CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Our 2023 theme is “Forestry: It’s in Our DNA,” referencing both the proud legacy and the ongoing challenges and opportunities we face. Forestry, and what it means to be a forester, is multi-faceted with many backgrounds, disciplines, and experiences shaping our profession's past, present, and future. The 2023 convention will bring together novel science and on-the-ground management applications, while focusing on how to better communicate to the public and tackle a changing climate. 

The Call for Proposals closed for all presentation types except for posters on March 31. The deadline for poster submissions is May 5 at 11:59 p.m. HST. 

Submissions relating to the convention theme and subthemes are encouraged; however, submissions are welcome on any of the many facets of forestry. The number of submissions that can be accepted for the program will be limited by the number of meeting rooms available and time slots scheduled.

On the fence about submitting a proposal for SAF2023? Read about why you should go for it this year on the SAF2023 blog!
 

Who Should Submit a Proposal?

You! Natural resources and forestry professionals and students (undergraduate and graduate) from across all disciplines and career levels are welcome and encouraged to submit a proposal. We need your voices to create a diverse technical program that informs on a variety of subjects from A-Z.

Types of Proposals

Presentations


Formal conversation or lecture around a specific topic. 30 minutes, including introduction and audience questions (Q&A).  

Science Flashes


Limited to 8 slides and 8 minutes, including introduction and Q&A. Intended for noteworthy emerging research, results, or case studies that do not fulfill a full presentation.   

Posters


Printed displays that fit within a space 42 inches wide by 40 inches high (107 cm by 102 cm). Presenters must attend the poster symposium.

Panel Discussions


Panelists (typically 3-4 experts) will share insights and knowledge to curated questions posed by moderator and audience. Panel Discussions are not a set of presentations. 90 or 180 minutes and scheduled during the concurrent technical program. 
 

Interactive Discussions


Intended to gather feedback from participants and/or participants to share information with each other. 90 minutes and scheduled during the concurrent technical program.  

Professional Development Seminars


Designed to develop new or update existing attendee skill sets. 90 or 180 minutes and are scheduled during the concurrent technical program.  

Pre-Conference Workshop


Designed to teach or develop a specific skill and may include hands on elements, group discussions, and practical applications. Held on Wednesday, October 25 for either a full day up to 8 hours or a half day up to 4 hours. 

Organized Session


Series of 30-minute presentations grouped by related topics that include a variety of speakers. Three presentations of 90 minutes or six presentations of 180 minutes. Organizers must submit a concept proposal and are responsible for coordinating speakers.


Review Criteria

Your proposal matters! It is the only thing reviewers will see. You know your topic inside and out, but the reviewer doesn’t. Proposals are blindly reviewed by subject area resources specialists using three overarching criteria: general application, practice of forestry, and audience appeal. Each criterion is weighted uniformly on a scale of 1 to 5. 
 
General Application 
Clarity: The thought/expression/concept is reasonable and comprehensible across the proposal. 
Originality: Reports preliminary or novel results on limited data sets or applications of existing methodologies to new areas. 

Practice of Forestry 
Scientific Approach: Outlines the problem, hypothesis, methodology, application, results, and analysis. 
Practical Application: Bridges the gap between science and decision making in the field and among stakeholders. 
Learning Objectives: Describes what a participant will be able to demonstrate, explain, identify, establish, outline, etc. 
Outcome: Defines the long-term consideration of impact and/or implications of session attendance.  

Audience Appeal 
Appeal: Is of interest to a number of diverse participants and/or contributes appreciably to professional development. 
 

How Do I Submit a Proposal?

Submit online today! You must submit using the online submission form.

How Do I Login?

SAF’s speaker proposal platform connects directly to the SAF database. Click ‘Login’ to be redirected to the SAF login page and enter your username and password. If you forgot your password, follow the instructions on the top of the page to reset it. Do NOT create a new account. If you do not have a profile, click 'Create a New Account' below the login portal. After you log in, you will be taken to a welcome page with your contact information listed. If you do not need to make any changes to your contact information, click ‘Proceed.’ If your contact information needs to be updated, use the ‘Update Profile’ button to make changes to your SAF profile within SAF's database. Choosing this option will open a new window where you will be asked to login again and make changes as needed. Once changes are applied, come back to the welcome page, and click ‘Proceed.’

Convention Registration

SAF provides accepted technical and concurrent session presenters with a discounted speaker registration rate. SAF does not pay speaker fees, honoraria, wage replacement, or reimburse travel/accommodation expenses for technical session presenters.

Additional Support

Download the step-by-step guide or watch this recording of the SAF Help Session for additional support on how to submit each proposal type. For questions, download the SAF2023 Call for Proposals FAQ or contact [email protected].

Seeking: Convention Proposal Reviewers

We are in search of subject area resource specialists that are SAF members to help review speaker proposals for the 2023 SAF National Convention. Reviewers will be trained on criteria, evaluating, and scoring. An average of 10-15 minutes is needed to review each proposal. Please complete this short form if willing to review.

Important Submission Dates

March 31 - Submission deadline for presentations, science flashes, organized sessions, panels, interactive discussions, workshops, and seminars

May 5
 - Submission deadline for posters

June 30
 - Notification deadline for all proposals

Additional Topics

Abstracts are also welcome in the following areas:

  • Agroforestry 
  • Bioenergy, Climate Change, and Carbon 
  • Business Acumen 
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Natural Resources Research, Practice, and Education 
  • Economics, Policy, and Law 
  • Forest Ecology 
  • Forest Health and Genetics 
  • Forest History & Philosophy and Ethics 
  • Forest Production & Utilization 
  • Forest Technology 
  • Human Dimensions and Education 
  • International Forestry 
  • Inventory & Biometrics 
  • Family Forests 
  • Leadership Development 
  • Recreation and Wilderness Management 
  • SAF Matters 
  • Silviculture 
  • Soils & Hydrology
  • Sustainability and Certification 
  • Urban and Community Forestry