Oregon State University is #1 in forestry

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You probably are aware that the Oregon State University baseball team has been ranked No. 1 in the country for the last nine weeks. But did you know that OSU is also has the top-ranked forestry program in North America, and the second best in the world?

The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) released their annual rankings last month, and OSU is ranked right behind the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala. The rankings are based on publication by researchers in the top-rated scientific journals, and are basically an evaluation of university research programs. Research is very important, because it’s the engine that funds much of a college's activity.

OSU is a land-grant university, which means it has three main mission areas: teaching, research and extension. Having a top-rated research program helps attract quality faculty and graduate students. In the case of the OSU College of Forestry, having a top-rated research program is accompanied by also having top-rated teaching and extension programs.

For the past 20 years, enrollment at forestry schools has declined as forest management has changed. OSU was one of the first schools to turn that around, and has seen a steady increase in enrollment in the past few years. OSU has actually added programs, and is the only college in the west and one of the few in the country with majors in forest management, forest engineering, recreation resource management and renewable materials (wood products). OSU also has a very strong natural resources program, with a multitude of concentrations.

And when it comes to forestry extension programs, the OSU Forestry & Natural Resources Extension Program is unparalleled in North America. The program has 12 forestry agents who provide informal forestry education in every forested county in Oregon. The agents are supported by 12 forestry specialists in areas that include forest health, timber harvesting, business and taxes, silviculture, and watersheds. No other extension program in the country has the depth or breadth of the one led by OSU.

Of course, the state of Oregon is No. 1 in the country for the amount of timber volume our forests grow, and in the production of softwood lumber, plywood and engineered wood products. Having a top-rated forestry school should not be unexpected. So the next time you hear that OSU is No. 1, think baseball and forestry.

For the forest,

Mike Cloughesy

Director of Forestry

 

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9755 SW Barnes Rd., Suite 210        
Portland, OR 97225        
Phone: 971-673-2944        
Fax: 971-673-2946

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