AWARDS
Submission Deadlines:
APSAF Awards are presented at our Annual Conference, the deadline is Aug. 31, 2025.
2025 National Award Nominations will open on December 1, 2024, and close on March 1, 2025.
2024 APSAF Award Winners
Distinguished service to forestry
Waldo “Tres” Hyman
The Distinguished Service to Forestry Award is the highest award given by the Appalachian Society and is presented to an individual who has made an especially notable contribution to the profession of forestry. This award has been presented to a deserving APSAF member since 1956.
Tres has degrees in Forestry and Wildlife and is licensed as a Forester and Real Estate Broker in both South Carolina and North Carolina. Bishop Brothers Forestry in Marion, SC, is where Tres serves as owner and principal. He has long been active with SAF and ACF serving as an officer in local as well as state offices. If you have seen the Monument at the Cradle of Forestry you have seen the results of the kind of projects that Tres has encouraged and worked on throughout his career.
Young forester leadership award
Seth Plank
The Young Forester Leadership Award recognizes outstanding leadership by a forestry professional younger than 40 years of age whose actions have benefited the practice of forestry and SAF.
Since coming to North Carolina with Weyerhaeuser in 2020, Seth has shown a willingness to get involved in SAF and the greater forestry community. He is an active member of the Croatan Chapter and was the 2024 Chair-Elect of the SAF NC State Division. In a few short years, Seth has set a high bar for participation and leadership that other foresters, young or not so young, may strive to emulate
volunteer service award
Michael D. Skinner
The Volunteer Service Award was established to recognize special, sustained, voluntary service on behalf of SAF.
Michael works in southwest Virginia and upper east Tennessee and started the first consultancy in that neck of the woods. Broad experience in both the public and private sectors (he owns Confluence Forestry and Land Management) coupled with an intrinsic desire to serve the profession has led this Virginia Tech graduate to serve in many official positions with local and state SAF. Michael is truly a forester’s forester.
2024 NC Division Award Recipients
Division Merit Award - Tara Dickson
The Division Merit Award is the highest award given by the North Carolina Division and is presented to an individual who has made an especially notable contribution to the profession of forestry.
Special Volunteer Service Award - Alex Thompson
The Volunteer Service Award was established to recognize special, sustained, voluntary service on behalf of SAF.
Young Forester Leadership Award - Seth Plank
The Young Forester Leadership Award recognizes outstanding leadership by a young forestry professional in the development and promotion of an individual program or project or for a sustained leadership role benefiting the practice of forestry and the Society. *Nominees must be under 40 years old.*