From the NC Division Chair...

Dear NC Division SAF Members:

Ecology and the SAF

Ecology is the study of the relationships of organisms with their environment.  It’s the study of how species and communities of organisms manage to make a living and about the economy of nature.  Each species occupies a niche.  Each organism or species relates not only with its own members, but with other species and their physical environment.  We’ve all heard of the web of life and about how humans are inextricably linked to it.

OK fine you say.  Thanks for the introductory tenth grade biology lesson.  What’s that got to do with the SAF?

Let’s think a moment about the nature of the SAF and how it relates to other institutions and to the broader society.

The SAF is not an industry association, it’s not a business, and it’s not a government agency.  Its mission is broad and inclusive.  It has as its members professional foresters from throughout academia, government, industry, and society at large.  It has an extraordinarily diverse membership with scientists, practitioners, policy advocates, and business leaders all represented.

As a business person, I interact with a number of other business people.  Foresters that have spent most of their careers in business sometimes look at the SAF as some strange, almost alien creature. 

In business there are clear lines of authority.  Decisions are made by people whose role it is to make them.  They have the ability to issue orders, to disperse funds, to hire and to fire people.  Businesses are designed and organized for execution.  Few businesses tolerate endless debate about a course of action.  There’s no time for that.  You make a decision, move on, and live with the consequences even when you have imperfect information or where there are competing interests.  Processes and procedures are designed for efficiency.  Authority and influence are more positional.

Look at the nature of the SAF in contrast.  At the local, state, and regional level, the SAF has no staff.  It is a purely voluntary organization.  Leadership is by members voluntarily choosing to run and the leadership changes once a year.  The Society is made up of chapters, divisions, and societies.  Each unit has its own bylaws, its own leadership, its own finances, and its own general approach.  Each chapter, division, and society is a little different in the character of its membership and its perspective.  Decisions are made by consensus and by vote.  No one individual has the authority to issue directives.  Chapters and Divisions are free to be as active and to engage the outside world as much or as little as they like.  Influence and authority are from persuasion.

This structure can sometimes make coordinated execution slow and cumbersome.  I once had a respected member of the profession, a forest products company executive, tell me that he had dropped his SAF membership because he was convinced that the SAF was a dysfunctional organization.

But this view as I see it doesn’t take in to account the nature of the SAF and the very real strengths it has as an organization, as a component of the broader forestry community, or in its contributions to both the profession and to society.

No, at the local level or state level the SAF can’t quickly take a position on an issue.  It can’t quickly organize around and execute a project.  It doesn’t efficiently or quickly set priorities, align budgets with needs, and execute around objectives.

But you see, that’s not its nature.  That’s not its role.  It’s not designed, organized, or staffed for that.

That’s not its niche.  You can’t expect that from it any more than you can expect an elephant to thrive in the sea.

So what is its niche?  What does it do well?  What should members expect?  How do we advocate for new members and persuade those who have dropped their membership to rejoin?

We do it by focusing on the very real strengths that the SAF has.  We do it by focusing on the things that have enabled the society to thrive since its founding by Gifford Pinchot.  We do it by recognizing the nature of the organization, it’s niche, and how it relates to other organizations both within the forestry community and to society as a whole.

So what are those strengths?  The flip side of a diverse membership inhibiting execution is that a diverse membership gives us the opportunity to explore an issue or to research a topic in depth.  It gives us the opportunity to learn from world class scientists.  It gives us an opportunity to serve our organization in whatever capacity we choose.  It gives us an opportunity to meet people with whom we would never otherwise have an opportunity in our narrow everyday worlds.

The SAF does an excellent job of bringing folks together for a broad exchange of ideas.  That’s the purpose of the SAF’s publications.  It’s the purpose of the state division meeting, the APSAF meeting, and the national convention.  There is no organization within the broad forestry and natural resources community that provides the opportunity for the exchange of information and ideas as well as the SAF.  And there is no organization that provides opportunities for leadership, for developing persuasive skills, or for service to the profession.

As we move forward together, I urge you to focus on taking advantage of the strengths of the organization.  To volunteer to serve at the chapter, division, or society level.  To attend a chapter, division or APSAF meeting.  I urge you to reach out to folks who are not members and to invite them to your chapter meeting.  To continue to broaden the outreach of the society to landowner groups, other parts of the forestry community, and to conservation organizations.

Like symbiotic organisms, we will gain most by recognizing the niche that other organizations occupy and leveraging their strengths with ours.

And we have strengths a plenty.

Division News

Project Funding

During the summer meeting, our Division discussed our funding and some potential uses of the resources that the Division has at its disposal.

At the business meeting, we decided that the Executive committee should determine what level of resources the Division should keep in reserve, and then make resources available to the chapters and the division to be used for worthwhile projects or to fund worthwhile efforts in forestry education.

Since the summer meeting, the Executive committee has agreed to fund three projects.

We funded the NC Teachers academy for $1000.  The NC Teachers Academy educates teachers from across the state on forest management and forest products.  It literally opens teacher’s eyes about how important forestry and forest products are to our daily lives.  Teachers routinely write thank you letters after having been a part of the academy, and they routinely share their experiences with their students.

We contributed $400 towards the NC Tree Farm landowner workshops.  These workshops, held across the state, provide non-industrial forest landowners an opportunity to learn more about forestry – not just from foresters, but from fellow landowners practicing forestry on their own property.

Lastly, we contributed $700 to the Stan Adams APSAF scholarship fund.  This fund aids student SAF members with their college expenses and exposes them to the benefits of SAF membership.  Our contribution pushed the scholarship fund over its endowment limit and allowed it to distribute funds to students for the first time.

Three worthwhile projects.  Teachers, landowners, and forestry students.

If you have ideas for projects worthy of sponsorship, please let your chapter chair know so that they can request funds from the Division.

Web Site

If you haven’t been to the APSAF web site, please check it out at www.apsaf.org.  The site has been much improved.  Each division has its own area, there’s a calendar of events, and it’s a great avenue for linking up with other members.  Don’t forget to sign up for the email list serves.

 APSAF Meeting Preparations

The APSAF meeting will be in Greenville NC on January 27-29.

The theme of the meeting will be “Charting the Path Forward:  Strategies for an Emerging Economy”  Topics will consist of an analysis of the current economic climate, a look at what’s facing the solid wood products industry and the paper industry, some views on non-traditional products markets, and presentations on the outlook for landowners.

It should be a very interesting and timely technical session.

Please go on the web site at www.apsaf.org/meetings/apsaf-2010/ and look at the information related to the meeting.  It’s being updated frequently, and you can prepare your registration and pay directly online.

There are plenty of opportunities for sponsors, exhibitors, and volunteers.  Visit the web site for more detail.

Derryl Walden Elected as Fellow

I am extraordinarily pleased to announce to our membership that Derryl Walden has been selected as an SAF Fellow for 2009.

SAF honors members who have provided outstanding contributions to the Society and to the forestry profession by recognizing them with the title of Fellow.  It is an honor reserved to only about 5% of the SAF membership.

Those of you who know Derryl know that he has gone about his service to our profession and during his career in a way that is thoughtful and determined, yet quiet and gracious.

Most recently, he has served the division as the chair of our licensing and registration efforts, working tirelessly to improve the professionalism and accountability of registered foresters.

Derryl’s email address is waldend@earthlink.net.  Please take a moment to join me in recognizing him for his service by dropping him a note of congratulations.

Tony Doster
NC Division Chair