Ted Dyrness Oral History Interview - Part 1

After completing his graduate training in soils at OSU, Ted Dyrness began soil survey and slope stability work as a Forest Service scientist at various locations in western Oregon, but quickly began to focus soil survey and erosion studies in the Andrews Forest. He collaborated with Jerry Franklin on many projects, including publication of Natural Vegetation of Oregon and Washington, which is still the go-to source book on the topic. In 1974 he joined the Forest Service research group at University of Alaska-Fairbanks and helped them begin an ecosystem science program much like the IBP teamwork he experienced at Andrews Forest. That effort spurred establishment of the Bonanza Creek LTER program. In 1990 he retired, returned to Corvallis, and continued to contribute to the Andrews Forest program.

For additional Dyrness interviews see also the Ross Mersereau and Jean Rothacher individual interviews and the Small Watershed, IBP, Field Visit, and Andrews History Group interviews