society of american foresters western forester · or as full-time employees in record numbers....

BY ARA ANDREA ANDKATY KAVANAGH

Measuring, con-serving, utilizing, ana-lyzing or managingour world’s forestsrequires a broad baseof knowledge, skillsand experience. Theuniversities and com-munity colleges in the Western Forestergeographical region offer some of thefinest opportunities in forestry highereducation. With each of these institu-tions offering in-depth course workand hands-on field work, studentsintegrate silviculture, forest ecology,stewardship, forest engineering, policyand myriad other natural-resourceselements into meaningful curricula,equipping them to be successful, for-ward-thinking forest managers andtechnicians.

It’s a great time to be a forestry stu-dent. Strong hiring trends in forestmanagement in the 1960s and 1970shave resulted in a significant portion ofthe workforce preparing for retirement.Forestry agencies, industries and con-sultants have drastically increased newhires, especially ramping up their hir-ing of student interns in preparationfor filling the increased vacanciesformed by these retirees. TwoNorthwest BLM directors said it best:

Baby boomers launched the post-war housing boom and were part of thejob surge in the woods. They’re havinga big impact again, as many start plan-ning for their retirement years. BLMcannot afford to lose their know-how,

so we’re recruiting people who are will-ing to learn alongside the experts, whilebringing diversity and a new perspec-tive to the task. This year, we’ll hireabout 25 people (in WA and OR) totrain alongside our seasoned workforce,and will continue to overlap new hireswith retiring foresters and techniciansas we move ahead.

A major forest products companyhas indicated that about 40 percent ofthe company’s salaried workforce willbe eligible for retirement by 2014,along with another 38 percent of theirhourly employees, requiring the hiringof approximately 30 student internsnationwide to help prepare students to

fill these upcoming vacancies.The Oregon Department of Forestry

(ODF) reports that in the early- to mid-1990s, prior to the baby-boomer gen-eration beginning to retire, they aver-aged 10-12 retirements per year total(not all are forester positions). Sincethe late 1990s, as the boomers beganto retire, the department has seen a

In This Issue: So You Think You Want to be a Forester?

Working in Forestry: Making the Grade

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)

S O C I E T Y O F A M E R I C A N F O R E S T E R S

July/August 2007 Oregon • Washington State • Inland Empire • Alaska Societies Volume 52 • Number 4

Western Forester

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ED JENSEN,OSU COLLEGE OF FORESTRY

Oregon State University studentslearn about forestry in an outdoorlab setting.

Ara Andrea

total of 15-20 retirements total.Specific to the forester positions, ODFprojects that this retirement patternwill hold for at least the next six tonine years, and that they will be seek-ing to fill 9-12 forester positions eachyear.

Public presentations from HalSalwasser, dean of the College ofForestry at Oregon State University,report that initial information fromOregon’s largest forest sector employ-ers—industry and federal agencies—indicates that the greatest challengesto meeting demand for new hires inthe next 5-10 years will be with profes-sional foresters, forest operationsmanagers, forest engineers and woodtechnologists from universities. Thistranslates to the need for more than300 professional foresters, more than150 forest engineers, approximately100 other natural resource specialistsand about 100 wood technologists inthe next 10 years. Currently, demandfor graduates outnumbers the supplythat Oregon State can supply; essen-tially all graduates of forest manage-ment, forest engineering, and woodscience and technology either get jobsin those fields or decide to pursuegraduate degrees.

The same story pervades theOregon and Washington communitycollege setting as well. Oregon isalready seeing an undersupply invocational graduates for new hireswith technician and logging skills.Federal agencies (USDA ForestService and USDI Bureau of LandManagement), state agencies (AlaskaDepartment of Natural Resources,

2 WESTERN FORESTER ◆ JULY/AUGUST 2007

Next Issue: Environmental Education

Working in Forestry(CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE)

Western ForesterSociety of American Foresters

4033 S.W. Canyon Rd. • Portland, OR 97221 • 503-224-8046 • FAX [email protected] • [email protected] • www.forestry.org/wf

Editor: Lori Rasor • Assistant: Michele DocyWestern Forester is published bimonthly by the

Oregon and Washington State Societies’ Northwest Office

State Society Chairs

Oregon: John Prendergast, 1965 Dale St.,Medford, OR 97501; 541-618-2278;[email protected]

Washington State: Doug Rushton, CF,2726-26th Ave. NE, Olympia, WA 98506-2909;360-357-8554 (h); 360-407-6513 (o);[email protected] (h); [email protected] (o)

Inland Empire: Phil Anderson, CF, 815 S.Josephine Rd., Kettle Falls, WA 99141-9664;509-738-3133; [email protected]

Alaska: Jim LaBau, CF, 2951 Admiralty BayDr., Anchorage, AK 99515; 907-344-1018;fax 907-344-0915; [email protected]

Northwest Council Members

District I: Kirk David, 24010 N. McCoy Rd.,Athol, ID 83801; 208-683-3168; [email protected]

District II: Rick Barnes, 3000 StewartParkway, Suite 204, Roseburg, OR 97470;541-673-1208; [email protected]

Please send change of address to:Society of American Foresters

5400 Grosvenor LaneBethesda, MD 20814

301-897-8720

Anyone is at liberty to make fair use of the material in this publication. To reprint or make multiple reproduc-tions, permission must be obtained from the editor. Proper notice of copyright and credit to the WesternForester must appear on all copies made. Permission is granted to quote from the Western Forester if thecustomary acknowledgement accompanies the quote.

Other than general editing, the articles appearing in this publication have not been peer reviewed for techni-cal accuracy. The individual authors are primarily responsible for the content and opinions expressed herein.

INTERNATIONAL FORESTRYCONSULTANTS, INC.

Professional Forestry Services

Certified Foresters® • 10 Staff Foresters4 Certified Arborists

GIS and Certification ServicesThroughout the Pacific Northwest

[email protected] HansonDennis Dart

(425) 820-3420

Idaho Department of Lands, OregonDepartment of Forestry, WashingtonDepartment of Natural Resources),industries and consultants are hiringcommunity college students as internsor as full-time employees in recordnumbers.

Recent reports from former andpresent Forest Service managers clear-ly show the changing nature of suc-cessfully managing our nation’s federalforestlands. In the 1990s, the agency’stimber-sale program was decreased by80 percent. At the same time, the areaburned by wildfires has drasticallyincreased and suppression costs havesoared, along with emphasis in pre-scribed fire and other fuels treatments.

Northwest university and collegeforestry programs have responded tothis shift in management challengeswith new curricula being developed tomeet these changing managementfocal points. The University of IdahoCollege of NaturalResources is offeringthe first four-yeardegree entirelyfocused on wildlandfire ecology andmanagement, andOregon StateUniversity offers awildland fire man-agement optionwith their ForestManagementdegree. Among thelocal two-year pro-grams in forestry,Central OregonCommunity College,Green RiverCommunity Collegeand Treasure ValleyCommunity Collegeall offer Associate’sDegrees in fire man-agement.

Whether it bechanging manage-ment objectives,new technologies,improved wildlifehabitat, increasedamounts of wild-land-urban inter-face, water-qualityissues or climate

change, these forestry programs in ourNorthwest colleges and universitiesare on task, ready to improvise, adaptand lead the academic way in prepar-ing students to be leaders in profes-

sional forestry fields.The dynamic nature of forest man-

agement ensures a special lure forpotential students who like thethought of a challenging, always-changing “puzzle” that continuallymakes their work exciting, tough andrewarding. ◆

At the time of this writing, Ara Andreawas the program chair for the ForestManagement Transfer Program atChemeketa Community College inSalem, Ore. Starting in July 2007, she isthe Forest Practices Program managerin the Panhandle Region of the IdahoDepartment of Lands in Coeur d’Alene,Idaho. She can be contacted [email protected]. Katy Kavanaghis an associate professor at theUniversity of Idaho’s College of NaturalResources. She can be reached at 208-885-2552 or [email protected].

WESTERN FORESTER ◆ JULY/AUGUST 2007 3

PHOTO COURTESY OF ED JENSEN,OSU COLLEGE OF FORESTRY

The forestry job market looks goodfor students.

BY ARA ANDREA

orking in forestry is a dynamicand rewarding occupation, and

the colleges and universities in theNorthwest offer some of the bestforestry education opportunities inthe nation. Five community collegesin Oregon and Washington offer two-year degrees (Associate of AppliedScience or AAS) in forestry, and fiveuniversities in Alaska, Idaho, Oregonand Washington offer four-yeardegrees (Bachelor of Science or BS)degrees in a field of forest manage-ment, forest engineering or woodproducts management.

The charts on pages six and sevenlist the broad descriptions of AASdegrees and BS degrees offered inforestry education within the WesternForester geographical area. In addi-tion to the specific degrees offered at

these institutions, many of these col-leges and universities offer one-yearcertificates, and degree options (orminors) in specialized fields of natu-ral-resources management.

The charts only list degreed pro-grams at the colleges or universitiesthat offer curriculum specifically inforestry. In addition to forestrydegrees offered, the charts exhibitother forestry and natural resourcesdegrees offered by the institutions ifthese degreed programs are housedwithin the same department or collegein which the forestry program ishoused. (For example, while a BSdegree in rangeland managementmay be offered at these universitieswithin a College of Agriculture, it isnot listed in this chart since the pro-gram is not housed within the Collegeof Forestry.

Two-year degree (AAS) forestry pro-

grams prepare students to be success-ful as forest technicians or forestryprofessionals who collect and inter-pret on-the-ground data, and buildskills necessary to perform specificinventory processes. Four-year degree(BS) forestry programs prepare stu-dents to be professional forest man-agers, forest engineers, forest recre-ation managers, forest operationsmanagers, fire operations managers,wood-products production managersor wood-products engineers. Eachforestry program is unique to the uni-versity in which it is offered.

Four-year degree forestryprograms

The University of Alaska—FairbanksSchool of Natural Resources andAgricultural Sciences offers studentsan SAF-accredited forestry degree aswell as a more general degree in natu-ral resources within their Departmentof Forest Sciences. Students takecoursework at UA amidst the whitespruce interior forestlands of Alaska.

The University of Idaho College ofNatural Resources offers an SAF-accredited degree in Forest Resourcesas well as BS degrees in forest recre-ation, fisheries and wildlife manage-ment, forest products, naturalresource ecology and conservationbiology, and rangeland managementwithin the college’s six specializeddepartments. The UI College ofNatural Resources will also debut anew BS degree in fire ecology man-agement in the fall of 2007.

The Oregon State UniversityCollege of Forestry offers studentsthree SAF-accredited forestry degreeswithin the fields of forest manage-ment, forest engineering and recre-ation management, along with addi-tional degrees in wood science (alsoaccredited by the Forest ProductsSociety), outdoor recreation leader-ship, and a relatively new degree inforest operations management. TheOSU College of Forestry also allowsstudents the opportunity to earn a BSdegree in natural resources entirelyonline and, within their forest man-


Path to the Woods: Forestry Higher EducationOptions in the Northwest

W

Summer Site Preparation Herbicides:Accord XRT®

Arsenal Applicators Concentrate®

Escort XP®

Chopper® Gen2Oust XP®

Oust Extra®

Start your seedlings out right!

9685 Ridder Rd. S.W., Suite 190 • Wilsonville, OR 97070

For information on this or any other herbicides, call:Bruce Alber 503-227-3525–western Oregon & western WashingtonJoel Fields 509-928-4512–eastern Washington, Idaho & MontanaCarl Ostrom 509-928-4512–eastern Washington, Idaho & MontanaScott Johnson 916-991-4451 & Jerry Gallagher 530-570-5977–California

agement degree, offers specializedoptions in forest environmental con-sulting, plantation silviculture, forestecosystem science, restoration offorested landscapes, internationalforestry, wildland fire managementand human-forest interactions.

The University of WashingtonCollege of Forest Resources currentlyoffers students two undergraduatedegrees. The Environmental Scienceand Resource Management degreeallows student-directed course-sched-ule development to meet students’needs to specialize in fields like urbanforestry and restoration ecology. Asecond degree, accredited by ABET(formerly the Accreditation Board forEngineering and Technology) in PaperScience and Engineering is designedfor students seeking training in chem-ical and physical sciences as appliedto the pulp and paper processingindustries. While the UW College ofForest Resources currently does nothave an SAF-accredited four-yeardegreed program, they are offeringstudents a 5th year Master of ForestResources degree that will be SAF-accredited effective in the fall of 2007.

The Washington State UniversityCollege of Agricultural, Human andNatural Resources Sciences offers stu-dents BS degrees in forestry (SAF-accredited), natural resources andwildlife ecology, with degree optionsin forest business and wildlife habitatmanagement. The WSU Departmentof Natural Resources prepares stu-dents to enter specialized fieldsincluding conservation biology, land-scape and restoration ecology, naturalresource policy or environmental law.

Two-year forestry programs

SAF-recognized two-year forestryprograms are offered in four commu-nity colleges in the Northwest. Thesetwo-year colleges offer two-year ter-minal degrees for students wishing toobtain a forest technician position,and most also offer transferableforestry coursework, allowing theirstudents to articulate many of theircourses to a university. Forestry cur-ricula at these colleges give studentsrigorous coursework along with fre-quent in-the-field lab experiences,allowing students a chance to acquirethe skills to cruise timber, inventory a

variety of forest resources, and per-form a wide array of mensurationtasks.

Currently, two-year programs arerecognized by SAF, but due to theincreased role played by trained tech-nicians in forest management, theevolution of the forest technologyschool recognition program, and theprecedent for accreditation of associ-ate degree programs set by otheraccreditors, SAF has created an eight-member task force to evaluate themerits of establishing an SAF programto fully accredit forest technology pro-grams. If approved, this accreditationprogram would replace the existingrecognition program. Monica Spickerof Spokane Community College andJoan De Young of Mt. HoodCommunity College serve as two ofthese task force members.

Spokane Community College, nes-tled in the ponderosa pine-dominatedforests of the Inland Empire, allowsstudents the opportunity to earn AASdegrees in Natural Resources withspecializations in forestry, recreation,soils or wildlife and fisheries.

The Green River CommunityCollege Natural Resources Programoffers students outdoor learningopportunities in the forests aroundAuburn, Wash., as they earn two-yeardegrees in natural resources, firemanagement, park management,water quality and GIS.

Mt. Hood Community College, sit-ting in the Douglas-fir-dominatedforests between the city of Portlandand the entrance to the ColumbiaRiver Gorge Recreation Area, offersstudents AAS degrees in forestresources and wildlife resources.

The Central Oregon CommunityCollege Forestry Resources TechnologyProgram, located at the eastern base ofthe Oregon Cascades, allows studentsthe opportunity to earn AAS degrees inforestry, GIS and wildland fire man-agement, with close proximity to their

own school forest and a recent 90,000-acre burn from the 2003 B&B fires.

Treasure Valley Community College,located on the Snake River at the east-ern edge of Oregon, offers students anAAS degree and several one-year cer-tificates in forestry, focusing on wild-land fire management and noxiousweed control.

Chemeketa Community College, inthe central Willamette Valley, offersstudents specific transferable course-work in dendrology, silviculture andforest surveying.

Many community colleges through-out the Northwest offer general studiesand science coursework that willtransfer to universities, helping stu-dents prepare to earn forestry BSdegrees at local universities.

With professional foresters retiringat an all-time high rate, it’s a greattime to be in forestry education. Thechanging nature of, and increasedexpenditures on fire managementand research devoted to the effects ofglobal warming bring added dimen-sions to the world of forest manage-ment. Management-objective focalpoints are continually changing andpublic perceptions exert a lot of pres-sures on the movements of forestmanagement activities. Forestry stu-dents today are participating in excit-ing, always-changing learning experi-ences that prepare them to deal withthe social, ecological and economicimpacts of managing our country’stimber resources. ◆

At the time of this writing, Ara Andreawas the program chair for the ForestManagement Transfer Program atChemeketa Community College inSalem, Ore. Starting in July 2007, shewill be the Forest Practices ProgramManager in the Panhandle Region ofthe Idaho Department of Lands inCoeur d’Alene, Idaho. She can bereached at [email protected].



* 5th year Master of Forest Resources (Forest Management) is SAF accredited.

*

ric Geyer, shown here in a treenursery monitoring the growth of

Douglas-fir seedlings from seeds col-lected on his company’s forestland, isa field forester, a position where mostpractitioners develop their on-the-ground knowledge of managingforests. As a silviculturist, he isinvolved with the care and cultivationof forest trees on the roughly 200,000acres of timberland that RoseburgForest Products Company (RFP) ownsaround Roseburg, Ore. RFP ownsabout 750,000 acres in Oregon andCalifornia.

Forestry was an interest that cameto Eric while majoring in biology andgeology as an undergraduate student.During the first two years of this pro-gram, he was exposed to a wide vari-ety of biological processes and scien-tific research. “I was designing aresearch project on the college forestto study the chemical responses ofleaves to increased sunlight. Whilereading through scientific journals, Iwas fascinated by the scientific prin-ciples involved in growing and har-vesting trees, and I realized that I hadfound my career.

“By my senior year, I was willing todo whatever it took to enter the field offorestry. I decided to apply to graduateforestry programs based upon my sci-ence background.” Geyer was accept-ed into the master’s program in forestmanagement at Oregon State’s College

of Forestry. He was particularly excit-ed about OSU because it had thewidest variety of forestry options, itwas located in the heart of timbercountry, and he was offered a researchassistant position that would pay histuition and provide a monthly stipend.“I already had enough debt from mytime as an undergrad.”

Because he did not have previousforestry education, Geyer took severalundergraduate forestry classes in addi-tion to his graduate-level studies. “Idid not take the traditional path to acareer in forestry, which would typical-ly be a four-year degree. However, Iwas committed to this career and

found it very satisfying. The sciencethat goes into forest management issimply a different application of thesame principles that go into manyother applied biological science fields.”

Between degrees, he worked as aForest Service firefighter in centralIdaho and, after completing his mas-ter’s coursework, set chokers for twoyears on a logging crew based out ofDallas, Oregon. “Such field experi-ence, along with a background in sci-ence, is a big plus for foresters whowant to advance in their careers,” hesaid. “Not only do you learn the skillsassociated with these professions, butyou also learn how to interact andcommunicate with people who are sointegral to the success of forest man-agement.”

Although he didn’t specifically setout to work for private industry, itquickly became clear that the businessof managing a renewable resourceadded another exciting layer of com-plexity to the profession. “The work Ido is a great fit with my interestsbecause I love being in the woods andapplying science and economics inthis environment,” he said. “Managingand maximizing stand growth is both achallenge and an art.”

In addition to a strong educationalbackground, Geyer says that forestersneed to be self-starters and willing towork in a variety of weather condi-tions and terrain. “You know you arein the right profession when you areexcited to get up early, head into themountains, jump out of the pickup ina cold, driving rain, and spend theday crawling up and down hillsthrough trees and brush.”

Eric is also proud of his professionand is an active member of the SAF.“I am passionate about forestry andthe future of our profession,” he said.He is a past chair of OSAF’s UmpquaChapter and received its ChapterAchievement Award for 2004. In 2005,OSAF named him Oregon Forester ofthe Year. ◆

Eric Geyer can be reached at [email protected].

Interest in Science Leads to Forestry Career


E

PHOTO COURTESY OF OFRI

Forest Protec t ion Produc ts

www.quadel.net1.800.289.7659.800.289.7659

• Protect seedlings from deer, elk, and varmint destruction

• Whole seedling or new growth protection with nettings

• Increased growth and survival rate• Photo-degrades overtime

1.800.289.76591.800.289.7659NETTINETTINNGGSEEDLING

PROTECTOR

INCREMENTBORER

MIRRORCOMPASS

FIELDVEST

LASERVERTEX

CALIPERS DRIPTORCH

SPENCERTAPES

High speed cruising.

GPS AND MAPPING

TIMBER CRUISING EQUIPMENT

TIMBER AND MARKING SUPPLIES

BURNING AND FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS

OUTDOOR SAFETY AND FIRST AID PRODUCTS

FIELD BOOKS

www.forestry-suppliers.comCatalog Request: 800-360-7788Sales: 800-647-5368

©2007 Forestry Suppliers, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cruising timber has never been so fast and easy!

Simple to use, the Haglof DME 201 Cruiser is ideal

for taking plot radius measurements – it won't miss

borderline trees and is even accurate through thick

underbrush.

Forestry Suppliers features more than 9,000 top-quality

products geared especially to outdoor pros; each

backed with the best tech support and customer

service, and our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Give us

a call or log on to www.forestry-suppliers.com to get a

free copy of our latest catalog today!

BY ARA ANDREA

osh Weathers works as a recreationmanager for the Bureau of Land

Management (BLM), overseeing sixparks in Oregon’s Cascade foothills.He holds a bachelor’s degree in NaturalResources with a specialty emphasis inForest Management from Oregon StateUniversity. Prior to that, Josh earnedhis Associate’s Degree in ForestResources Technology at ChemeketaCommunity College.

When asked about what his educa-tion in forestry did for him in his cur-rent position, he states, “One of thebest things I did in my life was go backto school for something I had alwayswanted to do. The key was having theopportunity available for an educationin a field such as forestry. For some-one who never really enjoyed school,Chemeketa provided the perfect step-ping stone to come back and learnsome skills that would be valuable in

getting a job. It also provid-ed the needed confidenceand motivation for learningto get my bachelor’s degreeat Oregon State University.”

Continues Josh, “I’d haveto say that besides the prepa-ration that school can give aperson for a job in the fieldsof natural resources andforestry, the next biggestthing that my education gaveme was a fantastic opportu-nity at social networking.Going to Chemeketa andOregon State either gave mean actual connection, orshowed me how to find aconnection to nearly everylocal expert in the wide-ranging disciplines related tonatural resources. With these connec-tions, I was able to meet my futureemployers and supervisors, as well asothers from different agencies.

“Now, as one of the few permanent

employees with the BLM, I try andkeep in close contact with my previousinstructors at college, not only forinformative purposes, but also for giv-ing opportunities of employment tostudents of theirs. In my position, andfor those I hire, we have the chance toeducate the public on forest practices,and with a background in forestry, ithelps to make an even more valuableconnection for the public.”

When asked about what he likesmost about his job, Weathers ranks“talking to the public” as his numberone, favorite thing to do. He statesthat with his upcoming membershipwith the Society of American Forestershe can definitely keep up on the cur-rent trends and information aboutforestry and natural resources. “I’mexcited to become an active memberin my local chapter of the SAF. I feelthat it will allow me to make moreconnections with professionals, as wellas keeping me up to date on currentforest practices in the region.” ◆

Ara Andrea can be reached at [email protected].


Student Well Prepared for BLM Job

J

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARA ANDREA

Talking with the public is BLM RecreationManager Josh Weathers’ favorite part of his job.

[email protected]

Delivering fundamental methods of accurate forestland appraisal

OSU Conference Services - Corvallis, Oregon - Phone 541-737-9300Oregon State University - Corvallis, Oregon

An Intensive 4-Day Short Course • November 12-15, 2007

The Basics of Accurate Forest Land Appraisal – Precisely!

WOODLAND FORESTRY CONSULTANTS

Don Theoe, CF/CFA #17, ACFChief Forester

P.O. Box 99788Lakewood, WA 98496-0788

E-mail: [email protected]

(253) 581-3022Fax (253) 581-3023

Why stay with old technology…

BY KIM HUDNALL

went back to school at age 25, asingle mother with three children

who desperately needed to find a pro-fession I could support my familywith, and also one where going towork each day didn’t make me yearnfor a healthy dose of Prozac. I knew Iwanted to have a career where I couldwork outside, doing something thattruly made a difference in the world.

I began my educational journey atChemeketa Community College in theForest Resources Technology Programbecause forestry was something I wasinterested in. I spent two years there,and what I expected from the programwas an education—what I got was selfconfidence, friends and the belief thatwhatever I could dream I could do. Ireceived my Associates degree in 1998and decided I would further my edu-

cation and attend Oregon StateUniversity. Although it took a bitlonger than expected, I graduatedwith a Bachelor’s of Science in Natural

Resources in 2004. I immediatelywent to work for the NaturalResources Conservation Service as asoil conservationist, a job I love.

Even though in my job I leantoward being a jack of all trades, I amable to bring forestry knowledge andtechnical abilities to my job, a skill thatis rare in my agency. I am currentlyworking in the McMinnville, Ore., fieldoffice, where, in addition to my soilcon duties, I am also the forestry leadfor a six-county basin. I approve prac-tice specifications and do site visits forforestry-related conservation plans. Iam lucky. I have a good job that sup-ports my family and that I love. Andeveryday, I can say that in some smallway, I have made a difference. Whatmore could I ask for? ◆

Kim Hudnall is a soil conservationistwith the USDA NRCS in McMinnville,Ore. She can be reached at 503-472-1474 or [email protected].


Forestry a Perfect Fit

I

Reaching Out to the Forest Sector’s Future WorkforceBY NORIE DIMEO-EDIGER AND JULIE WOODWARD

he role of K-12 education usually comes up in discussions about where the forest sector workforce will comefrom in the future. The question is, what can be done to better expose high school students to information about

forestry and forest products manufacturing so that they see attractive career options in the forest sector?K-12 teachers and students always have been priority audiences for the Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI).

This is demonstrated by the variety of programs that OFRI supports and by the number of students served by thoseprograms—more than 200,000 each year.

To expose high school students to career opportunities in the forest sector, OFRI is preparing two new publica-tions on forestry and forest products manufacturing professions for classroom use. The first focuses on foresters andforestry-related careers requiring a college education. It will be mailed to high school career counselors and availableto teachers on request this fall. The second looks at careers in logging and other forestry operations, as well as inwood products manufacturing where a college degree might not be required, but where on-the-job training is impor-tant. It will be mailed to counselors and available to teachers in the fall of 2008.

OFRI is also addressing careers in the forest sector in three publications in its magazine-style Special Report series.These include Oregon’s Forestry Professionals, published in 2005, and two published in 2007: Oregon’s Forest Operatorsand Oregon’s Skilled Forest Products Workforce. All are available free from OFRI on request—visit www.oregon-forests.org or call 971-673-2944. ◆

Norie Dimeo-Ediger is the K-12 Program manager and Julie Woodward is the Rediscovery Forest Education specialistfor the Oregon Forest Resources Institute. Norie can be reached at 971-673-2956 or [email protected]. Julie can bereached at 503-584-7259 or [email protected].

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARA ANDREA

Kim Hudnall, a graduate of ChemeketaCommunity College and Oregon StateUniversity, is now a soil conservation-ist with the NRCS.

T

www.forestseedlings.com

when you can upgrade to something better?

Introducing Chopper® GEN2™ herbicide — the only forestry herbicide with

Transport Technology™. Transport Technology accelerates the uptake and translocation

of imazapyr throughout the plant. That means quicker

up-front control and more effective long-term control,

even at lower rates. We guarantee it in writing.

Upgrade to Chopper GEN2.

1-800-545-9525 | www.choppergen2.com

Always read and follow label directions.Chopper is a registered trademark of BASF. GEN2, Quality Vegetation Management and Transport Technology are trademarks of BASF. ©2007 BASF Corporation.All rights reserved.

Quality Vegetation Management™

BY BILL PETERSON

’m not sure that this is my favoriterecollection about being a forester.

But perhaps it is the most memorablestory to date—at least to me.

Back in the late 1970s, I hired on toan inventory crew on the ShoshoneNational Forest in northwesternWyoming. The job was to hike intothe mostly unroaded forest and col-lect data on timber stands, noting thedetails on slope, access, species, sizesand plant communities. We were afield-going group, and the handful ofus (mostly) recent college graduatesworked out of temporary camps thatsummer and fall. It was rugged work,but we were young men and up forthe adventures that came with ardu-ous daily hikes.

Now, northwest Wyoming is knownfor the spectacular YellowstoneNational Park and our inventory crewwas working in the undevelopedforestlands that bordered the parkboundary. We were well aware of thefact that this area had one of thehighest densities of grizzly bears inthe lower 48 states, although none ofus had actually encountered a “griz”in the wild. That situation, however,was about to change.

I was in my third summer on theShoshone National Forest, havingworked the first year running a chain-saw on the thinning crew and the fol-lowing year marking and cruisingtimber for sale to the one sawmill inCody. Stand inventory was consid-ered top-notch work, in that itallowed us young technicians toemploy more of our forestry skills,from aerial photo interpretation tostand examinations to rudimentaryecology work.

Due to the remote locations, thelimited access and long distances intothe wild, there was a safety concernabout working alone. So we worked inpairs and kept track of our coworker’slocation a couple times a day. My part-ner was a strapping Midwestern ladwho had recently graduated from IowaState University in Ames, majoring inhorticulture. Rob had a real knack for

keying botanical species, somethingthat eluded my specific interest orcoarser forestry training. I, too, hadrecently graduated, but from a NewEngland forestry program, and wasthrilled to be living a more independ-ent life in the big sky country out west.

That particular morning was rou-tine. We had arisen from our tents atdaybreak to fix breakfast, clean upcamp and get on the trail by 8:00 a.m.As four of the crew members wereworking in the same general area, wepiled our gear and ourselves into theFord Bronco and headed up SunlightCreek as the sun began to crest thedistant ridges.

Sunlight Creek is a relatively shal-low, but wide trout stream, and weparked the rig on the shoulder of theroad to walk a downfall across to theother side. We were often able to finda suitable log for crossing, and onlyoccasionally fell into the stream thatsummer. On this morning, all four ofus successfully crossed Sunlight Creekand then split into pairs to hike to ourbackcountry assignments. Rob and Ifirst headed for an old clearing, gotour bearings and began to recorddetailed information on the unhar-vested stands that surrounded the oldopening.

Lunchtime found us in the middleof the clearing, sunning ourselves andgrabbing a bite to eat before headingback into the thick lodgepole pinewoods. We were sitting on an oldbuckskin log, facing into the center ofthe opening when we both noticed alight-brown critter ambling across ourfield of vision. A moose? No, it’s ayoung bear. Just at that moment wenoticed the distinctive hump on itsback. A griz! In our excitement, weboth stood, turned around andtripped over the log that we had justbeen sitting on. Quickly scramblingto our feet, we hot-footed it over tothe only standing tree in the vicinity,figuring that this would be a saferperch. Rob, remembering the bearcountry safety etiquette of alwayshelping your partner first, hoisted meup the snag so I could reach the low-est limbs. Snap! Both branches brokeand I fell backwards on top of Rob.

The young bear was now long gone.We headed back to the downed log

and our day packs, gathering up theremains of our lunches, and started towalk across the clearcut in the direc-tion that we had seen the young bearrun. After a minute or two, wenoticed some movement in the shad-ows at the end of the clearing a cou-ple hundred yards away. It wasanother bear, this time a fully-grownadult. It was the mother griz! We nowfound ourselves between the yearlingand the mother bear. Not a good sit-uation to be in, and we didn’t takelong to convince ourselves that weneeded to quickly exit this area.

Rob and I inched ourselves awayfrom the mother bear, straining tolook over our shoulders while headingto the edge of the clearing and towardthe safety of Sunlight Creek. When wehad reached the creek we didn’t evenstop to look for a log to cross, insteadjust waded through the cold moun-tain stream as if it wasn’t there. Wethen hiked onto Sunlight Road andback to the safety of our vehicle. Forthe rest of the afternoon, we collectedstand data on the safe side of thecreek, although we both remained abit jumpy.

The other crew members driftedback to our rendezvous spot at thepreviously agreed hour and Rob and Iheld court that evening on our adven-tures over the nightly campfire. Wehad never before felt so alive! ◆

At the time of this writing, BillPeterson was an active SAF CentralOregon Chapter member and NaturalResources team leader on theBend/Fort Rock Ranger District,Deschutes National Forest. In lateMay, Bill moved to the GreenMountain National Forest in Vermont,where he was offered the forest man-agement program lead position, locat-ed in Rutland. That forest is justbeginning to build a small timbersales program, and he will be the con-tracting officer for that effort. He waslooking forward to moving to the NewEngland area during black fly season.Bill can be reached at [email protected].


So You Want to be a Forester?

I


BY LINDSAY MALONE

uring these dog days of summer itcan feel as if you’re jumping the

gun to think ahead to autumn classesor even beyond the upcoming term.But for students contemplating a careerin one of the natural resources profes-sions, this is an opportune time to takea moment and think about future aspi-rations. However, if the thought ofmaking long-term plans right nowsounds as appealing as bushwhackingup a 70 percent slope through devil’sclub and vine maple on a 90-degreeday, why not set aside some time toearnestly explore your professional andacademic goals by coming to Portlandfor the National Convention thisOctober 23-28. Book those reservationsnow and you can enjoy the remainingweeks of freedom from homework.

For students just beginning to con-sider a career in forestry, attendingthe National Convention provides asetting conducive for gauging wheretheir interests fit under the big tent ofnatural resource professions. Thisyear’s convention offers science andtechnical program tracks to gainknowledge on a broad spectrum oftopics, ranging from bio-energydevelopment and measurement tech-nologies to recreation managementand the business strategies of forestproducts companies. Bringingtogether more than 2,000 forestryprofessionals to talk shop andexchange ideas also provides studentattendees with ample opportunitiesto converse with professional mem-bers about their experiences and findout what skills and expertise compa-nies, agencies and organizations arelooking for in future employees.

Checking out the Job Fair is a must:Some employers will be holding inter-views and hiring on the spot, so don’tforget to bring along a few copies ofyour resume.

Amid these learning and networking

opportunities areactivities specifi-cally designed forstudent atten-dees. Slated forthe first eveningof the conventionare StudentOrientation andthe evening’s sig-nature event:Quiz Bowl. Student teams fromforestry schools across the country willtest their forestry know-how in a head-to-head competition involving forestrytrivia and a chance to take home thewinning title. At the end of the week,the National Student Assembly (NSA)will take place at the World ForestryCenter. Plans for the NSA include areception, guest speaker and updateon national SAF activities. This moreformal part of the evening will be fol-lowed by the Stumptown Stomp—aself-guided tour highlighting Portlandlandmarks and ending with an all-agesgathering to celebrate a successful 2007National Convention.

If this sounds like an appealing wayto jumpstart your forestry career, take afew minutes to check out the NationalConvention website (safconvention.org),register and then congratulate yourselffor making plans that will benefit youfor years to come. To get the best bar-gain, sign up for “early-bird” registra-tion before August 14. Reserve a hotelroom now to increase the chance ofsecuring accommodations at the dis-counted rates arranged for by SAF.Finally, talk to the academic advisors inyour natural resources or forestrydepartment to find out if your schoolhas a program to assist students withthe costs involved in attending theNational Convention. ◆

Lindsay Malone is a member of theUniversity of Washington StudentChapter in Seattle. She can be reachedat [email protected].

D

National Convention Offers StudentsOpportunities to Learn, Network, Find Jobs

and Have a Good Time

Countdown to Convention ’07

BY NANCY PECKMAN

ustaining America’s Forests isthe 2007 National Convention

theme. We need your help in notonly sustaining our forests, but sus-taining the Foresters’ Fund programthrough this year’s Foresters’ Fundraffle and silent auction.

A great idea began in 1962 to pro-mote education and enhance publicunderstanding of the forestry profes-sion, and it is still working 45 yearslater! This year, $30,000 will be avail-able to state societies, divisions andchapters to promote education andenhance public understanding of therole of professional foresters and theimportance of forests and forestry tosociety. Most of the money in thisendowment has come from the raffleand silent auctions held duringnational conventions. The Oregonand Washington State Societies areseeking donations for two excitingNational Convention events thatbenefit the Foresters’ Fund.

We are also soliciting local busi-nesses in western Oregon andWashington for donated items. Theconvention is a great place to adver-tise. There will be over 2,000 peopleparticipating in this event. Donationsof “large” items before the conventionwill be highlighted in a Foresters’Fund brochure in the On-SiteConvention Packet. If you know of aunique business that may be interest-ed in this type of advertising througha donation, contact Tom Ortman at360-695-8062 or Nancy Peckman at360-537-8285.

It is best to get your donated itemsto us early. We have a safe storageplace. Items can be sent to: Foresters’Fund, c/o Tom Ortman, 821 FriedelAve., Vancouver, WA 98664.

Remember, all the proceeds go to agreat cause—the Foresters’ Fund. ◆

Nancy Peckman is co-chair of the2007 National Convention Foresters’Fund Committee.

S

Donations Sought forthe Foresters’ Fund

Silent Auctionand Raffle

BY PAUL W. ADAMS

arlier this year, anOregon SAF

(OSAF) memberattended a meeting ofthe Federal Forest-lands AdvisoryCommittee (FFAC) ofthe Oregon Board of Forestry. Duringthe public comment period the mem-ber submitted and verbally highlight-ed the newly revised OSAF positionstatement on “Commercial TimberHarvest on Public Forest Lands inOregon,” a perspective that’s clearlyrelevant to the work of the FFAC.

Following the brief input about theposition statement, a member of theFFAC pointedly asked whether SAFwas an “extraction-oriented” organi-zation. The OSAF member wascaught a bit off-guard by the ques-tion, but mustered a reasonableresponse for those in attendance.When I heard this story, it remindedme that people outside of SAF thathave an interest in forestry issues willhave perceptions of SAF and its mem-bers, and they may not be alwayswhat we expect or hope for.

So, consistent with the “BePrepared” motto of the Boy Scouts, Ioffer the following notes and observa-tions that may be useful when suchquestions arise about the “orienta-tion” of SAF and its members. Ofcourse, the SAF Mission and Code ofEthics also play a key role, and bothare reflected here to some degree.

Although more broadly applicablethan to just SAF and its members(e.g., even non-members are influ-

enced by SAF accreditation of univer-sity and continuing education pro-grams), professional foresters aretrained to be objectives-oriented.This is similar to other professions(e.g., engineering) that use appropri-ate expertise and experience toaddress societal needs and relatedemployer-defined, problem-solvingtasks.

Thus, forestry professionals viewand manage forests for a full range ofuses and values—it’s the objectives ofthe owners and related policies forthe forestland that drive what SAFmembers are oriented toward. A clearexample of this within SAF is thatthere are technical Working Groupsand formal member affiliation forsuch areas as Recreation, WildernessManagement and Wildlife and FishEcology.

Another important and relatedcharacteristic of SAF and its membersis their focus on active managementof forestlands. This focus stems from:

(1) Substantial knowledge(research and education) and experi-ence with what works and what does-n’t (all are vital given the site-specific,extended lives of forests); and

(2) A service-to-society mission thatcompels actions that are most effectiveand efficient for providing for society’sdesires and needs/demands.

It’s valuable to remember thatsome individuals and professionalgroups involved with forest resourceissues do not have a service-to-socie-ty focus and world view like SAF. Anda subset of these follow a philosophyin which nature with little or nohuman influence is considered supe-

rior in form and function. Such dis-tinctions are important to recognizeand highlight, particularly with forestissues that are often debated as sci-ence/technical matters when insteadthey are largely values or philosophybased.

Although somewhat imperfect, theemployment affiliation of SAF mem-bers can provide some indication oftheir “orientation.” However, lookingat the March 2007 numbers forOregon, there’s little to suggest that aparticular perspective is dominant:27 percent public employment, 24percent private industry/business, 26percent retired, 11 percent consult-ants, and 12 percent students or otheremployment. We come from “allwalks of forestry” and for a profes-sional society such diversity clearly isan asset, particularly when SAF lead-ers and members offer our individualand collective views on importantforestry issues.

Finally, the phrase “extraction-ori-ented” clearly presents some negativeimages and perceptions. Is this howwe portray and perceive NativeAmericans who often fish for salmon?Do we use this phrase to describeshoppers at Fred Meyer or Safeway?It’s important that SAF members chal-lenge this negative image, whether ornot the phrase is used intentionally toconvey this impression.

Thus, many forestry professionalsand SAF members do indeed work toprovide a vital, renewable resourcethat our society demands and bene-fits from in many ways. And withtheir unique training, experience, andinteraction with many other special-ists, these professionals play a centralrole in helping ensure the fundamen-tal benefits of environmental, eco-nomic and social sustainability fromour forestlands and resources. ◆

Paul W. Adams is chair of the OregonSAF Policy and Legislation Committee,and also serves as a professor andExtension specialist in the ForestEngineering Department at OregonState University. He can be reached at541-737-2946 or [email protected].


Is SAF “Extraction-oriented?”

E

inety members and guests attend-ed this year’s Oregon SAF Annual

Meeting May 17-18 at The Riverhousein Bend. The Central Oregon Chapterhosted the annual event, which wascondensed due to the national con-vention coming to town in October.The meeting provided a combinationof excellent indoor presentations alongwith a field trip centered on the themeof “Changing Facets of the ForestCommunity.”

The evening of May 17 included ano-host social, banquet and program.After an informative presentation byBob Boyd, historian for the High DesertMuseum, Jim Rombach emceed theawards section of the evening.

Marvin Brown and Paul Adams,recently elected SAF Fellows, were rec-ognized with a framed certificate fortheir outstanding contributions to theSociety and the profession of forestry.

Lena Tucker, past chair of theOregon Society, received a framed cer-tificated for her leadership as statesociety chair in 2006.

The Lifetime Achievement Award ispresented to members who havedemonstrated lifetime contribution toSAF and the forestry profession. Theaward was given to Jim Brown, a for-mer Oregon state forester who servedin that position for 16 years. He thenserved as Governor Kulongowski'sNatural Resource Policy director. Henow has a consulting company, JimBrown Consulting, LLC. Jim has beenactive in the National Association ofState Foresters and has served onmany boards and commissions. An

SAF member since 1962, he was elect-ed Fellow in 1988. He has held variousSAF offices at all levels.

A special “Chairman’s AppreciationAward” was given to Edie Neff for herextraordinary service to the OSAF andthe forestry profession over a significantamount of time. Edie graduated fromthe University of New Hampshire in1944 with a major in botany and aminor in forestry, and a masters inbotany in 1948, again from UNH. Shewould have majored in forestry, but wasnot allowed to because she was afemale; however, she took as manyforestry classes as possible. While incollege, the war was on and a lot of themen were in the service, so she wasable to do a lot of field work that wouldnormally have been done by men. Shegained excellent field experience in sur-veying, logging layout and cruising.She worked in the experiment lab soshe was able to practice botany as wellas forestry. She married Al Neff, also aforester, in 1947, and proceeded to havefive girls and a boy, thus taking her outof the workforce.

Al became a member of SAF in1949. Edie kept up with the goings onof SAF through Al. However, in 1978,she decided it was time she obtainedher “own” SAF membership. Duringher past 63 years connected withforestry, 29 of those of those were as anSAF member. She has served in manydifferent SAF capacities over the years.Says Foxie Proctor, a fellow female

SAFer,” I met Edie 25 years ago when Ithought I was one of the first womenin the industry. I have always admiredEdie for her energy, her love of forestryand her positive attitude. She was andwill remain a role model for me.”

The Coos Chapter took the ChapterAchievement award home this year.They received $100 to celebrate theirachievements. While the chapter’saccomplishments are too numerous tooutline here, a few highlights include:

• Hosting the 2006 OSAF annualmeeting and raising $4,535 toward theForesters’ Fund.

• Provided $2,460 in scholarships toCoos County high school students.

• Charitable contributions given toHumboldt State University SAFStudent Chapter, Coos County LoggingMuseum, SAF Leadership Conference,Coos County 4H Leaders Associationand Keep Oregon Green.

• Crafted educational partnershipswith other organizations to provideNatural Resource Days and ProjectLearning Tree workshops.

Stefanie Larew and Sarah Davisonwere awarded the Outstanding StudentMember Award. Both received aframed certificate and paid attendanceto the annual meeting.

Stefanie graduated this year with adegree in forest management fromOSU. Lastyear sheworked asan internfor theOregonDepartmentof Forestryand hasalso workedsummersfire fightingin south-ernOregon.NominatorMatthew Krunglevich says, “Stefaniewill make an excellent professionalforester and will continue to promoteSAF values.” She is seeking employ-ment in the Salem area.

Sarah Davison, who was unable toattend the meeting, graduated thisyear with a degree in forest manage-ment. She worked as an intern for


Bob Deal Named OSAF Foresterof the Year at Annual Meeting

N

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 21)

Edie Neff receives a special awardfrom John Prendergast.

Stefanie Larew receivesthe outstanding studentmember award at theannual meeting.

Newly elected Fellow Paul Adams,left, receives congratulations fromOSAF Chair John Prendergast.

hirty-five SAF Fellows,OSAF Foundation

Trustees and guests congre-gated at OSU’s College ofForestry’s Peavy Arboretumnear Corvallis for the annualFellows Luncheon on June14. The group heard com-ments from SAF PresidentJohn McMahon, OSUCollege of Forestry Dean HalSalwasser, Oregon StateForester Marvin Brown, andMary Beth McNair, ZachPeterson and JustinMcMinds, this year’sFoundation’s scholarshiprecipients.

Mary Beth McNair is a post-baccalaureate student and is finish-ing up her last year as a dual ForestEngineering/Civil Engineering degree.This summer she is completing a civilengineering internship for Kiewit inHawaii and working on a project

researching the history of forest engi-neering licensure in the state ofOregon. She assisted in the rebuildingof Fort Clatsop and participates inmany SAF and College of Forestryactivities, including serving as SAF sec-retary and founding the OSU Chapterof Engineers without Borders.

Zach Peterson will be entering hissenior year in Forest Management andplans to graduate with a bachelor’sdegree in 2008. This summer he isworking as a prevention technicianand forest protection officer on theMcKenzie River Ranger District,Willamette National Forest. Originallyfrom Oakridge, Ore., he is an activemember of the SAF OSU StudentChapter and serves as vice president ofXi Sigma Pi Forestry Honor Society. Heplans to continue his schooling in amaster’s program.

Justin McMinds is a ForestManagement student entering histhird year of college. From Jefferson,Ore., he is spending his summer inGrants Pass with the OregonDepartment of Forestry completing aforest management internship. He isinvolved in Scouting and recentlystarted a new unit out of Albany. He isalso a volunteer instructor for a woodshop class through Linn-BentonCommunity College. Upon gradua-tion, he would like to work for ODF asa contract administrator like his father.

In addition to the FellowsLuncheon, the OSAF Foundation helda meeting in the morning to discussthe strategic plan, budget details andother Foundation business. A specialthanks goes to Starker Forests for host-ing the lunches. ◆


OSAF Foundation Forum

Scholarship Recipients AttendFellows’ Luncheon

T

PHOTO COURTESY OF LORI RASOR

OSAF Foundation Scholarship recipients MaryBeth McNair, Justin McMinds and Zach Petersonwere introduced to members at the OSAFFellow’s Luncheon.

two-day workshop titled: “BiomassWorkshop from Feedstock to

Product,” will be held September 19-20at the College of the Siskiyous in Weed,Calif. Organized by the Center forForestry at UC Berkeley, it will provide aforum for key players to discuss bio-mass resource and market develop-ment opportunities in northern

California and southern Oregon. The first day will consist of panel

presentations in the areas of feedstocksand fiber supply, biomass conversiontechnologies (products and energy),policy and environmental considera-tions, and will conclude with identifi-cation of funding and sources of assis-tance. The second day will consist of a

field tour to a number of existing bio-mass utilization facilities in northernCalifornia and southern Oregon.

The target audience includes public,private and tribal forest resource man-agers, policy makers, natural resourceprofessionals, loggers, biomass con-tractors, interested businesses, utilitycompanies and interested citizens.

Speakers are currently being final-ized by the organizing committee andwill include respected representativesfrom the public, private and nonprof-it sectors.

For further information, contactSherry Cooper at UC CooperativeExtension via [email protected] or 530-224-4902, or visit theconference website at http://forestry.berkeley.edu/biomass. ◆

Biomass Workshop Slated for September

A

7360 SW Hunziker St. #204Portland, OR 97223-2306

503-684-5727 • www.forestvalue.com

Experts in Forest Valuation and Investment Analysis


Calendar of Events

International Conference onForest Growth and Timber Quality,Aug. 7-10, Portland, OR. Contact: WFCA.

IMBA Trailbuilding School, Aug. 23-26, Port Angeles, WA; Sept. 6-9, IdahoFalls, ID; Sept. 13-16, Spokane, WA; andSept. 27-30, Medford, OR. Contact:www.imba.com/tcc/trailschool.html.

Worker Protection Standard, Aug.24, Salem, OR. Contact: ChemeketaCommunity College, 503-399-5139.

Investing Globally in ForestlandSummit, Sept. 10-12, Portland, OR.Contact: Sara Wu, [email protected], 503-488-2130.

PNW-ISA Annual TrainingConference, Sept. 16-19, Corvallis, OR.Contact: www.pnwisa.org/conference.html.

Biomass Workshop: FromFeedstock to Product, Sept. 19-20,Weed, CA. Contact: Sherry Cooper, UCCoop Extension, 530-224-4902, [email protected].

Building and Maintaining EastsideLow Volume Forest Roads, Sept. 20,Spokane, WA. Contact: WFCA.

Intro to GIS Applications in NaturalResources with ArcGIS, Sept. 20-21and Dec. 6-7, Corvallis, OR. Contact: Wing.

Low Volume Eastside Forest RoadSurfacing, Sept. 21, Spokane, WA.Contact: WFCA.

Practical Application of NewTechnology for Foresters semi-nar, Sept. 26-27 and Nov. 14-15, both inBeaverton, OR. Contact: Jon Aschenbach,503-646-5393, [email protected], www.atterbury.com.

Inland Empire Dry Kiln DryingWorkshop, Oct. 1-4, Moscow, ID.Contact: University of Idaho ForestProducts Dept., 208-885-9663, [email protected].

SAF National Convention, Oct. 23-27,Portland, OR. Contact: www.safconven-tion.org.

Pacific Logging Congress, Nov. 5-7,Maui, Hawaii. Contact: www.pacific-loggingcongress.org.

PNW Integrated VegetationManagement Association Annual

Meeting, Nov. 6-7, Portland, OR.Contact: WFCA.

Water Policy Conference, Nov. 7-9,Stevenson, WA. Contact: Joy Thompson,509-335-3530, [email protected].

Forestland Security, Nov. 9, Portland,OR. Contact: WFCA.

The Basics of Accurate ForestLand Appraisal—Precisely! Nov. 12-15, Corvallis, OR. Contact: OSUConference Services, 541-737-9300.

Forest Health: Identification andManagement of Forest Insects andDiseases, Dec. 11-12, Spokane, WA.Contact: WFCA.

Advanced GIS Applications inNatural Resources with ArcGIS,Dec. 13-14, Corvallis, OR. Contact: Wing.

Contact InformationWFCA: Western Forestry andConservation Association, 4033 SWCanyon Rd., Portland, OR 97221, 503-226-4562; [email protected];www.westernforestry.org.

Wing: Michael Wing, 541-737-4009,[email protected].

Send calendar items to the editor,Western Forester, 4033 SW Canyon

Rd., Portland, OR 97221; fax 503-226-2515; [email protected]. The

deadline for the Sept./Oct. 2007issue is August 13, 2007.

Convention WebsiteFor all your convention

needs, visitwww.safconvention.org


BY G. KIRK DAVID

AF Council metJune 9-10, 2007,

at Wild Acres inBethesda, Maryland.Interim actions rati-fied include:

(1) President JohnMcMahon’s April 19Fiscal Year 2008 Interior, Environmentand Related Agencies Budget testimo-ny to the Senate Committee onAppropriations, Subcommittee onInterior and Related Agencies.

(2) Past President John Helms’ April26 “Forests and Climate Change” testi-mony before the House of Representa-tives Select Committee on EnergyIndependence and Global Warming.

(3) EVP Michael Goergen’s April 30letter to the Tongass National ForestSupervisor commenting on theTongass Land Management PlanAmendment Draft EnvironmentalImpact Statement. AKSAF providedextensive background information andspecifically asked for national officesupport for this significant issue.

(4) EVP Michael Goergen’s May 1

“Role of Forests in Climate Change” tes-timony to the House of RepresentativesNatural Resources Committee.

(5) President John McMahon’s June1 letter to Congressman Jim Ramstadin support of the Community ForestryConservation Act.

Strategic Outcome #1: Be theLeading Professional ForestryOrganization in the World

• House of Society Delegates (HSD)Chair Craig Vollmer reported progresswith Convener Calls in preparationfor the October HSD meeting. Heencourages more participation in theprocess from state society chairs.

• Forest Science & Technology Board(FS&TB) Chair Bill Rockwell reportedon the board’s numerous activities. Ofparticular note is preparation for theonline version of the Dictionary ofForestry and development of an onlineForestry Encyclopedia.

• Council moved to accept theCommittee on Professional Recognitionand FS&TB selected nominees for the2007 SAF National Awards.

• Council received a marketing andmembership update. Our member

retention rate is holding steady andmatches the current average of otherassociations. Staff and volunteermember interviews and four focusgroups have been completed. Theremaining two focus groups and out-side “environmental scan” are sched-uled to be completed so member sur-veys can be distributed by July andresults compiled in time for theOctober Council meeting.

• Council spent extensive timeconsidering recommendations forrevisions to voting, office holding andmembership categories—with theaim of maintaining the professionalforester status of the Society whileproviding for allied natural resourceprofessionals and associated interestsin the broad field of forestry to partic-ipate. Of course, any proposals forconstitutional changes would requirean affirmative vote of the member-ship before they could be enacted.

• Council moved to make format-ting improvements for the 2008 SAFStrategic Plan. This version is for-warded to HSD for comment.

• Council moved to form a sub-committee to explore new SAFFunding and Development opportu-nities, with a goal of reducing mem-bership dues from 40 down to 20 per-cent of our revenue stream.

Strategic Outcome #3: ProvideEnhanced Service to Societyat Large

• With reference to his February2007 Forestry Source commentary, VicePresident Tom Thompson engagedCouncil in a discussion of the urbancommunication “disconnect” withnatural resource issue realities. Heposed several questions for SAF toconsider, including whether we thinkwe have a role in addressing the situa-tion, and ways we might want to part-ner with others to approach solutions.

Strategic Outcome #4:Accomplish EffectiveEngagement in Forest Policy

• Committee on Forest Policy (CFP)representative Doug Williams updatedCouncil on the 10 expiring or new posi-tion statements the committee is cur-rently reviewing and the 14 other proj-ects they are engaging or tracking.Council moved to approve completed

Council Report: SAF is Workingand Improving in Many Arenas

S

LOGGING ENGINEERINGINTERNATIONAL, INC.

• Road layout and design• Culvert and fish passage design• Environmental, operational, and cost audits• Logging and transportation plans• Timber sale preparation/marketing/administration

Greg J. Zartman, P.E.(541) 683-8383

Fax: (541) 683-8144www.leiinc.com

1243 West 7th Ave.Eugene, Oregon 97402

position statement revisions of: 1)Conservation Easements; and 2)Timber Harvesting on Federal, Stateand Other Public Forest Lands. CFPcontinues to encourage advice fromstate policy chairs on whether to expire,renew or revise our position state-ments. AKSAF has expressed interest inrenewing the Clearcutting statement.

• EVP Michael Goergen reportedon an SAF proposal to create a Centerfor Evidence Based Natural ResourceManagement.

Strategic Outcome #5: EnhanceProfessional Education,Performance and Leadership

As a result of the SAF CertificationReview Board (CRB) seekingPersonnel Certification Accreditationfor the Certified Forester® programfrom the American NationalStandards Institute, Council moved togive the CRB oversight of theContinuing Forestry EducationCertificate program in order to bringinternational credentialing compli-ance to both programs.

• Dr. George Brown, Diversity chairof the National Association ofUniversity Forest Resource Programs,proposed the efficiency of coordinatingthe duplicative natural resource profes-sion’s diversity efforts and activities ofthe various industries, agencies andassociations be in one place. Councilmoved to provide the SAF DiversityCommittee as that mechanism.

• Council moved to approve: 1) theurban forestry accreditation stan-dards, procedures and guidelines forincorporation into the SAFAccreditation Handbook effectiveAugust 1, 2007; and 2) a Committeeon Accreditation charter revision pre-pared by the Educational PolicyReview Committee.

• Council moved to approve revisionsto the Task Force on Forest TechnologySchool Accreditation (Monica Spicker ofSpokane Community College and JoanDeYoung, CF, of Mt. Hood CommunityCollege are Task Force members).

• Council received an update onthe 2007 National Convention andmoved to accept Albuquerque, NM asthe 2010 convention site.

Strategic Outcome #6: EnsureDevelopment and SoundStewardship of SAF’s Resources

• Larry Burner, CFO, and Financeand Investment Committee memberRick Barnes presented Council with apositive update on both topics.

• To assist state societies with addi-tional time to include candidates onthe SAF electronic ballot, Councilmoved to amend SAF Bylaws to haveballots activated by October 1 ratherthan September 1. Voting deadlinewill be October 31.

• SAF’s insurance broker reviewedour comprehensive general liabilitycoverage. Other than for an indoormeeting involving only SAF members,all SAF event organizers need to noti-fy [email protected] at 301-664-9487 at least 30 days in advance toobtain coverage for that event.

This report can only highlight themany issues discussed and actionstaken by Council at this meeting. For amore in-depth explanation of any ofthese subjects, feel free to contact yourCouncil representative. We are alwaysglad to clarify topics and to receivecommentary from SAF members. ◆

District 1 Council Representative KirkDavid can be reached at 208-683-3168or [email protected]. District 2Council Representative Rick Barnescan be reached at 541-673-1208 [email protected].


Weyerhaeuser last summer in coastalCarolina, and also had academic andextracurricular success at OSU. She iscurrently working as a federal careerintern with the BLM in Grants Pass.

Portland Chapter member Bob Dealreceived the Forester of the Year awardfor his exceptional service to SAF atmany levels. Bob is a research silvicul-turist at the USFS Pacific NorthwestResearch Station in Portland and a teamleader for the Sustainable WoodProduction Initiative. Bob’s SAF func-tions have been particularly diverse andproductive. For the Portland Chapter,he did yeoman’s duty when he steppedinto the chapter chair position to fill theunexpired term of Dick Holmes. Heserved in this capacity until, for federalpolicy reasons, he had to resign fromthis role. He has also served as programcommittee chair. Bob was co-chair ofthe SAF Tri-State Society meeting in2005 and has served as chair of theSilviculture Working Group. He is cur-rently a member of the Forest Scienceand Technology Board. He also servesas editor of the Western Journal ofApplied Forestry. Bob is to be com-mended for his contributions to theprofession in Oregon and beyond. ◆

www.nwforestryservices.com

OSAF Awards(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17)

SUGGESTIONS WANTEDThe Western Foresterwants your ideas for

themes for 2008.Please take a moment to send a

few suggestions on the topicsand emerging issues you would

like to read about to editorLori Rasor at [email protected].

Bob Deal, left, receives the Foresterof the Year award from OSAF ChairJohn Prendergast.


Editor’s Note: To keep SAF membersinformed of state society policy activities,Policy Scoreboard is a regular feature in theWestern Forester. The intent is to provide abrief explanation of the policy activity—youare encouraged to follow up with the listedcontact person for detailed information.

Idaho Legislature. During the 2007legislative session, concurrent resolutionscreated interim committees to study twokey forestry issues. The eight-memberNational Forest System and WoodyBiomass Interim Committee will deal withboth issues. The committee’s charge is “tostudy the decline in receipts on nationalforest system lands and to study issuesrelated to woody biomass and incentives tomake woody biomass available to beprocessed into value-added products.”Contact: Jay O’Laughlin, IESAF policychair, 208-885-5776, [email protected].

Idaho Bill on ConservationEasement Incentives. A bill pat-terned after a Colorado law was introducedin 2007 as the Idaho Ranch, Farm andForest Protection Act. It would providestate income tax credits for half the valueof qualifying conservation easements andhas the support of many interest groups,including The Nature Conservancy,Intermountain Forest Association, andIdaho Forest Owners Association.Although the bill did not get a hearing in2007, supporters are expected to reintro-duce it in 2008. The Inland Empire SAFhas created a task force to consider a posi-tion statement supporting conservationeasements in the state, and will be workingon it with the Intermountain SAF. Contact:Jay O’Laughlin, IESAF policy chair, 208-885-5776, [email protected].

Washington State Bill onRegistration of Consultants. A billthat would require consulting foresters tobe licensed in the state of Washington wasintroduced in the legislature in 2007. Thebill and its associated controversies were

featured on page 1, The Forestry Source,April 2007. The Inland Empire andWashington State Societies have created ajoint task force to consider a position state-ment on this bill. Contact: Doug St. John,WSSAF policy co-chair, [email protected].

Oregon Nature Conservancy UrgesMore Fuel Treatments. OregonNature Conservancy Director RussHoeflich makes a strong case for steppingup the pace of fuel treatments in Oregon’sfederal forests, where 11.3 million acres ofland outside Wilderness and roadless areasare in fire regime condition classes 2 and 3.Addressing the 42nd annual meeting of theWestern Forest Economists at the Resorton the Mountain in Welches, Ore., he saidthe bottom line is that federal agenciesneed to increase treatments three to fivetimes above current levels. See PowerPointpresentation at www.masonbruce.com/wfe/2007Program/Hoeflich_1.pdf.

Updated Commercial HarvestPosition Shared, Others UnderReview. OSAF’s newly updated positionstatement on “Commercial Timber Harveston Public Lands in Oregon” has been wide-ly shared with policy and decision makers.This position, along with OSAF’s sevenother active statements on key forestryissues, were sent to each member of theOregon Legislature during the 2007 ses-sion. In addition, OSAF leaders distributedand called attention to the position state-ment at public meetings of the Board ofForestry and its Federal Forest LandsAdvisory Committee. This issue remainsvery timely given extensive forest manage-ment needs and costs on federal lands, and

Policy Scoreboard

FSN features the most comprehensive Vendor Service Directory in the Pacific Northwest.Search by category, subcategory, state or city.

The FSN Directory has eleven different vendor categories. Over 700 vendors currentlylisted. Click on bold entries to see enhanced information for the vendor’s services. Clickweb address for direct access to their website.

FSN is an interactive website that connects forest seedling sellers with potential buyers.Check postings now for seedlings available for 2007-08 planting season.

Bob [email protected] (503) 769-9806

Forest Seedling Network1740 Shaff Road #306

Stayton, OR 97383

Start your search with FSN for products and services that meet yourForest Management needs

long-held economic obligations to com-munities by adjacent state and federalforests. In addition to some specifics aboutthe county payments issue, the positionupdate incorporates new statements aboutenergy, safety and restoration.

Within the next 15 months, severalOSAF position statements are set to expire,and the OSAF Policy and LegislationCommittee has begun reviewing them forpotential revision and update. “Landslideson Forest Lands” will expire in December2007, and those expiring in 2008 include“Salvage Harvesting,” “Clearcutting,”“Using Pesticides on Forest Lands,” and“Active Management to Achieve andMaintain Healthy Forests.” All OSAF mem-bers are encouraged to take a fresh look atthese statements and pass along any com-ments to your local chapter officers or thePolicy Committee. All OSAF position state-ments are online and a useful two-pagehandout with the eight core positions isavailable at www.forestry.org/pdf/core_position07.pdf. Contact: Paul Adams,OSAF Policy chair, 541-737-2946;paul.adams@ oregonstate.edu.

OSAF Offers Comments onBiomass Definition in Energy Bill.In May, OSAF sent a letter to the OregonHouse Committee that was considering abill (SB 838) that would establish renew-able energy standards and complianceguidelines for electric utilities and suppli-ers in the state. Although OSAF did nottake a position on SB 838, it did commentthat the bill’s definition of forest biomassseemed unnecessarily restrictive and wasinconsistent with the broader definition(from SAF’s Dictionary of Forestry) accept-ed among forestry professionals. The letteralso emphasized that Oregon’s forest pro-ductivity provides great potential for ener-gy production from forest biomass, andthat such expanded uses could provideimportant markets for landowners andrelated benefits, including reduced smokefrom slash burning and less pressure for

alternate land uses. Although the billpassed without a change in the biomassdefinition, OSAF may be able to weigh inagain as a review of this bill is likely duringthe 2009 session. Contact: Paul Adams,OSAF Policy chair, 541-737-2946;[email protected].

Washington DNR reduces harvest.Washington’s trust land harvest level of700 million board feet per year (set in2004) was set knowing several estimatedfactors likely would change the harvestlevel. In addition, shortly after the harvestlevel was set, a lawsuit was filed surround-ing spotted owl management, mostly onthe Olympic Experimental State Forest.The bottom line is that once the RiparianStrategy and lawsuit settlement were fac-tored into the sustained harvest, the newlyrevised harvest level is 50 mmbf lowerthan the original estimate. Still to come isa marbled murrelet strategy and land useplanning requirements that could again

modify the harvest level. In a quirk of har-vest level mathematics, DNR’s sales levelswill continue to rise over the next two fis-cal years to make up for an arrearage inthe first years of the decadal harvestschedule. Contact: Bob Dick, WSSAFPolicy co-chair, [email protected].

Washington DNR Aquatics HabitatConservation Plan. Washington DNRmanages the state’s tidelands and appur-tenant uplands, including a number of logtransfer facilities. DNR is writing anaquatics HCP to deal with heightenedinterests in such lands, particularly inPuget Sound. Log transport and storageare vital for many log users on or nearWashington’s deepwater ports, and whilenot strictly a forestry issue, is of substan-tial interest to many in the forestry com-munity. Interested parties should contactDNR’s David Pallazzi at 360-902-1000 [email protected]. ◆


P L E A S E C O N TAC T :

Bruce Kelpsas 503-931-4602OregonWes Wasson 253-279-5293Washington

George Severson 541-840-6990S. Oregon/N. California

CHEMICAL COMPANY

• Site Preparation Herbicides

• Conifer Release Herbicides

SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERSWestern Forester4033 S.W. Canyon RoadPortland, Oregon 97221

PRINTED ONRECYCLED PAPER

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPORTLAND, ORPERMIT NO. 16

Forget rigid height routines. Forget the limitations of set targeting distances. For-

get settling for mediocre accuracy. Forget manually factoring in vertical angles. For-

get struggling with obscured sightlines. In fact, with the two new

low-cost products from Laser Technology, Inc., you can forget all the hassles

typically associated with gathering accurate field data. The one thing you do have

to remember though is to visit: www.lasertech.com/wsaf to learn more.

Take the guesswork out of your job.

“Practical Application of NewTechnology for Foresters”Seminar: Sept. 26-27, 2007

Nov. 14-15, 2007

This seminar is designed for Forestersand Timber Cruisers who want tolearn how to utilize the latest technol-ogy to make their jobs easier andmore rewarding. Products and topicscovered in the seminar include:

• Navigating and Mapping w/ ArcPad®

• Using Consumer & Field Grade GPS• RD 1000 BAF scope®

• Laser Rangefinders; maximizing value• Use of Imagery w/ Pocket PCs• Laptops & Pocket PCs in pickups

Call Jon Aschenbach at 503-646-5393 for more information.

ATTERBURY CONSULTANTS, INC.3800 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., #145

Beaverton, OR 97005 • www.atterbury.com

“Finally, aProfessional Laser ata Reasonable Price”

The new TruePulse laser rangefindermade by Laser Technology is avail-able from Atterbury Consultants. • Accurate to +1 foot (usually

sub foot)• Slope & Horizontal Distance• Calculates Heights• Fast and Easy to use• Less than $700.00• New Patented Optics• Laser Technology QualityCall Jon Aschenbach at 503-646-5393 for more information.

ATTERBURY CONSULTANTS, INC.3800 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., #145

Beaverton, OR 97005

AVAILABLE NOW!

society of american foresters western forester · or as full-time employees in record numbers....

Documents