Society of American Foresters Announces First Organizational Membership

April 2, 2024 

Pictured: (l. to r.) Bettina Ring, SAF Vice President; Brad Bramlett, SCFC Assistant Regional Forester; Tom Patton, South Carolina Deputy State Forester; Scott Danskin, SCFC Forest Resource Analyst; and Sam Cook, SAF Immediate Past President take a photo to commemorate this announcement at the Appalachian Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting.  

The Society of American Foresters (SAF) is excited to announce the South Carolina Forestry Commission (SCFC) as the association’s first organizational member. SAF's newest membership program gives companies, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and universities the opportunity to sponsor SAF memberships for their employees at discounted rates. 

This program allows for sponsored access to educational materials and scientific information to enhance employee's technical expertise and leadership skills. To take advantage of the discounted membership rates for full, premium, and affiliate member types, organizations must have at least 10 employees that they wish to sponsor. As part of its organizational membership, SCFC sponsored 62 employees to be SAF members.  

"We're very excited to take advantage of SAF's new organizational membership program, and I'm proud that the South Carolina Forestry Commission is the first state forestry agency to do so," said SC State Forester Scott Phillips. "This move will not only strengthen our foresters’ professional development and networking opportunities, but also help our agency meet recruitment and retention goals as well as emphasize our commitment to professional excellence overall."  

“It's an honor to be a member of SAF, which has provided me many opportunities to grow throughout my career," said Scott Danskin, SAF SC Division Secretary/Treasurer. "Having been involved with SAF my entire professional life, I can attest to the benefits of membership – namely networking, fellowship and education – that my fellow foresters will reap from our agency's full participation in this program.”  

"With the growing complexity, interest, and investment in our nation's forests, the value that an organization like SAF can provide to professionals is at an all-time high,” said SAF CEO Terry Baker. “The development of this program was to ease access to our many resources and create a unique value for employers to provide to their employees. I applaud the South Carolina Forestry Commission for seeing the value in SAF and wanting to provide more access to resources and a professional network to their employees. We hope SCFC taking this first step will inspire organizations to invest in their teams and build a stronger forestry sector through a more expansive SAF!" 

Visit SAF’s website or contact SAF’s Director of Membership, Darnell Pinson, for more information on the organizational membership program, the member benefits included, and how to take advantage of organizational membership.