College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Forestry

Greetings MSU Foresters!

Though surely many of us are in the midst of an incredibly busy field season (I know I am!), I hope this message finds you with a familiar sense of excitement and optimism for the fall! I add optimism because it is important to recognize that, while budgets, funding and staffing levels may have changed, every day presents a new opportunity to work towards improving and solving the problems of tomorrow.  In the words of Jimmy Hendrix, “Hooray, I awake from yesterday.” 

I’m not sure if anyone would expect a Jimmy Hendrix quote in a forestry publication! But, why not? As our challenges multiply and change, we must seek new ways to inspire and engage in creative leadership and problem solving to help keep pace with growing workloads. And I’ll tell you, forest health is a space that can really get you down. 

Through partnerships, inclusion and incorporating new technologies – plus a lot of creativity – we can find ways to work smarter and more efficiently. I’m proud that, as a woman and Mexican American, I’ve collaborated with others to lead on the use of UAS in early detection of diseases and pests – like oak wilt, stressed hemlocks and beech leaf disease – within threatened forest and dune systems in Michigan for the last two years. I look forward to moving further ahead in this space and finding new partners and creative uses of technology to help advance our mission (see photo below of new friends in the Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences & Dept. of Forestry). 

Our field is far-reaching and the connections are limitless; I truly hope you will be able to connect with us at the Forestry Department Tailgate this fall! MSU Forestry Alumni Association will be welcoming alumni, students and our friends with the Discovering Forestry Podcast for a special LIVE broadcast featuring the role of forestry in the guitar and music industry!

So, for the Jimmy fans out there, stay inspired and Go Green! 

Heidi Frei
MSU FAA President
BS ’02; MS ‘07
Forest Health Specialist
Michigan DNR, Parks and Recreation Division