Advocacy & Outreach

SAF's Policy and Public Affairs Team works with policymakers, partner organizations, and key coalitions to provide a unified voice for sustainable forest management and forestry and natural resources professionals. From collaborating with legislative and administrative leaders to creating new partnership and engagement opportunities, our team works every day to keep forests and those who manage, study, and care for them in the conversation as part of the solution to society’s most pressing economic, environmental, and social issues.

Featured Resources

Defining Mature and Old Growth Briefer

Proforestation Handout

Guide to Advocacy & Outreach

Priorities Handout

National User Group Meetings

In partnership with the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, SAF convenes annual meetings of partners and stakeholders from across the sector to discuss challenges and opportunities for using data generated by the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program.

Recommendations and action items are developed and shared with FIA program leaders and the broader user community to build awareness, facilitate collaboration, and, ultimately, continue the work of using FIA data to improve management of the nation’s forests. Click below to download and share the meeting reports, which include video links, presentation recaps, and recommendations.

2020 FIA Meeting Report

2020 Small Area Estimation Focus Session Report

2021 Timber Products Output Survey Focus Session Report

2021 FIA Meeting Report

2022 Forest Carbon Focus Session Report

2022 FIA Meeting Report

2022 National Woodland Owners Survey Focus Session Report

Our Team In Action

SAF Updates National Position Statement on Invasive Species

Posted on 3/16/2023
The updated position statement is a call to action for a broad base of stakeholders to engage in activities that are proactive, cooperative, and comprehensive when it comes to invasive species.

SAF Weighs in on Mature and Old-Growth Forest Management

Posted on 2/27/2023
On April 22, 2022, the Biden Administration signed Executive Order 14072—also known as “Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities, and Local Economies”—which set the stage for a number of forest-centered policy initiatives.

SAF Develops New Reforestation Position Statement

Posted on 2/1/2023
SAF’s Board of Directors recently approved a new position statement titled “Regenerating America’s Forests,” which acknowledges the increasing pressure on the profession for reforestation and afforestation efforts across the country.

Society of American Foresters Applauds Passage of FY23 Omnibus Spending Bill

Posted on 1/5/2023
SAF applauds the efforts of Congress in advancing a robust fiscal year (FY) 2023 omnibus spending bill that will provide much needed support for the sustainable management of America’s forests.

SAF Develops Resource on Proforestation

Posted on 11/17/2022
While SAF has always educated diverse audiences about the benefits of forest management and the critical work of forestry professionals, this is the first time we are directly calling out proforestation.

Approved Update to the SAF Forest Inventory and Analysis Position Statement

Posted on 11/3/2022
The USDA’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program is a unique and invaluable source of data to measure our nation’s forestlands. Through a rotating cast of 355,000 permanent inventory plots measured by researchers alongside associated remote sen

SAF and Urban Forests Coalition Share Principles for New Funding

Posted on 10/27/2022
The Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition (SUFC) recently sent a letter to USDA Forest Service leadership regarding new funding available to the Urban and Community Forestry program from the Inflation Reduction Act.

Commendations and Recommendations from the 2022 FIA National User Group Meeting

Posted on 9/9/2022
With the help of Rich Guldin of Guldin Forestry LLC, seven core commendations and seven core recommendations were distilled from the meeting.

View all

Our Team

Government Affairs and External Relations Staff and more.

Meet the Team

Our Priorities

Support sustainable forest management and empower forestry and natural resources professionals

Learn More

Position Statements

SAF's national position statements are important components of our advocacy and outreach efforts.

Learn More

Advocacy Tools

Find tips & tools to get you started toward more effective advocacy and outreach

Learn More

National User Groups

SAF convenes stakeholders to discuss challenges and opportunities for FIA data utilization.

Learn More

Take Action

Together we can reach new audiences and share the incredible environmental, economic, and social benefits forests provide.

Learn More