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Minutes - Approved 22 April 2008

Attendees: Ernie Houghton, Glenn Moll, Brian Crouch, Tom Seablom, John Hamel, Bill Cook, Scott Jones, Bill Hasse, Jack Penegor, Bernie Hubbard, Maria Janowiak, Linda Nagel, Amy Douglass, Jason Hartman, Jason, Stephens, Doug Heym, Larry Leefers, Craig Kasmer, Georgia Peterson, Les (Johnny Come Lately) Homan

Presentation of certificates to Jack Penegor
Ernie presented Parliamentary Procedures At a Glance

Ernie presented Agenda for consideration.
Added item of Bill Cook's deer survey
Request to approve agenda: Ernie
Motion to approve: Bill Cook
Second: Scott Jones
Passed with a chorus of ayes

Secretary's Report:
Presented Minutes from 10/29/07 Executive Team meeting. One change
Motion to approve Minutes: John Hamel
Second: Jack Penegor
Passed with a chorus of ayes
Once corrected, distribute to Ernie, Bill Cook, Brenda Owen and SAF Executive vice president.

Archival team - no report, no idea who is on the team
Audit team - Glenn Moll and Martha Sjogren will coordinate with Jack Pilon and Bill Hasse to audit the MSAF and Michigan Forester financial records before the Spring 2008 meeting.
Teller's report - Martha presented Terry DeBlaay's results of the 2007 elections: Larry Leefers as MSAF Vice Chair 2008, Brian Crouch LP Second Vice Chair 2008.

Doug Heym gave a brief statement as immediate Past Chair.
His main responsibility is to serve as nominating committee, soliciting potential candidates for the MSAF Vice Chair position for 2009. Pending changing our bylaws to handling elections electronically with National SAF elections, he might need to get them done earlier. As has been our habit, he would likely try to recruit candidates from the UP chapter for 2009

Council Report:
Greg Russell [Council Rep. District V] was invited but unable to attend. Submitted "Activities of the SAF National Office and Committee on Forest Policy". Ernie reviewed testimony, policy issues, climate change, CFE, timing of Fellows' nominations (due 3/31), 2012 Strategic Plan, National changed by-laws and held electronic and paper balloting in 2007. State would need to change bylaws to follow suit. Slight decrease in voting at National. Might have needed more advertising/reminders.

SAF Vice-President Report: Bernie Hubbard.
MSAF was honored to have our long-standing MSAF member, Bernie Hubbard attend our meeting in his new capacity as SAF Vice-President. They've been working on the sale of the Washington, DC-SAF property. Looking at a need to move out in 2008. Committee has been put together to decide where to relocate. National hoping to have SAF Leadership Academy in 2008. Need to find a location. Will decide at March meeting.

Treasurer's report:
Jack Pilon was unable to attend but sent report with Jason Stephens. We reviewed 2007 revenue and expenses. Much discussion took place. Jason kept notes on a print out of Jack's budget information for 2008 that he will share with Jack. Additional notes on 2008 budget:

UP Auto Tour: Glenn Moll says the correct number for UP Auto Tour is $1300. National will be sending the final $400 to the state for that category which should be put into the State budget. The cost of the sign replacement exceeded $2000 so Glenn thinks it should go to the State revenue to replace loan in the UP Auto Tour line item. Lansing is out of brochures. Glenn has some donations coming in. Also need to continue with the sign replacement toward the west of M-77. Did 50 out of 115 with the EUP replacements in 2007.

Michigan Forester - higher expenses than usual in 2007 because bulk postage cost happened to get charged twice in one year and there were fewer advertisers. To include in The Forestry Source $463 for 500 copies might be able to offset with advertising. Brenda Owen (the new Michigan Forester editor) says maybe 3 editions in 2008. Bernie is hoping for something to come out before Spring Meeting. Piggy-backing with The Forestry Source would be a more efficient use of our volunteer time and it would be good to have hard deadlines. Due date: Feb 15th for March issue. This would allow Brenda and Bill H to spend time gathering good content and revenue and less time and $ on printing/labeling/mailing. Budget: $1200.

Student chapters for national convention: relates to support for students to attend meetings. Doug Heym has a final version done which Bill Cook posted on website and will replace with suggested changes to include due date. Chapters are also encouraged to support students' attendance at National convention. Budget: $1000.

National meetings: Support for chair/vice chair to attend national convention. Budget: $1000.

Donation to raffle at National Convention. Budget: $120.

Leadership Academy: Allocate some money but attendance would also depend on scheduling. Budget: $1500.

Awards: Craig needs more wooden plaques, couple of pins, certificates. Budget: $450.
Note: Craig got archival boxes from Gerry Grossman. Craig went through them and has information from late 1980's to mid 1990's. So archives are at Hartwick Pines and he still needs the file cabinets from a basement in Newberry.

Policy and Legislative event: Decided not to hold an event in 2008 because of legislator turnover in 11/08. Look toward 2009 and maybe coordinate with other forestry/natural resource organizations. Cook suggested working with similar organizations to hold a more substantial event, supported by a somewhat more diverse set of interests.

Added into 2008 $200 line item for Michigan Bird Conservation Initiative Travel Support.

Rough calculation of 2008 budget on the fly: Revenue $5150/Expenses $9315

Motion to approve 2007 report and 2008 budget: Bill Hasse
Second: Glenn Moll
Passed with a chorus of ayes
Jack did offer to continue serving as Treasurer. We accepted.

House of Society Delegates (HSD) 2007 convention meeting:
Electronic voting. MSAF will follow national's lead and revise bylaws to allow electronic voting. It will save MSAF money spent on copying and mailing ballots. UP and LP Chapters could follow suit to participate in the election and save money. Doug Heym, Georgia Peterson and Jack Penegor need to find candidates and have them submit pictures and biographies to Martha Sjogren by August 1st. UP mentioned they would like to nominate someone for 2009 Chair since they don't currently have a vice chair. We agreed that is a UP chapter issue.

Insurance coverage - non-members are not covered and no one is covered on field trips unless we add a rider. Ernie proposed sending Spring and Fall Meeting agendas to National to ask for evaluation: are we covered or do we need a rider. Ernie will work with Louise Murgia on that. Jim needs to get agenda to Ernie ASAP.

Conservation Summit - Mike Moore agreed to be involved. Ernie got an email that basically nothing has happened because meeting was cancelled.

Revision of Greenbook (Forest Management Guidelines for Michigan):
Doug Heym and Bill Cook have volunteered to update (biomass, carbon sequestration, update front part). Several members agreed to assist: Maria, Linda, Larry, Larry-for Karen P-W, Ernie. Suggestion was made to consider re-contacting the original creators. Doug and Bill will work out a system of gathering input or scheduling a Work Day.
Goal: Have draft available at Fall meeting.

SAF-Certified Forest Management Systems and forester group certification:
SAF-certified forest management systems and forester group certification - have CF also be certified. Pilot projects in Maine, still early stages. Some states are moving away from state licensing and using CF instead. (Need 60 hours CE every three years to maintain CF).

Policy and Communications Coordinator: Bill Cook

Forest Management Advisory Committee - Governor wants it, Bill Cook was member (vice chair and represented extension) and resigned. They were advising department on how to increase public participation. Bill thought SAF could offer to help. Georgia says SAF members can share with their constituents, links on websites. Some pilot projects. Southern LP trying to develop eco-region plan with collaborative team (including public). SAF members could join. Questions about whether SAF members would need to be sanctioned by SAF to speak for SAF or just participate as individuals? Scott might be interested.

Bill suggested email executive team for willingness to serve and then Ernie could nominate pretty quick (first week of Feb). Jason suggested maybe state/LP/UP levels having contacts. Spring meeting could look for LP/UP three-party approach.

SAF position on ORV damage - Bill recommends we take position. Hopes to have it as an agenda topic on executive team agenda in April.

USFS FIA Triple density - state dropped it. US Congress allocates funds to re-measure some plots in all states - single density. 1 plot/6000 ac. Triple density would give better data for some things. Scott Pugh would have good info. Larry Peterson would be good to include. Bernie said that the accuracy against FIA/DNR info was not good and was why State made that decision. Bill recommends we take position. $2,000,000/year. Hopes to have it as a topic for a summer policy meeting if we have one.

SAF could review statewide draft DNR plan. Comment period has passed but Bill thought we could maybe still have an impact.

Project Learning Tree - DNR (Ada Takacs) is looking for a new partner to do the train-the-trainer and keep the records. Could offer training before/after a Spring/Fall meeting. Bill is willing to put together a packet to market PLT at our SAF meetings. Ernie thinks it is a good idea. People generally agreed. Spring meeting schedule already pretty set. Fall might be easier for Ada too.

Deer perception survey - Spring 2007. - 55% return rate. Bill had copies available. Could go on website. Michigan Out Of Doors? State deer biologist or DNR director who this could be shared with? Could we develop a position statement? We have one but it doesn't include all this info. DNR, NRCS, share with NRC and the director, legislators on NR committee, invest some money in inventorying impacts - - not lobby though. Recommend they spend some money

Group agreed to read prior to next meeting and discuss at Spring exec meeting. Have as agenda topic. On website as draft. Email to membership as whole. Bill will do blurb for Michigan Forester.

Webmaster - Forest for Our Future MSAF page points to National video. Bill will add that Georgia can provide copies.

Bill Rockwell resigned as Policy chair. Policy Chair watches expiration dates. If executive team recommends a new position statement, policy team works on it. Ernie is looking for volunteers. Maybe Ernie would put together a list of all the volunteers we are seeking and email it out to the State-wide list. Should include a bit of a job description and workload to the extent he can.

Other vacant positions - We don't have current people identified for the ones listed below. Some of these are built in to our bylaws. Do we want to update bylaws?
Telecommunications Team -
MUCC -
Michigan Forest Resource Alliance -

MUCC would probably still be interested in reaching PVT landowners - Scott might be interested.
MFRA maybe not very active - could just leave it vacant

What about:
MFA? Tree farm?

Updating bylaws - John Hamel is interested in updating bylaws. Ernie too. Bylaws could be written to say liaisons may be appointed to some organizations by the executive team as needed. Small group. Maybe draft by Fall meeting.

Science and Technology Coordinator -
Joyce Angel-Ling is in the position but was unable to attend this meeting.

CFE and Forester certification - Huff report shared by Doug Heym. There are several major changes being made to this program. The CRB (Certification Review Board) has implemented several changes to the Continuing Forestry Education program as of January 2, 2008. They require an auditable system of tracking the certification credits, which means more paperwork for the provider, the attendee, and the CFE Coordinator. The Certification Review Board (CRB) oversees and audits Certified Forester program implementation, evaluates and periodically reviews program processes and procedures, and makes recommendations as needed to the SAF Council on program guidelines and standards. SAF created a subcommittee to examine the changes suggested by the CRB, and Debra Huff served on that national subcommittee.

Other changes now required include: CFE coordinator - 3 years term, can be renewed, requires annual training. All courses must be pre-approved, if they wish to offer CFE credit during the course. Otherwise, each individual who attends will need to submit all the required paperwork to the National Office for review. Requests for evaluation of credits should be no later than 3 weeks prior. Need signed attendance sheet, which is submitted to the National Office. Providers need to provide certificates of attendance. The CFE coordinator will send these upon evaluation of the credits. (Might be a template available from Fall session). After meeting, conference organizers need to submit attendance record to the National Office of SAF. Third-party training providers also need to go through this process. 10-20% CFs may not be SAF members. Deb is willing to continue serving as CFE Coordinator. Details of these changes will be sent to Brenda Owen, for publication in the Michigan Forester. There will be a brief article in the February issue of The Forestry Source and updates in the E-Forester.

Canadian Institute of Forestry Liaison - Les Homan, committee meeting yesterday. They are putting together an eLecture session (Neil Stocker - Reforesting Afghanistan). CFI members free $25 for non-members. Other eLectures in March. Maple syrup tour April 5th and maybe wind power tour in June. Silver Ring Ceremony - for graduate foresters - - - recognition and hopefully to get new members. Had a dinner for new members. Looking at possible session on Values of the Forest/SFP maybe in 2009.

MSU liaison - Pascal Nzokou He and Larry met last week. Nowadays, lots of professors are not SAF members. Forestry club not as well-connected with SAF.

MTU liaison - Linda Nagel Linda agreed with Larry's observations. Xi Sigma Pi convention every spring provides an opportunity to work with SAF too. Conclave this fall will be at Alberta in late September (MSAF should be involved. Team? Borrowing equipment? Host a mixer? Local SAF members in t-shirts as volunteer, timers, etc?). Also: 8/30/08 Chassel French-Canadian festival (log rolling).

Important ways SAF can help MSU and MTU students:
Funds for Nat'l Convention
Networking for job opportunities
Speakers to students

Michigan Bird Conservation Initiative- Meeting scheduled for first week of April. Scott plans to attend. Looking at northern hardwoods. Scott hopes to get better feel for what they need. May be holding a Forest Bird Workshop in Sault Ste Marie first week of May.

Michigan Forester editor is now Brenda Owen
Publications Business Manager, including newsletter with "Forestry Source
Michigan Forester Magazine/Forestry Source
From Brenda Owen as read by Ernie: The first issue to come out in April. Looking for a total of three issues this year. Feb 18th cut off date for article submissions.

Upper Peninsula Chapter
UP Chair - Tom Seablom
Spring Conference April 23 and 24: Northern Hardwoods. Location is Marquette, Holiday Inn. (20-30 rooms reserved). Variety of speakers. Focusing on management issues such as pests, wildlife. Field trip on the second day will be to Duke's Experimental Forest.

Lower Peninsula Chapter
LP Chair - Jason Hartman
Discussion of Fall 2008 Meeting in Lansing, probably Oct 20 & 21. Larry reported there is serious talk of regarding having the conference on campus at the Kellogg Center. Topics: The Future of Forester or Changing Roles of Foresters. Student involvement important; how do we ensure that they will attend? Discussion ensued. May look for sponsorships. IF registration fees get too high, it would make it difficult. Might be outside of Michigan interest and other groups. Don Dickmann and Mike Moore should pursue sponsorships. Registration shouldn't exceed $100. Might need exhibitors too. Conference organizers would need to aggressively recruit participation by other societies.

Jason is thinking about revising the LP bylaws.

Membership coordinator -
Amy Douglass presented National membership report and her own MSAF membership data.
Brief discussion of decline at MSU/MTU…Larry and Linda thought it reflected declining enrollment in forestry programs overall.

Discussed some of the tri-county sub-chapter activities during recent years.

Come spring, purge list will be coming out. It has normally been the second vice chair's responsibility to help make the calls. Executive committee sometimes sends emails. Could we get some retired SAF members to contact students who are transitioning into their careers?

Awards update - As mentioned during the budget discussion, Craig will be ordering more pins to recognize memberships (10 year, 20year, etc). Also needs Certificates of Appreciation for coordinating MSAF Fall Conference and past Executive Committee involvement. Question on policy regarding the number of signatures needed for nominating the Forester of the Year award. Currently the number of signatures needed is ten. Past discussions indicated that a lower number would or should be sufficient to nominate the candidate. Could be changed in the bylaws. Could use electronic signatures.

Motion to put together a team to review award process and spreadsheet: John Hamel:
Second: Maria Janowiak
Passed with a chorus of ayes

Students and mentoring teams - Faculty members sponsor new student members. Larry mentioned it as an option for other SAF members to do the same. Email? Michigan Forester? Great group of students about graduate. Could increase numbers of students.

New member packet - HSD mentioned it as option. Ernie will put it together. He'd take email suggestions from anyone.

UP Auto Tour - Glenn handed out one page report. Brochure needs to be edited. Amy and Martha and Bill C will review with Glenn. And maybe Dean Reid. Smaller would be cheaper. Some discussion about how much value it has.

Wildlife Action Plan Partner - DNR wildlife division Doug Lee says there has been no new activity.

Update of bylaws - Was briefly discussed again. See earlier volunteering

Motion to adjourn: Doug Heym
Second: Too many to count
Passed with a chorus of ayes