Feb. 12, 2015
— COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Over the past 100 years, Texas A&M Forest
Service has accomplished many feats, including establishing itself as a
premiere entity in both forestry and all-hazard response.
The state
agency was established in 1915 by the 34th Texas Legislature under the Texas
A&M College—making TFS the first state forestry agency in the nation to be
part of a land grant institution. A fact not lost on former TFS director
(1980-1996) Bruce Miles.
“Texas A&M
Forest Service has always been a leader nationwide among state forestry
agencies,” Miles said. “A big part of this comes from being part of the state’s
land grant institution system where our department heads shared information,
technology and research results.”
For the past
century the people of TFS have been answering the call to service by monitoring
the forests to improve health and productivity; working with communities to
plant, care for and conserve the trees where people live, work and play; and by
informing and educating landowners on sustainable land management practices.
"The
employees of this agency are so vital in continuing to accomplish the goals and
dreams that were put in place. TFS has become the most highly respected
national leader in forestry," said former director (1996-2008) James Hull.
"However, there has never been a time in our one hundred year history that
the agency was not striving to do the best it could to meet the needs of
forestry."
With a duty to
protect, TFS is mandated by the state as the lead agency in wildfire
suppression and through predictive services, prevention programs and response
models have revolutionized the way states prevent, prepare for and protect
against wildfire.
TFS leads
incident management teams during state disasters and has led responses to such
incidents as the Space Shuttle Columbia recovery, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and
Ike, and the 2011 wildfire season.
Having led the
agency through the historic drought and wildfire season in 2011, current state
forester and director Tom Boggus has seen the dedicated service and innovative
spirit of TFS employees through the good times and bad.
“What an honor
to represent the people of this agency as the director, especially during our
centennial celebration year,” Director Tom Boggus said. “Words like ‘first
agency in the nation’ and ‘a national model’ have been used repeatedly over the
last century to describe TFS and they still ring clear and true as we begin our
next century of service.”
TFS is one of
four agencies under The Texas A&M University System that is also part of
Texas A&M AgriLife—a cornerstone of one of the state’s premier institutions
of higher education.
"Texas
A&M AgriLife brings today’s best teaching, research, extension and
service to Texans. For 100 years, Texas A&M Forest Service has embodied
service as it protects against wildfires, provides forestry education, and
leads the way in sustainability and conservation" William A.
Dugas, acting vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences
said. “We are proud to have them as part of the AgriLife family!"
With no signs
of slowing down, this year marks the first century of service for TFS. The
agency will have celebrations across the state to recognize this centennial
milestone.
The centennial
celebration kicked off at the annual Texas A&M AgriLife Conference the
first week of January and continues in February as the agency is recognized
during the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents meeting, and by the
Texas Legislature.
TFS has partnered
with the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum and the George Bush
Presidential Library Foundation to host an exhibit, History in the Making:
Texas A&M Forest Service, highlighting the agency’s past 100 years. The
exhibit is open March 16–November 8 in College Station.
The agency
will also host several events throughout the state, including 100 tree
giveaways, a commemorative tree presentation to each county in Texas and has
published a new edition of the 1970 book Famous Trees of Texas: Texas A&M
Forest Service Centennial Edition.
For a list of
centennial events, visit TFScenturyofservice.tamu.edu.
The website provides visitors access to historical agency images and documents,
and allows visitors to listen to, view and explore historic films and audio
files.
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Contact:
Texas A&M
Forest Service Communications
979-458-6600, newsmedia@tfs.tamu.edu
Jessica
Jackson, Communications Specialist
979-458-6619,
jjackson@tfs.tamu.edu