As one of the leading professional forestry organizations in California, the California Society of American Foresters has a responsibility to ensure that policy creators and decision makers are educated when making forestry-related decisions.
Are you an SAF member interested in forest policy, legislation, and forest practice regulation? Do you want to help influence the direction of forestry in California? If so, consider volunteering to lead or sit on the Policy Committee of California SAF. Contact the California SAF Chair or Chair-Elect if interested. Get involved!
California SAF holds formal positions that address current topics in and around forest management:
Forestry Solutions to California’s Wildfire Crisis
California’s native forests and woodlands are being altered by high severity fire at an alarmingly rapid rate and scale. This paper focuses on California’s unique situation in terms of values at risk and the critical role of professional forest management in creating fire resilient forests in a warming climate. This ...

California SAF – Giant Sequoia Policy Statement – 2022
Sustaining native giant sequoia groves requires active, adaptive management A Position Statement of the California Society of American Foresters - Adopted in 2022, to be revised annually in order to incorporate new research and management as it develops. 2022-California-SAF-Giant-Sequoia-Position-Statement_ApprovedDownload ...
California SAF submits a letter in support of AB 575 (Fong), March 23, 2021
AB-575-Letter-of-Support-Cal-SAF-03.17.21-PortraitDownload ...
Letter to the California Air Resources Board
Click to access 78-ab398offsetreport-ws-BmUCa1Q4BzkHZFU7.pdf ...
Forest Management, Carbon, and Climate Change
Originally adopted on December 8, 2008, revised and renewed on December 7, 2014, and againMay 2, 2020. This position statement will expire in 2025, unless, after subsequent review, it isfurther extended by the SAF Board of Directors. SAF-Policy-Forest-Management-Carbon-and-Climate-Change-FinalDownload ...
Nonnative Invasive Forest Species
Initially adopted by the Society on March 3, 2012 and revised in 2017. This position statementwill expire in 2022 unless, after subsequent review, it is further extended by the SAF Board ofDirectors.SAF-Policy-Nonnative-Invasive-Forest-SpeciesDownload ...

The Social Benefits of a Robust Woody Biomass Energy Sector in California
A Position of the California Society of American Foresters originally adopted on May 17, 2019. This position will expire in 2024 unless, after subsequent review, it is further extended by the CA SAF board of directors. The-Social-Benefits-of-a-Robust-Biomass-Energy-Sector-in-CaliforniaDownload ...

The Role of Mechanical Treatments in Reducing Risks of Catastrophic Wildfire in California
A Position of the California Society of American Foresters originally adopted on May 17, 2019. This position will expire in 2024 unless, after subsequent review, it is further extended by the CA SAF board of directors. The-Role-of-Mechanical-Treatment-in-Reducing-Risks-of-Catastrophic-WildfireDownload ...