Forestry education in Pennsylvania has a long, proud tradition, having begun earlier than in most other states. By 1897, twenty land-grant colleges, including Penn State, had introduced the subject of forestry, typically in botany courses. Professional forestry education in Pennsylvania originated in 1903, when the Pennsylvania State Forest Academy was founded at Mont Alto, and expanded in 1907 when the baccalaureate degree program started at the Pennsylvania State College.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the School of Forest Resources in 2007, A Century of Forest Resources Education at Penn State reviews progress in the School’s academic programs and facilities and examines the accomplishments of some of our more prominent graduates and faculty. The events that led up to the founding are described first, featuring several pioneering men and their sole female peer. The principal developments of the initial fifty years then provide background for the ensuing expansion of the faculty, facilities, administrative organization, and graduates of the last five decades. Fascinating little-known tidbits—such as students hanging officials in effigy, an interloping bear in a classroom, administrative battles, and a tale of the original Nittany Lion—are interspersed among descriptive factual data.
Contents
List of Tables
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
What Fostered Forestry Education?
How Has Forestry Education Influenced the Related Professions?
2. Pennsylvania’s Pioneers in Forestry Education
Joseph Trimble Rothrock
Mira Lloyd Dock
George H. Wirt
Edwin A. Ziegler
Joseph S. Illick
Bernhard E. Fernow
Hugh P. Baker
John A. Ferguson
Gifford Pinchot
3. Administrative Evolution of the School of Forest Resources
4. Directors and Department Heads
Biographies of School Directors
Victor A. Beede
Maurice K. Goddard
William C. Bramble
H. Norton Cope
Peter W. Fletcher
Wilber W. Ward
Rex E. Melton
Robert S. Bond
Henry D. Gerhold
Alfred D. Sullivan
Kim C. Steiner
Larry A. Nielsen
Charles H. Strauss
5. Staff
6. Faculty
7. Facilities
8. Academic Curricula
Subprofessional and Associate Degree Programs
Curriculum in Forest Science
Curriculum in Wood Products
Curriculum in Wildlife and Fisheries Science
Graduate Degree Programs
9. Student Recruitment, Enrollments, Graduation Rates, and Placement
10. Student Organizations
11. Research
Forest Ecology and Silviculture
Forest Management and Economic Analyses
Forest Genetics and Tree Improvement
Forest Hydrology and Watershed Management
Wood Products Engineering
Wood Products Marketing and Management
Wildlife Ecology and Management
Fisheries Ecology
Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
National Park Service
Municipal Tree Restoration Program
The American Chestnut Foundation
12. Extension and Outreach
Activities of Extension Faculty
Current Extension Topics
Rural Forests
Community Forests
Wood Products Processing
Managing Wildlife and Fisheries
Environmental Stewardship of Land and Water Resources
Professional Development and Other Outreach
Forums and Lecture Series
Nittany Lion Restored
13. Alumni Relations
14. Accomplishments of Alumni and Faculty—Looking Back
Biographical Sketches of Alumni and Faculty, by Career Field
Forest Management
Wood Technology and Industry
Parks and Recreation
Hydrology and Watershed Management
Wildlife and Fisheries
Urban Forestry
Academia and Professional Organizations
Entrepreneurial Mavericks
Professional Impacts of the School of Forest Resources
Educational Programs
Government Agencies, Industries, Consultants, and Communities
Forest Resources
15. Looking Ahead: Strategic Plan for the Future
Appendices
Appendix A-1. Faculty of the Department of Forestry (1907–1954), School of Forestry (1954–1965), and School of Forest Resources (1965–present) at Penn State
Appendix A-2. Forestry Faculty at Mont Alto Associated with the School of Forest
Resources
Appendix A-3. Wildlife Faculty at DuBois Associated with the School of Forest Resources
