awards

The Florida Division recognizes outstanding contributions to forestry in Florida through presentation of the following awards:

  • C. Huxley Coulter
  • Stephen Spurr
  • Young Forester of the Year
  • Wood Utilization
  • Outstanding Graduating and Rising Seniors
    SAF Fellows
  • Florida Society of American Foresters Hall of Fame

Nominations for the Coulter, Spurr, Young Forester and Wood Utilization awards must be submitted to the SAF Awards Chairperson by February 28th. Nominations for the Hall of Fame must be submitted to the Hall of Fame Committee by June 1st.

C. Huxley Coulter Award

The C. Huxley Coulter Award is presented to an individual for contributions to the profession of forestry. The recipient must have made a noteworthy or significant contribution to forestry in Florida, with no time restrictions. This could recognize an accumulation of contributions over a period of years, or a single significant achievement during the immediate past year. The recipient must be a graduate forester (any one degree) and a member of the Florida Division S.A.F. in good standing.

This award is named in honor of C. Huxley Coulter, State Forester from 1945 to 1969. He was the third State Forester for what was then the Florida Forest Service and is now the Florida Division of Forestry. Mr. Coulter is recognized as the primary architect of the Division's transition from a relatively small organization to a statewide, comprehensive agency to serve forestry.

Stephen Spurr Award

The Stephen Spurr Award is presented to an individual for technical contributions to forestry in Florida. This award recognizes achievement(s) in technical areas that significantly impact the practice of forestry or forest resources. Outstanding accomplishments may be through research or the development of technical programs in physical, biological or social science aspects relating to forestry. Other accomplishments may be through technical staff work that resolves problems that affect the forestry profession.

Accomplishments most often will reflect cumulative achievements, be a single significant breakthrough or be an early career accomplishment not fully appreciated or recognized. Recipients of this award need not be professional foresters, however the achievement must be in a related profession which significantly impacts Florida forestry.

This award is named in honor of Dr. Stephen H. Spurr. Professor Spurr earned a B.S. degree in botany from the University of Florida, a Master of Forestry degree and a Ph.D. in forest ecology degree from Yale University. He taught at Harvard University and the University of Minnesota before becoming Dean, School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan and President, University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of Forest Inventory, Photogrammetry and Photo-Interpretation, Forest Ecology, a frequently used textbook, and American Forest Policy in Development.

Wood Utilization Award


The Wood Utilization Award is presented to an individual, institution or company who has developed or perfected a unique use of wood or wood derivative. 

Emphasis will be given to a process or technique that utilizes a heretofore wasted wood resource. The recipient, if an individual need not be a professional forester since wood is utilized in a multitude of disciplines from saw milling to chemistry. This improved utilization of wood or wood derivative should have made a significant contribution toward improving our standard of living. The recipient should be Florida based. The process need not have been developed solely within the award year; however, it should have been developed within the recent past. 
 

Young Forester of the Year Award


The Young Forester of the Year Award is presented annually to a young forester, residing in Florida, who demonstrates leadership in forestry and community. This award recognizes active participation and outstanding achievement in all aspects of SAF, forestry or natural resource related organizations, civic groups, church, special community projects and achievements in a professional forestry position. 

The recipient of this award shall not have passed his/her 35th birthday by August 15th of the award year, and must be a Florida Division SAF member in good standing. 

Fellows


Fellows are members of the SAF who have rendered outstanding service to forestry and the Society and demonstrated (1) a strong continuing commitment through direct SAF volunteer activities, and (2) exemplary action, sustained leadership, and advancement of the forestry profession at the local, regional, national or international level in at least one of the following areas (a) application of forestry, or (b) education, or (c) research, or (d) technology transfer.

Fellows are nominated through the Southeastern Society. Nomination Forms and information can be found here.