Founder Gifford Pinchot | Headquarters Maryland, United States | |
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Similar International Society of Arboriculture, International Union of Forest Re, Forest History Society, The Wildlife Society, Forest Stewardship Council Profiles | ||
The Society of American Foresters (SAF) is a scientific and educational 501(c) non-profit organization, representing the forestry profession in the United States of America. Its mission statement declares that it seeks to advance the science, education, and practice of forestry; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish professional excellence; and, to use the knowledge, skills and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society. Its headquarters are located in Bethesda, Maryland.
Contents
History
The SAF was founded in 1900 by Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the United States Forest Service.
Accreditation
The SAF is very active in improving the quality of postsecondary forestry education in the United States. It is dictated by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the main accreditor for academic degree programs in professional forestry, both at a Bachelor's and Master's level. Accreditation is ongoing, with a full review of all universities occurring every ten years, 2007 being the latest. Currently, only Michigan State University, Mississippi State University, and the University of Minnesota are accredited until 2017. Additionally, it reviews two-year programs leading to an Associate degree in forest technology and other related fields; full accreditation of technical programs will commence as of August, 2009.
The SAF also offers a continuing education credit system, in hopes of keeping foresters and their associates current on the rapidly developing technologies.
Publications
The SAF produces five periodic journals, which are all archived through the members-only, Roots of Forestry. The Journal of Forestry and Forest Science are the most comprehensive journals of general scholarly forestry research. Additionally, the society distributes journals that are particular to the different climatic forest regions of North America and their relative management styles; the Northern Journal of Applied Forestry pertains to the midwestern and northeastern parts of the United States, as well as to the boreal forest of Canada. The Southern Journal of Applied Forestry pertains to the cultural southern United States, and the Western Journal of Applied Forestry pertains appropriately to the western United States, including Alaska and Canada's British Columbia.
Additionally, SAF also publishes a variety of technical publications. The Forestry Source is published monthly, and the electronic newsletter, E-Forester, bimonthly. Both provide a blend of articles on current events, applied science and technology, and social happenings.