record of state-of-the-art forestry science and practice. The 2001 convention was a unique experience, and thus it called for a unique proceedings. Although speakers and poster presenters were unable make their presentations, they were invited to contribute their papers. Award winners were asked to submit their prepared acceptance remarks. Additionally, attendees, volunteers, and staff members were encouraged to share their thoughts, feelings, and memories of their convention experience. All of these contributions are included in the proceedings along with photographs of convention activities.

The proceedings shows that despite the tragedy and disappointment of September 11, those who attended the 2001 SAF National Convention took with them fond and unforgettable memories of their time in Denver. Those who were in Denver as well as those unable to attend the convention, and even those who never planned to attend, will find this a valuable record of a significant moment in the history of the forestry profession, the country, and the world.

Ordering information:

The 2001 Proceedings are now available. To order by mail send a check or money order ($30 for SAF members, $37.50 for nonmembers, plus $5 each shipping & handling) to the Society of American Foresters, Sales, 5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814-2198; credit card order call (301) 897‑8720, ext. 106; fax order to (301) 897-3690; or order online at www.safnet.org/market/storebooks.htm.

CERTIFIED FORESTER® PROGRAM TO BE ENHANCED

The Society of American Foresters is enhancing the Certified Forester program by instituting an examination component.  Beginning January 1, 2003, all foresters wishing to become certified under the CF program will need to pass an exam.  In addition, SAF is developing the first specialized national credential, in sustainable forest management auditing.

The Certified Forester program was established by SAF in 1994 to recognize and document professional forestry excellence.  The CF program is voluntary and open to both SAF members and nonmembers.  Foresters who are active in the CF program as of December 31, 2002, will not be required to take the examination to maintain their certification.  All CFs will be eligible to take the specialization exams as they come online.

CF® Program Requirements

The CF core requirements are a professional degree from an SAF-accredited or SAF-candidate curriculum or equivalent and five years of professional forestry experience.  A CF agrees to adhere to standards of practice and to complete 60 hours of continuing forestry education every three years for recertification.

Forester certification has taken on an increased priority given increasing public interest in forests and the people who care for them.  It fills a void in the marketplace created by inconsistent or nonexistent state licensing and registration criteria for foresters.

SAF is ideally suited to offer a forester certification program.  Such a program fits the SAF mission of advancing the science, education, technology, and practice of forestry.  It enhances the competency of SAF members and establishes professional excellence.

Program Benefits

Forester certification benefits the public, employers, and foresters.  It documents that certificants are (1) educated, experienced foresters who possess the necessary body of knowledge to perform as professionals, (2) dedicated to professional forestry standards, and (3) are willing to stay ahead of the curve through ongoing professional development.

The CF program provides third-party verification of a forester’s qualifications, the satisfaction of measuring themselves against the highest professional standards, and evidence of competence to peers, employers, clients, and the public.  It also enhances credibility in legal testimony, and strengthens a forester’s overall value in the market.

The Certified Forest Auditor (CFA)

The sustainable forest management auditor was selected as the first specialized credential because SAF believes that forest certification programs using third party verification, companies conducting third-party audits, and landowners seeking certification or paying for third-party audits, should have ready access to foresters clearly qualified to conduct or advise on the forest practices component of the certification or audit.

SAF has selected a highly regarded outside vendor, CASTLE Worldwide, to support examination development and implementation.  Each phase of development will involve 15-20 foresters and forestry content experts.  SAF will develop the CF exam in compliance with the certification criteria established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).  Future plans also call for third-party verification of the entire CF program. 

For additional information, or to obtain a CF application, please visit the SAF website www.safnet.org/certified/cfprogram.htm or contact Pat Cillay, cillayp@safnet.org or 301-897-8720 x 122.

WINSTON-SALEM: CONVENTION SITE OFFERS FORESTRY HISTORY AND MORE

Fans of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, say it has “something for everyone.” Whether or not that’s true, those attending the Society of American Foresters’ 2002 national convention, to be held October 5–9, are sure to find that the city and its surrounding environs certainly have something for foresters.

Located in the Piedmont region of north central North Carolina, Winston-Salem is just a short drive from the state’s varied and renowned natural resource areas.

“Winston-Salem gives conference attendees the chance to familiarize themselves with forest practices as they’re done in the Southeast,” says Art Cooper, general cochair of the 2002 SAF National Convention and professor emeritus of ecology and natural resource policy at North Carolina State University. “With hardwood forest in the mountains, a mixture of hard and soft woods in the Piedmont, and softwood in the coastal plains, there is a range of forest types and forest practices to observe.”

Chief among North Carolina’s points of interest for forestry professionals is the Cradle of Forestry, the birthplace of forestry in America. Forestry education began at the Cradle of Forestry in 1889 when George W. Vanderbilt, on the recommendation of Frederick Law Olmstead,  hired forestry pioneer and founder of the SAF, Gifford Pinchot, to restore the forestland surrounding his famed Biltmore Estate.

Today the Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500-acre historic site within the Pisgah National Forest set aside by Congress to commemorate the beginning of forestry conservation in the United States.

North Carolina is also home to the 800-square mile Great Smoky Mountains National Park—95 percent of which is forested. One of the largest protected areas in the East, the park is renowned for its biodiversity, integrity, and Southern Appalachian mountain culture.

In addition, the state also features the Uwharrie National Forest,  a young second- and third-growth mixed forest that provides new habitat for a variety of wildlife and more archaeological sites per acre than any other forest in the Southeast.

Of course, Winston-Salem has more to offer than just national forests and parks. As Cooper says, “there are a lot of things to see and do in Winston-Salem that ought to be of interest to everyone.”

History buffs are likely to marvel at Bethabara, an early settlement founded November 17, 1753, upon the arrival of 15 Moravians—German-speaking Protestants. An integral part of Old Salem—the site upon which the city of Winston-Salem was erected—Bethabara was once the Moravian center for religion, governance, trade, industry, culture, education, and the arts.

Located just a few minutes from downtown, convention-goers will find Tanglewood Park, a 1,300-acre site once claimed for Queen Elizabeth that features beautiful countryside, streams, woodlands, gardens, an arboretum, and the Mt. Pleasant Church, built in 1809.

History aside, Winston-Salem also offers visitors the opportunity to experience a host of cultural and artistic attractions, many of which “directly relate to the forestry profession,” says Cooper. For example, High Point, North Carolina, the self-proclaimed “furniture capital of the world,” lies a mere 20 minutes outside the city.  Conference attendees can also whittle away their time touring the Germanton Art Gallery & Winery and the Piedmont Craftsmen Gallery, a venue showcasing the local spirit, craftsmanship, and aesthetics that go into the making of fine handmade garments, jewelry, and one-of-a-kind housewares.

Yet, as fun and exciting as these attractions are, for Cooper, they take a back seat to the region’s great mix of urban amenities and rural splendor.

“People will be pleased by the variety of things they’ll be able to see and do in Winston-Salem,” Cooper says. “The variety of urban and rural areas within the state makes it a great place to visit.”

For information about the 2002 SAF National Convention, visit the SAF website at

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