Kick Off the Week with A Pre-Convention Workshop

By James Westfall
The 2023 SAF National Convention will afford numerous opportunities to immerse in the latest research and technology advances, network with peers, and develop new job skills. Among the many options, attendees would be remiss to not consider participation in pre-convention technical workshops as part of their overall experience. The purpose of these workshops is to delve into the more technical aspects of a particular topic area that cannot be conveyed via a presentation or poster. Through interactions with internationally recognized experts, workshop attendees can expect to gain valuable insight into nuances practically relevant to the field of study, as well as acquiring proficiency in accessing available resources that can help answer resource-related questions. Also of considerable importance, the workshops provide a basis for relationship building among peers by bringing together cohorts of forestry professionals who share common interests.

The 2023 Convention will feature two workshops on Wednesday, October 25:

A Shared Stewardship: Connecting Forestry and Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife conservation goals are integral to forestry and balancing multiple sustainable forestry objectives. Here, our goal is to share information and perspectives from wildlife and forestry professionals focusing on the need for collaborative conservation. Many of the speakers participated in similar workshops at The Wildlife Society Annual Conferences to share information about forestry with wildlife students and professionals. Speakers will describe forestry and wildlife management goals, focusing on commonalities and collaborative conservation to reach these goals. We will encourage interaction from participants while highlighting the utility of considering biodiversity conservation at multiple spatial scales.

Data Science for Forestry Applications

Forest and natural resource managers are increasingly using data in new and complex ways. This hands-on workshop will showcase how data science can be used in forestry applications to encourage and empower forest analysts to better use data to make strategic decisions about their resources. Participants will use open-source software (specifically R) to work quickly and efficiently with forestry data, with a focus on using large datasets such as Forest Inventory and Analysis data. It adds value by providing hands-on experience with data science problems and their solutions.

Want more information? Check out the workshops webpage.

Ready to secure your spot? Registration is now open - don't wait to register as tickets are limited. All workshops are $45 per attendee and include coffee, snacks, and workshop materials. Lunch is not included.

James Westfall serves as the A Subject Area Representative on the Forest Science and Technology Board and a member of the 2023 SAF Committee on National Conventions Programs. Westfall is a Research Forester with the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station.