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Ernie Houghton, Bill Cook, Tom Seablom, John Hamel, Maria Janowiak, Jack Penegor, Linda Nagel, Amy Douglass, Doug Heym, Martha Sjogren, Glenn Moll, Doug Lee, Bernie Hubbard, Greg Russell (Council representative)

Meeting called to order, complete with gaveling, by Ernie, shortly after 6:00pm.

Ernie presented the agenda for consideration
Changed #11 Membership to "Student membership and issues"
Request to approve agenda: Ernie
Motion to approve: Jack
Second: I don't know. We were passing papers around
Passed with a chorus of ayes

Secretary's report
Martha presented minutes from the 1/25/08 executive committee meeting for consideration.
Request to approve minutes from January meeting: Ernie
Motion to approve: Glenn
Second: Doug Heym
Passed with a chorus of ayes
Approved minutes will be mailed to Ernie, Bill Cook, Brenda Owen and SAF Executive Vice President.

Martha informed the group that she and Glenn did audit the Michigan Forester finances and will write up the findings (all good) as soon as she gets some MSAF letterhead from Jack Pilon. Martha and Glenn still need to coordinate with Jack to review the MSAF finances, which they will do at Jack's earliest convenience (when he is in the UP).

Immediate past chair's report
Doug Heym reminded the group that his only official duty is to seek nominations for the 2009 MSAF vice chair position. Since we have traditionally attempted to alternate the chair between the LP and UP, he'll be looking for at least two candidates from the UP this time around. Nomination information due to Martha by August 1. Jim Ferris was mentioned as a possible candidate.

Council Report
Greg Russell, our Council representative, had emailed council report in March 2008 to MSAF Executive team. Council discussed legislation, biomass definitions, ethics, low cost liability insurance, annual audit, renewed three policy statements (clearcutting, endangered species habitat on private lands, and regulation of forestry on private lands). Policy statement recommending that the heads of natural resource agencies be members of the dominant profession within their agency was not taken up at this time. Climate change and wildfire are new reports coming out soon from National. Working on new position statements on:
" Market-based carbon trading
" Greenhouse gas
" Wildfire mitigation
" Biofuels
Greg said SAF CFO needs state and chapter tax id numbers.
They discussed membership issues.
Outstanding communicator is a new national SAF award.
Suggestion was made by Bill Cook that we should encourage SAF members to coordinate with Environmental education community.
Still working on selling the DC property.
Discussed pointing out to delinquent members that they can make partial payments on their dues and that there is still a program to help members who are struggling financially.
New minimum standards for bylaws have been developed at the National level. As chapters need to change their bylaws (to allow electronic ballots, for example), they'll need to make them meet the minimum standards.

Ken Jolly's (HSD Chair) report was handed out.

Vice-President's Report
Our meeting was again graced by the presence of the SAF Vice-Chair Bernie Hubbard. Bernie said Greg had covered topics very well. The additional topic that was discussed was the certification of 2-year programs, they have currently only been recognized. They requested additional information from the person presenting the topic. Some 4-year schools don't favor certifying 2-year schools.

Brief update on selling the headquarters. They have agreed we need presence in DC area. Still debating purchasing vs. renting.

Want to work on sustainability policy statement/guidelines.
Bernie agreed with Greg's presentation on the fact that the climate change report was to be addressed by Council in June. Bernie mentioned that Forest Guild already has climate change report out. Maria thought it came out in the summer of 2007.

Treasurer's report
Ernie covered this topic and handed out Jack Pilon's Year 2008 Budget Status Report 4/21/08. Not much spent so far this year. Ernie has ordered plaques so that will be an expense coming up soon. Ernie noted that the education fund balance is fairly high ($5000+) and we might consider how to spend some. Bill Cook suggested perhaps sponsoring a teacher in the MTU teacher session (Forest Foundation). Doug Heym suggested trying to figure out how to target an active teacher and try to get a report back from them. Maria suggested looking for teachers at a school with an actively managed school forest.
Request to approve treasurer's report: Ernie
Motion to approve: John
Second: Tom
Passed with a chorus of ayes

Memorial Building at Hartwick Pines State Park
Draft report was shared "A Capital Campaign for the Edward E. Hartwick Memorial Education Center-Preserving the Past/Educating for the Future." A museum leader approached Ernie to look for SAF to partner with them to work on restoring a building. The total project is about $500,000. They are looking for partners and money and someone to serve on a committee to oversee the idea. They are still in draft stages. We don't have to decide anything but opened it to discussion. Topics mentioned: Forestry Hall of Fame? Our archives? MFA?
Motion to approve concept: John
Second: Jack
Passed with a chorus of ayes

2008 Elections deadline
Nominations and policy statements due: August 1 to Martha Sjogren, in order to allow us to get the information to National in time to include in the electronic ballot. UP and LP chapters also need to submit their information to Martha by that time if they wish to participate in the electronic balloting.

Already covered the insurance topic.

Revision of green book
Editorial Staff: Heym, Cook, Nagel, Janowiak, Craig Kasmer, Bill Botti
Bill said Doug has done 95% of the work. Doug Heym presented two reports: Funding Ideas and Status Report.
" Authors for every section
" Many sections have the first draft
" Plan is to get draft together this year.
" Doug H/Bill C/Craig will compile and do easy edits and update graphics to develop draft.
" No length restriction from group at this time.
" Editors will take a look at a compiled first draft and will decide if they want/need broader input (say at a summer session or right before Fall meeting)
" Next year's goal: Publish.
" Funding - we don't have a cost estimate. Maria will try to get one. Might want 5-10,000 copies.

Student Membership/Issues
Tom Seablom discussed the idea of having an annual MSAF scholarship for a forestry student. After much discussion, we clearly agreed to continue the 2008 budget plan to fund $1000 for student national meeting attendance.
Tom agreed to contact MTU/MSU and the UP/LP chapters to further develop the idea of starting a scholarship. We did discuss the possibility of using Education Fund monies for this. Ernie will mention at the business meeting on 4/23/08. There may be an electronic motion made between now and the Fall meeting.

Policy and Communications Coordinator
Bill Cook, presented Communications Report.
Forester Perception of Deer Depredation Survey.
Motion to accept: John
Second: Tom
Passed with a chorus of ayes
Survey results had limited distribution (Shawn Reilly at MSU, WI-SAF, PA-SAF, Bernie gave it out to a few people).

Discussed what we should DO with the results.
" Create position statements?
1. SAF recognizes lack of field inventory
2. Current DNR policy doesn't appear to be able to meet deer unit management goals
" Send to NRC, sportsmen's clubs, MUCC, New England, DNR wildlife division, The Wildlife Society, press releases?
" We have a Policy statement on deer.
" Bill will develop a distribution plan for the survey.

Ernie will be looking for a new policy chair at the business meeting.

Website - lightly used, always needs reviewers and never gets any, no online materials from Fall 2007 meeting, need more meeting minutes.

Mass-emails Bill sends out: he receives positive comments. 834 messages sent out over 10 years.

A group is trying to get together to address non-industrial private forest land owners (management and assistance). Had their second meeting 3/7/08. Still in early development stages.

Tom Seablom was invited by Becky Humphries to attend the advisory committee for ecoregional plans (WUP and EUP, 5/3 and 5/10, respectively). They may be looking for SAF members who are willing to participate with these committees. Will mention at the business and maybe the UP chapter meetings. Bill Cook also suggested executive committee members look at the membership roster to look for potential volunteers.

Continuing education and certification - all set for the Spring 2008 meeting. Briefly discussed new reporting requirements. They are more demanding on the part of session organizers.

Conclave: Last weekend in Sept, Fri-Sun 26, 27, 28 Alberta.
14 students to become members, 21 sponsors offered, 13 paid, Doug Heym will be the final sponsor - - - sending check to Jack right away.

MiBCI Scott Jones did attend the meeting. He submitted notes. Ernie thinks Scott is volunteering to work with group on early successional management. If there are proposals that the group brings to Scott, he can contact the MSAF executive committee if he feels the need.

Editorial Board Chair
Brenda Owen and Bill Hasse were not able to join us.
MI Forester - We will be the first state to try this out. Should come out in May 2008 issue. Next deadline is June 27th for the August.

UP Update from Tom
Everything is ready to go. Field trip is all set. Tom thinks they'll hold off on new bylaws until National bylaws are finalized. 113 pre-registered. 20 people who are non-members are registered.

LP Update from Doug Lee
Bylaws are coming together. They'll discuss them at their meeting tomorrow. Fall meeting in Lansing. Looking at Kellog Center. They'll discuss that tomorrow too. Future of foresters and the role of foresters in society.

Membership coordinator
Amy Douglass presented two reports, MSAF 2008 Monthly Membership Trends and 2008 SAF Membership Campaign Status report as of March 31st. Reviewed the contacting of the list of delinquent members. Only 9 LP members haven't been contacted yet. If people give comments to you about why they aren't renewing, please share with Amy so she can pass it on to national.

Larry 8 students with 8 sponsers and they had 3 earlier for a total of 11 at MSU.

Awards - plaques ordered.

New member packets? Ernie thinks it is a good idea. Would make new members feel welcome. Also discussed trying to invite non-members who are registered for the Spring meeting.

UP Auto Tour
Glenn Moll shared list of sponsors and sponsor page for brochure. It appears Glenn has lined up enough money for printing brochures. Probably look at 50,000 copies for about $6,500. Jack and Glenn will work together to submit a Forester Fund grant application for 2008 for $2000 to help continue the sign replacement program (especially in the WUP).

Brochure has been undergoing edits by Glenn, Amy, Bill and Dean Reid. Glenn will pass it around again.

Doug Heym suggested that we should have "SAF" on the next set of signs we order. We also talked about trying to get SAF stickers for the last batch of signs.

Updating bylaws
Hamel and Houghton indicated that the topic had been covered earlier.

Request for a motion to adjourn: Ernie
Motion to adjourn: Jack
Second: Maria and Amy, in stereo
Passed with a chorus of ayes

Adjourned at 10:00pm