Richard Bury writes: “I have continued enjoying life with my wife of 70 years at the largest retirement community in North Carolina, near the Great Smokies National Park and the Cradle of Forestry in America. Though I’ve given up active teaching, I am still involved with arrangements for educational offerings here and have served as co-chair of its grounds committee for several recent years. As one of its few remaining early graduates, I salute the development and accomplishments of the School during the past 70 years. It’s truly inspiring to read the Canopy issues and the 2023 “Impacts” annual report and to note the increasingly complex research projects and student numbers. Paul Sears would have been pleased to observe the development of his Yale Conservation Program and the accomplishments of its graduates.”

Patrick Duffy writes: “Greetings, I have just published my memoir in hard copy and as a pdf; 270 pages, 120 photos. Contact me at my email for the pdf version, please. My work for years has been mentoring forestry undergrads at the University of British Columbia, where half of the 1,500 students are women. I have created a fund for co-op travel overseas. At present, my mentees are helping to manage the IFSA, with the global congress set for the near future. The president is the mentee who attended the COP in Dubai recently. Best wishes to the YSE. I am proud of you.”

Scott Wallinger writes: “For several years I exchanged emails about forestry in Spain and elsewhere with my classmate Javier Moro, from Madrid. With age, his and his wife’s health are declining and we decided to discontinue our dialogue. Javier had a successful career in Spain and forest survey work in Algiers and Peru, and he published in European forestry journals. Javier and his family enjoy a house on the Spanish coast near Portugal and a small farm in the west of Spain. I continue activity with the Lowcountry Land Trust in coastal South Carolina and with SAF locally.”

John Blouch writes: “Global Warming! Despite snows and heavy freezes in the winter and fall, I found a green caterpillar crossing our driveway in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in January, and ticks where there never were any 40 years ago. Had all inoculations/boosters for Covid but still contracted several bouts. Symptoms mild on all but the first. Sold the old Merc used for scraping through the briars along the rutted trail to the woodlot. Scratches on the new Crosstrek are a no-no. Hope there’s stamina enough to hike a mile and half uphill for boundary marking, removing leaves from the spring, and casual survey of stand conditions. Passed on attractive offer from logger operating on adjacent parcels — ‘high grading’ practice counters our management plan.” 

Michael Greenwood writes: “I retired from the University of Maine School of Forest Resources in 2008 and moved to Ohio in 2014 to be near one of my sons. Much of my career was focused on tree improvement research on loblolly pine (at Weyerhaeuser Co.) and later on spruces and jack pine as a consultant for J.D. Irving Ltd. in Canada. Some of my post-retirement activities include work with fast-growing hybrid larch (for more Google ‘larch virtual experiment station’). I have served on the Hiram, Ohio, Village Council, emphasizing restoring the village’s tree canopy. I have fond memories of summer camp in 1963, where my wife Susan cooked for us all. Also memorable were George Furnival's excellent lectures, delivered with wisps of smoke from his hand-rolled cigarettes. It was at camp I began to focus on woody plant development, resulting in a PhD under the able mentorship of Graeme Berlyn.”

Guy Steucek writes: “Experts say a good slug of the added CO₂ to the atmosphere originated from soil. Civilizations grew with soil tillage and fell with soil degradation due to oxidation of soil life and organic matter. Tillage blossomed with the industrial revolution. When I started growing hay, the soil had a yellow color typical of soils with a few percent organic matter. I added a few parts to my John Deere MoCo and a little welding enabled me to cut hay five inches above the ground, rather than two. My soil organic matter increased to 7%, and the soil color is dark chocolate due to sequestered carbon. Moreover, my hay is more nutritious; it dries faster on the stubble; I use less fertilizer; I can bale hay on wet ground because the stubble supports it; and the mix of wildlife has increased. All this without a government program or taxpayer money.”

Jim Okraszewski writes: “This has been the warmest winter in 50 years in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but we decided to spend it in southwest Virginia to be near a daughter and family. I primarily do hospice volunteering and while away from home, I still am able to visit with a hospice patient using WhatsApp. Technology is great when used properly. Tom Nygren and I trade notes once a year but sadly, I haven’t kept up with classmates from Yale.”

Steve Wells writes: “Last summer my partners and I sold the Maas Boat Company to Pocock Racing Shells. Now we get to relax as we enjoy “The Boys in the Boat.” I’ll continue as their NW dealer and am in good health. Grateful to the V.A. for providing excellent hearing aids!”

Dick Wildermann writes: “I keep busy in retirement as a climate activist. My book, “Wildlife on a Warming Earth,” was published last May. I periodically send emails to fellow grandparents advising them on ways to be advocates for climate solutions. The Charleston Post and Courier has published several of my commentaries on the climate crisis. As a board member of the Seabrook Island Green Space Conservancy, I’ve written articles for the local paper on the importance of maintaining natural areas in our community.

Liz Mikols writes: “Greetings from Silver City, New Mexico, where I continue to act in local theater, work on local history, teach tai chi, and create ceramic sculpture. I spent last May in southern France and northern Spain on a trip dedicated to exploring prehistoric cave art. Last fall I spearheaded a Spanish conversation group, which gathers twice weekly to speak Spanish. A bunch of us are busy on the plans to mark 100 Years of Wilderness in 2024, as Grant County is home to both the Aldo Leopold and Gila Wildernesses. Yes, that Aldo Leopold ’09, a newly minted forester from Yale in 1909, began his observations here, in New Mexico.”
 

Norman Noyes writes: “I retired from the USDA Forest Service in 2018 after 42 years. I still contract back on a part-time basis. Lise and I have done some traveling (Peru was our favorite) and stay active and healthy. Our three children have blessed us with three grandkids with another on the way. We continue to reside in the San Diego area. Best to all!”

Terry Chester writes: “Still enjoying the vast natural beauty of Sun Valley, Idaho. Try to travel back to Gainesville, Florida, as much as possible. I have a granddaughter in both Idaho and Florida. My daily martial arts practice and workout keep me balanced, happy, and healthy. I’m known as ‘the guy with the swords.’ Still helping clients with their marketing. My company, adbiz.com, is in its 27th year.”

Diddahally R. Govindaraju writes: “It is hard to believe that I attended the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies almost 50 years ago. The opportunity and training I received there have shaped my career as a geneticist. My wife, Kamala, and I have been living in Lexington, Massachusetts, for 27 years and raised three children. We are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year. I often take my friends to Walden Pond and other hallowed spots around here, including Author’s Ridge. Now semi-retired, I continue my research in genetics and teaching, especially a summer course titled ‘Darwinian Processes in Health and Disease’ at Harvard. In 2022, I spent some time in Hayama, Japan, as an international scientist, during which I visited Kamakura, Kyoto, Borobudur, and Angkor Wat. Recently, Edinburgh, Darwin’s birthplace (Shrewsbury), and Cambridge. They were rewarding, enlightening, and humbling. For these and other gifts, I remain profoundly grateful to Yale.”

Evan S. Griswold writes: “After retirement during the pandemic, I joined the board of our local land trust. I serve with another YSE grad, Tony Irving ’88. It is a very active land trust in a town that has already surpassed the 50% protection mark between the State of Connecticut, The Nature Conservancy, the town of Lyme, and the land trust. In a densely populated state, that’s remarkable.”

Sven Hultman writes: “I was a doctoral student at the Swedish University of Forestry when I got the opportunity to spend a year at Yale (fall 1975-spring 1976). My wife, who was born in the U.S., and my 4-year-old daughter came along. A seminar that was especially fun and interesting was held by W.R. Burch. I think many of my fellow students will agree with my opinion! I’ll never forget that day when it was hot and we got sleepy — so what to do about that? Burch suggested to take a long break outdoors — with a couple of beers each! Another very interesting seminar was held by Professor L.C. Irland. It gave a fine description of how nature preservation was developed in the U.S. During my year, I was exposed to ‘nature interpretation.’ During the following years, I integrated those concepts in many ways. This ended in a separate unit at the Swedish University, which has since done great work on that subject. Much thanks also to Marc Sagan, who I got to know during that year.”

Hallie (Black) Metzger writes: “Can you believe we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary next year? We’ll celebrate the good times we shared and honor those who are no longer with us. As class agent, I’ll be in touch asking you for anecdotes, memories, pictures, and anything else you want to share.”

Suzanne Reed writes: “Since retiring from California state government in 2016, I’ve entrenched myself in climate action advocacy. I enjoy speaking out and speaking up without regard to political ramifications. I maintain a website of climate action resources for a broad range of stakeholders at www.collaborationconnection.org and serve on the Yolo County Climate Action Commission. Our awesome Climate Action and Sustainability Coordinator Kristen Wraithwall ’22, has spearheaded interagency and cross-agency collaboration and active engagement among communities most at risk. Communicating climate action is a challenge and I appreciate the information coming out of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. I also co-founded the International Healthy Planet Action Coalition website (www.healthyplanetaction.org). Meanwhile, I cater to my rescue dog and cats (only two), continue to ride my 25-year-old horse, Muze, and visit my children and grandson now residing in Texas.”

Sally Hasted writes: “I continue to live in two ecosystems: the forests and old fields of colonial Connecticut and the coastal shore and scrub pine woods of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. I love them equally, though my heart soars at the salt marshes, mudflats, and rocky beaches of my beloved childhood home. While at YSE, I declined to learn forest mensuration and chainsaws (having a partially paralyzed arm that no one ever knew about) and chose to save marshlands, and I’ve protected them passionately ever since! Professionally, I’ve just renewed my sciences, English, and special ed teaching certificates for another ten years, but haven’t taught since Covid. Maintaining the ‘homesteads’ and caretaking Jack takes all my time. But, I work environmentally late at night, by computer, when it’s too dark for outdoor chores. I listen to the owls and attic-fliers and petition to save ecosystems, wildlife, and wild spaces everywhere.”