SAF Urban Forestry Credential and Why Forestry Should Cheer

Presentation given in Charlottesville, VA on September 05, 2024 for the Virginia Division of the Appalachian Chapter of the Society of American Foresters.

Transcript

1. P. Eric Wiseman, PhD Associate Professor of Urban and Community Forestry Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Virginia Tech VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024 SAF Urban Forestry Credential and Why Forestry Should Cheer Source: www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/treesincob vtuf@vt.edu linktr.ee/EricWiseman
2. Presentation Outline o Background and context o Certification development process o Certification development progress o Certification exam and eligibility overview Purpose: Build the case for an urban and community forester credential to compliment existing credentials held by urban forest professionals 02  22 VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
3. 03  22 Background and Context Growth of Urban Lands and Urban Population Source: www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/mapping-us-urbanization-by-state VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024 Source: www.coopercenter.org/research/national-50- state-population-projections-2030-2040-2050
4. 04  22 Background and Context Growth of Urban Lands and Urban Population Source: research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/64468 VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
5. 05  22 Background and Context Growth of Urban Lands and Urban Population Source: research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/64468 VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
6. 06  22 Background and Context Growth of Urban Lands and Urban Population Source: research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/66413 VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024 50.7 mil acres
7. 07  22 Background and Context Need for Urban Forests and Urban Foresters Source: nca2023.globalchange.gov VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
8. 08  22 Background and Context Need for Urban Forests and Urban Foresters Source: nca2023.globalchange.gov VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
9. 09  22 Background and Context 1992 1994 Forest Management (Mostly Rural) Tree Management (Mostly Urban) VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
10. 10  22 Background and Context Forest Management (Mostly Rural) Tree Management (Mostly Urban) 1992 1994 2004 Urban and community forestry is the conservation, use, and management of forest resources in areas of dense human settlement for the benefit of people and the environment Credential Gap VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
11. 11  22 Background and Context o USFS-NUCFAC funded project o 6 Universities o National steering committee o 12 peer-reviewed journal publications and magazine articles VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
12. 12  22 Background and Context VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
13. 13  22 Background and Context VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
14. 14  22 Background and Context VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
15. 15  22 Background and Context VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
16. 16  22 Background and Context 1992 1994 1992 2024 Forest Management (Mostly Rural) Tree Management (Mostly Urban) VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
17. 17  22 Certification Development Process In 2013 SAF entered an agreement with the California Urban Forests Council, and in 2020, SAF had a market analysis performed. Both laid the foundation for the Certified Urban and Community Forester™ certification program. The market study determined many gaps and the need for a certification to serve those in urban & community forestry. While the results of the survey aren’t published, they informed the blueprint of the exam and are evident in the exam outline or the Exam Domain and Knowledge Areas. SAF worked with a wide range of partners and over 50 subject matter expert volunteers throughout the U.S. and Canada over the development process for the CUCF certification & testing began in the spring of 2024. Subject matter expert volunteers included local municipalities urban and community foresters, field technicians, academia for urban forestry programs, arborists, utility workers, private business owners and consultants, landscape architects, and city planners, along with other similar organizations, to name a few. VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024 Source: Erin Turner, Credentialing Director, Society of American Foresters
18. 18  22 Certification Development Progress Source www.eforester.org/Main/Certification_Education/Certified_Forester/New- Certifications/Main/Certification/New-Certifications.aspx o 11 applicants earned CCUCF designation so far in 2024 o 95 applicants approved to take exam so far in 2024 o 60 professionals have earned CUCF credential since April 2024 o Number of CCUCFs and CUCFs continues to grow daily VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
19. 19  22 CUCFTM Exam Overview 2023 Urban and Community Forester Exam Domains and Knowledge Areas Domain 1 (18%): Urban and Community Forestry Fundamentals Domain 2 (15%): Integrating Urban and Community Forest and Built Environments Domain 3 (16%): Urban and Community Forest Assessment and Planning Domain 4 (17%): Urban and Community Forest Management Domain 5 (14%): Ecosystems Management Domain 6 (08%): Administration Domain 7 (12%): Communication, Engagement, and Relationship Building VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
20. 20  22 Eligibility Pathways No Degree (Experience Only) Technical Degree (A.A.S.) Professional Degree (B.S., M.S., Ph.D.) Related Degree Related Degree CUCF CCUCF Unrelated Degree & 5+ years experience within past 10 years Auto; CUCF eligible at 5+ years experience & 6+ years experience within past 10 years & 2+ years experience; CUCF eligible at 6+ years experience CUCF CCUCF & 6+ years experience within past 10 years & 3+ years experience; CUCF eligible at 6+ years experience Unrelated Degree & 7+ years experience within past 10 years CUCF CCUCF & 3+ years experience; CUCF eligible at 7+ years experience 3+ years experience within past 10 years; CUCF eligible at 8+ years experience 8+ years experience within past 10 years VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024
21. 21  22 Why Forestry Should Cheer o The credential is rigorous and very well designed o The credential exposes SAF to a whole new demographic for membership and revenue o The credential raises the visibility and credibility of SAF in urban areas o The credential legitimizes U&CF as a distinct academic and professional pathway and identity o The credential stakes a claim to subject matter expertise in the crowded urban professional space VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024 Source: Larry Harwell Photography, Charlotte
22. P. Eric Wiseman, PhD Associate Professor of Urban and Community Forestry Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Virginia Tech vtuf@vt.edu linktr.ee/EricWiseman 22  22 SAF Urban Forestry Credential and Why Forestry Should Cheer VASAF Fall CFE Extravaganza • Sept 05, 2024