oo
ce
S ch
ur
orest R
F
es
of
o
l
ro
nment
ie
1936–2011
c
E
vi
nc
e •
s
d
• an
n
Y E A R S
al
S
I
n 1936, we began with two teachers and
a handful of students. Seventy-five years and
thousands of graduates later, the School has become
an international research powerhouse that always puts
students first. We hope you enjoy this commemorative
issue and join us in looking forward to our next
seventy-five years at Michigan Tech.
www.forest.mtu.edu
School of Forest
and Environmental
Michigan Technological University • School
of Forest •
Resources
and Resources
Environmental
ScienceScience 1
The Early Years
The War Years
Back in 1936, Grover C. Dillman, president of the Michigan College
of Mining and Technology, was responsible for initiating the Forestry
Department in the old Hubbell Hall. The program began humbly, offering a two-year degree with two instructors, U. J. “Bert” Noblet and R. B.
“Bob” Miller, and an initial enrollment of fifteen students.
For the Forestry Department and the entire University, World War II
had a dramatic effect on enrollment. Between 1944 and 1946, only four
students earned forestry degrees, and only 125 degrees were awarded
University-wide. Enrollment rebounded following the war, as many
returning servicemen enrolled under the GI Bill.
Helmuth “Hammer” Steinhilb, who later became a faculty member,
was a student in the very first class of foresters, graduating in 1940 with
a BS degree.
Charles Rollman is our oldest living alumnus; he graduated in 1941.
This year marks the seventieth anniversary of his graduation. He has
many fond memories of his years at Tech, such as meeting his future
wife and, after one very bad storm, snowshoeing to class on a snowdrift
that covered entire cars. He considers himself “lucky” to have finished
his degree before being drafted in January 1942; unlike many others, his
education was not put on hold due to World War II.
Left to right, circa 1955 faculty members Vern Johnson, Gene Hesterberg,
Bob Brown, Bert Noblet, Eric Bourdo, and Helmuth “Hammer” Steinhilb.
President Grover Dillman is seated.
U. J. Noblet’s wife and niece arranged a sleigh-riding party for area
school teachers, who were living in a dormitory in Painesdale. They needed a
few fellows to go, so I joined in. I am glad I did; this is where I met my wife,
Jean. We were married in December 1942 while I was on leave. I didn’t meet
my oldest son, Charles Jr., until after the war, when he was twenty-three
months old.
—Charles Rollman (Forestry 1941)
In the fall of 1941, I was dancing to the hit song ‘“Chattanooga, Choo, Choo,”
listening to H. V. Kaltenbom [an American radio commentator] reporting on
the battle raging in the skies over England, and anxiously looking forward to
leaving home to begin a new life in Houghton. Many of my older friends—I
was only 17—were being drafted into the military and singing the song “I’ll
Be Back in a Year, Little Darling.” I had the happiness and satisfaction of
living the American dream. I cannot help but wonder what it would have
been like without my bride, the GI Bill, and Michigan Tech.
—Ed Faber (Forestry 1948)
I hit the campus in the fall of 1947. It seemed like a madhouse to those of
us coming right out of high school—mostly due to the huge number of older
“freshmen”: newly discharged GIs getting a college education by the GI Bill. It
turned the college system upside down. True freshmen were radically different
from the 20- to 25-year-olds who might have been in a machine gun battle
as I was celebrating my high school graduation. On the one hand, there were
fuzzy-cheeked, fresh-from-high-school graduates, and on the other, recent
war-experienced veterans. Some were hard drinkers, some heavy smokers,
some newly married. The influx of vets strained every bit of campus life. I
think the faculty and administrators struggled to handle the changing mores.
—Les Reid (Forestry 1951)
Whether a student served or not, the social and political climate of the
School and University was influenced by the wars in Korea and Vietnam.
The University’s Veterans Club was established as a support and social
group for all veterans.
I enlisted right out of high school at the age of 17. I joined the Navy and became
a medical corpsman in the Korean War. The GI Bill got me accepted to Tech and
paid my tuition. My military training taught me the discipline I needed to get
through Tech. Without either, I probably won’t have gotten a degree.
—Ron Scott (Forestry 1961)
Charles Rollman is celebrating
the seventieth anniversary of
his graduation from Michigan
Tech. He still actively manages
his tree farm in Oconto County,
Wisconsin.
In 1938 the Forestry Club’s snow statue took first
place, starting a long-standing tradition of working
hard to place high in Winter Carnival events.
Forestry students, instructors, and kitchen staff at Camp Pori in 1949
Married student housing, circa 1950. One name was “Vetville.”
Camp Pori housed
German POWs during
World War II. Forestry
students attended
Summer Camp here
from 1946 until 1954.
It was the hippie era, radical movements, Kent State, a crazy, crazy time. There
was a faction that protested the war. I remember it as a small group at Tech. I
supported the war. I was ready to enter the Reserve Officer Candidate program
after graduation to become a Navy pilot. My dad talked me out of it; three good
friends didn’t make it home alive from Vietnam. It was a tough time.
—John DePuydt (Forestry 1971)
The first class of forestry students is pictured in this
1936 photograph.
1936
1937
1939
1940
1941
1942
1945
1946
1947
1949
Forestry Club is
established.
First venison feed
Ripley hill gets its
first ski tow.
Isle Royale
National Park
founded.
December 7—US
enters WWII.
Forestry
Department moves
from Hubbell Hall
to Hubbell School.
August 15—Japan
surrenders, WWII
ends
Camp Pori
acquired. Practical
Woods Industry
School established
there.
Institute of Wood
Research starts.
U. J. “Bert”
Noblet is named
department head.
First Lumberjack
Ball
2 School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science • 75th Anniversary 1936–2011
Vern Johnson
hired. Total
faculty: 3.
Tech’s Sault
Campus
establishes
two-year forestry
program.
www.forest.mtu.edu
School Resources
of Forest Resources
and Environmental
Science 3
3
www.forest.mtu.edu
• School of•Forest
and Environmental
Science Left to right, Donald Bur, Lorin W. Leitner, Thomas
Corcoran, John Kressbach, and Keith Montambo in
1955, perhaps at the first Spring Field Day
John Kressbach and
Keith Montambo, friends
then and today
The Otter River Cabin sauna
was well used over the years.
Shared
Traditions
New Faces on
Campus
Our students have a history of being a close-knit, proud group. Strong
bonds developed which set us apart from peers in other programs.
During the 1950s, enrollment continued to rise and with it the need for
more faculty. In 1950, there were six full-time faculty and 157 students.
In the 1960s, Michigan Tech’s female enrollment began to increase, but
women on campus were still a rarity. The Forestry Department saw its
first female students in the 1950s, and by the late 1960s, there were
several women forestry students.
Shared experiences at camp or in the School clubs, the camaraderie of
intramural sports, and competition in Winter Carnival events were just
a few ways that our students widened their friendships. Generations of
students have also found friendship in shared adventures.
Claudette (Simons) Spiroff was our first female graduate in 1958. She
chose forestry because, she said, “Everything fit; it was perfect.” She
completed her degree but had to do an independent study project in
lieu of Summer Camp because there were no facilities to house female
students. Elaine Mosher was our second graduate in 1961 and the first
female student to attend Summer Camp.
Summer camp was at the old CCC Camp Pori. Weekends were usually spent
trout fishing, with brothers Bill and Ed Aho (Forestry 1949 and 1950)
competing to show if worms or flies were superior bait. It wasn’t much of a
competition as they both got their limits every time.
—William Balmer (Forestry 1949)
In 1959, the Forestry Club built a snow statue depicting a Sioux Indian
village, with several tepees and dancers. One of our members, Loren Woerpel
(Forestry 1961), was knowledgeable about Sioux life and he designed an
excellent replica. We were very proud of the fine work we produced. We won
second place in the Class A division.
—Walt Cook (Forestry 1959)
We were a small group, working together. Moving to Class A from the B division and doing well in Winter Carnival events gave us pride at being able
to compete with the fraternities and big engineering groups. The 1960 snow
statue, “The Sante Fe Trail,” took first place.
—Loren Woerpel (Forestry 1961)
You could tell the “Twigs” because nearly all of us wore red and black plaid
wool coats, and we sat in a loose block in class—sort of a backwoods fraternity.
—Lou Best (Forestry 1970)
Although the course work was challenging, the atmosphere was laid back
and social. I have fond memories of sledding off the roof at the Otter River
Cabin, golfing with Bart [Dean Lindo Bartelli], skiing at the Porkies, cliff
jumping at Canyon Falls, the B&B on Friday nights, IM sports, and more. I
made some wonderful friends and met my husband at Tech. What more could
I ask for?
—Kathy Tehan Becker (Forestry 1983, MS 1985)
Participating in Conclave
It wasn’t until 1981, when Margaret Herman was hired, that the School
gained its first female faculty member. In 2002, Margaret Gale (Forestry
1977, MS 81) was named associate dean. Two years later, she was named
dean, the University’s first female academic dean.
Today enrollment stands at 275 students; almost 40 percent are women.
The largest percentages of undergraduate women are enrolled in wildlife
ecology and management (57 percent) and applied ecology and environmental science (54 percent); 19 percent of forestry majors are women.
Percentages for students pursuing master’s and PhD degrees are similar,
with combined enrollments of 46 percent female and 54 percent male.
Gene Hesterberg was a mentor to me. He never made me feel awkward for
being female in the male-dominated courses, and he was the one who encouraged me to continue on to graduate school.
—Laura DeWald, PhD (Forestry 1980)
Gene Hesterberg’s support was extremely important to me. In an era when
female forestry students were still unusual, and some faculty were dismissive of us, Gene encouraged me to apply for a forester position with Potlatch
Corporation, which launched my forestry career.
—Karen Potter-Witter (Forestry 1975)
One weekend each month, the women in the Forestry Club had the Otter
River Cabin for their use. It was fun to snowshoe to the cabin and then enjoy
the sauna and Otter River.
—Nancy Wizner (Forestry 1977)
Students studying sample
plots in 2006.
The Dinks, the School’s 1984 women’s
intramural volleyball team
1950
1954
1955
1956
1957
1961
1963
1964
1967
First Forester
Yearbook
published.
The Ford Center, at
Alberta, donated to
Michigan Tech.
First Summer
Camp at Ford
Center in Alberta
Michigan College
of Mining and
Technology
becomes Michigan
Technological
University.
Wilderness
Act signed by
President Lyndon
Johnson.
Graduate program
in forestry begins.
Otter River Cabin
is donated by
DNR to Forestry
Department.
Forestry
Department
first accredited
by Society
of American
Foresters.
U. J. “Bert” Noblet
retires.
100% membership
in the Forestry
Club
First plant ecology
trip to Isle Royale
National Park with
Doc Brown
4 of of
Forest
Resources
and Environmental
Science • 75th
Anniversary
1936–2011
4 School
School
Forest
Resources
and Environmental
Science
• Summer
2010
Dean Peg Gale as a new
professor, 1987
By fall 1976, female freshman enrollment in the School reached 25
percent. Female students in the 1970s enjoyed many career opportunities. Males had fewer job offers at graduation; female foresters were in
demand. Being a woman forester at that time was fun and challenging.
DHH had one of the first coed dorms. For safety reasons, the hall door could
not be locked. Instead there was an alarm and red lights if male students
walked into the female side after curfew. There were lots of alarms and lights,
but most ran through too quickly to be caught or identified.
—Ann Goodman Thrasher (Forestry 1976)
Cookies with the dean is one of our
newest traditions.
Claudette (Simons) Spiroff
graduated in 1958.
1962
Gene Hesterberg is
named department
head.
New forestry
building opens.
1968
Eric Bourdo Jr.
is named the
School’s first dean.
Summer Camp
moves to the Tech
campus.
Forestry
Department, IWR,
and Ford Forestry
Center report to
the new School of
Forestry and Wood
Products.
www.forest.mtu.edu
School Resources
of Forest Resources
and Environmental
Science 5
5
www.forest.mtu.edu
• School of•Forest
and Environmental
Science Earth Day continues to be
a tradition on the Michigan
Tech campus.
Nancy Wizner in 2009, as chief ranger at Redwoods
National and State Parks
In April 1970, the
University Senate
approved a student
body request that
faculty support
the activities of
the Environmental
Teach-in. Nationally,
this marks the first
Earth Day.
Environmental
Awareness
Expanding
Technologies
The Environmental Protection Agency, formed in 1970, was charged
with protecting human health and the environment by conducting environmental assessment, research, and education. Related legislation had a
strong impact on how students viewed the environment. Right after this
and during the 1970s, the School’s enrollment was at its highest. Total
enrollment grew to 722 (710 undergraduates and 12 graduate students)
in 1976, and forestry was the largest undergraduate program on campus.
The largest graduating classes to date were 1977 and 1978, with 125
students in each. The largest graduate student class was 25 students in
2006.
From slide rules to high-speed computing, from surveying transits
to global positioning systems, technology has always impacted how
students are educated at the School. Investing in new technology
throughout the decades has kept our students ahead of the curve. In
1965 a new lab equipped with “modern electronic calculators” provided
new opportunities for instruction and lab work.
New federal laws such as the Environmental Policy Act, Endangered
Species Act, the National Forest Management Act, and the Clean Water
Act not only helped bring more visibility to our programs but also helped
direct us to provide two new degree programs: in applied ecology and
environmental sciences, and in wildlife ecology and management. These
acts and other environmental legislation and agencies also influenced the
way our many stakeholders, nationally and internationally, managed their
natural resources and provided more funding opportunities that spurred
on our research work.
The terms “environmental” and “ecology” were not commonly used or heard
during my years at Tech. I remember a junior-year class called “plant ecology,”
and I had no idea what it was about until taking it.
—Larry Watson (Forestry 1951)
I took a job with the US Forest Service in Oregon, and the requirement for
Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessment Reports
(EAR) was hot. Every timber sale or road needed at least an EAR; I think
it forced people to consider more than just timber yield. That was at a time
when logging was becoming “evil” in the eyes of some environmental groups. I
was on a USFS district with an annual harvest of 110 MMBf; it now cuts a
fraction of that.
—Lou Best (Forestry 1970)
One of my classes introduced me to the National Parks and Conservation
Association. I have been a member since college and continue to support their
conservation efforts.
—Nancy Wizner (Forestry 1977)
Federal laws increased environmental awareness, which in turn increased
research funding in our School. This had a positive effect on our graduate
program and provided work opportunities for undergraduate students.
—Professor Marty Jurgensen
The Forestry Department entered the computer age in 1974 when it
acquired remote terminal access to Tech’s new Univac 1110 computer. It
would be another decade before the department invested in upgrading
the Calculator Lab to a Computation Lab, giving students access to
personal computers. In 1984, forty thousand dollars was spent to buy ten
IBM PCs and three printers.
The 1980s were just the beginning of our technological advances. In
1996 we made our first appearance on the web. And today students use
wildlife cameras to study habitat management, geographic information
system technology to create maps, and instant messaging to communicate with their professors. Their work and life is synchronized with the
use of technology. What will the future hold?
Doug Stone in the old
calculator computation
lab, 1965
Dick Kayser takes a transit
reading in 1972.
WordPerfect, a daisy-wheel printer, and the HP plotter were the newest
gizmos in the early ’80s. We couldn’t believe students used to pay typists to
prepare their theses.
—Carrie Richards (MS 1984)
Every day I use technology. I keep in touch with classmates and stay organized.
Scheduling meetings with online calendars syncs with to-do lists to my phone.
Facebook and email help share information, coordinate group work, and keep
everyone current. In the classroom, we use Trimbles with GPS data from
the field. Remote sensing class includes the use of thermal infrared cameras.
Learning to utilize technology effectively is an extremely important part of
what I’m learning here.
—Auriel Van Der Laar, wildlife ecology and management senior
Once on a field trip we had a demonstration on sharpening of the two-man
crosscut saw. In my day, the chain saw was the hot new technology, even
though they were heavy and temperamental.
—Larry Watson (Forestry 1951)
I have spent most of my career as information technology manager in Auburn
University’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. The seeds of my career
in IT were planted in the early 1980s by Mr. Jim Meteer. His foresight was
instrumental in establishing the first microcomputer lab on Michigan Tech’s
campus. I was very fortunate to work as a lab assistant under his tutelage.
—Tim Bottenfield (Forestry 1983, MS 1986)
Ruth Bennett sets up a
motion-activated wildlife
camera in the field, 2009.
Students learn
to use GPS
technology in the
woods.
1970
1970
1974
1975
1978–79
1979
1981
1982
1984
1985
1986
Enrollment climbs.
The largest
freshman class in
School history has
151 new students;
total enrollment is
over 400 students.
Michigan Tech
hosts its first
conclave.
New Horizons in
Forestry WGGL
radio program
Female enrollment
reaches 25
percent.
Highest Keweenaw
snowfall recorded,
356 inches.
IWR signs largest
research contract
to date in Tech
history, $2 million
over five years
to study wood
preservation
systems.
Summer Camp
returns to Ford
Center.
Lindo Bartelli is
named department
head.
Microcomputers
replace calculator
lab.
Summer Camp
becomes Fall
Camp.
PhD program
starts.
6 School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science • 75th Anniversary 1936–2011
Charles
“Chuck” Hein is
named interim
department head.
Warren “Ed”
Frayer is named
dean.
www.forest.mtu.edu • School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science 7
Wildlife students bear the elements during
an outdoor lab—in May!
Changing
Curricula
Going Global
Initially, the Forestry Department offered only one four-year degree: the
BS in Forestry. That changed in the mid-1970s with the addition of the
wood and fiber utilization and land surveying majors. By 1973, forestry
was the largest undergraduate program on campus.
International learning experiences have become increasingly valuable
as our world shrinks. Many students experience international learning through study abroad programs and newer options such as the
ATLANTIS program, a transatlantic master’s degree in forest resources.
Our curriculum continued to flex with changing majors, certificate
programs, and thematic studies. There were seventeen options to choose
from in the fall of 1976.
Since the founding of the Peace Corps fifty years ago, international
service has played a part in many students’ post-college education. Today
many Peace Corps volunteers combine service with a master’s degree
in our first-of-its-kind Peace Corps Master’s International (PCMI)
program in Forestry.
By 1986 the School claimed alumni in all fifty states, indicating the
growing interest in our programs.
Students in
the 1990s
endured
the “trailer
classroom.”
Our curriculum expanded again when an undergraduate degree in
applied ecology and environmental sciences was added in 1997, followed
in 2004 with one in wildlife ecology and management. Currently there
are six master’s and two PhD programs, and students have the opportunity to participate in The FERM Enterprise project. A complete list of
our degree offerings can be found on the web at www.forest.mtu.edu.
Today’s enrollment by major is made up of 90 forestry, 46 applied ecology and environmental science, and 54 wildlife ecology and management
students, equaling 190 undergraduates. There are 56 master’s students,
25 PhD candidates, and 4 postgraduates, for a total enrollment of 275
students.
Our heritage in forestry has given us an opportunity to train foresters and
environmental scientists who can talk to each other and understand each other.
—Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz (Forestry 1974, MS 1977)
Some things never change. Josh Mann
measures dbh at Fall Camp, 2009.
The quality of my undergraduate education and the great role models among
the faculty and graduate students in the early 1980s prepared me well for
pursuit of a PhD, and I currently am an associate professor of forest biology
and urban forestry at Iowa State University. I hope that I am able to similarly
inspire the students I work with to be lifelong learners, and maybe even college
professors in forestry someday.
—Janette Ridley Thompson (Forestry 1981)
The FERM has made it possible for me to work on projects that reflect real life
jobs with real consequences caused by my actions. I have done many projects
that widened my overall knowledge regarding environmental resources and
goal-based assignments. You get a lot of hands-on experience.
—Matt Payment, forestry senior
International research conducted by faculty and students in the School
enhances our understanding of ecological science, putting research topics
into a global context. Studies range from sustainable wetland management in Patagonia, to woody bioenergy in China, to forest molecular
genetics and biotechnology in Sweden, to pine management in Germany,
to forest pests in Ghana.
Dan Malueg was
a Peace Corps
volunteer in Nepal in
the 1980s.
The ATLANTIS international experience has been life changing. I have
grown immensely as a person, student, teacher, traveler, ambassador, and
scientist. My patience and problem-solving skills have been constantly challenged; I have taken these opportunities to really reflect and learn.
—Kassidy Yatzo, applied ecology graduate student studying in Finland
During my environmental education service project in the Peace Corps, my
networking and communication skills improved greatly because of the experience I had with the administrative leaders in my community.
—Pat Butler (Forestry MS 2008)
I went with the Pavlis Institute to Kumasi, Ghana, in western Africa. Going
abroad allowed me to broaden my view. I got to see how other people lived and
thought, and it helped me learn that I could adapt to different situations.
—Marcella Campione (Forestry 2009)
Flags in Hesterberg Hall represent all the home countries of
our international students and all the countries in which our
students have served with Peace Corps.
Studying abroad was one of the most enriching experiences I had at Tech. I
learned a new language, made new friends, lived a different lifestyle, and
learned to look at the world in a new way. It was an opportunity to grow in
ways that are not possible without moving outside of your cultural comfort zone.
For example, while living in Norway, I was with my two Norwegian roommates on a back-country skiing trip in the mountains. We set out on a pleasant
afternoon ski. Ten hours later it was pitch black, freezing cold, and we were
navigating up and down ridges and ravines, in and out of forests. Exhausted
and relieved, we finally found our way back to our vehicle—and a parking
lot full of rescue personnel. Not everyone can claim they made the news after a
two-week stay in a foreign country.
—Marcy Erickson (Applied Ecology 2007)
Gabrielle Trudeau
at the edge of the
Arctic Ocean, 2009
Today’s dendrology lecture
1991
1994
1998
First PhD in Forest
Science awarded.
Capstone projects
are added to the
curriculum.
Sawmill at Alberta
renovated with
$100,000 donation
from Ford Motor
Company.
Building is named
in honor of U. J.
Noblet .
8 of of
Forest
Resources
and Environmental
Science • 75th
Anniversary
1936–2011
8 School
School
Forest
Resources
and Environmental
Science
• Summer
2010
1999
2000
2001
2002
Groundbreaking
for the building
expansion
First returning
PCMI students
Glenn Mroz is
named dean.
New name:
School of Forest
Resources and
Environmental
Science
State Capital
Christmas tree
donated.
Michigan Tech
moves from
quarters to
semesters.
Building expansion
completed.
Blair Orr
receives Tech’s
Distinguished
Service Award.
2004
2008
Margaret “Peg”
Gale becomes
dean.
Transatlantic
ATLANTIS MS
founded.
Glenn Mroz
becomes president
of Michigan Tech.
www.forest.mtu.edu
School Resources
of Forest Resources
and Environmental
Science 9
9
www.forest.mtu.edu
• School of•Forest
and Environmental
Science F A C U LT Y S A L U T E
Former Forestry Head Gene Hesterberg Dies
“Gentleman” Gene Hesterberg, 92, who booted more than one errant forestry student back onto the road to
graduation and found jobs for countless others, died September 26, 2010, in Hancock.
Gene came to the Forestry Department in 1948 and rose through the ranks of the faculty. He was named
department head in 1962, retiring in 1981.
Hesterberg went hunting and fishing with students, as well as teaching and advising them. “He had a
familiarity with students that was almost unheard of,” Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz said.
Hesterberg played a key role in building the foundation of the School’s research program. He knew that
graduate studies would play a big role and hired people like Marty Jurgensen and Norm Sloan to position
the School for the future.
He also established the Hesterberg Scholarship in 1979 and provided a generous donation to the School
to support the expansion of the U. J. Noblet Forestry Building. Hesterberg Hall is named in his honor.
He was known as a brilliant man, a leader, and a friend. He met with students on their level, and when he talked with them, they knew he had
their best interests at heart and was committed to their success. He encouraged students to call profs by their first names, creating a family
atmosphere. Gene was a rare leader who combined a true love for people and for the woods—and then passed that love on to his students.
Karin Van Dyke summed it up. “He was an awesome guy,” she said. “The world has lost a great forester and a great friend.”
Read more about Gene at www.blogs.mtu.edu/forest. Search for “Hesterberg.”
Remembering Gene
He hired me in 1975, and I’ve been here ever since. Gene was like a father to all of us. He treated us all like family, and he was so great with
students, a one-man career center. He found jobs for everybody.
—Mary Jurgensen, scheduling counselor
He really was inspirational to a lot of students. When I talk with alumni, they tell me about Gene and the influence he had on them, not only
while they were at Tech, but also in their careers.
—Dean Peg Gale (Forestry 1977, MS 1981)
Gene Hesterberg was an excellent instructor and mentor. He was unflappable and measured. Gene was always quick to compliment and offer
support. He was ready to provide constructive criticism and able to do it diplomatically. He was almost like a second father. Who couldn’t
admire him? And who wouldn’t want to emulate him?
—Norm Remington (Forestry 1961)
Gene Hesterberg was one of my favorite professors. He was instrumental in me graduating from Michigan Tech. Gene was my faculty
advisor and helped me over a lot of hurdles, especially early on when I was not the best of students. He also helped when I returned to school
after being called up to active duty in the Marines and being out of school for a couple of years.
—Bernie Hubbard (Forestry 1967)
Staying Connected
Staying connected is an important part of the Michigan Tech tradition for many alumni.
The School established its first social networking group on Yahoo Groups in 2001. The
internet, through such social media sites as Facebook, Flick’r, Michigan Tech’s Huskylink
(sign up at www.mtu.edu/alumni), and our own blog, has provided a vehicle for the School
to stay in touch with a very large alumni base.
There are almost 3,000 alumni of the School. How do you stay connected? Write your
update at www.mtu.edu/forest/alumni/share and read others at www.blogs.mtu.edu/forest.
l
Fo r e s t R e
so
ro
n m e n ta l
ie
1936–2011
c
E
Y E A R S
vi
nc
e •
s
d
n
10 of Forest
Resources
and Environmental
Science • 75th
Anniversary
1936–2011
10 School
School
of Forest
Resources
and Environmental
Science
• Summer
2010
of
ce
SFRES celebrates
its seventy-fifth
anniversary.
ur
Former
department head
Gene Hesterberg
passes away.
• an
The third version
of the School’s
web page is
launched.
2011
oo
2010
S ch
www.forest.mtu.edu
See old photos and yearbooks, read past issues of our newsletter, and catch up on alumni
happenings by visiting www.mtu.edu/forest/alumni/highlights. Like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/sfres.
S
Finding Answers:
Research
Left to right, Charlie
Becker, Tim Bottenfield,
and Les Fuller, all MS
candidates in the mid1980s, were supported
by the ELF research
project.
In our very early years, our sole priority was teaching. Then in 1947 the Institute of Wood
Research (IWR)—formerly known as the Forest Products Research Division—was formed
by the Michigan legislature. IWR’s mandate was to develop the state’s wood products
industries through innovative product development and marketing. Early projects included
using aspen to manufacture rayon and making bowling pins from sugar maple. In the 1970s
and ’80s, IWR developed a strong reputation in the fields of wood preservation and nonplanar wood flake composites. Later, wood biotechnology became an emphasis. IWR was
incorporated into the School in 1987. The wood protection and biotechnology work, started
decades ago, continues to this day as the School’s Wood Protection Group and Biotech
Research Center.
The School currently has 291
active research projects.
Research projects, such
as the long-running
Aspen FACE project,
provide undergraduate
research experience
and employment
opportunities.
Our first master of science degree was offered in 1967. We awarded our first master’s degrees
in 1969. We currently have six master’s degree programs (including a professional Master of
Forestry degree) and two PhD degree programs.
In the mid-1980s, most of our research support came from the State of Michigan, industries, and the Forest Service. The state wanted us to develop growth and yield models and
help set up their compartment exam system, while industry and the Forest Service were
interested in forest economics, silviculture, soils, and ecology.
However, in the middle 1980s, the research climate changed dramatically when the School
became involved in the long-term environmental impact study of the extremely low frequency (ELF) radio waves emitted by US Navy Submarine Communication Antenna in the
Upper Peninsula. This also coincided with the beginning of our PhD program; the School
received approval to offer a doctorate in forest science in 1986. This was followed quickly by
major long-term studies on acid rain and, at the Aspen FACE (Free Air Carbon-dioxide
Experiment), on the effects of increasing atmospheric CO2 on forest ecosystems; both
research efforts continue today under the School’s Ecosystem Science Center.
Our available research funds now total more than $31 million and support more than eighty
graduate students.
The School has the largest amount of research funding per faculty member, larger than the Colleges
of Engineering or Science and Arts. This funding supports graduate students, undergraduate
employment through research experiences, and equipment for instructional programs; it also
increases the School’s visibility and recognition nationally and internationally. We have grown
from six MS students in 1982, when I started, to more than seventy-five MS and PhD students
today. We should all be proud of our accomplishments and enthralled with the opportunities going
into the future.
—Vice President for Research Dave Reed
Chris Johnson, an
MS candidate in applied
ecology, samples methane
from a coastal peatland
near Pequaming, Michigan.
Wolf research at Isle Royale
I can summarize my experience in two words: interdisciplinary and collaborative. Michigan Tech
may seem geographically isolated, but there is a strong spirit of collaboration within and outside the
University. My research brings together issues of biofuels, forest management, and international
bird conservation by working with collaborators across the Western Hemisphere—a perspectivebuilding experience.
—Amber Roth, PhD candidate, Forest Science
The knowledge and research experiences I have gained at the School have inspired me to pursue
the mystery of plant life and build a more versatile tree. Molecular genetic modification and
the sequencing of poplar, the first tree species to have its whole genome sequenced, enables us to
understand the fundamental mechanisms of tree growth.
—Yiru Chen, PhD candidate, Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
Michigan Tech Research
Award Winners from the School
1999
Kurt Pregitzer
1993
David F. Karnosky
1990
Rolf Peterson
1978
Martin Jurgensen
1956
Walter Koepp
www.forest.mtu.edu • School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science 11
The Village of
Alberta was
Henry Ford’s
model community.
This bust of Ford
is on display at
Alberta. Behind it
is a picture of the
sawmill, signed by
Ford’s grandson,
William Clay Ford,
when he visited
Alberta in 1999.
Building a
Community
Breaking Ground
The Ford Center, located in Alberta, Michigan, has been a vital part of our School’s history
since it was donated to Michigan Tech in 1954 by the Ford Motor Company.
The Forestry Department found its first home in the old Hubbell Hall in 1936. A campus
landmark, it was located where the ME-EM building now stands. Built in 1888, it fell to
the wrecking ball in 1968.
The story of Alberta actually begins in 1935, when Henry Ford commenced construction.
The village was home to one of Ford’s sawmills, which produced lumber for some autos.
The “Woodie Wagon” was the last Model A that required lumber. When it went out of
production in 1951, the Ford Motor Company closed all its sawmills—at Kingsford, L’Anse,
Pequaming, Alberta, and Big Bay.
The School’s activities at the center began promptly in 1955, when the village, sawmill,
and forest land were acquired. Courses including forest techniques, field instruction, forest
product research, and sawmilling were taught. Fall and Summer Camps for both the fouryear and two-year programs were begun in 1955.
Plans were drawn for the new Department of Forestry and the Institute of Wood Research
building with a cost in 1965 of $1.3 million. The groundbreaking ceremony in 1966 was
followed by a Lumberjacks Luncheon at the Union. One speaker noted that forest industries
had now surpassed tourism in Michigan’s economy.
Research into sustainable forestry practices continues to this day. Over the past years, the
activities at the Ford Center, once known as the Ford Forestry Center, have changed and
grown. Today the houses and dorm structures are used as part of a conference center, which
caters to groups of all kinds, and the sawmill has become a popular museum for visitors
traveling through the UP.
The new building was ready for use in the fall of 1967 and dedicated in 1968. It was
officially named the U. J. Noblet Forestry and Wood Products Building, to honor the department’s founder, in 1994.
The Ford Forestry Center is a cornerstone for research and education in the Great Lakes region. Its
proud legacy provides the needed foundation to address contemporary environmental issues.
—Carl Trettin (Forestry 1976, MS 1980)
The Ford Woodie Wagon.
Fall Camp, Alberta, the Ford Center. Those names elicit many thoughts: friends smiling and laughing, professors cracking jokes, improbable assignments. As a freshman I heard countless stories about
that place. It was almost as if it were a part of the rite of passage to becoming a forester. It is a place
of milestones for me. I attended Fall Camp and was a TA there. I lived there when I worked for the
DNR, and my two children were born while we lived there. It will always be a place that has a
special meaning in my life.
—Tom Seablom (Forestry 2000, MS 2002)
Studying and living at the Ford Center, whether it was
Summer or Fall Camp, was not only educational, but it
was also a bonding experience for participants.
By 1942 the forestry program had outgrown its space and moved to the Hubbell School,
where it occupied the entire second floor and part of the basement for over twenty-five
years. The Hubbell School was located on College Avenue, just west of campus, and was
torn down when US 41 was relocated.
Hubbell Hall was a landmark on campus in the early
1900s.
A $10 million expansion project to accommodate our growing educational and research
programs began with the 1999 groundbreaking. Work on the building progressed quickly,
and the new, improved building was ready and open for business in the fall of 2000. This
doubled our space with the addition of Hesterberg Hall and Horner Hall.
In 2002, the School was renamed the School of Forest Resources and Environmental
Science, to reflect the increasing role we play in educating not only foresters, but also applied
ecologists, biotechnologists, and now, wildlife ecologists.
Hubbell School was once part of the Houghton Public
Schools.
The Ford Center represents a period in my career that taught me and my family the value of living
in a small community. The friendships the kids had, helpful neighbors, fun adventures, and the
quietness and beauty of the forest itself were all unique. It was an ideal location for research due
to the variety of forest types and soils. We have fond memories of living there. It will always be a
special place to us.
—Stephen Shetron, professor emeritus
The addition of Horner Hall significantly
increased the number of teaching and research
laboratories.
A new home for our programs, completed in 1967 and
located just off main campus
Hesterberg Hall provides a gathering space
unlike any other on campus for students and
faculty. It also holds a multimedia auditorium.
The Ford Center has hosted several
Forestry Conclaves and other
student events over the years.
Professor Steve Shetron (center) taught, researched, and lived at the
Ford Center.
12 School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science • 75th Anniversary 1936–2011
www.forest.mtu.edu • School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science 13
Teaching for
the Future
In 1985, Professor John
Kotar was awarded
the University’s Big
Screw. Ros Miller
was the favorite
and won in 1987.
This tongue-in-cheek
award symbolized the
popularity of a faculty
member with his or
her students. A unique
aspect of the School
is the familiarity the
students enjoy with
their professors.
Our School has had many great teachers throughout its history. These teachers have been
recognized not only by the students within the School, but also by the University with its
Distinguished Teaching Award, which was established in 1952. Recipients from the School
include the following:
2010 Blair Orr
1978 Helmuth Steinhilb
2002 David Flaspohler
1975 Vern Johnson
2000 Marty Jurgensen
1955 U. J. Noblet
1980 Gene Hesterberg
Our excellence in teaching has always emphasized a direct, hands-on approach, not only in
the field but also in our labs.
Two of the highlights of our teaching efforts have been the open-door policy of our faculty
and the first-name basis we enjoy with our faculty, students, and staff. This culture continues
today and is one of the strongest reasons why students are attracted to our degree programs.
The camaraderie that is built among our students both in and out of class creates a strong
independent spirit with a love of learning that carries on into our alumni’s lives.
The major distinction of our undergraduate degree programs has been Fall or Summer
Camp (or, as we now call it, Integrated Field Practicum). The camp experience, whether
at Camp Pori, the Ford Center, or on campus, instilled professional confidence, formed
personal bonds, fostered education, and created life-long memories for each of our students.
Memories of My Professor
Submit your favorite professor
story at www.mtu.edu/forest/
alumni/share.
Hammer Steinhilb let Howard
Makela (Forestry 1948) and me use
a vacant barracks at Camp Pori over
Thanksgiving break for deer hunting.
The barracks were not insulated and
were heated by a pot-bellied stove in
the middle. We pulled our cots around
the stove at night and kept our food
at one end where it froze solid. Those
CCC boys had to be tough.
—William Balmer (Forestry 1949)
I think my favorite professor was
Chuck Hein. I really enjoyed the
surveying classes he taught. The
material was very practical and so
was he. He had a very kind and
gentle way about him that I really
appreciated.
—John Bedford (Forestry 1983)
Glenn Mroz was a favorite. He
gave great applied exams requiring
critical thinking. I have modeled this
in my own teaching career.
—Laura DeWald (Forestry 1980)
During field trips, we would stop at
Hammer’s home in Painesdale, and
his wife would have delicious hot
cookies for the students. Yum!
—Nancy Wizner (Forestry 1977)
T. Robin McIntyre was only there
for a short time in the late 1970s. He
came from the Deep South and had
quite a heavy southern accent. Some
of us still repeat one of his famous
quotes: “Life is a strange possum.”
—Barb Bennett (Forestry 1978)
I greatly appreciated all of the
instructors and researchers that
played a role in guiding me through
my undergraduate and graduate
studies at Tech. Especially influential were Drs. Reed, Mroz, and
Jurgensen. They had a very positive
influence on me through their
passion for research, teaching, and
international scientific endeavors,
respectively.
—Tim Bottenfield (Forestry 1983,
MS 1986)
There was an “old guard” team in
1978. Even then, I knew we were
blessed to have access to real-world
foresters. It was truly a team
approach—which was so fitting in
training foresters to manage multiple
resources. They led by example.
—Karin Van Dyke (Forestry 1978)
Marty Jurgensen and Jim Pickens
were really approachable outside of
the classroom. I wasn’t a big fan of
how Marty did his tests, but it helped
me to remember the material better.
—Steven Horndt (Forestry 2008)
Norm Sloan was one of my favorites.
He mentored me and occasionally
chewed me out if I strayed from
studying and applying myself to the
fullest extent. By working in his lab,
I developed a good sense of applying
forest management over all forest
values, which helped me immensely
throughout my career.
—Bernie Hubbard (Forestry 1967)
My favorite professor was Kathy
Halvorsen. She connected broad
policy issues with natural resource
science and took an individual interest in her students.
—Stuart Kramer (AE 2008)
Marty Jurgensen, a near-legend to
many, has been teaching in the School
since 1970.
It’s an exciting time
to be associated with
the School and the
University.
In addition to the University’s 125th anniversary in 2010 and our 75th in 2011, we are rapidly approaching the 10th
anniversary of Hesterberg and Horner Halls. You—our alumni and friends—made those buildings happen. They are
among the crown jewels on campus. If you haven’t visited to see the buildings, please do. These buildings were meant to
inspire our students, and they certainly don’t disappoint.
A 1986 field trip. Getting out in the field has
always been part of our programs.
Our hands-on approach to teaching sets our programs apart.
Hammer Steinhilb helped many
students along the way.
Assistant Professor Joe Bump assists students
during a wildlife population exercise in the
computer lab at Fall Camp.
14 School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science • 75th Anniversary 1936–2011
The era of escaping from college debt-free is rapidly coming to a close. Our most critical need is our scholarship
endowment. Luckily, the School is run by foresters and natural resources professionals with an eye to future generations.
As such, we began building our scholarship endowments fifteen years ago. We hope you’ll join us—please consider a gift
to mark our 75th anniversary. In recognition of our great leader and mentor, Gene Hesterberg, we invite you to give
toward a fund that will directly benefit our students.
• $75—Gene Hesterberg Scholarship Fund
• $750—Marty Jurgensen Teaching Excellence Fund
• $7,500—Hammer Steinhilb Equipment Fund
• $75, 000—Endowed Scholarship Fund
An envelope has been enclosed for your convenience. Please plan to join us for our 75th celebration in August—we’d enjoy
getting you reacquainted with your old stomping grounds.
—Chris Hohnholt, director of development and outreach
www.forest.mtu.edu
School Resources
of Forest Resources
and Environmental
Science 15
15
www.forest.mtu.edu
• School of•Forest
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Message from the Dean
2011.
It’s our seventy-fifth year as leaders in
forestry, wood products, and natural
resource management. I am so proud of the work we
have done and are doing. This commemorative issue of
our newsletter is just a glimpse of our history. Thanks to
all who contributed. Space did not allow us to include
everything, but we continue to gather comments and
stories to post on the seventy-fifth anniversary section
of our blog, at www.blogs.mtu.edu/forest.
On page 10 you will read of the passing of our dear
friend, leader, and mentor Gene Hesterberg. It seems
fitting that we are able to acknowledge his life and
contributions to the School in this special issue.
I look forward to hearing from many of you as you share
your stories about your years with us, and I hope you
join us during Alumni Reunion.
We are planning a celebration for graduates,
friends, and their families from all years. The dates are
August 4–6, 2011. Here are some special events we are
planning:
Outdoor movie night
Bonfire and pig roast
Hikes and tours of our facilities and forests
Honor Academy inductions
Class of 1961—celebrating fifty years
And more!
For more information, visit
www.mtu.edu/forest/alumni/reunion.
Set your GPS to Houghton and join us!
Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer. DSP33309 03/11
Printed on 10% recycled (post-consumer fiber) paper.
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Michigan Technological University
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931-1295