Divergent Trends in Accredited Forestry Programs in the United States: Implications for Research and Education

Undergraduate forestry programs in the United States have been accredited by the Society of American Foresters since 1935. Over the subsequent 75 years, the list of accredited undergraduate programs has grown, but several of the original programs have recently dropped their forestry programs or their accreditation When forestry programs were first accredited in the United States, they were all housed in larger research universities. In recent decades, there has been a contraction of forestry programs at universities with a strong research/doctoral education emphasis and an expansion at other universities and colleges in programs with little or no research/doctoral education. This trend is also apparent if the number of graduates by current Carnegie classification is compared from 1935 to 1960 with 2010. These trends raise important questions regarding forestry education at a time when many are calling for more broadly trained foresters that can understand and apply emerging science and management trends. If this trend continues, it might result in more narrowly trained foresters and shortages of researchers and teachers with professional training. For a profession that prides itself on advancing the "science, education, technology, and practice of forestry," these trends suggest a future where the science becomes increasingly separated from the practice.