Establishing a “Certified Agroforester” Professional Credential

Thursday, October 26, 2023

1:30pm - 3:00pm PST

Location: A9

CFE 1.5 / ISA CEU 1.5 / ESA CEU .375

Moderator(s)

Michael A. Gold, PhD

Research Professor
MU Center for Agroforestry
Columbia, Missouri, United States

Panelist(s)

Pamela Bergstrom, B.S. Agroforestry

National Technical Assistance Agroforester
UNL-USDA NRCS
SAF Working Group Officer
Plainview, Nebraska, United States
Donna Davis, MS Agroforestry (she/her/hers)

Retired
Colorado State Forest Service
SAF Working Group Officer
La Junta, Colorado, United States
KF

Katherine Favor, MS Agroforestry

Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
NCAT/ATTRA, United States
NM

Naomi Marcus, M.Ed.

Director, Credentialing & Professional Development
Society of American Foresters
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
LS

Luther B. Smith, MBA, CAE (he/him/his)

Chief Administrative Officer
ASA, SSSA, CSSA
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Matthew M. Smith, PhD

Research Program Lead
USDA Forest Service - National Agroforestry Center
SAF Working Group Officer
Lincoln, Nebraska, United States

Agroforestry practices are becoming more attractive to farmers and ranchers through new and existing incentives. A major challenge to effective implementation is the lack of any recognized professional credential for individuals prepared to support practitioners with agroforestry planning and implementation. Creation of a Certified Agroforester credential would address this need.

Learning Objectives:

Through their attendance in this interactive discussion participants will be able to clearly understand and be able to explain the need for and benefits of a Certified Agroforester credential.
Participants will learn about and be able to provide needed input into: 1) The best option(s) around which the Certified Agroforester credential should be designed; and 2) The existing organizational structure(s) available to build, offer, and sustain a Certified Agroforester credential.