Scott Barrett receives Young Forester Leadership Award
Scott Barrett, assistant professor of forest operations and Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, received the Society of American Foresters’ 2015 Young Forester Leadership Award.
Established in 1984, the award recognizes a young forestry professional’s outstanding leadership supporting forestry and the Society of American Foresters, the world’s largest professional society for foresters.
“I am truly honored to receive this award,” Barrett said. “It is an honor that my colleagues took the time to nominate me.”
Barrett, who joined Virginia Tech in 2002, coordinates the SHARP (Sustainable Harvesting and Resource Professional) Logger Program, which provides training to loggers, foresters, and others on the principles of sustainable forestry, workplace safety, and environmental protection.
Barrett provides overall leadership for the statewide program, based in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, and works with Extension agents, volunteer leaders, and instructors to implement and evaluate training programs, develop new curriculum, and ensure a quality statewide training program. Over 3,500 people have completed the training since 1996.
A member of the Society of American Foresters since 2002, Barrett is serving his second term as chair of the Blue Ridge Chapter of the society’s Virginia Division. He received the Young Forest Leadership Award from the society’s Appalachian region before being recognized at the national level.
Barrett is also a member of the Association of Natural Resources Extension Professionals, the Council on Forest Engineering, the Virginia Forestry Association, the Virginia SFI Implementation Committee, the Southeast Virginia Logging Capacity Task Force, and the Virginia Loggers Association.
He received his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech.
Written by Lauren Mathews of Christiansburg, Virginia, a senior majoring in public relations in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
