to advance forest science, technology, practice, education, and a conservation ethic to benefit society

E-Washington State SAF Newsletter: June 2010

Investing in Forestry in Washington The words "risk" and "forestry" have very similar meanings as they both require investment, whether time and/or money and they both require hope for the future. To the person who sees the world as "half empty" they avoid "risk", but to foresters "risk" is a vital part of growing and managing a forest. WSSAF ExComm believes our members are risk takers when they understand the opportunities for investing in the future of WSSAF and forestry in our state. That is why WSSAF is embarking on our first Annual Fund Raising Campaign, with a target to raise $6,000 this year. Half of the money raised will go to fund the WSSAF Foundation and the other half will be used to enhance our operations. The WSSAF Foundation is planning on making student scholarships for the first time by the end of this calendar year. While operationally, WSSAF is partnering with OR SAF to upgrade our NW Forestry web site by January 2011 located at www.forestry.org and we want to continue to provide free subscriptions of the Western Forester Magazine to student and golden members. As I write this newsletter, many WSSAF members will be receiving a WSSAF Annual Fund Raising Campaign letter detailing our accomplishments to date and our plans for future investment along with a donation card. At the 2010 Annual Meeting in La Conner, attendees kicked off the Annual Campaign by donating over $2,000 towards our goal. As Chair of WSSAF, I am asking each WSSAF member to be generous and donate what they feel they can towards fully funding our Annual Fund Raising Campaign. We need your help to invest in the future of WSSAF. Thank You.

2010 Annual Meeting and WSSAF Award Winners On May 13 and 14, over 100 foresters and guests attended the WSSAF Annual Meeting in La Conner, themed "Opportunities and Challenges in Uncertain Times", hosted by the North Puget Sound Chapter. The educational sessions provided thought provoking discussion with experts from Washington State and Oregon to British Columbia ranging from Higher and Better Use to Climate Change - Biomass Energy and Forest Certification. On Friday, over 65 attendees took the opportunity to tour the well-managed Pilchuck Tree Farm in Skagit County. At the banquet at famed Maple Hall in La Conner the following awards were presented.

Forester of the Year
Pete Heide
Chapter of the Year
Central Washington Chapter
Special Awards
Admiralty Inlet Chapter
North Puget Sound Chapter
Past Chair Award
Doug St John
Golden Member Awards
Bruce Mateer of Kirkland
John McMahon of Normandy Park
Jim O Donnell of Gig Harbor
Frank Shirley of Vaughn
Charles Heimbigner of Olympia
Frank Lewis of Shelton
Richard Miller of Olympia
John Vosburgh of Olympia
David Jay of La Center
Richard Woods of Kelso

WSSAF partners with local TMDL Advisory Group Total Maximum Daily Load or TMDL is a science based target to improve water quality of our waterways. Recently, I was invited to provide WSSAF's point of view on forestry and water quality challenges and opportunities, along with representatives of the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources to the Deschutes River TMDL Advisory Group in Thurston County. This group involved state and local government leaders, private landowners and interested citizens and all viewed the importance of forests to water quality, but differ on the value of working forests. I urge WSSAF members to check out the Deschutes River TMDL Web site. Perhaps you might see the opportunity to get involved in TMDL Advisory Groups in your area.

WSSAF Biomass Position Statement being reviewed by WSSAF ExComm Led by WSSAF Policy Committee members Will Hamilton, Adrian Miller, Bob Dick, John Ehrenreich and Chair Harry Bell, has presented a WSSAF Biomass Position Statement that is currently being review by WSSAF ExComm. If approved by the majority of WSSAF ExComm members, it will be placed on the Fall WSSAF Electronic Elections ballot for full membership vote.

Interested in Getting Involved? WSSAF and its chapters are seeking members to become officers and committee chairs at the state and local chapter level for 2011. Both the State Society and local Chapters officers will provide mentoring and rewarding opportunities to interested members. This is a great opportunity for you to network with great foresters who are connected and care about the state of forestry in Washington. I urge you to contact the following to learn what positions are available for 2011.

Are you interested in discussing a way to reorganize the US Forest Service? Past WSSAF Chair Jocko Burns has drafted a plan and is seeking WSSAF member input. Jocko's plan is located here (pdf). Comment here or contact Jocko ().

Coming Events

Sincerely, John Walkowiak, Chair

E-Washington State SAF Newsletter: May 2010

Hello everyone, at my wife's urging I got the chance to observe birdwatchers at the Grays Harbor Shore Bird Festival held in Hoquiam. The group was mixed in terms of gender and age, but what really struck me (besides the wind blowing 30 mph), was the accessibility needs of the audience, many of whom had troubles walking. The Festival had a shuttle to get people around, parking was at a level elementary school, the trail to the tide flats was handicapped accessible and volunteers were highly visible to assist all. One 80-year-old Audubon Society member from Lynnwood even showed me the difference between a western sandpiper and a dunlin (it has a black belly patch).

But I also saw missed opportunities for forestry. First, on the shuttle to the boardwalk we drove by a plywood operation, a small sawmill and two shingle plants - none of which we had any signage. The boardwalk went through a nice alder stand as well as willow thickets that had no signage to let visitors know of the values of our forests. Finally, in the school gym there were exhibits from several environmental groups as well as vendors, nothing visible on the values of our forests.

I know that foresters cannot volunteer every weekend for events (we all have families), but we need to examine opportunities to not only share the value of our forests and our profession, but our passion for our forests. When the 80-year-old bird watcher asked me what I did for a living, I had the chance to tell her about being a forester and the Society of American Foresters and she asked me to write down our webpage address. I urge each member to look and take advantage of these "opportunities".

Annual Meeting in La Conner
Come earn up to 10.5 CFEs for attending the WSSAF Annual Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 13 at Maple Hall in La Conner, Skagit County. The North Puget Sound Chapter has brought an international flavor for our meeting, with speakers and many representatives from BC attending, as well as many regional PNW representatives discussing timely topics ranging from Climate Change/Carbon to Biomass Energy to Certification. In addition, a great field tour is planned for Friday May 14 to the Pilchuck Tree Farm. There is still time to register for the meeting contact the NW Office at 503.224.8046 or email Michele ().

Corks and Suspenders
Bill Hagenstein (age 95) will be attending the WSSAF Annual Meeting in La Conner. Bill is a past National SAF president and lives in Portland. Bill will be signing his new book about his life as a forester called Corks and Suspenders.

Central WA Forestland Report Available
WSSAF members Larry Mason and Bruce Lippke completed some very interesting work investigating the "Prospects for Forests and the Forest Industry in Kittitas, Yakima and Klickitat Counties" for American Forest Land Company LLC. American Forest Land Co LLC has made this report available for public viewing at the Kittitas County Community Development Services website (pdf file).

Washington Hardwoods Commission
The Washington Hardwoods Commission is holding its annual meeting on June 16 at the DNR Pacific Cascade Region Office in Castle Rock. More information available here.

Mid-Columbia Chapter Meeting
Mid-Columbia SAF is holding their quarterly meetings on Thursday, May 6 at Leonardo's restaurant in Wenatchee from 6:00 to 9:00 PM contact Andy Perleberg () at 509.630.4217.

South Puget Sound Chapter Meeting
SPS is holding a program on Biofuel on Thursday, May 20 starting at 6:30 PM at the Weyerhaeuser Technology Center in Federal Way. Come hear from Maro Imirzian about timberland linkages to biofuel through the experience of Catchlight LLC, a joint venture formed in 2008 by Chevron and Weyerhaeuser to commercialize large scale production of liquid transportation fuels from sustainable forest-based resources. For more information contact Alicia Sullivan ().

SW WA Chapter Meeting
Come hear Dave Grant, Smoke Management Specialist with WA DNR talk about Smoke Management issues, demands for permits, the Clean Air Act and the Healthy Forests Initiative at Taylor Station restaurant at 62 SE Lynch Road in Shelton on May 20 starting at 6:00 PM. For more info contact Weikko Jaross ().

Success Stories Needed for Western Forester
Lori Rasor, editor of the Western Forester is seeking chapter or individual member success stories to share for upcoming issues. Lori would like to have two to three success stories from WSSAF in a manner that our readers and leaders might be inspired to take on such projects in their area. Please contact Lori () directly at 502.224.8046.

WSSAF ExComm Meeting
The next WSSAF ExComm meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 12 from 1:00 - 5:00 PM at Maple Hall in La Conner, just prior to the WSSAF Annual Meeting. I all members are welcome to attend, in addition on at the breakfast on Friday, May 14 just prior to the Field Trip there will be a short business meeting starting at 8:00 AM at the Country Inn.

I hope to see and visit with you at our Annual Meeting, and as always feel free to contact me ().at my work number (360.570.3206) or my personal cell (253.320.5064). John Walkowiak, Chair

E-Washington State SAF Newsletter: January 2010

Hello WSSAF members. Did you survive the 17 days of the exciting Winter Olympics games from Vancouver, BC? Below is a brief update on WSSAF activities, I hope to provide updates on a monthly basis from now on.

PNW Forestry Leadership Conference was held January 28-30 at Pack Forest near Eatonville. A total of 81 attendees from WA, OR and IESAF received top presentations on developing leadership skills, fund raising, membership recruitment and retention, working with the media, how to hold successful meetings and field days and even how to negotiate with elected officials. In addition, a great field day at Pack Forest was enjoyed by 44 people. Each of the outstanding presentations is now available for viewing as PDF PowerPoints on the joint OR-WA SAF website. I would like to thank Green River CC Student Chapter for their great support and attendance, UW Pack Forest as well as sponsorship from International Forestry Consultants, Port Blakely Tree Farms and West Fork Timber Co.

Grays Harbor College located in the Twin Harbors region of Aberdeen-Hoquiam is in the process of submitting petition for establishing a new student chapter. Todd Bates, the lead instructor has 30 students in the Forest Technology Program and they are excited about the future of forestry.

In the coming weeks you will be hearing about WSSAF's 2010 Action Plan and budget. It is the intention of WSSAF to focus our energy on the following:

WSSAF Executive Committee recently approved the 2010 budget that will involve a major fund raising effort, not only to operate and meet our obligations in the "black", but to expand our outreach efforts. Stay tuned for more information on our efforts and how you can help WSSAF.

Like Many WSSAF members I provided comments to the goals and actions for the Washington DNR Strategic Plan. I attended the public meeting in Tacoma and met Lenny Young, Department Supervisor, Chuck Turley, Deputy Supervisor of Regulatory Programs and Margaret Barrette, Community Relations Manager. I commented on the process that seemed to be pre-determined and voiced my concern that the traditional activities of Trust Land Timber Management and Wildfire Management were not listed DNR Strategic Goals. Young and Turley commented to me that Trust Land Timber Management and Wildfire Management will continue to be the backbone of the DNR's future and with their help I prepared information for the plan's preface that will state that. I was also supplied files with internal and external comments and if anyone would like to view please contact me.

One Voice for Working Forests is a new WA Forest Industry Blog to establish a coalition in support of the "principles" for maintaining working forests. Cindy Mitchell of WFPA views this as a site where people can learn about the working forests point of view. More information available here.

Remember to circle the dates May 12th-14 for the 2010 WSSAF Annual Meeting to be held in historic LaConner in Skagit County. nnual meeting chairs Paul Wagner and Ken Osborn have a great program with regional presenters from not only Washington, but also from our neighbors to the North in BC. Registration materials will be out soon.

Nominations are being sought for WSSAF Forester of the Year. This unique and highly acclaimed WSSAF Forester of the Year Award is to recognize our members who have made a significant contribution to the WSSAF and to the profession of forestry. This may be done in two ways: (1) For doing a super fine job in organizing an event such as the annual meeting, or a field trip; fund raising; work on the WSSAF educational exhibit; or accomplishing a short-tem project that is above and beyond the call of duty during the past year, (2) Service over a longer period of time for working with SAF and contributing to its growth or (3) Or, a combination of both items 1 and 2. For nominations before April 15th contact Bill Horn ().

Nominations are also being sought for the prestigious WSSAF Chapter of the Year Award. For more information contact Morrie Boles ().

WSSAF Position Statements as well as a list of WSSAF officers are now up to date on the OR-WA SAF website.

Finally it is with a sad note, that I acknowledge that long time WSSAF member and current Policy Committee Chair Gretchen Nicholas is leaving Washington for a new employment opportunity with the US Forest Service FIA Group in Portland. Good Luck Gretchen and thanks for your years of service to WSSAF.

I am seeking interested volunteers to take Gretchen's place as Policy Committee Chair; please contact me if interested.

Thanks,
John Walkowiak (), Chair WSSAF
253.320.5065

Officers and Committee Chairs for 2010

Chair John Walkowiak () or (), 360.570.3206 Work or 253.320.5064 (cell)

Chair-elect Adrian Miller (), 360.705.9284

Treasurer Chuck Lorenz (), 360.951.0117

Secretary Tom Hanson (), 425.820.3420

Member at Large Bill Horn (), 253.770.0485

Past Chair Doug St. John (), 425.452.5702

Historian/Archivist Steve Ricketts (), 360.385.1554

Communications Chair Don Hanley (), 206.414.3492

Continuing Forestry Education contact Ellie Lathrop (), 360.274.3044

Education Chair Kevin Zobrist (), 425.357.6017

Membership Chair Nancy Peckman (), 360.446.3834

Policy Chair Gretchen Nicholas (), 360.902.1360