Visiting Forester Programat

Philmont Scout Ranch, NMPaul R. Sheppard and Christopher “Kit” O’Connor

Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721

Philmont Scout Ranch

• Premier high adventure base in northern New Mexico

• Owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America

• 214 square miles of rugged New Mexico mountains

• 23,000 Scouts hike on over 400 miles of trails each summer

• In 2002, a demonstration forest was developed in the backcountry

Visiting Forester Program

• Foresters volunteer for one week assignments during the summer season

• Food and tent cabin accommodations provided at Hunting Lodge

• Foresters teach multiple aspects of forestry to the Scouts:

a.Tree species, forest types, elevational gradients, ecology

b.Forest fire history and management options, fuels treatments

c.Timber measurements and harvesting options, forest products

d.Professional and employment opportunities in forestry

• 2012: Over 5000 Philmont hikers stopped to learn from Visiting Foresters

Contacts

• Mr. Mark Anderson, Director, Philmont Scout Ranch

– Mark.Anderson@scouting.org, (575) 376-2281

• Ms. Mary Stuever, New Mexico State Forestry

– Mary.Stuever@state.nm.us, (575) 588-7831

– http://www.foresterslog.com/Home/mary-s-links/swsaf/philmont-visiting-forester-program

The Philmont Visiting Forester Program is a Win-Win-Win

• Effective forestry outreach in a beautiful field setting

• Scouts and leaders learn about forestry during their treks

• Philmont Scout Ranch has another strong element in its program

SAF Foresters should consider participating, see contacts below

Left: Teaching forestry to Scouts on the trail at Philmont.

Right: Fire-scarred ponderosa pine, illustrating fire history.

Philmont

Left: Philmont, located in the Sangre de Cristos of NM.

Above: Demonstration Forest.

Right, top: Visiting Forester Pavilion (the office).

Right, bottom: Cimerroncito Reservoir (the view from the office).