State foresters responded to President Obama's February 1st budget proposal for FY2011 with some trepidation, warning that cuts to significant forestry programs will likely not meet national forest conservation goals. Even in a tight budget climate, the members of the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) believe it is critically important to make solid investments in key federal programs that help realize the potential of America's forests in helping address climate mitigation, renewable energy production and job creation.

Trees and forests across the nation will benefit from the 2010 appropriations bill passed by Congress and signed by President Obama over the weekend. A $4.6 billion boost for the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service budgets includes a 16% increase for the Forest Service's State and Private Forestry programs, which help state forest resource professionals deliver vital assistance to forest landowners and communities to manage, protect, and improve their forests and green spaces.

NASF elected a new slate of officers to its governing Executive Committee and agreed on a number of national policy positions at the association's 87th Annual Meeting last week in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Steven W. Koehn, State Forester of Maryland, will lead NASF as president in 2009-2010. Mr. Koehn is the director of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service where he is responsible for the statewide delivery of all technical and financial forestry assistance programs on both public and private lands.