Across the Landscape

“A forest, kindly used, will outlive unimaginably any of its trees,” writes renowned author Wendell Berry in “A Forest Conversation,” an essay about the Foundation for Sustainable Forests, a 501(c)3 nonprofit land trust located in northwestern Pennsylvania. Established in 2004, the mission of the Foundation for Sustainable Forests (FSF) is to protect forests as conserved working forests that support healthy ecosystems and rural communities, and to promote sustainable forestry practices.

The Forest Stewards Guild and many of our colleagues and collaborators have been invovled in current policy issues. Read on for a few recent highlights.

Wisconsin Members Advocate for Public Forestry Funding

A recent article in the Journal of Forestry highlights some of the important questions not being asked about wood energy. The Guild continues to engage in these conversations as difficult questions are being asked and answered in the U.S. and abroad.

The Forest Stewards Guild is growing our community by offering gatherings for members and friends in every region of the country in 2017. Save the date for field trips, workshops, webinars, and social events in your neck of the woods! 

Haiti's environmental challenges are profound and are magnified by overpopulation, intense poverty, and a history of explotive export logging driven by colonial powers after Haitian slaves led their successful battle for independence in 1794.  The Caribbean nation is often portrayed as one of the most extreme examples of environmental degradation fueled by poverty in the Western Hemisphere. 

Rural Voices for Conservation

The recent Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition (RVCC) has been gathering for more than a decade, but never at a more uncertain time for federal policy. The RVCC meeting in Troutdale, Oregon was a chance for Guild members and others with similar land stewardship and policy views to discuss current issues and build partnerships.

Public Lands Policy Statement Approved by Membership

The Guild has adopted a new policy statement on Public Lands. Professional Members concluded voting on the statement on March 6th, 2017, with 89% of members voting in favor and 11% voting opposed. 

Growing Our Guild Community in 2017

To Our Members and Supporters,

As I reflect on what we have achieved together, I've realized what many of our members already know: the Guild is much more than a professional society - we're a community of people from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines who share a common goal of conserving forests for all their values. As members, supporters, and partners of the Guild, you are an important part of that community. This year, we’re planning a number of activities to build on that strength.

The Rhode Island Woodland Partnership (RIWP) is a collaboration among foresters, landowners, conservationists, and professionals who represent public agencies, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. Partnership members share a common goal of advancing the stewardship and long-term protection of Rhode Island’s woodlands to benefit the local economy, ecological values, and community enjoyment and health.

               The First Session of the 128th Maine State Legislature is underway and forestry will be among the many topics considered by our representatives. On January 9th, the preliminary list of bill titles became available, giving the public a glimpse into what issues will be up for debate. Bill titles of potential interest to the FSG include: