National SAF finally did the “big purge” on members with lapsed dues, so NorCal SAF is down to around 500 non-student members. It’s difficult for me to understand why folks would leave SAF, especially if they had been members for a long time. SAF has so much offer and so many membership options, even for retirees on a limited budget.
SAF is still THE place for professional foresters and natural resource managers. For students, recent grads, and those looking to relocate, SAF offers a great on-line career center where the highest quality jobs are posted. Meetings and workshops at all levels offer opportunities to increase your knowledge and network with other professional foresters.
You can help SAF by talking to your forestry and natural resource colleagues about a SAF membership. Memberships start at $99, plus state and local dues. The most basic membership still includes on-line newsletters and updates, as well as my favorite SAF publication, the Forestry Source. Long-time SAF members can show support by upgrading their membership to Platinum.
Another strategy to get co-workers involved in SAF is to invite them to chapter and state meetings. These meetings are always a good value, as well as an opportunity to learn and socialize. In any event, autumn is always a good time to reach out and help boost SAF membership.
Group Photo of 2016 Tuolumne FIT teachers and staff based out of the SOS after they toured the SPI’s Standard Sawmill near Sonora, CA next to pencil stock. (Catchpole Photo)
Once again all three FIT’s went well and each group had a unique blend of teachers from many different backgrounds and parts of California. By the end of the week the groups have bonded and are like one big family sharing the great FIT experience. An overall theme and topic of discussion at all FIT’s was fire ecology and trying to prevent wild fire through proper forest management. There were only three this year because unfortunately the Plumas FIT was cancelled due to low enrollment.
Each FIT has the same basic script but the stage changes according to local resources and the cast and crew differ from place to place. The script can be interpreted a little different in each location but the story line and quality of production is the same.
The first two sessions have the same core Educational Team consisting of Nancy Jones (K-3rd grades), Dennis Mitchell (4 – 6th) and Brian Brown (7- 12th). The Education Team at HSU has some staff changes this year. Joan Kienzle is retiring from FIT as 4 – 6th group leader and lead teacher. She over lapped with Doug O’Brien, who will be lead lead teacher next year; Doug still did the K-3rd grades this year. Bill Anderson retired and was replaced by Jill Hardy in the 7- 12th group and next year there will be additional changes on who does the 4 – 6th group. These dedicated top notch staff members provide lesson plans and resource materials appropriate for each age group. Tom Catchpole is on the staff of all the FIT’s. The teachers are asked to select a related topic and write a unit to be used back in their classroom; if this is accomplished with in a certain time frame they are awarded a stipend.
Group photo of the 2016 Shasta FIT teachers and staff at the Thatcher Ranch, near Lake McCumber. (Catchpole Photo)
Well known curriculum such as Project Learning Tree, Talk About Trees, Project Wild, Project Wet, along with treecookie and wood products kits, a cone collection and other useful plans are provided to the teachers.
The first FIT this year was the Tuolumne FIT at the Sonora Outdoor School (SOS) near Sonora, CA started on June 19 to 25, 2016. The coordination team includes Daniel Webster, Glenn Gottschall and Mike Olenchalk who put together a great program in the Sierra Nevada Ponderosa Pine to Mixed Conifer Forest that surrounds the camp.
Then we moved on to the Shasta FIT at Camp McCumber at the YMCA Camp on Lake McCumber near Lassen Park from June 26 to July 2, 2016. Here Director, Ryan DeSantis, UC Cooperative Extension put together another great FIT agenda located in the mixed conifer forest in the Southern Cascade Mountain range. It was Ryan’s last FIT since he has a new job in Wyoming.
2016 Humboldt FIT teachers and staff based out of the HSU Campus on old PALCO steam engine after lunch in the park in Scotia, CA and touring the Humboldt Redwood Co. sawmill. (Catchpole Photo)
After a week to restock supplies I was off to The Humboldt FIT which was the last of the season starting on July 10 to 16, 2016 directed by Yana Valachovic, UC Cooperative Extension. Centered on the HSU campus in Creek Side Lounge the teachers get to see and learn about Coast Redwood Forest type.
I feel that working with FIT is the best use of my time I can think of, especially when often teachers comment to me that the week at FIT has been the best training or workshop they have ever attended.
SCE’s Science Days were held near Camp Edison at Shaver Lake two times this year. Chapter member Patrick Emmert SCE Forester shows students about tree growth and annual rings in tree cross sections. (Catchpole Photo)
Since the last report the High Sierra Chapter members have been busy with meetings, Scholarship fundraiser and field work dealing with the disastrous drought and pine die off from beetles. During the last few months the chapter has been involved with special events, chapter dinner meetings will resume in the fall.
Science Days at Shaver Lake, CA, May and June 2016. Several members of the High Sierra Chapter of the Society of American Foresters gave presentations at two SCE Forestry Department sponsored two “Science Days.” SCE’s Camp Edison area and the Central Sierra Historical Society Museum at Shaver Lake were used as an outdoor classroom for local elementary schools on May 20 and June 3. Science Days were coordinated by Wildlife Biologist, Steve Byrd from the Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Forestry Staff at Shaver Lake. The overall theme each week was “The Forest.”
SCE’s Science Days were held near Camp Edison at Shaver Lake two times this year. Chapter member Don Dukleth, SCE Forester shows students about how the bark beetle kills ponderosa pine trees. (Catchpole Photo)
The students arrived in buses at 9:30 to 9:45 am and returned at about 1:30 pm. The largest attendance was on Friday, May 20, when around 500 students first through sixth grades plus parent volunteers arrived from the Foothill Elementary School. On Friday, June 3, about 220 K through eighth grades plus parent volunteers from Pine Ridge and Big Creek Elementary attended.
The students were divided up into class groups and assigned a Group Leader. They walked around to from eight to twelve learning stations located in and around the Museum. Specialists at each station taught the students a different “Forest” related topic. Over the two weeks there were different specialists on some of the learning stations. At lunch time the students enjoyed a bag lunch on the museum grounds.
The group tour guides included volunteers from the Shaver Lake Volunteer Organization, private individuals and SCE employees.
SCE’s Science Days were held near Camp Edison at Shaver Lake two times this year. Chapter member Diane Savin-Dukleth, USFS Forester shows students about how the bark beetle kills ponderosa pine trees. (Catchpole Photo)
The learning stations and instructors included: “CAL FIRE Engine 4362” was staffed by crew members and members from Pine Ridge Volunteer FD teaching how the engines can be used to control forest fires and prescribed fire. Fire Safe Council staff members had a diorama depicting how to make defensible space around homes.
At the “Thinning” station SCE Forestry staff took the sixth to eighth graders out to do an actual thinning of trees on June 3 only.
Michele Gilmore and assistants from UC Merced talked about “How trees grow and transpire” using creative a skit with the students.
At the “tree rings and bark beetles” station, SAF members, Don Dukleth, SCE and Diane Savin-Dukleth,USFS, showed students how the bark beetles kill trees by cutting into rounds of dead insect killed trees.
At the “Tree Game and Wood Products Production” station Thomas Catchpole, from SAF and “The Forest Foundation” demonstrated, using a skit, how the forest trees compete with each other and factors that contributed to the pine mortality.
SCE’s Science Days were held near Camp Edison at Shaver Lake two times this year. Chapter member Ryan Stewart SCE Forester talks to students about early harvesting equipment and steam donkeys. (Catchpole Photo)
Other learning stations included: Water Cycle / Water Quality; Reforestation and tree nurseries; Plant Powered Power Plants; Wildlife in Dead Trees; Pollinators and Seed Dispersal plus many other great stations staffed by volunteers from SAF, SCE, USFS and private individuals.
The students received a fun and well-rounded science lesson in what make up a “Forest”and the factors behind the extensive pine tree die off. This annual Science Day event was coordinated by Wildlife Biologist, Steve Byrd from the Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Forestry Staff at Shaver Lake.
SCE’s Science Days were held near Camp Edison at Shaver Lake two times this year. Chapter member Thomas Catchpole Retired USFS Forester/ Talk About Trees talks to students about fire ecology and wood products. (Catchpole Photo)
SCE’s Science Days were held near Camp Edison at Shaver Lake two times this year. Chapter member Thomas Catchpole Retired USFS Forester/ Talk About Trees talks to students about fire ecology, tree spacing, insect epidemics and wood products. (Catchpole Photo)
Forestry Institute for Teachers (FIT) 2016: The High Sierra Chapter Education Chairman, Thomas Catchpole was on the FIT Staff again for all three FIT sessions which took up most of May for preparation of teacher kits and three weeks in June and July.
Chapter Facebook Group: Check this out! The High Sierra Chapter has a Facebook group it is linked to the National SAF page and the NorCal SAF website. The page can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/HighSierraSAF
26th Annual Forest Conservation Days 2016- will be on September 26 to 30, 2016 at Sequoia Lake YMCA Camp. Help is needed in all aspects for Forest Conservation Days at its new Sequoia Lake location! Diane Savin-Dukleth is the main coordinator. We are planning on over 1200 students from the greater Fresno area. Help is need at all levels including: school contacts, volunteer recruitment, lunch making set up, tour guides, staffing stations and greeting school buses. This year FCD T-shirts are being made so turn in your Volunteer Form early so we will know what sizes of shirts to order. Thanks again to all the volunteers that helped in 2014! For FCD info go to: Don and Diane at 559-841-3309 HM or 559-250-6752 fcdschool@netptc.net or Thomas W. Catchpole, 559-855-2194 or treecookies@netptc.net
High Sierra Chapter SAF Members Host and Assist With SAF Centennial Conference:Members of the High Sierra Chapter, SAF hosted and helped with the logistics of putting on the 2016 Summer Conference – California SAF Centennial Celebration Thursday and Friday, August 25 and 26 at the Chukchansi Gold Resort near Coarsegold, CA. Student SAF Chapter members from Reedley College also played a major role in the success of this important meeting.
The California Forestry Challenge season is almost here, with events starting in late September and going through the middle of November. At this time, over 500 students from 66 schools are signed up. When teachers were asked if they would like to have a forester visit their classroom to help their students prepare, many said “YES!” There are only 18 schools that do not have a forester:
Northern California:
Northern Summit Academy in Anderson
Sacramento/Foothill:
Argonaut High School in Jackson
Bella Vista High School in Carmichael
Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova
Delta High School in Clarksburg
Ponderosa High School in Shingle Springs
Sacramento New Technology High School in Sacramento
Bay Area/Santa Cruz:
Acalanes High School in Lafayette
Miramonte High School in Orinda
San Lorenzo Valley High School in Felton
Sequoia Charter School in Santa Clara
Soquel High School in Soquel
Central Valley:
Eleanor Roosevelt Community Learning Center in Visalia
Kingsburg High School in Kingsburg
Porterville High School in Porterville
Sequoia High School in Visalia
Southern California:
El Modena High School in Orange
Oxford Academy in Cypress
If you can visit a school, please email Diane Dealey Neill, Forestry Challenge Coordinator, at dianedealeyneill@gmail.com. Once contact is made, you can work directly with the teacher to arrange for one or more visits to show the students forestry tools, talk about the focus topic for the event they’ll be attending (information is on Forestry Challenge website), and answer questions about being a forester.
And, of course, if you are able to volunteer at an event, please fill out the volunteer form on the home page of the website, www.forestrychallenge.org. The five event dates are:
Shasta – September 28 to October 1, Mountain Meadows Camp in Shingletown
Sequoia – October 12 to 15, Camp Sequoia Lake, Miramonte
El Dorado – October 26 to 29, Leoni Meadows Camp, Grizzly Flats
San Bernardino – November 9 to 12, Green Valley Lake Christian Camp, Green Valley Lake
Santa Cruz – November 16 to 19, Redwood Christian Park, Boulder Creek
It is hard to believe that it was a year ago in August at the summer meeting in Auburn, CA that we decided to organize to celebrate the California SAF Centennial. Our efforts were launched with a $500 contribution from NorCal SAF. We immediately followed that up by applying for and receiving two $1500 Forester Fund grants from the National SAF.
We kicked off the 2016 Winter meeting with the unveiling of our Centennial logo and a special presentation by Char Miller, who reflected on significant moments in California forest history. At that 2016 Winter Executive Meeting we discussed how big we should go with celebratory activities, and the group decided kind-of big. We organized for about a $20,000 program.
Since that time with the efforts of Bill Snyder, NorCal SAF Chair, who approached the forest products industry, Rick Standiford, who launched our social media fund raising campaign, and Wendy Snyder who developed additional Forester Fund grant applications we have raised over $27,000.
The funds are being used to capture the oral history of Golden Members and others who have made significant contributions to SAF. Our videographer Marc Garman, has done an excellent job. A snap shot of what’s to come from that project was presented at the Centennial Celebration dinner with clips of interviews of Rick Standiford, John Helms, Bob Solari, Bill Libby and Bill McKillop. The brief show was very moving and we can’t wait to see more. It makes one realize what a special community we have within the forestry profession and SAF. These videos will be a lasting legacy.
The fund raising also contributed to sponsorship of special events at the summer celebration with special live presentations of Gifford Pinchot and John Muir and air conditioned buses transporting over 100 people between Coarsegold, Yosemite National Park and Bass Lake in Madera County.
Our Centennial was recognized with the presentation of the Francis H. Raymond award by the Board of Forestry and a State Proclamation by the Honorable Brian Dahle, 1st Assembly District and Honorable Mike McGuire 2nd Senatorial District.
And we’ve develop SWAG with our special Centennial logo. T-shirts, ball caps and mugs are still available.
If you missed the Centennial Celebration stay posted for video of the event and the roll-out of the oral histories. Information will be available on the NorCal SAF website and the California SAF Facebook page.
The Centennial committee members have been dedicated throughout the year calling in from work, home, the road and fire assignments as needed. And we’ve had support from the forestry education institutions, forestry agencies, forest industry, forestry groups and our members to accomplish these activities. It has been a memorable year.
The California Society of American Foresters was recognized with the Francis H. Raymond on August 24, 2016. The award given by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BOF) acknowledged California SAF (CA SAF) for their 100 years and their longstanding commitment to excellence in the field of forestry. In its recognition, the Board noted that CA SAF is, “Committed to the highest standards in forestry, members work to balance diverse demands on natural resources while setting the highest standards in forest management, bringing science, best practices, and quality foresters together to advance the field of forestry through professional and public education. These efforts include sponsorship of the Forestry Institute for Teachers and Forest Conservation Days – a weeklong event for 5th graders that has reached over 60,000 students. CA SAF also participates in national accreditation of California universities and state college forestry curriculums and provides continuing education certification for forestry-related educational programs. The plaque was presented by Keith Gilles, Chair of the Board of Forestry. William Snyder, Northern California SAF Chair and Julie Lydick, Centennial Chair were on hand to receive the award.
Additionally, California SAF was awarded a proclamation, Members Resolution No. 911, August 25, 2016 by the Honorable Brian Dahle, 1st Assembly District and the Honorable Mike McGuire, 2nd Senatorial District. The proclamation commends the California Society of American Foresters on the celebration of its one-hundredth anniversary and on the vital role it has played in advancing the forestry profession in the State of California and extended best wishes for continued success in the future.
Reedley College has just started the fall semester and the SAF Student Chapter participated in NorCal-SoCal SAF Summer Meeting 2016 in Coarsegold, CA. James Romero, student chapter vice-chair, Nathan Barnes, Michael Pond and I enjoyed this centennial celebration of SAF in California with actor portrayals of both Gifford Pinchot and John Muir. Reedley College forestry students will again help educate 5th graders during Forest Conservation Days at Sequoia Lake. We will be selling coffee as a fundraiser to raise money for the High Sierra Student Scholarship. We continue to join the High Sierra Chapter for their monthly meetings. I plan to bring students to the NorCal-SoCal SAF 2017 Winter Meeting.
Breakfast at Chukchansi Gold Resort (l to r; Nathan Barnes, Michael Pond, Joshua Soderlund and James Romero).
2016 State Fair Chapter Members: Back row: Jane LaBoa, Joanne Drummond, Miles Heaton, Brian Barrette, Teri Griffis, Steve Jones. Front row: Doug Wickizer. Not pictured: Rick Standiford.
May 2016: Sandra Derby presented the status of Project Learning Tree during the monthly meeting in Loomis. Ms. Derby described how the Project Learning Tree activities encourage students to explore the natural environment, develop critical thinking skills while practicing field observations and building knowledge through this process. She described other programs that are offered by various organizations. She discussed building a pool of experts, including foresters that can provide the training for teachers at the workshops.
July 2016: The Chapter members volunteered to staff the California Forest Center at the State Fair. The volunteers included Brian Barrette, Joanne Drummond, Teri Griffis, Miles Heaton (Forest Center Manager), Rick Standiford and Doug Wickizer in the morning shift. Gary Brittner, Donna Fuller, Steve Jones, Jon Jue and Jane LaBoa were the volunteers in the afternoon shift. 1,881 visitors came through the Forest Center on July 21, 2016. The Forest Center had stations learn about the different products that have wood components, animal bones, cones from different species and a ponderosa pine and coastal redwood seedling give away. Joanne Drummond coordinated the volunteers for working at the State Fair.
2016 Nevada County Fair visitors taking the forestry quiz at the Forestry Exhibit.
August 2016: Joanne Drummond, Steve Jones and Jon Jue volunteered at the Nevada County Fair Ag-Sperience Forestry Exhibit. This booth had a variety of displays that included logs sections for the mixed conifer species, a model of an unhealthy, overstocked forest, a model that showed proper clearance of fuels around a home and insufficient clearance, along with other displays. There was a forestry quiz for both children 10 and under and for people 11 and older. The chapter gave tree cookie craft kits to the children who answered the forestry quiz. Several hundred people stopped by the Forestry Exhibit. Joanne Drummond organized and set up this forestry exhibit.
Several members attended the 2016 Summer Meeting in Coursegold, CA. The Chapter members in attendance included: Brian Barrette, Geri Bergen, Kevin Conway, Helge Eng, Teri Griffis, Russ Henly, Jane LaBoa, Doug Wickizer and Jon Jue.
Future Meetings
September 2016: The chapter is planning a field trip to Boggs Mountain Demonstration Forest that was burned in last year’s fire. The details are still being worked out with the Forest Manager. More information will be out shortly.
A planning meeting will also be held in September 2016 to plan the future meeting speakers and locations and start nominations for the 2017 Chapter Officers. More information will be out shortly.
Scholarship Award
Jason Henkle was awarded the Chapter’s 2016 $500 scholarship. Mr. Henkle is a forestry student at Humboldt State University. Congratulations to Mr. Henkle. We wish him the best in completing him education and starting his career.
Chapter members, Russ Henly, Geri Bergen, Kevin Conway, Teri Griffis, listen to Park Service Forester presentation at the Yosemite National Park, Wawona Pioneer Center. They are located just to the left of the flag pole. Russ is wearing a tan full brim hat. Geri is wearing sunglasses and a green jacket. Kevin is in the plaid short sleeve shirt and Teri is wearing an orange shirt.
