Society of American Foresters announces first recipients of Certified Urban and Community Forester certification, SAF's newest professional credential; recipients include John Snow who is also certified through International Society of Arboriculture

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 ofThe 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.”