Pine Bluff, AR — Joe Friend, forester for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, has been chosen to receive the Presidential Field Forester Award by the Society of American Foresters. The award recognizes foresters for their innovative methods and record of excellence in the profession.
Friend was hired by UAPB in 2016 as part of the university’s “Keeping it in the Family” (KIITF) Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention (SFLR) Program. The overarching goal of SFLR is to address historic barriers to African American success in forestry and to help landowners retain their family land.
“Joe and our project team, which includes conservationists and foresters, do an outstanding job working with producers,” Dr. Henry English, head of UAPB’s Small Farm Program, said. “Their ‘boots on the ground’ approach provides our clientele with high quality education and service.”
Friend, former district forester with the Arkansas Forestry Commission in Monticello, Arkansas, has served the forestry industry in many roles including survey party chief, forest ranger, county forester, and law enforcement investigator. In 2003, he was named district forester, a position he held until 2014.
Friend has a bachelor’s degree in forestry from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He is a registered forester, a member, fellow and committee chairman of the Society of American Foresters, and a member of the board of directors of the Arkansas Forestry Association.
According to its website, the mission of the Society of American Foresters is to advance sustainable management of forest resources through science, education and technology, as well as
promoting professional excellence while ensuring the continued health, integrity and use of forests to benefit society.
