Oakleigh “Oak” Thorne writes: “2024 was a special year for the nonprofit that I founded in 1954, Thorne Nature Experience (formerly Thorne Ecological Institute). We just moved into our new offices and classrooms, called the Lafayette Nature Center, in Lafayette, Colorado, a suburb of Boulder. This is the first time in our 70 years that we now own our own land and buildings! We ‘connect kids to nature’ through in-school and after-school classes and summer camps, and we even have a nature preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds! At 96, life is great!”

Patrick Duffy writes: “Greetings from North Vancouver, Canada, and the Capilano Canyon forests.  I am pulling for the YSE in this political atmosphere of 2025 and assure you of my determination to serve you from where I live. Gordon Weetman ’58, ’62 PhD, my forestry and mountaineering pal of my age (92), was speaking at a Canadian Institute of Forestry dinner meeting recently. He reflected on a long and productive career in Quebec and the faculties at the University of New Brunswick and the University of British Columbia. With training in silviculture from David Smith, he was a ranking professor in the subject in Canada and a hit with his students in the class and on field trips and tours. Please call me at 1-778-340-7572 if you would like to have my memoir (‘Pat’s Trail, A Memoir’) in electronic form. 281 pages and 120 photos, published a year ago.”

Ed Frayer writes: “After retiring in 2000, I’ve taken on several new challenges. My current passion is developing support for the Wolf-Moose Foundation. Recently established, our mission is to ensure research continuity of the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Project, the longest continuous study of any predator-prey system in the world. Interested in joining the foundation? Contact me.”

Bob Latham writes: “Still carbonizing O2 in Corvallis, Oregon. I have closed down my consulting firm but am still trying to do useful things. My wife, Connie, keeps me focused and happy. Our side business — renovating parcels of abused rural land — has now disposed of our last unit. Over the last 40 years we have made a few bucks, induced lots of sore muscles, and derived enormous satisfaction. We have revived several multiples of Aldo Leopold 1909’s Sand County acres, but without the social/political/literary splash. From a purely selfish standpoint, we recommend the quiet practice of that business. My book, ‘Forensic Forestry’ (CRC Press), needs revising and expanding. I am recruiting for a vigorous co-author for a second edition. Must be high mileage. All suggestions appreciated.” lathaml@peak.org

Stephen J. Hanover writes: “In 1972 Dr. Henry Kissinger, then Secretary of State, went to Hangzhou, China, to start renewal of relations between the country and the U.S. He brought several redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) seedlings that were planted in the beautiful Botanical Gardens of Hangzhou. I was fortunate to view some of those redwoods in 2024.”

Guy Steucek writes: “We all look for a bit of shade while talking to folks outside in summer. Cows do likewise. They are more sophisticated than many think and will change their feeding/grazing behavior based on what they have eaten and environmental conditions. Rotational grazing offers cows fresh feed daily and gives the forage a chance to recover. Cows graze, rest, ruminate, chew their cud, and mix socially throughout the day. Heat stress in cows is a major concern with climate change. We are currently looking into using mobile shade equipment to provide our cows with more shade and distribute the animal waste/plant nutrients throughout our fields. A 600-square-foot ‘shade wagon’ costs $20K; we could make one for $2K. Perhaps we could use a ‘smart shade wagon’ to move cows, shade, etc. But I can move the cows with a personal whistle before sunrise and welcome the new day. That puts me in the ‘Blue Zone.’”

Mike Gawel writes: “I continue my long-term residence in Guam following retirement from the National Park Service in 2020. Soon after leaving YSE, I was teaching and doing coral reef research at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Fiji when I identified and formally described a previously undocumented species of rabbitfish and granted it an official scientific name, Siganus uspi, after the university. Its natural distribution was only in the Fiji Islands. But since then, it has become a hot item in the saltwater aquarium trade, often called the ‘Fiji Foxface Rabbitfish.’ Look for it where it is widely distributed globally in aquariums.”

Bill Lansing writes: “Still living in Coos Bay, Oregon, since 1969. Still married to my wonderful bride of 56 years. After retiring as president and CEO of Menasha Forest Products Corporation in 2006, I started writing books on the history of various topics about our part of Oregon. I am currently on my 13th book. I have such fond memories of working with Professor David M. Smith at Keene and Union forests during the summer of 1968 and the trip to the South with Zeb White.”

Michael Finkbeiner writes: “Through Earth Image LLC, which I founded in 2003, I remain fully engaged in mapping projects for the water supply side of New York City DEP, flood mapping, and LIDAR projects. For the past few years, I have provided navigation consulting to GuardBot, a robotics developer contracted to deliver rolling bots for agriculture and forestry in Brazil this coming June.”

James Okraszewski writes: “After 53 years living in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Clare and I have made a move to Christiansburg, Virginia, in order to be near one of our children and her growing family. It was either move now or forever remain in the U.P., which is what I preferred. So, we compromised and moved! It is strange but very nice being so close to our daughter, her husband, our four-year-old granddaughter, and soon-to-be-born grandson, plus many amenities of life such as grocery stores, our church, etc., after years of driving 45 minutes to do most things. Although close to town, we pass more cows on the road into our new location than we do cars on most days. My plan is to continue hospice volunteering here and spending much more time with at least part of our family.”

Gary Drobnack writes: “I am about to turn 80 and I still remember fondly all the time I spent studying forestry and working in the woods. I spent 35 years working with Weyerhaeuser, 18 of which were spent offshore as an expat, traveling overseas on investment projects, or marketing logs and wood products. Locations included Japan, China, Korea, the Russian Far East, Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Uruguay, and Brazil. The number of new cultural experiences was very satisfying, and I remain in touch with many of my offshore friends — foresters, loggers, and marketing personnel. I learned to eat and enjoy many kinds of food and drink and seek it out whenever I can!”

John Aber ’76 PhD writes: “Inspired in part by a panel discussion at the 50th reunion of the Yale College Class of ’71, I have just rounded out three-plus years of posting essays (more than 80 altogether) about weather, climate, and climate change on Substack. These complement a book released in 2023 through Yale University Press on the same topic. It has been a great way to keep in touch with friends and colleagues following retirement in 2022 from 40+ years of teaching and research in environmental science. Otherwise, Lynn and I are enjoying lots of time with family, including four grandchildren who live close enough to visit frequently!”