The Cal SAF Student Chapter/Forestry Club kicked off the semester with the return of a handful of our seniors from their semesters abroad and the addition of some passionate transfer students. The club reunited, and with some added global perspectives, we started on a strong foot with lots of beer and beans at our fall Bean Feed.
We then prepared for the annual Society of American Foresters National Convention. The financial boost from last year’s very successful Christmas tree sale allowed us to send 19 members to the convention in Baton Rouge. We all set off to Louisiana ready to learn about forestry in the south and to ace the Quiz Bowl. Although we did not take home the grand Quiz Bowl trophy, we did make it into the top four. And, of course, we accomplished our goal of learning about southern U.S. forestry.
We are now in the midst of the 2015 Christmas tree cut and sale, with hearts full of hope that it will not dump snow on our chosen cut date. As always, we are very grateful that Sierra Pacific Industries generously allows us to thin on their land.
Our logging sports team is at a peak enrollment, with over 20 members. We recently attended the California Conclave, where we had quite the showing. A first place prize went to member Ben Rushakoff in the nerdiest-of-nerd events, traverse. We also did well in women’s hard hit, women’s double buck, women’s axe throw and women’s obstacle pole. Our practice site, nestled within Russell Experimental Forest, is improving every week as the team works to build new facilities.
