Southwestern
Section
Our Chapters
The Southwestern section is made up of professional foresters and forestry students across Arizona and New Mexico and includes three state chapters and two student chapters.
State Chapters
Student Chapters
SAF Student Chapters allow students in forestry and natural resource programs to participate in a wide range of activities that enhance their college experience and prepare them for successful careers.
Our Section Leaders
Todd Haines
Section Chair
Dave Danker
Section Secretary/
Treasurer
Vacant
Section
Chair Elect
William Hart
Section Membership
Chair
Vacant
Section Policy
Chair
Yasmeen Najmi
Section Continuing Education Coordinator
Nick Smokovich
Section
Historian
Mary Stuever
Section Awards
Chair
2014 SAF Southwestern Section meeting in Elephant Butte, NM
and surrounding Gila National
Forest, celebrating 50 years
of the Wilderness Act.
The 2025 SAF Southwestern Section Meeting in Elephant Butte, NM brought together forestry professionals, educators, and conservation leaders for two days of presentations on stewardship, restoration, youth engagement, and innovative tools shaping the future of natural resource management. The event concluded with a historic tour of Elephant Butte Lake, highlighting the lasting impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps on New Mexico’s landscapes.
The 2026 SAF Southwestern Section and New Mexico Tree Farm Program fall event brought forestry professionals, landowners, and partners together for a full-day journey aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. Traveling the 64-mile route from Chama, New Mexico, to Antonito, Colorado, participants enjoyed forestry-focused presentations, informal discussions, and networking alongside spectacular mountain scenery. The event provided a memorable setting to share ideas, strengthen connections, and celebrate the people and landscapes that support forestry across the Southwest.
Join the Society of American Foresters
SAF is the collective voice and community for consultants, researchers, managers, field
foresters, business owners, specialists, technicians, and more. Our members represent
the entire spectrum of the forestry profession – nonprofit organizations, forest products
industry, public lands, universities, and independent contractors. All forestry and natural
resource management students and graduates are eligible for membership with SAF.
