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2008 Chair: Mike Delasaux
Letter from the Chair - January 2008
I am honored and humbled to serve as Chair of the Northern
California Society of American Foresters in 2008.
NorCal SAF has a strong and impressive record of fulfilling
the mission of advancing the science, education, technology,
and practice of forestry for society.
As you know SAF is a volunteer based organization that
depends upon your personal and professional desire to
contribute and be a part of the fulfillment of our mission.
What we get from SAF is directly proportional to what we
give. The more we give as a membership the stronger we will be.
In 2008 we will be continuing our mission and building upon our record. The 2008 Convention in Reno from November
5th to 9th will require increased support from of
our membership. Already, there are many dedicated Nor-Cal SAF members who have been collaborating with the
Intermountain SAF and the SoCal SAF to plan for the
Reno Convention. There are additional opportunities to
volunteer. I hope that you will consider doing so by signing
up at http://ucanr.org/safvolunteer.
In addition to the 2008 Convention we will continue to provide educational opportunities through Forest Conservation
Days and the Forestry Institute for Teachers. This
will be the 17th year of FCD and the 16th for FIT. For
those who have been a part of providing these noteworthy
programs THANK YOU. The invitation to participate in
FCD has already been distributed. If you haven’t volunteered
your knowledge, skills and time to these exemplary
educational events you’re missing out; to turn a well
known phrase regarding rubber and the road, its where the
sun light meets the chloroplasts. Come shine a little of
your personal light.
Planning for and providing the Convention and providing
another year of FCD and FIT will be a noteworthy record
of accomplishment, no question. Yet there is one more opportunity that I would like to address in 2008. I would
like to lead NorCal SAF in finding opportunities to collaborate
with the California Licensed Foresters Association.
Our respective goals are very similar and yet we are
splintered in our efforts to achieve them. For example,
our educational programs could be that much stronger if
they were done in partnership with CLFA. Forestry 101
for California legislators is one great example of an existing
collaboration with CLFA. It is likely that I am not the
first NorCal SAF member to suggest this opportunity. I
hope that other NorCal SAF members and CLFA members
will want to collaborate so that each organization can be stronger.
Finally, one more thought before I close. It’s not too soon to begin thinking about running for Chair elect in 2009.
Please let me know if you are interested.
I look forward to seeing you at the winter meeting, at Forest
Conservation Days and at the Convention. |