Federal Grants Aim to Expand Forestry Recruitment in Arkansas

MONTICELLO - The forestry program at University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) is working to expand the forestry workforce, and has received grant funds to help with those initiatives.  In her first year as Assistant Professor, Dr. Pipiet Larasatie has received two federal grants to address recruitment in forestry.   The first grant is part of an outreach project that will match eleven students from rural Arkansas high schools, vocational-technical institutions, or community colleges with eleven students from the UAM in a mentoring program.  The program is designed to increase participation of underrepresented populations in forestry Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. The $107,000 grant provided by the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides funding for students to spend a week of summer camp at UAM’s campus and eventually prepare a project for a science competition in 4-H, FFA, or science fairs.  The summer camp will be June 3-6, and its application period is open through April 1, and anyone interested can apply at https://www.competitive-forest.com/wamsfor or email larasatie@uamont.edu for more information.  Most Arkansas residents are eligible to apply. The Dean of the UAM College of Forestry Agriculture and Natural Resources Michael Blazier supports the mission.  “I think the action of doing these camps in and of themselves is important because even if these students that go through the program don't necessarily go right into forestry, it may open their eyes to similar opportunities.” Blazier added, “It unlocks new potential in them. That is the win that we at UAM get immediately from this. These students may be attracted to us sooner because they get quality time with our faculty, staff, and students while on campus. The longer-term benefit I’m hopeful ...