The Southern Higher 

 Educational System in Forestry 

 and Forest Products 



This report will be limited to 

 discussing the impacts of two 

 major types of institutions involved 

 in postsecondary education in 

 forestry and forest products in the 

 South: 



• Universities and colleges 

 offering professional degree 

 programs at the bachelor's or 

 higher levels in forestry and forest- 

 products fields. "Forest-products 

 fields 1 ' includes programs carrying 

 identifications such as "forest 

 engineering, " "industrial forestry 

 operations," "forest products," 

 "wood science and technology," 

 and "pulp and paper science and 

 technology. " 



The distinction is important 

 because of differences in roles and 

 orientation. The 1862 land-grant 

 universities have mandates and 

 receive Federal funds on a 

 matching basis under various 

 congressional acts to contribute to 

 the progress and welfare of their 

 individual States through research 

 and extension functions — 

 particularly (but not exclusively) in 

 agriculture, including forestry and 

 forest products. Thus, in addition 

 to the general mission of all senior 

 universities, they have specific 

 authorizations and responsibilities 

 for the progress and development 

 of agriculture and forestry in their 

 home States (Beale 1974). 



• Community colleges, junior 

 colleges, and other institutions 

 offering 2-year programs at the 

 associate degree level in forest 

 technology, forest-engineering 

 technology, and forest-products 

 technology. These are often called 

 ranger schools or technical schools 

 (Warren and Wiseman 1985). 



Professional-Level Institutions 



In early 1985, 16 universities in the 

 South offered professional-level 

 degree programs in forestry, or 

 forestry plus one or more forest- 

 products fields. Three types of 

 institutions were represented: 

 State-supported 1862 land-grant 

 universities (12), non-land-grant 

 universities (3), and private 

 institutions (1). 



Of the 16 universities, 15 are 

 engaged in the following functions: 



• Resident instruction of 

 professionals and scientists. All 

 offer the first professional degree 

 in forestry, and their programs 

 meet accreditation standards of the 

 Society of American Foresters. 

 Ten of these also offer professional 

 majors or options in one or more 

 forest-products fields. Thirteen 

 offer graduate training at the 

 master's level, and 11 of these 

 conduct doctoral-level instruction 

 as well. 



• Research. 



• Continuing education. 



• Public service through 

 providing expert advice on forestry 

 and forest-products science, 

 technology, programs, and 

 policies. In some institutions 



