College of Forestry - Oregon State University

From the Dean
Educating future scientists,
natural resource managers, policy
makers, and industry leaders is a key
assignment for our faculty. With 634
students enrolled, we are continuing
a 6-year growth trend that has us
hitting our highest student numbers
in 25 years. These students represent
most states in the Union and countries
from all corners of the world.
Natural resources enrollment around
the nation is declining, so our growth
reflects the strength of our instructors
and programs. Locking away our natural
resources won’t satisfy the diverse
demands of our populace—trained
professionals are necessary to help
protect, manage, and optimize the
uses for forest lands and forest products.
We are producing skilled graduates
who are in demand by private
and public employers. The ever-rising
cost of education challenges many of
these students and their families, but
the generosity of Forestry’s supporters
helped to provide over $600,000 in
scholarships and fellowships in 2006.
This helps attract and retain excellent
students who might otherwise forego
an education.
The second key assignment for
our faculty is conducting research,
developing new knowledge, and transferring
what we’ve learned to other
scientists, the public, industry, and
governmental leaders. The breadth of
research conducted by our scientists
is amazing and goes far beyond the
stereotypical concepts of forestry.
They utilize leading-edge techniques
and knowledge to study watershed
and water quality issues, fiber-based
composite engineering, tree genetics
and growth, carbon sequestration
and climate, fish and wildlife habitat,
maximization of economic value of
logs and lumber production, forest
health, and fire prevention and
restoration. Declining support in
appropriated funding has left us with
faculty vacancies in essential areas
such as soil chemistry and nutrition,
wildlife protection, and structural engineering.
Our hard-working faculty
did achieve a record $13.1 million in
outside grants and contracts for the
year. This is a tremendous testament
to their productivity. It means that
for every dollar of state appropriation
provided to support the basic salary
and infrastructure for FRL research,
the faculty bring in over five dollars
worth of additional research productivity.
This is a direct return on investment
that adds to Oregon’s economy
and multiplies the amount of natural
resources-related research and knowledge
available to Oregonians.
I’m truly proud to say that the
efforts of our scientists and students
recently earned OSU a Number 1
ranking for forestry research in North
America. This annual report provides
some highlights of those efforts. I
must add that we did not earn a Number
1 by ourselves. We did it through
extensive collaboration with colleagues
across campus, in the Forest
Service, EPA, and USGS labs in Corvallis,
and in state and federal agencies,
other universities, conservation
groups, and forest industry across the
state, nation, and world. I must also
add that earning Number 1 does not
happen overnight. It takes a continuous
commitment by all stakeholders,
both inside and outside OSU. We’ve
had this commitment to provide Oregonians
with multi-use, multi-benefit
forest lands and a vibrant forest
products sector for 100 years. I look at
this as a foundation for supporting a
dynamic Future of Possibilities.
1940
Earl G. Mason is appointed
acting dean.
1941
Oregon Forest Products
Laboratory is created in
cooperation with School
of Forestry.
1942
Paul M. Dunn is appointed
dean.
1944
Dan Robinson is hired as
first Extension Forester.
1953
Oregon Legislature establishes Forest
Protection and Conservation Committee.