It was in 1874 that Suel Foster, an Iowa nurseryman and an ardent believer in the concept of an agricultural college, encouraged the initiation of coursework in horticulture and forestry. Thus our beginnings considerably predate the Biltmore school of Dr. Schenck and the earliest concepts and admonitions of Gifford Pinchot. So impressive a heritage and so long a history should not be taken lightly by any of us now in residence for we have been preceded by others whose contributions were greater than ours, and we will be followed by yet others who may surpass all that has gone before.

I spent the summer of '75 as a timber cruiser for Simpson Timber Company in northwestern California, along with Doug Sturhan. I was fortunate that my job was located within the heart of the Redwood country. During the first week of my job it was rather difficult to get used to measuring the boles of 70-100" diameter trees. The taller specimens of these "monsters" ranged from 144 to 176 feet in height.

Access to the best possible information by land planners, land managers, legislators, and other decision-makers is made more difficult by the growing complexity and large scope of land use conflicts. The Land Use Analysis Laboratory, an interdisciplinary research team, has as its general purpose the development of tools to provide increased access to land information. Because the volume and complexity of the necessary data are two of the principal obstacles to full access to land information, the use of computers is an important means of increasing the availability and versatility of land information.

A lesson that is often taught is that if a person wants something badly enough, and tries for it, that person will usually obtain what is wanted. This concept became true for me last year as I obtained a summer job with the forest service in Oregon. Working and living in the mountain-west had been a life-long dream of mine, and it was finally happening. I secured my job in late April, and spent much of spring quarter just waiting for summer to come.