SAF National Awards Recognize Forestry Achievers
November 16, 2017
The Society of American Foresters today announced the winners of 12 national awards for 2017. The award recipients were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the forestry profession during ceremonies at the 2017 SAF National Convention, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 15–19.
The award winners were approved by the SAF Board of Directors after a rigorous review process that produced candidates with a national profile and a comprehensive history of sustained contributions to the forestry profession and service to the public.
The awards process begins with written nominations and references by professional peers. The Forest Science and Technology Board or the Committee on Professional Recognition then reviews the nominations. These bodies forward their recommendations to the Board for review and approval.
The 2017 National Awards recipients are listed alphabetically as follows:
Sam Cook, Jr., executive director of forest assets at North Carolina State University’s College of Natural Resources, received the Diversity Leadership Award. The Diversity Leadership Award recognizes outstanding individual achievement leading to innovative and exemplary diversity and inclusion efforts.
Thomas M. Davidson, principal consultant with Leadership Nature, received the W.D. Hagenstein Communicator Award. The Hagenstein Communicator Award recognizes an SAF member who leads innovative and exemplary communications initiatives and programs that increase the general public’s understanding of forestry and natural resources.
Anthony S. Davis, professor and associate dean at Oregon State University, received the Young Forester Leadership Award. TheYoung Forester Leadership Award recognizes outstanding leadership by a young forestry professional in the development and promotion of an individual program or project, or for a sustained leadership role benefiting the practice of forestry and SAF.
William “Preston” Durham, student at Clemson University’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, received the Student Leadership Award. The Student Leadership Award recognizes individual student achievement and leadership at the local, regional, or national level.
Lawrence R. Gering, CF, associate professor at the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University, received the Carl Alwin Schenck Award. The Carl Alwin Schenck Award recognizes devotion and demonstrated outstanding performance in the field of forestry education.
David J. Moorhead, forestry extension specialist for the University of Georgia, received the Technology Transfer Award. The Technology Transfer Award recognizes outstanding performance in the areas of technology transfer, implementation, and extension.
Ralph D. Nyland, distinguished service professor at the State University of New York, received the Barrington Moore Memorial Award. The Barrington Moore Memorial Award recognizes outstanding achievement in biological research leading to the advancement of forestry.
Thomas J. Straka, CF, a professor of forestry and natural resources at Clemson University, received the John A. Beale Memorial Award. The John A. Beale Memorial Award recognizes outstanding efforts over a sustained period by an SAF member in the promotion of forestry through voluntary service to the Society of American Foresters.
Tom L. Thompson, retired deputy chief of the US Forest Service, received the Gifford Pinchot Medal. The Gifford Pinchot Medal recognizes outstanding contributions by a forestry professional in the administration, practice, and professional development of North American forestry.
Randolph H. Wynne, professor of forest remote sensing at Virginia Tech, received the Award in Forest Science. The Award in Forest Science recognizes distinguished individual research in any branch of the quantitative, managerial, and/or social sciences leading to the advancement of forestry.
Starker Forests received the Employer Leadership Award. The Employer Leadership Award recognizes an employer that demonstrates leadership through consistent support of employee participation in SAF and broad engagement in the profession.
Alpha Student Chapter of Colorado State University received the Outstanding Student Chapter Award. The Outstanding SAF Student Chapter Award recognizes the outstanding SAF student chapter in the nation and its faculty representative during an academic year.
For more on the SAF awards, click here.