Lyme, NH – The Center for Northern Woodlands Education (CNWE) board of directors is delighted to announce that Editor Meghan McCarthy McPhaul has been awarded the Society of American Foresters (SAF) 2025 Outstanding Forestry Journalism Award. This distinguished national award recognizes high-quality journalistic coverage of topics that increase the American public’s understanding of forestry and natural resources.
In nominating McPhaul for the award, Jessica Leahy, CNWE board president and the Henry W. Saunders Distinguished Professor of Forestry at University of Maine, wrote, “Meghan’s dedication to increasing public understanding of forestry and natural resources, particularly in the Northeast, is truly exceptional. Her editorial leadership of and writing for Northern Woodlands magazine, the cornerstone of the Center for Northern Woodlands Education nonprofit organization, has made a significant impact on promoting forest stewardship and appreciation.” The letter was endorsed by four other current or past CNWE board members, who are all also foresters and SAF members.
With a background in journalism, McPhaul has been writing for Northern Woodlands since 2014 and joined the staff of the Center for Northern Woodlands Education in 2020. She filled the role of associate editor through 2024, managing the organization’s weekly ecology series, The Outside Story, and the biweekly Community Voices series, where she conducted and edited interviews from experts in the fields of forestry, conservation, and education. McPhaul stepped into the editor’s role in December 2024 and now oversees the production of the quarterly Northern Woodlands magazine.
“Meghan has been essential in defining our editorial voice, nurturing a stable of top-notch contributors, and shepherding a sophisticated set of stories through the editorial and production processes,” said CNWE Executive Director Jackson Saul. “Her deeply researched and crystal-clear writing and interviews are frequently highlights of our publications, and we look forward to them for the years to come. It is a privilege to have her as a colleague.”
McPhaul said she considers the award a testament to the collaboration and capabilities of CNWE’s small but dedicated staff. “I’m grateful to be acknowledged in this way by SAF,” she said. “The work we do at Northern Woodlands is truly a team endeavor, and I’m inspired daily by my colleagues at CNWE, by the writers and artists we work with to complete each issue of the magazine, and by the people, projects, and organizations we cover in its pages.”
McPhaul will be recognized, along with other SAF National Award winners, at the SAF National Convention in Hartford, Connecticut, at the end of October.