SAF Council
The SAF Council provides leadership and direction to the Society of American Foresters to ensure the achievement of its mission to:
- Advance the science, technology, education, and practice of forestry;
- Enhance the competency of its members;
- Establish professional excellence; and
- Use the knowledge, skills, and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society.
Some of the Council's other duties include:
- Review annual and long-range budget projections;
- Review SAF national office programs as they relate to the mission;
- Serve as a communications link among the members of their voting district, HSD, and the Forest Science and Technology Board, and Council regarding pertinent issues;
- Represent SAF to the public;
- Ensure that SAF operates at all levels in compliance with antitrust laws, as stated in our Antitrust Policy.
The president, vice-president, immediate past-president, and 11 elected members (one from each voting district) serve on Council.
The executive vice-president (EVP) is the executive officer of the Society and serves as an officer along with the president and vice-president. The EVP serves for a two-year term; Council is responsible for the reappointment of the EVP.
The vice-president is a Professional Member or Fellow elected by the voting membership of the Society for a three-year succession, without eligibility for reelection, as follows: one year as vice-president, one year as president, and one year as immediate past-president. Each Council member, elected by his or her voting districts serves a three-year term and shall not serve consecutive terms or be elected for more than two terms.
What is a voting district?
Voting districts contain one or more state societies and/or provinces of Canada while conforming as much as possible to state society boundaries. Voting districts must contain no fewer than 7 or more than 11 percent of the members of the Society eligible to vote. See the voting district map for a detailed account.
How is a member nominated to run for vice-president or Council?
A petition, campaign statement, biographical information, narrative and photograph must be received by the national office by July 1 of each election year.
- All candidates must be either Professional Members or Fellows in good standing.
- The petition must contain at least 30 valid signatures of Professional Members or Fellows. Only the signatures of Professional Members or Fellows in good standing are valid. It is recommended that candidates obtain at least 35 signatures in case some of the signatures are found to be invalid. Members can not sign the petition for more than one Council or vice-presidential nominee.
- Instructions for submission of Council and vice-presidential petitions are available from the national office and SAF website.
What is the role of the national Nominating Committee?
A national nominating committee comprised of three Fellows or Professional Members shall be appointed by the President, with approval of the Council, no later than January 15. No member of Council may sit on the Nominating Committee; the executive vice president may serve as secretary but does not have a vote.
The committee shall:
- Supplement petitions with other nominations of persons eligible to hold elective office, if necessary to provide at least two candidates for the office of vice-president;
- Set the date of election and announce it to the Society no later than the April issue of The Forestry Source;
- Call for nominations from the membership;
- Approve the form of the ballots.
The president will appoint a voting district nominating committee of three Fellows or Professional Members—after consulting with the state, multistate, or intrastate society chairs within the voting district—no later than February 1 of the election year for that voting district. If two candidates for a Council position are not received by July 1, the voting district nominating committee will supplement petitions with other nominations.
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