ALEXANDRIA
Matthew Gillette, 31, of Courtland, became the Chapter Chair of the Virginia Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters Inc. on July 1 for a two-year term. ACF is a national association established in 1948 to promote the professionalism, ethics and interests of consulting foresters. Gillette has served as vice chair of the Virginia Chapter since 2014.

“I hope to increase public awareness of the ACF as well as invite and encourage qualified foresters to seek membership in the ACF,” said Gillette. “Unlike many other states, the Commonwealth of Virginia does not have a registration system for foresters. Members of the Virginia chapter have a unique opportunity to distinguish themselves to clients as being the most qualified forestry consultants since we are required to adhere to a strict code of ethics and take continuing education training in order to maintain our membership.”  Gillette explained that “there are high standards to become a(n ACF) member, and landowners should feel confident that by hiring any member of the ACF, they are being served by one of the best consulting foresters in the country. I hope that building landowner knowledge and confidence in the ACF will draw more foresters that are working as consultants to join us in the VA Chapter.”

Gillette is a 2006 graduate of Virginia Tech with a B.S. in forestry. He began working with Rock Springs Forestry Inc. immediately following graduation. Gillette participates in all aspects of the business, from cruising timber and handling timber sales to coordinating and supervising planting, spraying, and pre-commercial thinning, writing management plans and many other things.

He became a member of the Virginia Chapter of the ACF in 2012. In addition to his membership with ACF, Gillette is also a member of the Virginia Forestry Association and registered as a consulting forester with the North Carolina Board of Registration for Foresters. He has a commercial pesticide applicator license in both Virginia and North Carolina and is a Virginia prescribed burn manager. Gillette is a technical service provider with the Natural Resources Conservation Services, a service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a certified inspector for the American Forest Foundation’s Tree Farm Program.

On the personal side, Gillette has been married to his wife, Megan, since 2006 and is the proud father of a daughter, Grace, and a son, Ben.

Foresters interested in becoming candidate members of the Virginia chapter must have a degree from an approved forestry or natural resource program, have two years of experience in forestry, be a professional forester whose principal activity is forestry consulting, be an owner, partner or stockholder in a forestry consulting firm or an employee of a firm owned by an ACF member, and have no economic interest in a timber purchasing or procurement entity where a potential conflict of interest may exist in serving the public.

For more information on current members or how to become a member, please visit the ACF website www.acf-foresters.org.