The 2019 annual meeting of the Ouachita SAF was held November 21-22, 2019 at the Mt. Magazine Lodge near Paris, AR. The theme of the meeting was "Forestry in a Changing Climate". After Policy & Planning and Executive Committee meetings on Thursday morning, several speakers gave excellent presentations Thursday afternoon on a variety of topics related to climate change. These topics ranged from wildfire to water resources to loblolly pine management to silvicultural options under changing climate conditions. Session speakers included Joe Goudsward, National Weather Service Meteorologist; Dr. Peter Caldwell, USFS Research Hydrologist; Dr. Rod Will, OSU silviculture professor; and Dr. Jim Guldin, USFS Research Silviculturist. The annual meeting also included the annual awards banquet where several deserving individuals were honored as they received OSAF and division awards. The Friday morning session had a report from Joe Fox, Arkansas State Forester, as well as reports from Rob Ficklin and Jim Ansley on the status of the UAM and OSU forestry programs. This was followed by the Arkansas and Oklahoma Division meetings then the OSAF business meeting. The Friday morning session also included a successful silent auction that provides money for the OSAF Forestry Enhancement Fund and national SAF Foresters' Fund. An addition to the annual meeting was an excellent student poster session that generated a lot of interest as the students competed for cash prizes. The meeting adjourned after the passing of the gavel from Chair Casey Meek to Chair-elect Pete Prutzman. Special thanks to Pete Prutzman and the program committee for putting together an excellent meeting.

The OSAF annual awards banquet was held on Thursday night, November 21, 2019 as part of the annual meeting at Mt. Magazine Lodge in Arkansas. Several deserving individuals were recognized as award recipients. Dr. Ben Babst was awarded the OSAF Forestry Science Research Award, Dr. Jim Guldin received the OSAF Lifetime Achievement Forestry Award, Jeri Irby was awarded the OSAF Outstanding Communicator Award, Dr. Kyle Cunningham was the recipient of the OSAF Technology Transfer Award, Casey Meek was awarded the OSAF Volunteer Leadership Award, and Rebekah Allen received the OSAF Young Forester Leadership Award. From the Arkansas Division, Dr. Don Bragg received the Ted Chancey Career Forestry award and from the Oklahoma Division, Dr. Omkar Joshi received the Ted Silker Award for a forester with less than 15 years of experience.

Many of the documents which show the activities of the OSAF since it was formed are now stored in the Arkansas Archives. These documents may be searched at Archives.Arkansas.Gov. Searching this site will not allow you to see the actual documents, it will only let you know what is available. Actual documents may only be viewed in person. Thanks go to Bob Levins and Robert McFarland as chairmen of the OSAF History Committee for preserving those documents which describe the history of our society. Any questions regarding historical documents of the OSAF should be directed to Robert McFarland.

If you are interested in subscribing to receive Arkansas Division OSAF information, please send your email request to Ficklin@uamont.edu .