In the mid 1930's, when West Virginia University initiated a curriculum in forest management, interest in conservation, reforestation and natural resource protection was at an all-time high. It was the middle of the Great Depression, and one of the Federal Government's most effective programs was the Civilian Conservation Corps, known to everyone as the CCC's. After leaving the CCC's many young men wanted to learn more about managing the State's timberlands for the greatest good. Their enthusiasm was a strong force in establishing forestry education at West Virginia University.

      Although forestry was taught at many state colleges across the country, West Virginia University's school was the only one specifically interested in hardwood forests. All other schools were southern pine- or at least conifer-oriented. West Virginia University's first graduating class appeared in 1939, the beginnings of what has been a steady stream of graduates that now work not only in key forest, recreation, wildlife and wood utilization roles in the Mountain State, but also in all parts of the United States.

      From the beginning, the Division of Forestry needed forest land for its outdoor teaching program. Initially this was met by using the Farm Woods, a small forested tract within three miles of the campus. As enrollment expanded and faculty increased in size, more forestland was necessary and permission was granted by the West Virginia Conservation Commission, later the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, to use certain areas of the newly-acquired Cooper's Rock State Forest. This permission was re-enforced in 1949 by a more specific agreement concerning forest-use for long-term research projects.

      The young forestry school needed forest areas for many purposes. High priority was given to field teaching labs, where students could observe forest ecological relationships first hand, and where students could apply the principals of forest improvement practices, reforestation and wildfire control. But a second mission of the faculty was researchÉ studies supplying answers to the many questions raised by woodland owners throughout the State. Significant research was being done throughout the 1940's and long-range stand improvement research dates from the early 1950's. At that time interest in growing Christmas trees was new, and much early Christmas tree pruning research was carried out at the Cooper's Rock Forest.

      Finally, the faculty was involved in demonstrating good forest management practices. The forest would provide the place where forest landowners could come and learn what to do, and how to do it, to make their forest stands more productive. Many early demonstration areas were established, and these have been greatly expanded in recent years with the help of U.S. Forest Service scientists and Federal financial support.

      Actually the Cooper's Rock State Forest made an ideal outdoor field laboratory for forest research. It was representative of most forest land in the State. The mixture of hardwood species was typical of those found throughout the State except for those forests in the high mountains and those along the Ohio River. In addition, the past history of Cooper's Rock land, with its repeated cuttings, high-grading stands by removing the best and leaving the worst, and frequent wildfire history, was typical of West Virginia's forestland. Thus, during the fifties, in a period of increasing interest in West Virginia's forests and their potential contribution to the State's overall economy, political pressure was strong for an even more effective agreement to increase the value of this land for research and teaching.

      One of the specific charges to the State Forester was to have an on-going program for forest research and demonstration of good forestry practices. This encouraged the State Forester to act favorably towards any proposal which would increase these types of activities on land that he controlled.

      In 1959, much of the forest land on the northern side of Rt. 73, more than 7,600 acres, was designated the "West Virginia University Forest" with the stipulation that the University would pay a certain amount annually for use of this land. Students and staff would be responsible for controlling and suppressing wildfire on this and surrounding property. None of their activities, however, would restrict the use of this acreage for hunting and wildlife enhancement.

      Fortunately, at the time the CCC had been making initial improvements on the Forest, they had built a second headquarters and maintenance facilities to accommodate a game biologist, if one was needed to supervise restocking of the new state forest. These buildings were turned over to the University's forest manager. It was made very clear from the beginning that all rules, regulations and restrictions in effect on the Cooper's Rock side of the Forest would also be in force on the University-controlled area É a requirement still in force and respected today.

      Evidence of the CCC's programs are still conspicuous throughout this forest area. One significant monument to their labors is the red pine plantations, established by CCC crews in the late thirties on open land. At that time, red pine was the preferred conifer to plant on old fields since it had no natural insect or disease pests. Today these 80-foot trees dominate the landscape on areas which were former pasturelands.

      The CCC also established a series of wildlife food plots, scattered throughout the entire Cooper's Rock area. These have been well maintained over the years, and provide edge-effect and transitions in vegetation cover type so attractive to many game species.

      During the 1960's and 1970's, as interest in conservation, environmental protection, multiple use, and best management of forest resources increased, the teaching use of the forest greatly expanded. With sky-rocketing numbers of students interested in forest recreation and in wildlife resource management during the spring and fall several outdoor labs were in session almost continually, and University buses have long been a familiar sight climbing the ridge to the Forest for field instruction.

      The research program became particularly important after 1961, when the Division started offering graduate degrees in Forestry. Graduate students interested in a wide range of topics, worked on their own individual research projects under the supervision and guidance of their major professor. By 1980 more than 200 research reports and published papers had appeared concerning research results by Division personnel. By 1998 this figure had increased to 300. These addressed not only forest management issues, but also wildlife management practices, studies of growth and yield, wood quality, effects of forest soils and a myriad of other topics.

      Major improvements have been added to the University's facilities during the past two decades. In 1985 a sawmill was relocated to the Forest to be used for both research and teaching.

      One of the most recent and significant additions is the new Westvaco Natural Resources Center. This log-cabin style building was dedicated on September 16, 1997 with Governor Cecil Underwood and John Luke, Chairman and CEO of Westvaco, present. This Center was made possible through large gifts from Westvaco, and from other friends and alumni of the Division of Forestry. It will be available for classes and meetings of professional groups related to the University's programs and activities.

      Among the many conveniences offered by the Forest are an interpretive trail and other hiking trails. Most spectacular of these is the Virgin Hemlock Hiking Trail, which penetrates through an old-growth stand of Canadian hemlock É many of these trees exceed 300 years of age. With the expanding role of forest products and of wildlife and recreational use of forest land in the State, the training and research potential of the West Virginia University Forest will become an increasingly vital force in the State's long-range economy.