Society of American Foresters (SAF)

The SAF’s support for use of technological advancements such as genetically modified (GMO) trees and common pesticides and herbicides on private and public lands put it at odds with many environmentalist organizations. ^{2 4 5 6}

History and Leadership

The Society of American Foresters was founded in 1900 by forestry pioneer Gifford Pinchot, who had planned the first professionally managed forest in the United States at George Vanderbilt III’s Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. ^{7 1} Pinchot later became the first head of the U.S. Forest Service in 1905 when it was established under President William McKinley. ^{8 7 1}

The current CEO of SAF is Terry Baker, who had previously been a forester and district supervisor for the U.S. Forest Service. ⁹

Programs

Publications

The Society of American Foresters produces two peer-reviewed academic journals, Journal of Forestry and Forest Science. ¹⁰ Both journals are published by Oxford University Press. ¹⁰

SAF also publishes the Dictionary of Forestry, now in its second edition. ¹¹

Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure

In 1935, the Society of American Foresters began accrediting educational programs for foresters. ¹ Today, SAF manages accreditation for postsecondary degree-granting programs in forestry, urban forestry, natural resources and ecosystem management, and forest technology. ¹²

SAF publishes an annual guide for prospective students to accredited college and university forestry programs. ¹³

SAF also manages a Certified Forester certification program, which includes Candidate Certified Forester, Urban and Community Forester, and Forest Technician certifications. ¹² Some states accept SAF’s certifications for licensure as professional foresters. ¹⁴

Advocacy

The Society of American Foresters advocates for public policies related to forestry, using a working group process to arrive at position statements on issues. ²

Its positions tend to reflect its membership’s interests, which include increasing the commercial use of forest products. ¹⁵ SAF supports the harvesting of lumber in forests on public lands and increasing the size and scope of markets for wood-based products. ¹⁵ SAF also advocates for private forests to be taxed under regimes that treat the property and products as long-term investments and capital gains profits, rather than using standard commercial or agricultural property tax codes. ¹⁶

Unlike many environmental organizations, SAF also supports the use of technological advancements such as herbicides and genetically modified (GMO) trees in forest management. ^{15 2} SAF’s support for the cautious use of herbicides, GMO trees, and other scientific advancements frequently places it at odds with environmentalists who support outright bans on such technologies. ^{4 5 6}