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College of Forestry Records, 1911-2011

Collection Overview

Title: College of Forestry Records, 1911-2011

ID: RG 139

Primary Creator: Oregon State University. College of Forestry

Extent: 17.5 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The College of Forestry records are organized into four subgroups. Subgroup 1, Forest History, contains three series: I. Prospect Tract File; II. Pacific Northwest Regional Committee on Post-War Programs; and III. Eliot State Forest. Subgroup 2, Office of the Dean, is organized into seven series: I. Correspondence and General Files; II. Historical File; III. Research Forests; IV. Instructional Reports; V. 75th Anniversary Materials; VI. Biographical Files; and VII. Publications. Subgroup 3 pertains to the interests and activities of George Barnes, Professor of Forest Management (1943-1967) and Assistant Director of the Forest Research Division of the Agricultural Experiment Station (1959-1967). Subgroup 4, Forest Research Laboratory, consists of four series: I. Forest Protection and Conservation Committee General Files; II. Forest Research Laboratory General Files; III. Forest Products Research Advisory Committee Records; and IV. Forest Research Laboratory Annual and Biennial Reports.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The College of Forestry Records were generated and assembled by the College of Forestry and document the development and administration of the College; the research activities of the faculty; acquisition and management of forest properties for research; and interaction with other forestry schools and associations.

The report, OSU Research Forests: Human Use Cultural Resource Inventory (1990, final report), from accession 2014:072 has been digitized and is available upon request.

Scope and Content Notes

Subgroup 1, Forest History, Series I pertains to the Prospect Tract, a gift of forest land to OSU from Mary McDonald, and includes contracts, correspondence, reports, maps, and newspaper clippings. Reports from the Oregon State Board of Forestry relating to land resource conservation and development planning after World War constitute series II. Series III documents the negotiation of a road use and right-of-way agreement through the Elliot State Forest and consists of maps, contracts, and reports. The reports contain data on the "merchantable" quality of the tract stands as well as cruise information for the harvesting of the trees.

Subgroup 2 consists of records generated and maintained by the Dean's Office. Series I primarily relates to the general administration of the College, covering topics such as accreditation, curriculum development and instruction, program planning, research, department reviews, building management, and foundation funding for research. There is also documentation of the College's interaction between various forestry associations and forestry-related government agencies at the state and federal level. This series includes correspondence, meeting minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, publications, and reports.

The historical files in Series II document various administrative and budgetary processes, including the acquisition and management of McDonald Forest lands, timber sales on college lands, administration of scholarships and fellowships, research project administration, and the collection and tracking of data on forestry alumni. Also reflected in this series is interaction between the college and various forestry associations, lumber companies, and forestry-oriented government agencies. Materials in this series include biennial reports, contract records, correspondence, maps, meeting minutes, and publications.

Series III documents the administration and history of the McDonald and Dunn Research Forests as well as the military base (Camp Adair) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp (Camp Arboretum) which once resided on the properties. Consisting of correspondence, cruise data, maps, and timber sale contracts, this series also contains a Master's thesis on the history of Camp Arboretum. The annual instructional reports in series IV contain information organized by fiscal year on coursework offered by the college as well as faculty teaching loads and budgetary expenditures.

Series V pertains primarily to the publication of a book on the 75th Anniversary of the college and contains correspondence, a commemorative medallion, newspaper clippings, and a copy of the publication 75 Years of Continuing Progress in Forestry Education. Records from the Annual Fernhopper Banquet of the year of the anniversary are also included. The biographical files in Series VI contain information on College of Forestry faculty and include article reprints, correspondence, curriculum vitae, newspaper clippings, personnel records, press releases, and publications. The publications consist of textbooks written by OSU faculty for forestry classes and commemorative booklets.

Subgroup 3 pertains to the interests and activities of George Barnes, Professor of Forest Management (1943-1967) and Assistant Director of the Forest Research Division of the Agricultural Experiment Station (1959-1967). Primarily consisting of records generated by the Forest Protection and Conservation Committee as well as other state level forestry committees, this subgroup contains correspondence, meeting minutes, research project agreements and outlines, and reports.

Subgroup 4 documents the administration and activities of the Forest Research Laboratory, the College's applied research facility, and its predecessor, the state Forest Protection and Conservation Committee. Series I contains records generated by the Forest Protection and Conservation Committee and includes correspondence, meeting minutes, publications, and reports. The General Files in Series II primarily document the administration of the Forest Research Laboratory and pertains to the McIntire-Stennis Program with the U.S.D.A. Cooperative State Research Service, research project administration, and interaction between various forestry associations and lumber companies. Among the materials in this series are correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports. Series III consists primarily of meeting minutes and agendas from the Forest Products Research Advisory Committee. Annual and biennial reports documenting College of Forestry faculty research projects as well as budgetary information and cooperative research programs constitute Series IV.

An addition to Subgroup 4 (Accession 2014:043) is made up of article reprints, bulletins, conference proceedings, course lectures, reports, studies, and theses collected by the Forest Research Laboratory for a reference library of wood related research at OSU and elsewhere. In addition to research published by the Oregon Forest Products Research Laboratory, the publications and reports in this transfer were generated by a variety of sources including: the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S Navy, Washington State University, U.S. Steel Corporation, and a number of academic journals (both U.S. and international).

Accession 2006:052 consists of materials generated and collected by the College of Forestry Outreach Education Office (OEO) that document various workshops, short courses, field tours, institute programs, colloquia, and symposia organized and sponsored by the College of Forestry. Primarily made up of agendas, abstracts, participant/speaker lists, and brochures given to those enrolled in the workshops/tours, this transfer also contains reports and proceedings generated as a part of these workshops and symposia. Among the subjects addressed in these materials include forest land management, harvesting practices, sustainability and ecosystem issues, fire containment, forest research methods, marketing strategies and planning, stream habitat improvement, management of Native American forest lands, and protection of wildlife in forest environments. Some of the events coordinated by the OEO are also co-sponsored by the Society of American Foresters which offers credits toward workshop enrollment as evidence of continued professional development.

Accession 2007:063 is made up of materials pertaining to the establishment of the Dorothy Hoener Memorial Fund. In addition to the will and other legal documents setting up the fund, this transfer includes correspondence, newsletters, newspaper clippings, notes, and photographic images. Biographical information on Hoener and George Cornwall can also be found in this accession. The photographs consist of 9 negatives depicting the awarding of the SWF award to unidentified recipients.

Accession 2010:005 consists of documentation of the planning, publicity, and evaluation of the Women in Forestry Symposium (WFS) that includes correspondence between the symposia organizers in the College of Forestry, fliers, meeting minutes, notes, photographs, and a sign-in sheet. Also reflected in these materials is the "Building Bridges through Communication" symposium, which was envisioned as a follow-up to the WFS meeting in its exploration of the themes of communication between the genders in the forestry field. Made up of 89 images in total (50 prints, 22 negatives, and 17 slides), the photographs depict symposia sessions and conversation between participants during lunch breaks.

Accession 2010:082 is made up of annual reports generated by the Nursery Technology Cooperative (NTC) and the Coordinated Research on Alternative Forestry Treatments and Systems (CRAFTS). Both of these cooperative programs were managed by the OSU College of Forestry and published studies on seedling research and vegetation management. Also included in this transfer is the Fall 2010 edition of the College of Forestry magazine "Focus."

An addition to the collection (Accession 2014:072) consists of publications, reports, symposia proceedings, a thesis, course outlines, and a book collected by the College of Forestry for use in the Forestry Self- Learning Center. In addition to the topic of the management and conservation of wildlife on forest lands, other subjects covered in these materials include: the history of forestry in Oregon, public perceptions of the forest industry, the OSU research forests, personal accounts of working in Oregon forests, and the management of private woodland properties.The course outlines and readings were prepared for the entomology class "Forest Insect Survey and Control Methods" (ENT 517). Also found in this transfer is a bound volume of the presentations from the College of Forestry's Starker Lectures series for the years 1985 to 1994. The report, OSU Research Forests: Human Use Cultural Resource Inventory (1990, final report), from this accession has been digitized and is available upon request.

Biographical / Historical Notes

The first forestry class was taught at OSU in 1896. Ten years later, the first four year degree program in Forestry was established. Forestry was elevated to school status in 1913, with George Peavy as its first dean, and became a college in 1984. Graduate work was authorized in 1921; the Ph.D. program began in 1959. The Deans of the College have included: George Peavy (1910-1940), Earl G. Mason (1936- 1942), Paul M. Dunn (1942-1955), Walter McCulloch (1955- 1966), Carl H. Stoltenberg (1967-1990), George W. Brown 1990-2000), and Hal Salwasser (2000-). Several departments have been formed within the College to address specific areas in forestry. These departments are: Forest Engineering, Forest Management, Forest Products, Forest Resources, Forest Science, and Resource Recreation Management.

Forest research in Oregon was bolstered by the 1947 passage of the Timber Harvest Tax. In 1953 the Legislature established the Forest Protection and Conservation Committee "to supervise and control forest lands and products research activities." It was composed of four members of the State Board of Forestry and one public member. Rudy Kallander was appointed administrator. In 1957, the committee and its research activities moved from the Industrial Building to new quarters, the Oregon Forest Research Center, located on the southwest edge of the OSC campus. On July 1, 1961, the Committee was absorbed by OSU; the Forest Research Center was renamed the Forest Research Laboratory. Kallander continued as administrator; he remained with the lab until his retirement in 1978. In 1999, Richardson Hall, a forestry research and teaching facility, was built. The building was named in honor of Kaye Richardson, who donated $23.7 million toward the construction.

Beginning in 1926, the College has acquired and managed a number of forest properties for the purpose of research and instruction. The largest and oldest of these tracts of land is the McDonald/Dunn Research Forest which was purchased with funds donated by Mary McDonald and currently consists of 11,000 acres. The forest resides to the west of Highway 99 just to the north of Corvallis. Other research forests administered by the College include the Blodgett Tract, the Elizabeth Starker Cameron Demonstration Forest, and the Marchel Tract.

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 45 microfilm reels

Related Materials:

In addition to records generated by the College of Forestry, the OSU Special Collections and Archives Research Center also has documentation from a department within the college, faculty/staff, alumni, forestry-related student organizations, forestry enthusiasts, and timber companies.

Photographic images taken by College of Forestry faculty and staff are available in the Center. Publications documenting faculty research, student activities, alumni outreach, and history of the College of Forestry can also be found in the holdings. Forest Products Department Records (RG 003) include materials pertaining to that academic department as well as records of the Oregon Forest Products Laboratory. Materials relating to the forestry extension programs are available in the Forestry Extension Records (RG 103).

Collections from College of Forestry deans include the George W. Peavy Papes (MSS Peavy), Paul M. Dunn Papers (MSS Dunn), and the W.F. McCulloch Collection (MSS McCulloch). Other collections of faculty and staff materials include the T.J. Starker Collection (MSS Starker), Tony Van Vliet Papers (MSS VanVliet), Royal G. Jackson Papers (MSS JacksonR), Leif D. Espenas Papes (MSS Espenas), Stanley E. Corder Papers (MSS Corder), Robert D. Graham Papers (MSS GrahamRD), Douglas W. Glennie Papers (MSS Glennie), James W. Johnson Papers (JohnsonJW), George H. Atherton Papers (MSS Atherton), and the Harry I. Nettleton Records (MSS Nettleton).

Records from College of Forestry alumni include the Gustaf Wilhelm Hult Papers (MSS Hult), Les Lloyd Papers (MSS Lloyd), and Bob Zybach Collection (MSS Zybach). Documentation of forestry-related student organizations can be found in the Xi Sigma Pi Records (MSS XiSigmaPi) and the Forestry Club Records (RG 039).

Other forestry related materials in the Center include records from organizations, lumber companies, and enthusiasts. These collections include: Wright-Blodgett Company Records (MSS WrightBlodgett), Keep Oregon Green Association Records (MSS KeepOrGreen), Jackson F. Kimball Collection (MSS Kimball), and the Oliver Matthews Collection (MSS Matthews).

Documentation relating to the spotted owl controversy of the late 1980s and early 1990s and its effect upon Oregon forestry can be found in the Spotted Owl Management, Policy and Research Collection (MSS SpottedOwl).

The Soap Creek Valley History Project Oral Histories (OH 006) provide information about the area in and surrounding the McDonald and Paul Dunn Forests.

Records of the Oregon Forest Products Laboratory and its advisory committees are also held by the State Archives of Oregon as a part of the records of the State Department of Forestry.

Preferred Citation: College of Forestry Records (RG 139), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Other URL:

A preliminary container list was created for this collection on or before November 19, 2015.

An inventory of Accession 2014:072 is also available online.

Creators

Oregon State University. College of Forestry
Oregon Agricultural College. School of Forestry
Oregon State College. School of Forestry
Oregon State University. School of Forestry

People, Places, and Topics

Barnes, George H.
Camp Arboretum (Benton County, Or.)
Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.). Company 3503 (Benton County, Or.)
Dunn, Paul M.
Elliot State Forest (Or.)
Experimental forests--Oregon.
Forest products--Oregon.
Forest reserves--Oregon.
Forestry laboratories--Oregon--Corvallis.
Forestry schools and education--Curricula--Oregon--Corvallis.
Forests and forestry--Northwest, Pacific.
Forests and forestry--Research--Oregon.
Kallander, R. M.
Louis W. and Maud Hill Family Foundation.
McCulloch, Walter Fraser, 1905-
McDonald Forest (Or.)
Natural Resources
Oregon. Forest Protection and Conservation Committee
Oregon Forest Lands Research Center
Oregon Forest Nursery (Corvallis, Or.)
Oregon Forest Research Center
Oregon State Board of Forestry
Oregon State College. School of Forestry
Oregon State University. College of Forestry
Oregon State University. Forest Research Laboratory
Oregon State University. School of Forestry
Paul Dunn Forest (Or.)
Peavy, George Wilcox, 1869-1951
Peavy Arboretum (Benton County, Or.)
Starker, T. J. (Thurman James), 1890-1983
Stoltenberg, Carl H.
University History

Forms of Material

Forestry maps.
Sound recordings.


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