It's a Great Time to be a Forester!

January 3, 2022

Dear SAF Members,

As 2022 begins, let’s take a moment to celebrate one of our community’s greatest accomplishments last year and moving forward—forests as infrastructure!

In the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress recognized forests and trees as critical infrastructure alongside roads, bridges, and other more traditional infrastructure systems. This recognition—and the approximately $8.5 billion over the next five years—is a direct result of many years of work by SAF, our partner organizations, and members like you educating Congress about the connection between sustainable forest management and the health and vitality of our nation’s communities and landscapes.

As a professional organization, we also see this success—and others on the horizon—as an opportunity to inspire and recruit the next generation of forestry professionals. Current and future SAF members will be on the front lines of using science-based management to address climate change and restore and enhance the ability of our nation's public and private forests to provide clean air and water, wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and sustainable products.

There’s much work ahead, but I’m excited by the growing energy around forests, forest management, and the dedicated professionals who make it all happen.

TGIF—Thank Goodness I’m a Forester!

Happy New Year,

Terry T. Baker
Chief Executive Officer
Society of American Foresters