MSAF   Home	Calendar	Business	Forest Info
	CFE	SAF Tours	Teachers

PDF Version

MSAF Executive Team Minutes October 29th, 2007
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
RAM Center Fireplace Lounge
Agenda
Attendees: Doug Heym, Glenn Moll, Bernie Hubbard, Georgia Peterson, Doug Lee, Craig Kasmer, Jason Hartman, Mike Elenz, Ada Takacs, Jack Pilon, Bill Hasse, Larry Leefers

Meeting opened at: 6:16pm
Approve agenda: Doug Heym.
Motion to approve: Glenn
Second: Georgia
Passed without comment

Introduce 2007 Vice-chair: Doug Heym.
Ernie Houghton is set to be Chair in 2008.

Introduce 2008 Vice-chair candidates: Doug Heym (Larry Leefers, Joyce Angel-Ling)
Draft ballot for State positions passed around.
LP/UP could add candidates by the end of the week for chapter positions. (Georgia and Jack Penegor)
Martha will work on getting ballots out in early November.

Secretaries Report: Martha Sjogren
Martha was appointed mid year and will serve through end of 2008.
Approval of May 7th, 2007 minutes.
Motion to approve: Craig
Second: Doug Lee
Accepted by voice vote

Treasurer's Report: Jack Pilon (delayed until about 7:30pm actually started at 7:39pm).
Jack handed out MSAF Year 2007 Budget Status Report and MSAF Education Fund Account.
Glenn needs to finish Auto tour signs to get the additional $400
Chapter dues coming
General admin will need to cover ballots
Bird council may not be used this year
Split national meeting attendance
Leadership academy - in 2008, not 2007
May be $1300 left in Auto tour grant, Jack and Glen will resolve
Motion to approve report: Doug Lee
Second: Craig
Approved without too much comment

2008 awards chair will need $ for plaques and awards- Craig will bring proposed budget to January 2008 meeting

" Student chapter line item of $500 is intended to be divided between MTU and MSU for national meeting, and must be active SAF members. Need to solidify this arrangement of $500 split for National Meetings. Application process/procedure will be worked on by Doug H.

We never had a formal process for this. Doug Heym brought a proposal to put on the website as a grant request. Larry suggested adding a due date, about a month before convention to determine who would receive a grant and for how much. Glen suggested adding year in school. Discussed including why student wants to attend and also reporting back to MSAF their experience. Executive committee would review information shared by Chair. Doug Heym will send out a revised draft. He will also try to strengthen communication with MSU/MTU faculty advisors. Bernie said WISAF has the faculty advisors on the executive meeting. Students are having weekly meetings.

Also discussed whether or not State should support for attendance at chapter meetings. There has generally been a lower registration fee for students. Larry discussed how in the past sometimes the student chapters and LP/UP chapters would hold evening sessions together to build rapport. Comes and goes. Doug Heym said it is clearly something we need to work on improving and he plans to try and get something going before he leaves office.

" MSAF Foresters Fund raffle at the National Convention.
" 16" x 20" matted photo, fall colors near Kingsley, $35
" Cherry wine with wooden Michigan stopper, $12
" Hand made journal with wooden binding, $23
" 10" American beech wooden bowl, $40

They all sold and tons of money was made for the Foresters Fund.

Chair comments: Doug Heym
Growing Forests for Our Future Video (14 minutes)
" We've mailed some out and there has been interest.
" Georgia P. has converted to DVD. Any luck with a conversion to .mov for availability on Michigan SAF website?

It is possible to convert it but software is not readily available to Georgia. Discussion about whether it is important enough to continue looking into. Georgia will see what is possible.

MiBCI-Michigan Bird Conservation Initiative
" Rich Stevenson would like to resign from representation.
" Replacement?
Couple of meetings per year.
You can teleconference to them.
Spring meeting, March 28 and April 14, 2008?
Doug Heym is looking for a volunteer.

Conservation Summit. SAF has agreed to participate (Mike Moore). Any activity?
Intended to help with state funding but the meeting was cancelled and Doug Heym doesn't think anything new is happening. (Was MUCC, Heart of the Lakes leading it)

Wildlife Action Plan Partner's Meeting. The DNR Wildlife division staff will assemble the list of compiled issues and share with the larger group. There will be follow-up meetings that Doug L. will continue to be involved in. Any activity?
A few emails have gone back and forth but Doug Lee hasn't heard anything for 4-5 months.

Update Green Book? Voluntary Forest Management Guidelines for Michigan.
People still ask for this. But it's about 10 years old, do we need to pursue an update? Shall we pursue partners who are also interested in sharing this info, like MFRA/MAT/MFPC/MSUE? Strengths in Michigan's version are that it's brief. Bill C. and Doug H. volunteered to assemble ad-hoc committee to pursue revision. No activity, to date.
Some discussion about whether there would be a need to revise. Audience is probably private landowners, schools, consultants might use, MFA. Could be converted to pdf. Georgia volunteered to scan to pdf. Some discussion about raising the question at the General Meeting tomorrow to look for volunteers.

General chair comments:
Electronic voting at National level. People who don't have email addresses should get them in the mail.
National could do the registrations for state-level meetings and elections as well, if we coordinate with them.

CFE/CF: Doug Heym for Debra Huff. SAF Continuing Education Program Changes
Doug Heym brought Deb's report.
CFE program (120 hours over three year=certificate) still exists
CF program (60 hours every three years required)
State CFE coordinator needs to approve them in advance
Can submit to national
For third party auditors, each person will have to maintain their records
Attendance will be taken

Project Learning Tree effort in Michigan (at about 7:00pm). Ada Takacs (DNR) and Kathy Fischer (Binder Park Zoo) Co-administrators
Ada came to discuss PLT. www.mplt.org
National EE program to support K-12 learning about Forestry.
Program teaches about forestry and trees and teaches kids how to think, doesn't tell them what to think about environmental issues. Trains teachers or people who are resource professionals.
Started back up in 2004
MUCC/Mead/MFRA 5%/MDNR 5%/Binder Park Zoo 10%
In 2007:
13 workshops, 230 educators
Have gotten Forest Stewardship grants through competition
No child left inside - trying to get Feds to include PLT/EE in No child left behind
Greenworks grant $2000 for Brighton-Macon teacher for use on school forest/garden.
Worked on strategic plan - still in draft (58 priorities)
Correlations for standards and benchmarks for MI elem very valuable for teachers (needs revision and secondary needs to get done)
Established presence in UP, urban areas
Could put on a training for Foresters for free
Try to attend professional meetings to spread word
Could have advanced workshops for teachers with additional questions
Try to have an educator and a resource specialist present for each session
Sponsor a classroom proposed (maybe $50 to sponsor a class)
Can put on refresher courses
Doug Lee's been doing Web O Life it for 20+ years for Prudenville, using flagging and cards
SAF has about 420 members statewide
Some members were PLT trained and got books
Competition for teachers and professionals time is a threat to program
Workshops 6-12 hours of training for teachers
Set up week long summer course at Fort Custer, gave credits, and try to provide scholarships
Could provide training and books for SAF members
Could give credit for CFE if desireable
SAF member wouldn't need to be certified if they were using PLT with a teacher
If they are going independently, might be better to certify
Could tack on a PLT training to a Spring or Fall conference
Also trying to build in some more Michigan examples
We do have an education fund so if PLT had a need, we might be able to work something out.
Ada also coordinates the Adopt a Forest Program -
Illegal trash pick up
Passed out www.cleanforests.org sheet
Clean up 1.5 million acres over the years
Ada has connections for disposal ($25,000 annual for disposal)

Archives: Craig Kasmer. What's at Hartwick Pines?
Craig has awards display through mid-1990s
Also has record of who has received awards
Anybody can bring anything to Hartwick Pines
Bernie will bring his boxes
Someone is bringing stuff from Grossman (including file cabinet maybe)
Craig will give update and propose a budget for updating display at the January 2008 meeting.

UP Auto tour: Glenn Moll.
UP Sustainable forestry and Wildlife Fund? Don H. will take a draft, and Les H. will help. Status?
Neither Glenn nor anyone else knew anything about it.

Consider advertising a number on other, more widely distributed materials. Or, work with Travel Michigan to tie into the Auto Tour. Georgia P. will contact her connection at Travel Michigan to see if this is feasible. What about connecting with EUPNTA to advertise? Chris Rector at Northern Initiatives? Or, is a website sufficient? Status?
Doug L. will ask about the cost with a printer he knows.

All signs have been put up except 9. Couple more needed.
There are still some blanks available. (38 signs)
Need to print more brochures. ($4000=25,000 brochures)
Glen will get letters out. Talked to Charlie Becker and got support for $500.
Some edits are probably needed.
Glen will re-contact the fella that wanted to old signs…they are in pretty rough shape.
Future could be in podcasts, Garmin - navigator, bookmarks, include phone number

Duke's Experimental Forest Re-measurement proposal (Christel Kern-MN):
Measurements took place this past summer. Paid for by feds and other sources. When results are posted this winter, Kern would be willing to come to Michigan to discuss.
Could be one-day session with UP chapter or even a theme for spring meeting

Membership: Doug Heym for Amy Douglas
" MSAF Yearly Membership Trends.
" MSAF Monthly Membership Trends.
Doug Heym passed out report.
# MSAF members as of 9/30/07: 418
# MSAF members in 1995: 650

Michigan Forester Editor's update: Georgia Peterson
Georgia would like to pass the torch. She's been doing it for about 5 years.
Could bring it up at the business meeting.
It does go onto the web
Could reduce costs by going as insert into Forestry Source
Bill H and Georgia will make contact with Louise Murgia at National

Business Manager's Update: Bill Hasse E-version or published with the Forestry Source. Update?
Recent invoice included postage permit
The executive team is willing to accept change. Bill and Georgia will bring something to January.

UP Chapter: Jack Penegor.
Jack didn't make it
Thoughts on topics for Spring meeting. Exotics? Done recently. Career development for foresters?

LP Chapter: Georgia Peterson
Fall Meeting:
Things are on track. We are in good shape. Need a fair number of walk-ins.
Do we want to record the speakers?
Georgia will get evaluation done.

Council Report: Bernie Hubbard.
This is Bernie's last meeting as council member.
Keynote speaker author of Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv- excellent
Getting students involved is important. In December, Council will have a student member sit on council.
Also a student who sits on HSD.
550 students at National Convention.
Bernie was impressed by the quality questions he heard students asking.
Talked about certification program
Council is struggling with membership issue (dropping 2.5% each year over the last 10 years or so)
Lots of different views on Council - goals and objectives of employers are different
Funding of forest management is another topic the Council is looking at
Mike Moore has been the head of the Fellows committee
Bernie needs to find a new member for Michigan

Doug Heym also mentioned from House of Society Delegates (HSD) meeting:
" If a chapter handles more than $25,000 in a year, there is another IRS form that needs to be filled out.
" Our meetings are covered on the National SAF insurance. Field trips are not covered. HSD voted to ask Council to ask national to include field trips. Not covered if we provide alcoholic beverages. Doug Heym thinks that for each chapter meeting we should contact our insurance company to ask if we are covered.

Communications Chair: Bill Cook.
No Report.

Policy Chair: Bill 'Rocky' Rockwell.
No report.

Fire Position - Was approved by Exec Team email vote.

Georgia wants to know the appropriate use of our position statements.
Members can send them to anyone.
State chair or national chair can also send with a cover letter.

Awards: Craig Kasmer
50-year membership certificates update.
What about pins? Tabled from last Executive Team meeting. Do you need to attend a meeting to receive a pin?

Sent out letters. Will hand out pins at banquet. Can give the pins later? Much discussion ensued
Glenn's angered he hasn't gotten a pin yet. Bernie would second a motion if it was made in regard to this.
Small committee (5-6) evaluated nominees.
Craig discussed whether the signature list was required.
Jack pulled out a chart which described our process for awards
Discussed using email statements of support (maybe 5?) plus a narrative
Revisit in January 2008 executive meeting - Craig and Bernie and anyone else will bring proposals

Motion to adjourn: Jack
Second: Craig (I think. I was asleep by then)
Adjourned at 10:39pm