Dr. Yadong Qi of Southern University and A&M College accepts
the 2021 President's Award of Appreciation from Scott Altenhoff.
Award of Merit
The Award of Merit is presented each year to the SMA member
who has contributed in an outstanding and meritorious way to
the advancement of the SMA's goals, and to advancing the prin-
ciples, ideals, and practices of municipal arboriculture and urban
forestry. Award of Merit recipients are leaders in our profession
who also reach people in other disciplines and walks of life.
This year's Award of Merit honoree epitomizes the qualities that
we value. She holds a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech along with degrees
from Yale and Cornell Universities. She served over a decade on
the faculty at Virginia Tech before becoming the Director of the
Urban Forestry Program at the University of British Columbia in
Vancouver. Her research, teaching, and outreach are widely known
and respected, and her expertise in urban soils is unsurpassed. Our
heartfelt thank you and the Award of Merit go to Dr. Susan Day.
President's Award
of Appreciation
Outgoing President Scott Altenhoff
presented the President's Award
of Appreciation to Dr. Yadong Qi.
Scott said, "Yadong is an endless
source of experience, inspiration,
and wisdom for SMA. She was
instrumental in the promotion
and enhancement of Diversity at
MFI. She holds degrees from Inner
Mongolia Agricultural University,
Northeast Forestry University, and
Stephen F. Austin State University,
and she continues to shape future
urban foresters as a Professor at
Southern University and A&M
College. My sincere appreciation
goes to you, Dr. Yadong Qi."
Accreditation Awards
SMA Accreditation brands munic-
ipal programs as being among the
elite. Congratulations to Acton,
Massachusetts for their commit-
ment to exemplary professional
management of their urban forest,
and for being the latest city to earn
accreditation by the SMA. Acton is
a beautiful community that cele-
brates trees. Incorporated in 1735,
it is home to 24,000 people and
over 1,650 acres (668 ha) of con-
servation land and town forests.
16 CityTREES
