SAF Announces New Editors in Chief of Scholarly Journals

January 18, 2024 

SAF is excited to introduce the new editors in chief of our scholarly journals, Journal of Forestry and Forest Science. 

Brenda McComb, PhD, is the Journal of Forestry’s new editor in chief. McComb retired as vice provost for Academic Affairs at Oregon State University (OSU) in 2016 and is professor emerita in the department of forest ecosystems and society at OSU. She has previously served on the faculty at the University of Kentucky, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and OSU. She was also chief of the watershed ecology branch in Corvallis for the Environmental Protection Agency, and was interim associate vice provost and dean of students at Stanford University.

She holds a BS and MS from the University of Connecticut, and a PhD in forestry from Louisiana State University. She continues to publish research results, advises forest land managers, and assists with continuing education for the Forest Ecology Working Group of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

“I am sincerely honored to have been selected to serve as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Forestry,” says Brenda McComb. “I hope to be able to work with our members to strengthen the Journal to achieve its full potential to inform, inspire, and constructively challenge our profession at this time when our work is more important than ever before.”

Mike R. Saunders, PhD, is Forest Science’s new editor in chief. Saunders is an associate professor of silviculture in the department of forestry and natural resources at Purdue University. Saunders completed a BS in forestry from Iowa State University in 1994, a BS in fisheries and wildlife biology from Iowa State University in 1994, a MS in forest management with a minor in wildlife conservation from the University of Minnesota in 1998, and a PhD in forest management with an emphasis in silviculture from the University of Maine in 2006. He joined the faculty at Purdue University in July 2007.

Saunder’s main research emphasis includes: 1) the development of silvicultural systems that increase the range of variability within natural stands, 2) improvement of growth and yields within intensively managed systems, and 3) the influence of silviculture on wildlife habitat requirements.

“The community of authors, reviewers, and associate editors in Forest Science is truly remarkable,” says Mike Saunders. “I have been able to view the scientific writing process as an author, a teacher, a reviewer, and an editor. Each of those experiences will contribute to my efforts to ‘carry the torch’ and continuously improve Forest Science.”

We look forward to working with our new editors to advance the forestry profession through the support of scholarly research on forest management in North America and forested ecosystems around the world.

“Science is at the core of SAF’s mission. Our new editors represent the growth in opportunity for SAF to showcase the best available science in forestry and natural resources.” SAF CEO Terry Baker shares, “As we face numerous challenges related to climate-enhanced natural disasters, supply chain issues, international policy and regulation changes, and workforce issues, SAF’s journals represent the foundation of thought leadership and possible solutions. Thank you to Dr. McComb and Dr. Saunders for all that they have done through their research and what they will do next as our new EICs!”

SAF members and journal subscribers may access the publications at Oxford University Press’s webpages at https://academic.oup.com/jof and https://academic.oup.com/forestscience. 

Want to subscribe to the journals? Learn how by visiting the respective journal’s webpage.