More Forestry 101More Forestry 101 Foresters and forestry:Foresters and forestry:

Who are these people and Who are these people and what do they do?what do they do?

FREMO WorkshopAnnapolis, MD

September 19, 2007

Forestry:• the profession embracing the science, art, and practice of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources for human benefit and in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs and values; 

• the broad field of forestry consists of those biological, quantitative, managerial, and social sciences that are applied to forest management and conservation;

• it includes specialized fields such as agroforestry, urban forestry, industrial forestry, non-industrial forestry, and wilderness and recreation forestry

(Source: The Dictionary of Forestry, 1998, John Helms, ed.)

ForesterForester

A professional engaged in the science and profession of forestry

Where to foresters come from?Where to foresters come from?

4-year programs at colleges and universities4-year programs at colleges and universities Approximately 65Approximately 65 50 are accredited by the Society of American 50 are accredited by the Society of American

Foresters as professional forestry degree programsForesters as professional forestry degree programs 2-year technician programs2-year technician programs

21 programs in the U.S. and 2 programs in Canada 21 programs in the U.S. and 2 programs in Canada are SAF-accredited forestry technology programsare SAF-accredited forestry technology programs

Where to foresters come from?Where to foresters come from?

Graduate degree programs – too numerous to Graduate degree programs – too numerous to count!count! PhD programs – yield scientists and academicians PhD programs – yield scientists and academicians Master’s programsMaster’s programs

M.S. in Forest Resource ManagementM.S. in Forest Resource Management M.S. in ForestryM.S. in Forestry M.F. – Master’s of Forestry (non-thesis)M.F. – Master’s of Forestry (non-thesis) M.S. in Natural ResourcesM.S. in Natural Resources Etc.Etc.

Where to do foresters work?Where to do foresters work? Private sector forestersPrivate sector foresters

Consulting foresters – individuals and firmsConsulting foresters – individuals and firms Resource inventoriesResource inventories Management plansManagement plans Plan and conduct timber salesPlan and conduct timber sales Timber trespass and damage appraisalTimber trespass and damage appraisal Forest taxationForest taxation

Environmental NGO’sEnvironmental NGO’s Technical workTechnical work EducationEducation Advocacy and policyAdvocacy and policy

Where to do foresters work?Where to do foresters work?

Forest industryForest industry Procurement foresters – at mills, with private Procurement foresters – at mills, with private

landownerslandowners Land managers – a T&E species!Land managers – a T&E species!

TIMO’s and REIT’sTIMO’s and REIT’s

(Timber investment management organizations)(Timber investment management organizations)

(Real estate investment trusts)(Real estate investment trusts)

OrganizationsOrganizations Professional organizationsProfessional organizations

Society of American Foresters (SAF)Society of American Foresters (SAF) Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF)Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF) National Association of State Foresters (NASF)National Association of State Foresters (NASF) National Association of University Forest National Association of University Forest

Resource Programs (NAUFRP)Resource Programs (NAUFRP) Association of Natural Resources Extension Association of Natural Resources Extension

Professionals (ANREP)Professionals (ANREP) Ecological Society of America (ESA)Ecological Society of America (ESA) International Union of Forest Research International Union of Forest Research

Organizations (IUFRO)Organizations (IUFRO) Many others!Many others!

OrganizationsOrganizations

Trade organizationsTrade organizations American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA)American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) Forest Resource AssociationForest Resource Association National Hardwood Lumber AssociationNational Hardwood Lumber Association Individual state Forestry AssociationsIndividual state Forestry Associations Many others!Many others!

Forestry organizationsForestry organizations

National, state, regional, and county National, state, regional, and county organizationsorganizations

Examples:Examples: National Woodland Owners AssociationNational Woodland Owners Association American Forest Foundation/Tree Farm SystemAmerican Forest Foundation/Tree Farm System Forest Landowner AssociationForest Landowner Association Forest Landowners of CaliforniaForest Landowners of California New Hampshire Timber Land AssociationsNew Hampshire Timber Land Associations Ohio Forestry AssociationOhio Forestry Association

Where to do foresters work?Where to do foresters work? Public agenciesPublic agencies

State forestry agenciesState forestry agencies Soil & Water Conservation DistrictsSoil & Water Conservation Districts Forest ServiceForest Service Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land Management Department of DefenseDepartment of Defense Army Corps of EngineersArmy Corps of Engineers Fish and Wildlife ServiceFish and Wildlife Service Natural Resources Conservation ServiceNatural Resources Conservation Service

Where to do foresters work?Where to do foresters work? Cooperative Extension SystemCooperative Extension System

State Extension SpecialistsState Extension Specialists District Extension SpecialistsDistrict Extension Specialists County-based Extension Agents/Extension EducatorsCounty-based Extension Agents/Extension Educators Multi-state, regional committeesMulti-state, regional committees

Western Extension Forestry Coordinating Committee (WCC)Western Extension Forestry Coordinating Committee (WCC) Northeast Forest Resources Extension Committee (NEFREC)Northeast Forest Resources Extension Committee (NEFREC) Southern Region Extension Forestry (SREF) Southern Region Extension Forestry (SREF)

Regional Extension Forester co-funded by 18 Extension Regional Extension Forester co-funded by 18 Extension Directors; travel and project funding provided by USDA Directors; travel and project funding provided by USDA Forest ServiceForest Service

350 forestry/wood products extension educators in current 350 forestry/wood products extension educators in current directorydirectory

Extension Forestry AudiencesExtension Forestry Audiences Traditional audiences:Traditional audiences:

Private forest landownersPrivate forest landowners ““Non-industrial private Non-industrial private

forestland owners” (NIPF’s) – forestland owners” (NIPF’s) – yuck!yuck!

Family forestland owners – Family forestland owners – not much better!not much better!

11 million of them!!! (1-11 million of them!!! (1-1000 acres)1000 acres)

4 million own 10-1000 acres4 million own 10-1000 acres Old, white, and maleOld, white, and male Many studies of these folks Many studies of these folks

have been donehave been done Very heterogeneous groupVery heterogeneous group

Extension Forestry AudiencesExtension Forestry Audiences

LoggersLoggers

Extension Forestry AudiencesExtension Forestry Audiences

Small- and medium Small- and medium scale forest products scale forest products companiescompanies

SawmillsSawmills Dry kilnsDry kilns Portable sawmill Portable sawmill

ownersowners Furniture and other Furniture and other

wood productswood products Retail and marketing Retail and marketing

companiescompanies

What are the issues?What are the issues? Forest fragmentation, Forest fragmentation,

parcelization and conversionparcelization and conversion Invasive speciesInvasive species Wildland fireWildland fire Climate changeClimate change Global markets for wood Global markets for wood

and paper productsand paper products Inter-generational transfer Inter-generational transfer

of private landsof private lands Forest policies – local, state, Forest policies – local, state,

nationalnational Forest taxationForest taxation

Forest healthForest health Forest management Forest management

intensityintensity Endangered speciesEndangered species Landscape-scale resource Landscape-scale resource

managementmanagement BiodiversityBiodiversity Water quality and quantityWater quality and quantity Ecosystem servicesEcosystem services Carbon sequestrationCarbon sequestration Wildlife-urban interfaceWildlife-urban interface SustainabilitySustainability

And many more

When you consider the range and complexity of forest resource issues, there are many other very

important audiences who affect, and are affected by forests:

State and local elected and appointed officials State and local elected and appointed officials who are responsible for planningwho are responsible for planning

Land developersLand developers Policy makersPolicy makers Urban forest stakeholdersUrban forest stakeholders AccountantsAccountants RealtorsRealtors

SummarySummary

Complex and complicated natural resource issues require the involvement of everyone --- professional, volunteer, and public --- who can help.

Foresters and the practice of forestry are an important component of the natural resource professional community that is comprised of every natural resource and environmental profession.

……and some favorite forestry quotesand some favorite forestry quotes

Every day is Earth Day for a forester

May the forest be with you!

Forestry isn’t rocket science --- it’s much harder