Northern Woodlands editor wins Society of American Foresters award

October 10, 2025  |  By Waterbury Roundabout

Meghan McCarthy McPhaul. Courtesy photo

The Center for Northern Woodlands Education Board of Directors announced this week that Editor Meghan McCarthy McPhaul has been awarded the Society of American Foresters 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. 

Jessica Leahy is the center’s board president and the Henry W.  Saunders Distinguished Professor of Forestry at the University of Maine. In nominating McPhaul for the award, Leahy 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 Center for Northern Woodlands Education board members, who all are also foresters and Society of American Foresters 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 of 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 Jackson Saul, the center’s executive director. “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 the center’s small but dedicated staff, and she said she’s grateful for the recognition from the forestry society. 

“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 said.  

McPhaul will be recognized along with other SAF national award winners at the organization’s national convention in Hartford, Connecticut, at the end of October.