3 FOCUS - SPRING 2025 Dear College of Foresty community, The rapid pace of technological advancements can feel overwhelming, especially now that the AI seen in old sci-fi movies is becoming a reality. However, it’s important to appreciate how much past innovations — once thought to be farfetched — have positively changed our lives. For example, when I was growing up, we had a heavy, black rotary phone actually owned by the phone company that I used to talk with my friends after school. Not only did I have to stand or sit right next to the actual phone (the cord was about two feet long), conversations had to be kept short and always came with the risk that one of my sibs would pick up the other line in the midst of a call with a new crush. Today, we basically have a computer in our pocket, able to connect us at anytime with anyone anywhere in the world, as well as take and edit video and pictures, capture data, identify flora and fauna, and access, for better or worse, the daily 24/7 deluge of news and information. Well, that same type of tech revolution is happening in our forests and is enabling the College of Forestry to transform how we understand and care for the forests of the future. Using tools like drones, remote sensing and machine learning, we are changing how we steward our natural resources in ways we didn’t dream possible even just a few decades ago. These technologies help us collect more accurate information, which helps us make better decisions on important issues like reforestation, carbon sequestration, wildfire prevention and forest health. Importantly, the innovations we’re studying today don’t just make forestry work safer and faster — they make it more sustainable. We’re working to minimize the ecological impacts of timber harvesting, make better use of our finite resources and protect forests from the impacts of climate change. Technology is also making forestry education more attainable to a broader group of people. Digital tools help us expand access and provide future professionals from a diversity of backgrounds with the training and experience they need to succeed in the field. Looking ahead, it’s clear technology will continue to shape the future of forestry. Together, we are not only adapting to these changes — we are driving them — and in doing so, we are helping to ensure the sustainability and health of our forests for generations to come. Tom DeLuca Cheryl Ramberg-Ford and Allyn C. Ford Dean Oregon State University College of Forestry
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