NDSU Extension Service, Extension Horticulture/Forestry Specialist, Records, 1925-1994
History
On September 1, 1925, Farm Forestry became a part of the North Dakota Agricultural
College Extension Service. This resulted first from the recognition that planting
trees would protect farms and fields from the elements. Foresters such as Charles
Gillett, North Dakota's first extension forester, believed that such protection
would keep many North Dakotans from moving away due to the harsh climate. Farm
Forestry also resulted from the passage in 1924 of the Clarke-McNary Act, which
provided funds for teaching, demonstrating, and publicizing tree planting. Farm
Forestry's mission was to inform North Dakota farmers about the value of trees
and shelterbelts and to demonstrate planting techniques.
The Extension Forester was made the leader of Farm Forestry, and his headquarters were at the State School of Forestry in Bottineau, North Dakota. Chosen because of its close proximity to the Turtle Mountains, this site offered vast opportunities for studying native forests. However, the Extension Forester's headquarters were moved to the North Dakota Agricultural College in 1939 so that he could work more closely with fellow extension employees and with agricultural specialists at the college. In 1948, the Extension Forester gained new duties as the Secretary of the North Dakota Farm Safety Committee. It was only during Vernon Quam's tenure that horticulture duties were added to this position.
Following is the list of Extension Foresters from Farm Forestry's beginning to the present:
Charles Gillett Sept. 1, 1925- Aug. 15,1928
L. S. Matthew Dec. 1, 1928- Sept. 30, 1931
John Taylor Oct. 16, 1931- Sept. 30,1933
O. W. Hanson Oct. 16, 1933- April 11, 1934
D.D. Baldwin April 4, 1934- Nov. 30, 1935
Victor Freeman July 7, 1936- Aug. 18, 1936
Walter Paul Oct. 22, 1936- May 12, 1937
John S. Thompson Dec. 1, 1937- July 15, 1942
John Zaylskie Aug. 20, 1942- Dec. 30, 1966
Robert Heintz July 1, 1967- June 30, 1987
Vernon Quam March 10, 1989- Sept. 30, 1995
Scope and Contents
The North Dakota Extension Horticulture/Forestry Specialist records consist
of the following series: Programs and Projects, Great Plains Agricultural Council,
North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts, North Dakota Centennial
Commission, North Dakota State Farm Forestry Committee, Publications, and Subject
Files. All of these series are arranged alphabetically therein.
The annual reports of the Forestry Specialist for the years 1925 through 1963 are located in the annual reports series of the NDSU Extension Service (University Archives 2, NDSU. Cooperative Extension Service. Annual Reports, 1916-1980, Boxes 86& 87).
The Programs and Projects Series spans primarily the years 1989-1994. The programs and projects are devoted to promoting and planting trees in North Dakota, the most important of which is the North Dakota Centennial Decade Windbreak Program. It contains thorough records of people who participated in the program's tree and windbreak planting, as well as annual progress reports. The series also includes participation records from the Windbreak Planting Program that ran 1935-1942. Comparing the two Windbreak Programs could be an especially worthwhile research topic. Another project of importance in this series is the Timber Culture Act Tree Claims in North Dakota Project. Vernon Quam coordinated this project in 1989 to locate and recognize the present-day tree claim owners. About two hundred location entries were submitted, which include the names of the original claimants, copies of their deeds of ownership, and names of current owners.
The Great Plains Agricultural Council Series contains goals, background, correspondence, and meeting minutes from its Great Plains Riparian Forest Management Task Force. This task force was created to provide an organized effort among Great Plains states to manage the grasses, forbs, and woody vegetation threatened by human activities such as agriculture and industry. It sought to reduce logging, improve water quality, and restore wildlife habitat. The contents cover the dates 1990-1993.
The North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts Series covers the years 1989-1993. It contains the majority of Pierce County Soil Conservation District meeting minutes from those years. Tree planting goals from all counties in 1991 are also included.
The North Dakota Centennial Commission Series covers the years 1989-1991. It emphasizes the goals and accomplishments of the Centennial Decade Trees Committee and might be especially valuable if researched in conjunction with the Centennial Decade Windbreak Program.
The North Dakota State Farm Forestry Committee Series spans the years 1942-1994. It consisted of professionals associated with forestry in North Dakota. There is unclear documentation regarding who organized this committee and to who it reported. Its goals were to (1) obtain nursery stock from commercial, state, and federal agencies for planting a wide variety of tree species in North Dakota, (2) protect the tree stands by educating the public about fire, livestock, rodents, and insects, and (3) research methods of tree planting and maintenance. The meeting minutes are incomplete, and none are included between 1978 and 1989.
The Publications Series contains a variety of works on forestry and tree planting from 1927 to 1995. Highlights include a published article by Charles Gillette, North Dakota's first forestry specialist, and the Tree Planting Handbook for the Dakotas.
The Subject Files Series spans the dates 1928-1985. It primarily contains forestry and tree planting reports and Extension Forestry's office documents and correspondence. Historical Appraisal of Extension Work in Forestry in North Dakota, 1925-39 is a valuable description of early shelterbelt and woodlot planting in the state. Woodlot and Shelterbelt Views and Reviews is a monthly report of news from the Forestry Specialist. This series is especially valuable as a tool for inquiry into the early history of forestry in North Dakota.
Deposited by Vernon Quam, 1996 (UA Acc. 184).
Processed by Tricia Velure, 1996.
Box Listing
Box/Folder Contents
1/0 Finding aid and historical material
Programs and Projects Series
1/1 Centennial Tree Crimes Program, 1990
1/2 Centennial Trees Program action plan for Schools, 1992-1993
1/3 Centennial Trees Bowl Project, 1990-1992
1/4 Christmas Tree Recycling Program, 1994
1/5 4-H Roots in Space Program, 1994
1/6 Master Forestry Volunteer Program, 1993
North Dakota Centennial Decade Windbreak Program-
1/7 General documents, 1989-1993
1/8 Original forms, 1989
1/9 Correspondence, 1989-June, 1990
1/10 Correspondence, July 1990-1992
1/11 Plans of work, 1989-1993
1/12 Work proposals, 1990-1991
1/13 Progress reports, 1989-1992
1/14 Cooperator sites, 1991-1993
County participants, 1990-1992
1/15 Adams-Bowman
1/16 Burke-Cavalier
1/17 Dickey-Dunn
1/18 Eddy-Grant
2/1 Hettinger-Logan
2/2 McHenry-McIntosh
2/3 McKenzie-Mercer
2/4 Morton-Oliver
2/5 Pembina-Renville
2/6 Rollette-Stark
2/7 Stutsman-Towner
2/8 Walsh-Williams
2/9 Workshops, 1992
2/10 Senator Burdick's tree plantings, 1989-1990
2/11 Overhead Copies, 1989
2/12 Project Renovate, 1991-1994
2/13 Living Snow Fence Program, 1989-1990
2/14 Planning Events for Trees, 1990-1991
2/15 4-H Foundation Tree Planting Project, 1991-1992
Natural Resource Program-
2/16 Correspondence, 1991-1992
County Reports, 1991-1993
2/17 Bottineau, Burleigh
3/1 McKenzie
3/2 Historical Background, 1990
Timber Culture Act Tree Claims in North Dakota Project, 1989- 1992
3/3 Correspondence
3/4 Entries
3/5 Entries
3/6 Entries
3/7 General Documents
Windbreak Planting Program participation, 1935-1942
3/8 Barnes-Cass
3/9 Cavalier-Griggs
3/10 Kidder-Pierce
3/11 Ramsey-Sargent
3/12 Steele-Ward
Youth Centennial Tree Project, 1989
3/13 Site 1 Williston
3/14 Site 2 Dickinson
3/15 Site 3 Hettinger
3/16 Site 4 Mandan
3/17 Site 5 Bismarck
3/18 Site 6 Minot
3/19 Site 7 Devils Lake
3/20 Site 8 Jamestown
3/21 Site 9 Ashley
4/1 Site 10 Lisbon
4/2 Site 11 Fargo
4/3 Site 12 Grand Forks
4/4 Site 13 Park River
Great Plains Agricultural Council Series
4/5 Great Plains Riparian Forest Management Task Force, 1990-1993
North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts Series
Pierce County Soil Conservation District
4/6 Meeting Minutes, 1989-1993
4/7 Correspondence, 1889-1991
4/8 Plans of Work, 1992-1993
4/9 Surveys of County Tree Planting Goals, 1991: Adams-Morton
4/10 Surveys of County Tree Planting Goals: Nelson-Ward
5/1 Annual Meeting programs, 1989-1991
North Dakota Centennial Commission Series
5/2 Centennial Decade Trees Committee, 1989-1991
North Dakota State Farm Forestry Committee Series
5/3 Program and Policy Manual, 1951
5/4 Meeting Minutes, 1943-1965
5/5 Meeting Minutes, 1966-1994
Publications Series
5/6 Environmental Education Resource Guide, 1992
5/7 Forests and Forestry in North Dakota, by Charles A. Gillett, 1927
5/8 Farm Forestry Facts, 1939 and 1944
5/9 Handbook of the Division of Timber Management, by USDA, 1934
5/10 Report on a Proposed National Forest in Billings County, North
Dakota, by Richard P. Imes, 1908
6/1 Tree Planting Handbook for the Dakotas
5/11 Windbreak Demonstrator, 1991-1995
Subject Files Series
5/12 Extension Forester Office
General documents, 1928-1960
5/13 Correspondence, 1936-1985
5/14 Historical Appraisal of Extension Work in Forestry in North
Dakota, 1925-1939
5/15 History and Problems of Tree Planting in the Northern Plains, by
M.B. Dickerman, 1960
5/16 Mandan U.S. Field Station's history
5/17 Woodlot and Shelterbelt Views and Reviews, by C.F. Monroe, 1926 and Charles
A. Gillett, 1928
Separations Record
The following non-archival items have been removed from the NDSU Extension Service. Extension Horticulture/Forestry Specialist records and sent to the section indicated.
Audio Cassettes (University Archives Audio Collection)
4 audio cassettes of the following: 1. Dakota Today--KSJB's May 1, 1989, airing of Natural Resource Assistant Martha McGregor on Arbor Day and Natural Resources, 2. Stutsman County Home Economist Kathy Tweeton's 1989 interview with Marth McGregor, 3. Centennial Tree Crime Interviews, and 4. Soil Conservation Districts' 1991 Tree Planting Advertisements.
Photographs (University Archives Photograph Collection)
352 photographs of Christmas Tree Producers Meeting, Extension Forestry Tree Planting, Shelterbelt, Windbreak, and Range (Binder), Forestry Research Questions, Great Plains Agricultural Council, Land Leveling Demonstration, Logging, Vernon Quam, Raking Hay Equipment, Youth Tree and Natural Resource Activities, Trees Tubex Tree Shelters, Wildlife Fatalities and Windbreaks, Woodlots, and Shelterbelts.
312 slides of Extension Forestry Tree Planting, Shelterbelt, Windbreak, and Range and North Dakota Centennial Decade Windbreak Program.
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