City Trees

Recently, your SMA Board of Directors gathered for its annu- al mid-year meeting, a rare occa- sion where we have an opportuni- ty to visit face-to-face and discuss the current status of the Society and plot strategies to ensure future growth and member value and fulfill- ment. Our emphasis this year, with the help of board member Owen Croy, was on long-range planning and developing a strategic framework that will guide decision making. To start, we revisited SMA's Mission and Vision Statements, discussed core values, and offered our individual visions of how the Society can grow to best serve our membership in all areas. We examined the topic of diversity—both within our membership and industry-wide—at great length. We talked about our progress on partnerships and collaboration, profes- sional development, and how we deliver value to the profes- sion of those who manage our trees to create healthy, livable communities. One of the most interesting conversations was about value and the notion that value is perhaps more powerful as a "Why we do it" than "What we do" or "How we do it." SMA exists to promote "confidence, competence, and camaraderie" for those who manage trees and forests but even more important- ly, our membership is composed of people who care for trees not just for the act of creating or maintaining healthy forests, but because healthy forests lead to better lives for people. That's the ultimate "Why we do it," and it is a noble cause. The Board still has work ahead to finalize this framework and include those programs already in place. Members will hear more over the next several months. Like any good plan, it must be flexible and resilient as SMA grows and as circum- stances inevitably change. In the end, however, we are a mem- bership-driven organization, and the success of any plan is not only in how it is composed, but how it is executed. For this we must rely on each other to do our part. While each board member is assigned as a liaison and facilitator, the work group chairs and committee members are the heroes that make it happen. Without them, there would be no Municipal Forestry Institute, no annual conference, no sponsorship, no accredi- tation program, no award to deserving members or projects, no internships, no arborist exchange program, and more. Our strength lies with you! Borrowing from Andy Stanley, a pastor, communicator, author, and the founder of North Point Ministries in Alpharetta, Georgia, we discussed the concept of "engaged leaders" at our recent SMA Board Meeting. I believe strongly that our biggest resource is the knowledge, experience, and expertise of our members and their willingness to share those things with others. To fulfill our mission of building the confidence, competence, and camaraderie of the professionals who manage urban trees and forests, your board and executive director are merely facilitators who create opportunities for you to learn from one another, to grow in your leadership journey, and to feel a sense of belonging by joining with your fellow professionals. Another important conversation at the recent board meeting centered on our values. Although we are a global organization with members from around the world, we know we can extend our reach and be even more responsive to our members out- side the U.S. Felipe Fuentes Ramírez, an SMA member from Chile who serves on the editorial review committee, has volun- teered to translate some of our City Trees articles into Spanish in an effort to reach more Spanish-speaking municipal arbor- ists. For the first time ever, in October 2017 we will be taking the Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) into Canada. This is hap- pening at the request of our Canadian SMA members and with the help of Canadian partners who will assist with the promo- tion and administrative tasks of the program. This is a benefit to our U.S. members as well, since the exchange rate results in a lower MFI registration fee than can be offered in the U.S. If you're reading this and you're thinking that you would like to become more engaged, we could really use your help in deter- mining what content you would like to see on our website and how we can connect with members on a more personal level. Whether you've been a longtime member or you've just recently found your "tribe," we will be happy to find you a place where you can use your skills or develop new ones and connect with fellow professionals from around the world. President's Message Joe Benassini Executive Director's Message Jerri J. LaHaie 6 City Trees

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