Forestry Department Timeline

1874   

  • Catalogs for the College of Agriculture recognized two lines of work — “Agriculture” and “Horticulture and Forestry
  • Henry H. McAfee, with a specialty in General Horticulture/Forestry, was hired to head the Department of Horticulture and Forestry.
  • First formal course in forestry in the United States offered at Iowa State College

1877   

  • Department of Horticulture and Forestry named as the first official department in agriculture.

1903   

  • Professional training in Forestry inaugurated.

1904   

  • Curriculum in Forestry approved. Led by High P. Baker. Graduating Class—M. Merritt.

1905   

  • Forestry Club was organized.

1909   

  • Forestry research established in the Iowa Agriculture Experiment Station.

1910   

  • First Master of Science degree awarded to M.L. Merritt.

1913   

  • First issue of the Ames Forester—forestry undergraduate annual publication.

1914   

  • First Forestry Summer Field Camp Experience held at Cass Lake, Minnesota, under the direction of Gilmour B. MacDonald, on the Chippewa National Forest.

1918   

  • Professional Master of Forestry degree established for completion of a fifth year of study.

1920   

  • Forestry Extension is established with T. Bode as Extension Forester.

1930    

  • Margaret Stoughton Abell becomes the first female to earn a bachelor’s degree in forestry from ISC and one of the first female foresters to be employed by the USFS.

1935   

  • First year of Society of American Foresters Accreditation.

1939   

  • First Advance Forestry Field Camp Experience under the direction of Gilmour B. MacDonald held on the Malheur National Forest.

1946   

  • Forestry separated from Horticulture as the Department of Forestry with Gilmour B. MacDonald as Department Head.

1951   

  • First Ph.D. degree awarded to Paul Fredrick Hoffman.
  • Last Advanced Forestry Field Camp Experience under the direction of Andrew L. McComb held on the Brayton Memorial Forest in Northeast Iowa.

1954   

  • Forestry 50th Anniversary.

1959   

  • First use of Thulium X-Ray of trees for the decay.

1962   

  • McIntire-Stennis funding became available.

1965

  • Ph.D. degree with a single major in Forestry offered solely within the Department of Forestry and Master of Forestry degree authorized.

1967   

  • Outdoor Recreation Curriculum established and led by DeWitt Nelson in the Department of Forestry.
  • Forestry Department moves from Curtiss Hall to the newly opened Bessey Hall.

1977   

  • Forestry Department hosted the 1st Annual Women in Forestry Conference.

1982   

  • Forestry Extension initiated the “Woodland Owners Newsletter.”

 

1983

  • Iowa State University hosts 31st Annual Midwestern Foresters Conclave. 200 students from seven states competed.
     

1987   

  • Renewable Resources Extension Act funds became available.

1988   

  • Master of Woodland Manager Program initiated in Forestry Extension.

1989   

  • First genetically modified field test of a woody plant in the world.

1993   

  • Forestry Camp shifted from summer to Fall Camp.
  • Forestry department hosted the 3rd Annual North American Agro-Forestry Conference.

1994   

  • Community Tree Steward Program initiated in Forestry Extension.

1999   

  • Urban and Community Forestry option added to forestry curriculum.
  • Agroecology Issue Team—Bear Creek Riparian Study Sites designated as a USDA National Research and Demonstration site in 1998 and as a National Restoration Watershed under the Clean Water Action Plan.

2001   

  • Natural Resource Conservation option added to forestry curriculum.
  • Wood Products Group—Soybean-based adhesive resins and composite products utilizing such adhesives US Patents.

2002   

  • Department of Forestry and Department of Animal Ecology merged with Mike Kelly as Department Executive Officer.

2005

  • Dave Engel ‘steps up’ as NREM Department Chair

2010

  • First issue of Field Notes, publication of NREM Graduate students.

2011

  • Sue Blodgett becomes NREM Department Chair
  • Merger of the Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters Club combined with Forestry Club

2012

  • Society of American Foresters (SAF) Accreditation Review

2014

2016

  • Mural completed in Room 114 Science II and Adey mural in first floor hallway

2017

  • ISU Student Chapter of the SAF and Forestry Club hosted the 65th Annual Midwestern Foresters Conclave at Saylorville Lake.
  • Forestry Camp History website is live!