2020 Holiday Message from SAF CEO Terry Baker 

December 17, 2020

SAF wishes all of you a safe and happy holiday season! I know that my holidays will look a lot different this year and that may be the case for many of you as well. 

As 2020 comes to a close, we can all take the time to pause and reflect. It is likely that what we planned for this year did not manifest in the way we expected. Of course, it would be easy to focus on the many challenges this year has put in front of us. But, personally, I have enjoyed that this year has reminded me of why I am truly grateful. 

In addition to connecting and reconnecting with family and friends, I am grateful for all of you as members of this organization. Your commitment to SAF and the profession of forestry has given rise to our ability to adapt to the challenges of 2020. We were able to hold a virtual convention, working group webinars, virtual town halls, virtual board meetings, and had many more success stories along the way. 

Many of you made the difficult decisions to hold virtual meetings as well. I applaud you for being willing to step into uncomfortable spaces and create connectivity for our members. These virtual meetings certainly offered ample opportunities for board members and me to branch out and engage in more meetings and events than a “normal” year.

There is promise and uncertainty for what our way of life will be in 2021. Like me, I am sure you want next year to be as close to life pre-COVID-19 as possible. If anything, 2020 has taught us that we can adapt to what lies ahead, remain connected, and promote the profession of forestry. 

No matter the challenge…TGIF (Thank Goodness I’m a Forester)!!

Terry Baker
CEO, Society of American Foresters