New Memorial Forestry Education Fund Enabled by Two SAF Fellows

Since 2014, the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA) has guided and administered the Lloyd Casey, CF Allegheny SAF Fellow Memorial Fund, honoring Casey, a PFA Past President who was a dedicated forestry educator. The fund has supported grant requests for forestry education workshops and projects that reflect Casey’s commitment to educating forest landowners. The Casey Fund received many donations from within the PFA organization, from Casey colleagues and friends, and from two partners: the Allegheny Society of American Foresters (SAF) and the National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA).

In 2017, PFA received a very generous unrestricted donation from the estate of Past President Bob Rumpf, Allegheny SAF Fellow. With the review of the Casey family heirs, the Rumpf family heirs, The Allegheny SAF, and the NWOA, PFA has agreed to merge the Casey Fund, the Rumpf donation, and a small PFA Project Learning Tree earmark into a new PFA Memorial Forestry Education Fund.

PFA is excited about the expanded possibilities that this merged fund presents. The overall aim of the new fund reflects that of the original but we expect the new memorial fund to significantly expand opportunities for forest education workshops and projects in Pennsylvania. The original 2017 Casey Fund provided sizable grants to two entities, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (which conducted three regional workshops for landowners on the Woods in Your Backyard), and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (which will be completing Conservation Easement workshops with additional education in 2018). New proposals have been submitted for the 2018 funding round and a project review is in progress.

Allegheny SAF, Pennsylvania Division is pleased to have these two giants of forest conservation recognized for their lifelong contributions to their profession and to the organizations that support it. Pennsylvania Forestry Association was founded in 1886 and is the nation’s first and oldest forest conservation organization. The board of directors is uniquely represented by an equal representation of governmental/educational forestry, forest industry, and private forest advocates.

Please help us assist the advocates of Penn’s Woods to take care of our future forest! We especially invite all forestry professionals and friends to donate to the new fund. You can continue Casey and Rumpf’s love of the forest by finding more information about the Pennsylvania Forestry Association and the ability to contribute to the effort at paforestry.org