Society of American Foresters-Stevens Point Student Chapter

Society of American Foresters-Stevens Point Student Chapter Growing Better All The Time Founded in 1900 by Gifford Pinchot, it is the largest professional society of foresters in the world.

The Society of American Foresters is the national scientific and educational organization representing the forestry profession in the United States. The UWSP Student Chapter of SAF was founded in 1971, becoming the largest and most active student organization on campus.

The time has come. With the last week of classes upon us, SAF will be hosting our final meeting of the semester in TNR 1...
05/05/2026

The time has come. With the last week of classes upon us, SAF will be hosting our final meeting of the semester in TNR 120. We have a couple orders of business to cover, then we will celebrate our graduating seniors with Fire Crew. We hope to see you all there. Good luck with finals!

Introducing the tree of the week, Tree of Heaven (Alianthus altissima) in the Simaroubaceae or Quassia family. Tree of H...
04/30/2026

Introducing the tree of the week, Tree of Heaven (Alianthus altissima) in the Simaroubaceae or Quassia family. Tree of Heaven is native to Central China and was brought to Europe and the US in the 18th century as a garden specimen. Despite its pleasant-sounding name, this species is one of the most prolific invasives in the United States and is banned from transport, sale, and planting in many states. The tree produces large amounts of seeds that utilize wind dispersal, allowing their aggressive spread and growth. Tree of Heaven also clones through root sprouting, contributing to their invasive status. If it isn’t removed, the Tree of Heaven can reach between 60 and 90 feet in height. The tree contains even or oddly pinnate compound leaves that resemble several Central Wisconsin natives like sumac and mountain ash. The leaves can be differentiated by the rounded serrations occurring at the bottom base of each leaflet. While the tree is the bane of many North American and European forests, it has a variety of uses in Chinese traditional medicine.

With this past Friday being Arbor Day, SAF and the other Forestry clubs at UWSP celebrated by holding the first annual A...
04/27/2026

With this past Friday being Arbor Day, SAF and the other Forestry clubs at UWSP celebrated by holding the first annual Arbor Day Bowl. We had four teams compete in a variety competitive events to take home a trophy for their club.

Congratulations to Parks and Rec for sponsoring the winning team and taking home the win!!!

Special thanks to the Environmental and Conservation Planning Club for volunteering to help run the events

Introducing the Tree of the Week, the Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) in the Pine or Pinaceae family. The Balsam fir is a sm...
04/23/2026

Introducing the Tree of the Week, the Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) in the Pine or Pinaceae family. The Balsam fir is a small to medium-sized evergreen that grows to heights between 45 and 70 feet on average. In Central Wisconsin, the Balsam Fir can often be mistaken for the Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Balsam Firs can be differentiation by their slightly longer needles, ½ to 1 inch, compared to the Hemlock, ¼ to ½ inch. If you’re not able to tell by the leaves, Balsam Firs have very distinct bark. The bark of this species contains what is often called “resin blisters” which are pockets of sticky resin that will often burst and leak streaks of resin down the side of the tree. The cones of this species also stand erect on tree branches, unlike many others in the pine family. Central Wisconsin is on the southern edge of this tree’s native border, which spans into Central Canada from the East Coast to Central Alberta. The Balsam Fir is a shade intolerant species that prefers cool climates and consistent moisture. This species also has many cultural uses; indigenous groups used the needles for medicinal and therapeutic purposes in many forms due to the tree’s high contents of Vitamin C. Balsam Firs are also one of the most common trees to be used as Christmas trees.

Heather Berklund, WI DNR Chief State Forester, will be joining us this Thursday in TNR 120 at 5pm as our guest speaker. ...
04/21/2026

Heather Berklund, WI DNR Chief State Forester, will be joining us this Thursday in TNR 120 at 5pm as our guest speaker. Heather has a very unique forestry experience and was recently honored as the UWSP CNR's Outstanding Alumna. This is an incredible opportunity for our members to hear from and ask questions of a prominent figure in WI forestry and UWSP alumn. We hope to see you all there!

Last Saturday students with SAF had the opportunity to plant trees with Buzz and Marcia of V's Forestry Consultants. Mem...
04/20/2026

Last Saturday students with SAF had the opportunity to plant trees with Buzz and Marcia of V's Forestry Consultants. Members learned tree planting techniques and toured a managed forest.
Much thanks to all the students who joined and Buzz for having us.

Introducing the Tree of the Week, the Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) in the Rosaceae or Rose Family. The Black cherry is...
04/16/2026

Introducing the Tree of the Week, the Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) in the Rosaceae or Rose Family. The Black cherry is a fast growing and relatively long lived species (compared to others in the Prunus genera). This species can be easily identified in its mature form by is black-grey platy bark and the bitter almond-like odor produced from scratching a young twig. This odor comes from compounds found within the stems and the seeds that can be converted into cyanide. Black Cherries developed this compound as a defense mechanism to herbivory, but they also rely on animals for seed dispersal. The fruit surrounding the seed is edible in its raw form and is consumed by birds and mammals, then seeds are dispersed where they are able to germinate. Many cultures across pre-colonial North America used consumed these fruits. The fruit can be made into jellies or drink mixers, giving the tree its other common name, “Rum Cherry”. While Black Cherries are capable of living over 100 years old their lifespans are often shorted by pests and diseases including the fall webworm, eastern tent caterpillar and black knot. The Black Cherry is native to the Eastern half of the United States as well as many parts of Mexico. This is an pioneer and early successional species that can often be found in open prairies and emerging forests.

Introducing the Tree of the Week, the Red Maple (Acer rubrum) in the Sapindaceae or Soapberry family. The Red Maple is o...
04/09/2026

Introducing the Tree of the Week, the Red Maple (Acer rubrum) in the Sapindaceae or Soapberry family. The Red Maple is one of the most widespread and common trees across North America. This species is often described as a “super generalist” due to its ability to survive and even thrive in almost any condition. In many parts of Wisconsin, the Red Maple is sometimes called an “aggressive native”, meaning it often outcompetes other native species and can cause damage to ecosystems in the same way invasive species can. While this species may be able to grow in most environmental conditions, their bark is not especially protective, making them susceptible to insects, and mechanical damage. Red Maples are a fast-growing species that are capable of reaching over 100 feet in height. Its bark can very from a very smooth to ridged. The leaves look very similar to other maple species with simple palmate leaves containing three to five lobes. The tree is best known for its bright red foliage in the fall making it a common urban and ornamental tree. Because of its favor in these populated landscapes, many cultivars have been developed that accent certain features like fall color and crown spread.

Two weeks ago, SAF members went down to Montello to work with Hoffman Tree Service. This trip gave our members some uniq...
04/07/2026

Two weeks ago, SAF members went down to Montello to work with Hoffman Tree Service. This trip gave our members some unique experiences in the urban forestry products realm. Special thanks to Phil Hoffman for continuing to host and support SAF!

All of the forestry clubs at UWSP have partnered with SGA and the Earth Week Committee to put on the Arbor Day Bowl! The...
04/06/2026

All of the forestry clubs at UWSP have partnered with SGA and the Earth Week Committee to put on the Arbor Day Bowl! The Arbor Day Bowl will be an all day competition event with different challenges selected by each club. If you are interested in competing, gather a team of four and fill out the sign-up sheet linked in our bio, you will be representing one of the five forestry clubs (there is not limit to the number of teams to represent each club). We hope to see you all there representing SAF!!!

Address

800 Reserve Street, Trainer Natural Resources Building, Room 361A
Stevens Point, WI
54481

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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