Winning hearts and minds: how can we make the case for forest management?

Thursday, October 26, 2023

10:30am - 12:00pm PST

Location: A9

CFE 1.5 / ISA CEU 1.5 / ESA CEU .375

Moderator(s)

Robert Alec Giffen, MS

Senior Forest Science and Policy Fellow
New England Forestry Foundation and Clean Air Task Force
Chelsea, Maine, United States

Panelist(s)

Brett J. Butler, PhD

Research Forester
USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis
Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
SK

Steven Koehn, LPF

Director, Cooperative Forestry
USDA Forest Service, State & Private Forestry
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
CM

Chris Maisch, CF

Immediate Past President
SAF
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Robert T. Perschel, Jr, MF

Executive Director
New England Forestry Foundation
Chilmark, Massachusetts, United States
Phil Rigdon, MF (he/him/his)

Intertribal Timber Council
Toppenish, Washington, United States
DO

Danielle Okst, J.D.

Executive Director
Council of Western State Foresters

This session will address current trends in public attitudes to forest management, and actively engage panelists and the audience in brainstorming and defining ways to make progress in gaining public support. A panel of experts from different regions of the U.S. will provide diverse perspectives on the topic.

Learning Objectives:

understand and contextualize the latest information and trends in terms of public attitudes toward active forest management .
describe and evaluate the current issues facing forestry with regard to public opinion about forest management in the U.S.
describe potential strategies for influencing public perceptions of active forest management proposed by panelists and other participants.
outline a possible path forward for SAF and other forest constituencies in increasing public support for active forest management.