City Trees

4 CityTREES President's Message Earl Eutsler Executive Director's Message Leslie Berckes Members and friends: we're charting a new future, and how wonderful that we get to do it together! As you'll see in this issue, or have seen via email previously, the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA) is now the Urban and Community Forestry Society (UCFS). This bold, new vision is a result of feedback from you all. So many of you have shared your desire for more support, education, and resources, as well as your own personal vision of how the Society can meet the needs of urban and community foresters, present and future. If you've been reading these intro letters over the past year, you'll have seen me write about working with the Board to implement our organization's new strategic plan, asking for help from members, detailing results of the member survey, and overall letting you know how I hope our organization will grow. I am an ana- lyzer, for sure, and I take personal or professional steps with a great deal of thought and consultation. Please know that this decision was not made lightly and was made with careful consideration by many parties. I write this to you because I know this new organi- zational name will take some getting used to. One of my favorite books is Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. It's a memoir interspersed with the most beau- tiful tree imagery. In one section she writes: No risk is more terrifying than that taken by the first root. A lucky root will eventually find water, but its first job is to anchor … and forever end its mobile phase. It assesses the light and humidity of the moment, refers to its programming, and quite liter- ally takes the plunge. The gamble is everything, and losing means death. But when it wins, it wins big. So, we enter the future with the bravery of our tree friends. A detailed article about the UCFS changes afoot appears in this issue. The UCFS Board of Directors and I are here to answer any questions you may have. Your support means everything, and I know we have a bright future ahead. Here's to taking the plunge! Me c t Ar U b d C Urban Forestry as a practice has been at the center of the mission of the Society of Municipal Arborists since its inception in 1964. While our mission remains unchanged, our Society's name has been modernized to better reflect the more diverse community of individuals who collec- tively care for the trees and forests where we live. The Board of Directors and Executive Director Leslie Berckes did not arrive at this decision casually. We carefully con- sidered recent research, solicited member feedback, and scrutinized industry trends to determine that now is the appropriate time for the Society of Municipal Arborists to become the Urban and Community Forestry Society (UCFS). This new name reflects the diverse coalition of arborists, foresters, planners, advocates, volunteers, and other partners who today all play critical roles in creating and supporting more livable communities through Urban and Community Forestry. And right now truly is the optimum moment to make this change, as it coincides with several other developments within this world; these include the upcoming Job Task Analysis of the ISA Municipal Specialist credential and the launch of SFI's Urban and Community Forestry Sustainability Standard. Add to that the historic $1.5 billion investment in urban and community forestry in the U.S. made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, and the increase in Urban Forestry programs at the university level, and the industry-wide shift toward adoption of the term "Urban and Community Forestry" comes into clear focus. Our peerless flagship publication, City Trees, remains unchanged, as does our commitment to offer leadership development for Urban and Community Forestry practitioners through our recently revamped Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI). By updating our name to reflect the common orga- nizing principle that animates our Society, we are making it clear to all individuals who manage trees and forests in pursuit of more livable communities that the Urban and Community Forestry Society is the professional organi- zation most directly focused on supporting their work. ad. Here's to t taking the plunge! Urb b n be it

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