SAF Announces the First Recipients of the Certified Urban and Community Forester Credential

August 8, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Society of American Foresters has announced the inaugural recipients of the Certified Urban and Community Forester (CUCF) certification. The CUCF certification is SAF’s newest credential offered to forestry and natural resource professionals, representing our ongoing support of foresters working in changing landscapes. The CUCF certification has been nearly a decade in the making, developing from our partnership with the California Urban Forests Council in 2013, which laid the foundation for our CUCF program. 

In the July issue of The Forestry Source , Walt Warriner, a recent recipient of the CUCF credential and one of the original California credential holders, wrote, "The new Certified Urban and Community Forester (CUCF) credential acknowledges the additional education, training, and experience required to be an urban forester with greater depth and focus.”  

As with all SAF’s certifications, the CUCF credential helps to set a standard of excellence in the profession, allows recipients to efficiently communicate their skills, and encourages fair compensation for qualified candidates. Another recent recipient CUCF recipient, John Snow—who also holds a Board-Certified Master Arborist certification through the International Society of Arboriculture—shared that the credential is a necessary program with benefits for both professionals and stakeholders. 

 “Our urban forests are ever-expanding. The much-needed Certified Urban and Community Forester credential blends traditional forestry and arboriculture into a certification that equips professionals with the knowledge and skills to manage urban forests effectively. This credential requires deep technical expertise and the ability to communicate the value of urban forests to community members and stakeholders. It ensures that credentialed professionals can address the unique challenges of urban forestry, taking on leadership roles from tree selection and planting to maintenance and community outreach. The blend of scientific knowledge and practical skills is invaluable in promoting sustainable urban forest management practices that benefit both the environment and the communities we live in.” — John Snow, CUCF

We congratulate the inaugural Certified Urban and Community Foresters and commend them for their hard work and dedication to forestry and natural resources management.
We also recognize those who have earned the designation of Candidate Certified Urban and Community Forester (CCUCF) for their continued growth and commitment to ongoing learning. We look forward to supporting their transition into the full designation of CUCF.

As we commend our inaugural class of CUCF recipients, we also acknowledge those who were originally certified by the California Urban Forests Council. These California-certified urban foresters were integral to the development of this program, and we applaud them for their ongoing commitment to urban forestry.

You can read additional information about the California-certified urban foresters in the July issue of The Forestry Source.