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Join us for a field tour of current forest research and partnerships on variable density management in the Stanislaus Tuolumne region. The Stanislaus-Tuolumne Experimental Forest (STEF) is a USFS R5 experimental area with research and demonstration sites to support forest management across public lands in California. STEF is home to the oldest plot network in Region 5 and researchers there are currently studying the impact of variable spatial structures and insect and drought driven tree mortality. In the afternoon, we will learn about the role of master stewardship agreements and Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions, ongoing collaboration with County, Federal and private land managers to secure healthy forests and watersheds in the region.

Hope to see everyone there!!!!

See the attached flyer for registration information

Doug Leisz passed away April 20th at home in Placerville, surrounded by family. Doug was one of the great Regional Foresters in the Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service and a true visionary leader. He personally mentored hundreds of foresters and Forest Service employees. He retired as Associate Chief of the Forest Service in 1982, after serving alongside of Forest Service Chiefs Max Peterson and F. Dale Robertson. Doug had an uncanny way with people, getting them to see the Forest Service side of highly controversial issues.

Doug was born in Oakland in 1926 and attended Oakland High School. Upon graduation, he attended UC Berkeley, intending to major in engineering. But as World War II began, he decided to join the Merchant Marine Cadet Corps, hoping for an officer’s commission in the Navy or Merchant Marine. He was field promoted to a third officer in the Merchant Marines, and stayed in the service until the war ended. It was during his time at sea that Doug decided a desk job was not what he wanted and decided to look into forestry when he returned to Berkeley. His first job with the Forest Service was in 1948, working a summer for the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine doing surveys in Northern California and Oregon. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1950. It was the same year that he and Marian were married.

His career in the Forest Service, after graduation, began as the foreman at the Mt. Shasta nursery, near McCloud. Other positions in the Forest Service over his career included District Ranger, Assistant Regional Forester, Forest Supervisor, Regional Forester, and Associate Chief. Doug retired from the Associate Chief position and (semi)retired to the Placerville area.

Doug was a long-time SAF member, joining in 1953. He was also a Golden Member and an SAF Fellow.

After his retirement, Doug was instrumental in the creation of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees that acted as an advisory group to Forest Service leadership. He served as the organization’s first Chair. He also served on the board of the National Museum of Forest Service History for many years. In 2018, the National Museum of Forest Service History and the National Association of Forest Service Retirees established the Leisz Leadership Award in honor of Doug to recognize those who have made signification contributions to both organizations. The first Award was presented to Doug in 2018.

He and Marian had their own vineyard in Placerville and produced outstanding red wines. They were married for 70 years until Marian’s death in 2020.

Doug was part of California SAF’s oral history project. For insight into Doug’s career and life, in his own words, you can see his oral history here: Oral History Project

Personal note from your website editor – I knew Doug for many years, and remember visiting Doug and Marian at their home in Camino while I worked on the Eldorado National Forest. Doug invited my wife and I (and our kids) to pick empress plums on his property for canning, which we did a few years in a row. Doug was always willing to lend a hand (and a few bottles of wine) for any SAF fundraising effort. I really enjoyed talking forestry and politics with him and will miss him – David Bakke

Dr. David L. Wood 1931 – 2024

David Lee Wood, age 93, of Concord, California passed away on Saturday, February 10, 2024 with his wife Caroline and his family at his side. David was born in Saint Louis, MO.

David earned his B.S. degree in forestry at Syracuse University (1952) and a Ph.D. in entomology at University of California, Berkeley (1960). He was a Professor of Entomology at UC-Berkeley (1970-1994) and a Professor Emeritus and a Professor of the Graduate Division at the same institution. He has also served as Chair of Entomology (1985-1990) and as Associate Dean in the Graduate Division (1983-1985).

David was a longtime member of the California Society of American Foresters, earning his Golden Membership Certificate in 2003. He was also a Fellow in both the Entomological Society of America and the Entomological Society of Canada. David was a California Registered Professional Forester.

In California, David had a strong influence on a generation of land and resource managers and the pest control industry. He worked closely with the California Department of Parks and Recreation to develop an agency-wide appreciation for forest pest management. He taught the biology and identification of wood-destroying insects to an entire generation of pest control specialists in northern California. This outreach was facilitated at workshops sponsored by the UC Cooperative Extension, the Pesticide Applicators Professional Association, the California Forest Pest Council and various industry venues.

John Bryant 1934 – 2024

Long-time California SAF Member, John Bryant, passed away on Monday, February 12, 2024. John was a great leader and mentor – he spent his career with the USFS, he was a veteran of the Korean War, he led the effort to found the Cal Poly Urban Forestry Ecosystems Institute, and he responded to many FEMA assignments throughout the US and the Pacific Rim. John was involved with SAF throughout his career and he had a great influence on many of us who became leaders in the organization. He was a Golden Member as well as an SAF Fellow.

John earned his forestry degree from Humboldt State College. Much of his career in the Forest Service was spent on the Cleveland and Plumas National Forests, although he did work on other forests. He worked at three different California job corps centers and served nine years as the Greenville District Ranger on the Plumas. In his final assignment, he spent 15 years as the South Zone Coordinator for the Pacific Southwest Region at the Operations Coordination Center in Riverside, CA. After retiring from the Forest Service in 1994, John helped establish and direct the Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute (UFEI) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for 10 years. During that time, he also worked with FEMA emergency teams addressing natural disasters in Chuuk, Guam, Palau and Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina.

Throughout his career, he was a wonderful mentor to many colleagues, and a supporter and advocate for women and people of color in the Forest Service. He also was known for his love of good food, good wine, and he especially loved anything chocolate!

John and his wife Janet were also part of California SAF’s oral history project. For a brief overview of John’s career and many accomplishments, you can see his oral history here: Oral History Project

Peace.

For the past four years, Kim Ingram, Forest Stewardship Education coordinator, has been listening closely to the private forest landowners who participate in her Forest Stewardship Workshop series. In 2023, Ingram and the Forest Stewardship team published a story map project that aims to provide landowners with a virtual platform to share their experiences and ways that they have been empowered to manage their land.

The project also includes stories from forestry professionals, providing readers different perspectives on forestry project development and implementation. You can visit the Forest Stewardship Story Map here: https://arcg.is/1qP88L0.

Read portions of some stories from California RPFs and forest landowners in this PDF file.

Connect with friends and colleagues and learn about the unique challenges and opportunities associated with managing forests across the Wildland Urban Interface, and hear from speakers implementing innovative forest management practices across Southern California. The meeting will include a field trip to the Covell Ranch forest health and fuels reduction project.

Registration is open at Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saf-winter-meeting-tickets-792137353147?aff=oddtdtcreator, or use the attached registration form.

The complete agenda and location details are in the attached document.

#CalSAF, #CalSAF2024WinterMeeting

The UC Berkeley Forestry Club is happy to announce that we will be selling Christmas/Holiday Trees for the 2023 holiday season. Supporting this event helps the Cal Forestry Club attend conferences, go on field-tours, and build a forestry community at Berkeley. We thank you for your support. 

See attached flyer for details.