SIUC to Host Conclave

SIUC--Forestry Club will be hosting the 52nd Annual Midwestern Foresters Conclave (MFC) on Saturday, October 4th, 2003.  The event will be held at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, Camp I. 
Conclave is an intercollegiate lumberjack competition. Some of the universities that attend are the University of Illinois, Purdue, Minnesota, Michigan Tech., and several others. 
Among the included events are the speed chop, log roll, bucksaw, wood ID, pulp toss, bolt throw, and the ever popular  tobacco spit.
This event requires organization a lot of work and many volunteers in order to run smoothly.  Organization of e event is being handled by a newly created Conclave Committee (CC).  The CC met weekly throughout spring semester, writing letters to prospective sponsors, talking to faculty about judging the events, and enlisting volunteers and donors.  What a great opportunity to show support for the Forestry program, students, and SIUC! 
Make plans to come out this fall and join us for a fun-filled competition.  Perhaps you were a member of the team when you attended SIUC, what a great way re-live those days.   If you would be interested in volunteering your time, or perhaps making a donation to the event please contact the Department of  Forestry at (618) 453-3341 or Conclave Captain, Dave Jones at (618) 687-5767.
Accommodations are still available at Touch of Nature .  For the Hotel and Cabins call ( 618) 453-1121, for Campsite information ask for Curt Carter.

The Chair's Corner
By:  John E. Phelps, Professor and Chair
The past year has been both exciting and interesting for me as chair of the Department of Forestry at SIUC.  As many of you are painfully aware, the economy has impacted most of our society, particularly those sectors that depend on tax dollars for support (I.e. University programs among others).  Obviously, your department at SIUC has been impacted and continues to be impacted by these difficulty times.  One such impact was that we were unable to fill Dr. Roth's position when he retired last year.  Fortunately, we will be able to fill another position vacated by Dr. Basman.  On another positive side, we are making real progress in obtaining external grants to the department.  One of our goals is to continue to increase external funds (other than state appropriations) to support our research and outreach activities.  The faculty are very active in research and are also truly outstanding teachers.  And we are fortunate to have a very generous alumni, who are helping support scholarships to the department.  I believe that your alma mater is one of the strongest programs in the U.S. because of the past faculty and the directions set by the present faculty.  We continue to sincerely appreciate your support both in kind words and in financial contributions to the Department of Forestry's foundation.   By the way, I hope to see many of you at the SAF National Convention in  Buffalo, New York, October 25-29.  Don't forget to stop in for the Alumni  Get-together at the Adams Mark Hotel on the 26th.     

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL