Dianne Beasley, right, is the first woman to win the N.C. Forestry Association's award for Outstanding Service to Forestry. With Beasley is NCFA President Jeff Hanks.
Dianne Beasley, director of internal and external affairs for the N.C. Forest Service, recently was presented with the North Carolina Forestry Association’s Outstanding Service to Forestry Award.
The award is presented annually to a person who has demonstrated long-term service and contributions to forestry in North Carolina and the association. Beasley is the first woman to earn this honor, which has been awarded since 1977. She received the award at the association’s 2011 Annual Meeting in October.
“Dianne has worked tirelessly behind the scenes for years promoting forestry in North Carolina with excellent results,” said NCFA Vice President Bob Slocum. “She has proved to be a vital link between the Forest Service, the NCFA, the legislature and other environmental organizations in our state. She has been an active member of our association throughout her career. We appreciate her efforts and are pleased to present her with this award.”
Beasley championed the “First in Forestry” license plates that are now on the roads across North Carolina. These plates recognize North Carolina as the birthplace of American Forestry, and a portion of the sales of the plates provides funds to North Carolina’s educational state forests and other forestry education projects.
Other communication initiatives include the placement of promotional luncheon place mats in the cafeteria of the General Assembly, the production of a legislative poster that features each member of the North Carolina General Assembly on a forestry background, and the promotion of forestry during Forestry Day in the legislature.
In addition to serving as chairman of the NCFA’s Public Affairs/Legislative Committee, she serves on the association’s Board of Directors, the annual meeting planning committee, and is an adviser to the Friends of Forestry Political Action Committee. She received the NCFA’s Outstanding Communicator of the Year Award in 2002.