Ward K. Richardson Family Forestry Faculty Endowment

When she passed away in 1992, Kaye Richardson left to the College of Forestry a parcel of second-growth timber land which was the largest single gift Oregon State University has ever received. Valued at $13.3 million and sold for $23.8 million, the Richardson tract established an endowment, named in honor of Kaye Richardson's father, Ward Richardson, that funds three forestry chairs.

An only child, Kaye was her father's partner for many years in managing their family tree farm in the Oregon Coast Range. The family decided before Ward's death in 1973 that the farm would go to OSU after Kaye's lifetime.

In keeping with the Richardson family's practice of progressive forest management, the Ward K. Richardson Family endowed chairs are directed toward a theme of understanding and explaining the implications of changes in the use and management of forest resources on society. All three faculty positions emphasize improved social understanding of forest resources, as well as improved forest practices, policies, and utilization.

The Chair in Forest Science works to describe the fundamentals of forest structure, growth, and change, to aid in making sound public policy decisions. The Chair in Forest Operations and Watershed Sciences emphasizes the development of economical and environmentally sound forest resource operations to meet society's growing demands for wood, water, fish, wildlife, recreation, and other values from forests. The Chair in Wood Science and Forest Products focuses on the efficient use of forest resources to meet the growing needs of society for wood products.

Current Faculty Holders:

Richardson Chair in Forest Operations and Watershed Sciences

Ben Leshchinsky

Richardson Chair in Forest Science

William J. Ripple

Richardson Chair in Wood Sciences and Forest Products

Mariapaola Riggio