60 FORESTRY ALMANAC 



THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS 



Nineteen hundred and twenty-five will mark the twenty-fifth anni- 

 versary of the organization of the Society of American Foresters, the 

 Association through which the trained and active foresters of the 

 United States express the views of the profession and lead in shaping 

 the policies and technique of forestry in America. 



The Society was founded in 1900, at a time when the trained 

 foresters in the United States could almost be counted on one's fingers. 

 Its object, as expressed in its constitution, is " to further the 

 development of technical forestry and the interests of the pro- 

 fession of forestry by encouraging achievement in the science of 

 forestry, by creating opportunity for an interchange of views upon 

 forestry and allied subjects, and by fostering a spirit of comradeship 

 among foresters." 



Active membership (" Senior Members " and " Members ") is 

 limited to men with technical training in forestry (or its equivalent), 

 who at the time of election are residents of the United States or its 

 possessions or of Canada, and who are actively engaged in forest 

 work. The Society has always maintained high standards of member- 

 ship requirements and a very conservative policy regarding admissions. 

 The total membership is now slightly in excess of 1000, at least 

 nine-tenths being active members. 



For some years after the Society was founded, the majority of 

 the members were more or less concentrated near the District of 

 Columbia. As the membership increased and spread over the country, 

 however, it became evident that the Society's objectives could better 

 be attained by organizing local groups or Sections. There are now 

 fourteen of these Sections, covering practically the entire country. 

 Each Section holds frequent meetings for the discussion and inter- 

 change of ideas, while the parent Society holds an annual meeting 

 for the transaction of business and the presentation of technical 

 papers. This meeting is frequently held in connection with the annual 

 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 with which the Society is affiliated. 



In pursuance of the objects for which it was organized, the Society 

 has always taken an active part in the evolution of an American forest 

 practice, adapted to American sylvical and economic conditions. 



