Forests and the public benefits they provide are threatened at a scale and pace that are much larger and faster-moving that our current State and Private Forestry (S&PF) programs and delivery model are able to address. At the same time, the U.S. Forest Service has been repeatedly asked by Congress and other key leaders to increase the competitiveness of its S&PF programs, to focus and prioritize resources on issues and landscapes of national importance and, ultimately, to validate the relevance of continued federal investment.

The National Association of State Foresters Annual Meeting would not be possible without the strong support of our sponsors, contributors, and exhibitors. Their generosity makes possible the enjoyable setting in which we conduct our business, and their products and services make valuable contributions to the work of our member agencies. We heartily thank the following sponsors and exhibitors for their support.

Firewood is a host for numerous destructive forest insects and diseases, including emerald ash borer, Asian longhorn beetle, gypsy moth, Sirex woodwasp, oak wilt, beech bark disease, pitch canker, and others. Human transport of firewood has the capacity to vastly extend the range and spread of these pests and diseases. Human transport across state lines has been identified as one of the most likely reasons for a number of isolated outbreaks involving many of these pests and diseases.

The role that climate change plays in the severity and size of wildland fires is not explicitly recognized in the “National Fire Plan” and the Implementation Plan for its 10-Year Strategy.