The Land Trust of North Alabama would like to congratulate Dr. Callie Schweitzer for receiving the 2017 National Silviculture Award from the USDA Forest Service. The award recognizes her advancement in in forest management, especially in restoring native species and maintaining healthy forests. 
Dr. Schweitzer has played an integral role in the Land Trust for almost 10 years. A research forester, Callie is passionate about all things outdoors especially trees and birds. Acting as a board member, advisor, and educator, she has helped power the Land Trust toward best practices in forest management.
Callie was appointed to the Land Trust of North Alabama’s Board of Directors by the city of Huntsville in 2009 and served on the board until 2014. She was a valuable member of the Resource Advisory Committee during her tenure on the board and continues to volunteer as an adviser for the committee today. She was instrumental in development and writing of our Land Management Plans.
She has performed baseline tree assessments on Land Trust properties and coordinated multiple studies on our preserves, including studies with an interpretive educational component on non-native invasive species. These studies provide valuable information about our properties allowing us to improve management practices.
Sharing her expertise to educate others, Callie leads guided educational hikes for adults and provides outdoor environmental education programs for kids through our summer Tuesdays on the Trail series.
We are excited to share the news of her achievement and sincerely appreciate her contributions to the Land Trust. Click Here to read more about Callie and her work with the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station.
Below is the full announcement from the U.S. Forest Service:
August 23, 2017 | Forest Service Scientist Receives National Award
USDA Forest Service scientist Callie Schweitzer is the 2017 recipient of the National Silviculture Award. Schweitzer is a research forester with the Southern Research Station in Huntsville, Ala. Her work focuses on hardwood forests on the Cumberland Plateau of Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Her research is pioneering new ways to sustain oak forests, convert off-site pine plantations back to native forests, and to combine forest management techniques in new ways to produce productive and healthy forests on state, federal and private lands.
“I am so humbled to receive this award,” Schweitzer said. “This award validates my efforts to engage stakeholders, work with partners, and share science with my peers and others. Working in this field and being recognized for my efforts means so much to me.”
Schweitzer’s work is recognized both nationally and internationally. Schweitzer has authored or coauthored more than 150 publications for a variety of outlets. She is also a sought after speaker and has spoken at local, regional and international venues to include a presentation at the Nanjing Forestry University in China. “I am fortunate to have many opportunities to interact with different groups, and my broad research and science delivery program speaks to the many partnerships that I have cultivated and continue to value,” she said.
She is also very active in her local community where she serves on the Huntsville Tree Commission and on the Resource Advisory Commission Land Trust of North Alabama. In both of these capacities, she been a passionate advocate for forestry in urban environments and has led these organizations to adopt policies and practices to improve the quality and health of their urban forests. She is also a member of the Society of American Foresters and is the chair of the Mountain Lakes Chapter.
Schweitzer received her doctorate and master’s degree in Forest Resources and Ecology from Pennsylvania State University. She received her award during the National Silviculture Workshop in Tucson, AZ.
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Headquartered in Asheville, NC, the Southern Research Station comprises more than 120 scientists and several hundred support staff who conduct natural resource research in 20 locations across 13 southern states (Virginia to Texas). The Station’s mission is “…to create the science and technology needed to sustain and enhance southern forest ecosystems and the benefits they provide.” Learn more about the Southern Research Station at: http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/.