The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) has announced that four leaders have been elected to the independent Board of Directors, including Virginia State Forester Bettina Ring.
SFI's 18-member, multi-stakeholder Board of Directors comprises three chambers, representing environmental, economic and social interests equally. In addition to the appointment of four new members, Craig Blair, President and CEO of Resources Management Service, LLC, has been elected as Chair and Greg Siekaniec, CEO of Ducks Unlimited Canada, as Vice-Chair of the Board. The SFI Board's diversity and independence allows it to play a meaningful role at the intersection of sustainable forests and thriving communities.
Ring will serve on the SFI Board's social chamber. She and her team are responsible for managing 24 state forests and supporting 373,600 private forest landowners who control the majority of the forestland across Virginia.
"The sustainability of forest resources is one of the most important issues facing our nation. SFI has been a long-time leader on sustainability and I'm honored to be on the SFI Board," said Ring. "I look forward to helping SFI advance its conservation goals and further strengthen its partnerships."
Prior to becoming State Forester, Ring served as Senior Vice President of Family Forests at the American Forest Foundation. At the foundation, she was responsible for overseeing the American Tree Farm System®, supporting more than 80,000 family forest owners who collectively manage 27 million acres of certified woodlands.
Ring has worked in various leadership positions within non-profit organizations focusing on natural resources management and conservation, including the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, The Wilderness Land Trust and the Bay Area Open Space Council.
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