We returned to campus in full force this Autumn quarter, and it’s been so nice to see our beautiful campus busy with activity again. With the new beginnings afforded by this return to campus, we have taken the opportunity to look forward in a number of ways.

We start from a strong position. Our research and engagement activities continue to be productive, well-funded, and impactful, some of which you’ll read about here. Enrollment in our undergraduate Environmental Science and Terrestrial Resource Management (ESRM) degree is stronger than ever, with nearly 500 majors in addition to the students enrolled in our Bioresources Science and Engineering (BSE) program. This year we also welcomed 26 new graduate students. Among the MS students are six students in the “Bridging the Gap” cohort, who are focused on application of data sciences in natural resources.

This January we will say a fond farewell to Profs. Kristiina Vogt and Dan Vogt, who have served on the CFR/SEFS faculty for over 20 years. After serving as Dean of the College of Forest Resources, Kristiina introduced thousands of UW students to the importance of forests in society by offering large sections of ESRM 101 twice a year over the last decade. She has supervised a numerous and diverse cadre of graduate students and led research about the role of storytelling and Indigenous frameworks for approaching connections between people and the environment. Dan offered multiple courses about the role of soil in forest productivity and function, as well as mentored graduate students on a number of soil-related research topics. His most recent research focused on the contribution of canopy soils in the rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula. Both Kristiina and Dan were contributors, along with several Native authors, to the 2020 book The Medicine Wheel: Environmental Decision-Making Process of Indigenous Peoples. We wish them both the best in their next chapter.

You’ll see elsewhere in this newsletter that we also are pleased to welcome the first of a new cohort of faculty. These new faculty members, two of whom will start next year, were identified in our Climate Adaptation Cluster Search last year. You’ll also see that we have added several new SEFS staff over the past year. It’s been a challenging time of transition as we’ve said goodbye to some longstanding staff members who retired or moved on, but we are excited by the excellent new additions to our team and the collective work ahead of us.

As we work to renew the physical facilities in which we work, we are excited that the Board of Regents approved a project to renovate Anderson Hall. If the project is also approved by the state legislature in the next session, the renovation project will proceed exactly 100 years after its original construction. The best things always take time!

Over the Autumn quarter, the faculty have been engaged in a strategic planning process aimed at coming together around a common vision and set goals for the next few years. We will be in a position to share this new strategic plan in the new calendar year, and are working on reassembling an Advisory Council for the school to engage close friends of the School and get input on our broad programmatic goals. Following the successful cluster search last year, and in parallel with our strategic planning, we are also working on identifying faculty hiring priorities for the next few years. Meanwhile, the College of the Environment, led by Dean Maya Tolstoy, has also engaged the entire College community in a strategic planning process, and we should hear more about that in the new year as well.

Last but not least, we are enjoying gathering in person to socialize:

• The Salmon BBQ returned in fine form this Autumn quarter. Photo Gallery.
• It’s not too late to join us for the SEFS holiday party, scheduled for Dec. 8, 4-7 p.m. in the Forest Club Room. RSVP here.
• Keep your eye on the events calendar for more upcoming events. Subscribe (top right of calendar) to get updates in your inbox.

Happy Holidays to you all!