The following issue of the OFRI eNews is dedicated to celebrating the long career in forest education of OFRI Director of Forestry Mike Cloughesy, who retires June 30 after 18 years at the Institute. It features messages from his co-workers, colleagues and friends in Oregon’s forest education community.
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Forty years of forestry education in Oregon |
In 2003, with 22 years’ experience as a forester and forestry educator, I was asked to apply for a position with OFRI as the director of forestry. I had worked on several OFRI projects while working for the Oregon State University Extension Service and was very supportive of OFRI’s mission to educate Oregonians about forests and forestry. After 16 years of forestry extension, I was ready to play on a larger stage.
Working as OFRI’s director of forestry for the past 18 years has given me a tremendous opportunity to communicate to the people of Oregon the importance of forestry, what it is, why we do it, and why it matters. Being the face and voice of active forest management in the most important forestry state in the country has been an incredible opportunity.
OFRI’s mission of educating Oregonians about forests and forestry has become my personal mission. I have loved every minute of spreading the forestry gospel and believe that we have made an incredible difference through our work. I have had the opportunity to work with a team of professional communicators, educators and foresters, with adequate resources and tremendous forest sector support toward an end that I really believe in.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you for the last 40 years. The time has gone way too quickly. I hope and pray that OFRI continues for a long time and continues to receive the support of the forestry community in Oregon. Thanks for the memories.
For the forest,
Mike Cloughesy
Director of Forestry
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A great resource for Oregon's forests and forest sector |
Oregon’s abundant forests provide us with clean air, water, habitat for fish and wildlife, places to recreate and, through the sustainable production of timber, they provide jobs for over 60,000 Oregonians. We like to call Oregon’s forests “Our Greatest Resource.” For the past 18 years, Oregon’s forests have benefited from another great resource: OFRI’s director of forestry, Mike Cloughesy.
During his time at OFRI, Mike has dedicated his work to helping Oregonians learn about the practice of forestry and the many benefits that forests provide to the environment, society and the economy. Mike has the rare ability to educate, communicate and provide subject matter expertise. He is an expert at making forestry education accessible and relevant to the general public, teachers and students, and forest landowners.
Mike’s first manager at OFRI was Leslie Lehmann, who hired him away from the Oregon State University Extension Service’s forestry faculty. “One of the very best decisions I made as the first OFRI executive director was hiring Mike Cloughesy,” she says. “Mike was a knowledgeable, experienced forester, but he also excelled at teaching. No one was better at organizing educational conferences and forest tours.”
After Leslie’s retirement, Mike went on to work for 10 years under the leadership of Paul Barnum. “With Mike, I was able to give broad challenges, and he never disappointed,” he says. “When I said, ‘Let’s make OFRI the leader of forest landowner education in Oregon,’ Mike met the challenge by bringing seventeen organizations together to form the Partnership for Forestry Education. Their work includes a dedicated website for forest landowners, but most importantly, by working together, the partnership improves the delivery of landowner education.”
When I joined OFRI about three years ago, forestry and the forest sector were completely new to me. Upon my arrival, Mike reached out and offered to be my mentor as I tackled the challenge of learning about both forestry and the forest sector in Oregon. I gladly accepted his offer and I’m beyond grateful for the knowledge that Mike shared with me.
The biggest thing that Mike taught me was how to educate Oregonians about forests and forestry in a way that recognizes the wide spectrum of perspectives they have about forest management. One of Mike’s greatest attributes is the way that he respectfully engages with people who have a range of environmental and socio-economic perspectives on forest management. By demonstrating his respect for differing viewpoints, Mike is able to build trust. At his core, Mike is a man of science, data and facts. But as an educator, he knows that without building trust with the audience you are teaching, you don’t get very far.
It won’t be easy to replace Mike. He is a bit of a “unicorn” – a mythical forest creature with the ability to make forestry understandable. At the same time, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of a long, relaxing and enjoyable retirement.
For the forest,
Erin Isselmann
Executive Director
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OFRI board reflects on working with Mike |
Throughout his career and his time working for OFRI, Mike Cloughesy made an impression. And he certainly made a mark on members of the OFRI board of directors, many of whom worked closely with him on a variety forestry education projects over the years. Here are a few reflections from current board members:
“With an unrivaled vast knowledge and passion for forestry and for people, Mike has provided a steadfast, positive and highly respected voice for OFRI and the forestry profession in Oregon and beyond. I feel very fortunate to have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Mike over the past many years. Some of my favorite memories have been working with Mike at conventions and meetings. He was always my emcee of choice. Mike was reminiscent of a conductor of an orchestra in the way he managed events, keeping everything moving and on time, handling AV equipment glitches and entertaining the audience through it all – he made it look so easy. The added bonus: Mike knew everyone!”
Audrey Barnes, Small Woodland Owner Representative, Nickel Mountain LLC
“Almost 20 years ago, I had the good fortune of meeting Mike Cloughesy. During the many years since, I have developed a deep admiration of Mike and a friendship that I treasure. Though I broadly respect my colleagues in forestry, Mike stands out as a forester, as a conservationist and as a human being. Mike’s innate ability to connect with people, along with his breadth of knowledge about forestry, is truly remarkable. In the sometimes contentious and soundbite-driven world in which we work, Mike brings people together with a sense of fairness, well-researched science and a dependably good nature.”
Jennifer Krauss Phillippi, Class 1 Representative, Perpetua Forests Co.
“One of the things that I remember fondly of Mike is when we were just starting up the Trees to Tap project, I was the incoming board chair and had some concerns about the makeup of the work group and the absence of anyone representing the Oregon Small Woodlands Association. Mike was able to convince me that it would work out, and in the end it did. Mike has a very special way of managing group dynamics in such a positive way. He will be sorely missed by all in the forest products sector, but I wish him the best for all his future endeavors in retirement.”
Quincy Powers, Class 1 Representative, Powers Ranch Co.
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By Kathy Storm, OFRI Senior Manager of Business Operations, and Julie Woodward, OFRI Senior Manager of Forestry Education
When Mike is hosting an event or tour, it’s always on time – well, almost always.
Mike has organized and delivered a countless number of forest education events, including tours, workshops, conferences, lectures, classes and webinars. Mike has a passion for teaching, education and forestry. Those talents started taking form when he worked for the Oregon State University Extension Service, and have continued to thrive throughout his career at OFRI. Mike brings energy and enthusiasm into every program.
Just about every year, pre-pandemic, the OFRI staff would find itself assembled as a team in some corner of Oregon’s forests, to help deliver the OFRI board of directors’ annual forest tour. Mike would assist the board members in choosing a topic, educational objectives, location and speakers. He was also involved in all aspects of making sure the tour was going to be a success. Many of those tours supplied material for the kind of stories you tell later around the dinner table or campfire. The entire staff would work together, and one thing was clear: The tour had to start and end on time. If the tour was late, most likely there was a problem to solve. Flat tires, breakdowns, road construction and bumpy roads were all to blame at some time for messing up Mike’s schedule, which was planned down to the second.
The definition of “punctual” is someone who can be depended on to arrive when they say they will. Mike is the person you can always depend on, even if you are stuck in the middle of the woods, needing to entertain a busload of people, who may just not make it back that one time on time.
Mike, you will be deeply missed. We will always treasure the time we spent together in Oregon forests and classrooms. We will do our best to continue your legacy of forestry education and take Oregonians out for those forestry experiences, and get them back – always on time.
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Charismatic forester — not an oxymoron
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By Jordan Benner, OFRI Senior Manager of Public Outreach
Mike Cloughesy is as comfortable in the boardroom as he is in the classroom. Watching Mike transition seamlessly from one audience to another without sacrificing authenticity or engagement is a marvel.
I’ve called on Mike countless times to be a presenter, or to step in front of the video camera to help explain forestry to a wide range of audiences. He’s presented to forest landowners, Oregon business leaders, elementary school students, Royal Rosarians, architects, gardening clubs and even Korean diplomats. Every single time, he was excited to be there and thrilled to reveal the wonders of forestry.
Our sector is filled with forestry experts, but few project the enthusiasm for forestry that Mike does. He not only loves this stuff, he wants you to love it too. Most of what I learned about forestry over the years, I learned from Mike. His lessons taught me the “how” and the “why” of forestry, but also the “why that’s so cool” and the “here’s what’s so amazing” about forestry.
Mike was a great boss. He was a great colleague. And he was an unmatched enthusiast. I’ll miss that enthusiasm, but I won’t soon forget it. Thanks for everything, Mike.
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By Norie Dimeo-Ediger, OFRI Director of K-12 Education Programs, and Rikki Heath, OFRI Environmental Educator
Mike Cloughesy is a born educator. As educators, we know one when we see one, and Mike was meant to educate. Thinking about what makes a good educator, there are a five major things that come to mind:
First, a good educator Celebrates mistakes. They look at a mistake as a chance to learn and grow and become better. Mike has always been an optimist, and it has helped him teach others how to look at things as opportunities rather than faults or disappointments.
Second, a good educator Accepts challenges. Mike is always up for taking on the impossible. He puts in the work himself and knows when to get help from others.
Third, a good educator is Respectful. Mike shows his respect in many ways, but one thing you can count on from Mike is a good story. In many of these stories, he talks about lessons he learned along the way. By telling these stories, he shows vulnerability. That helps us appreciate that we are all on a journey, and no one is perfect.
Fourth, a good educator is Enthusiastic. Mike offers so much passion for forestry that he has dedicated over four decades of his life to it. Is there anyone as passionate as Mike? He brings enthusiasm into all of his work. And to be honest, we are surprised that he is going to retire.
Lastly, a good educator offers Support. Mike is always there for you and will do what he can to help you succeed inside and outside of the work place.
So, in the end, a good educator CARES! We have learned so much from Mike and want to wish him many more opportunities to continue teaching because the world needs caring educators like him.
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The go-to subject matter expert |
By Inka Bajandas, OFRI Public Outreach Manager
When we’re putting together an OFRI special report or other educational publication, we start by assembling a team of subject matter experts, or “SMEs,” on that topic. Often, Mike was one of the first SMEs I called on because of his wide and comprehensive knowledge of all things forestry.
Mike and I have worked on many reports together, as well as several updates to OFRI’s most popular publication, Oregon Forest Facts. In the process, he’s taught me about some pretty complex forestry topics, ranging from the fire ecology of Oregon’s forests to how forests sequester carbon, which allowed me to explain these concepts in simple terms to audiences who, like myself, don’t have forestry backgrounds.
When we collaborated on updating Oregon Forest Facts, I was impressed with the ease at which Mike managed such an elaborate project with many moving parts and numerous partners contributing data, statistics and other information about Oregon’s forests and forest sector. He could always be counted on to ensure all the numbers and percentages in Oregon Forest Facts were accurate. In fact, we often call him “Rain Man” because of his ability to easily add large sums in his head.
Like others, I’ve always appreciated Mike’s warm, kind demeanor, and he’s been a wonderful co-worker. I’m so happy he’ll soon be able to spend more time with family in a well-earned and much-deserved retirement.
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Dedicated to forest landowner education |
By Jim James, former executive director of the Oregon Small Woodlands Association
I have had the good fortune to know Mike Cloughesy for many years. We first met in 2000 when I was appointed by the Board of Forestry to be the large landowner representative on their newly formed Committee for Family Forestlands. Mike was with Oregon State University Extension Service at the time and served as the Extension appointee. He was informative on family forest issues and he coordinated a conference for family forest landowners at OSU in 2001.
Mike’s continual commitment to Oregon’s family forest landowners has never been more evident than in his role with OFRI. For over a decade, he has been instrumental in organizing and participating in the educational Neighbor to Neighbor family forest tours that OSWA hosts with financial support from OFRI. Mike has also helped organize and been the master of ceremonies for OSWA annual meetings, as well as being an active participant in Oregon Tree Farm System (OTFS) annual meetings. Additionally, he has served as an ad hoc member of both the OSWA and OTFS boards.
Mike is a great friend, and I wish him all the best in his retirement. It is well deserved.
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Messages for Mike from OSU Extension |
By Glenn Ahrens, Amanda Brenner and Stephen Fitzgerald, Forestry & Natural Resources Extension Program, Oregon State University
“I have known Mike for a very long time. During that time, I have been so impressed with the work that he has done educating Oregonians, forestry professionals, forest landowners – big and small – about sustainable forestry and many other related topics. Oftentimes when we get to the end of our careers we ask ourselves: Did I make a difference? Did I improve forestry and the way that it’s practiced? For Mike, I can say that it is a definite YES! Mike, I appreciate all the things you did during your career, but what I appreciate most is our friendship. You are entering a new phase of life, Mike. Enjoy it!”
Stephen Fitzgerald, Extension Specialist, Silviculture
“Mike has been an outstanding leader and partner in forestry education for over 30 years of my career with Oregon State University Forestry & Natural Resources Extension. The benefits of his service to our forestry community are beyond measure. Over this difficult year of the pandemic, Mike essentially ‘saved the day’ as a leader and collaborator in the production of our Tree School Online webinars.”
Glenn Ahrens, Oregon State University Extension Forester
“I was heartbroken when we had to cancel our 30th annual Clackamas Tree School. It was wonderful to have Mike’s support to produce Tree School Online instead. I am so happy that I had a chance to work with him.”
Amanda Brenner, Tree School Coordinator
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An active Oregon Society of American Foresters member |
By Jeremy Felty, Chairman, Oregon Society of American Foresters
The Oregon Society of American Foresters (OSAF) has been influenced, changed and has grown with Mike’s involvement and compassion for Oregon forestry. Below are a few testimonials about Mike from some of his dear OSAF friends:
Lori Rasor, manager of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) northwest office, recalled her favorite Mike quote as the iconic: “If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. If you’re late, you’ve missed the boat.”
“I first met Mike as an Extension guy for Oregon State University, and he was the quintessential extension educator: Loved forestry and outdoors people, loved teaching, knew his stuff but always wanted to learn more,” says John Bailey, a professor with the OSU College of Forestry. “What a career and what a difference he has made.”
OSU Extension Agent Jacob Putney adds, “Mike has been an inspiration for me as a leader, educator, and role model for what it means to be involved in forestry in Oregon, a member of SAF, and an extension professional.”
I also feel privileged to have had Mike as a mentor and a friend. Mike, I'll miss you and your limitless wisdom; our friends in this community will continue to sing only praises of your friendship, compassion and your boundless kindness.
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By Fran Cafferata Coe, Cafferata Consulting
It’s possible that we are all in denial that Mike Cloughesy is retiring. I know I am!
Mike has been actively involved in my career for over a decade and has offered endless advice and support. He does this in a way that is friendly, open, honest and helpful. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be where I am today without his guidance. I know many have similar stories.
Mike, I will miss your enthusiasm, your support, your humor and your guidance. I wish you all the very best in your retirement. Go Beavs!
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By Julie Woodward, OFRI Senior Manager of Forestry Education
Mike has always been devoted to his faith, family and forestry.
In this next chapter of life, Mike and his wife, Teresa, will have more time for faith and family, plus golf. They are moving closer to family in Bellevue, Neb. The plan is to have time for extended visits with their grandson, family and friends. They enjoy traveling and will be exploring new places.
If you are going through Nebraska, join Mike on the golf course – at least during the months it’s not covered in snow. If you would like to send Mike a note with best wishes on his retirement, he can be reached at cloughesy@ofri.org.
We all wish Mike and Teresa the very best in this new adventure.
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BLOG: "Ready to Learn"
OFRI Environmental Educator Rikki Heath recently taught students in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic. She reflects on the experience in a new post on the OFRI blog, recalling how great it felt to finally be teaching outside instead of in front of a computer screen. Read the blog to learn more about OFRI’s initial stride back into in-person K-12 forest education.
BLOG: "The importance of getting students in the woods"
Forestry education is engaging, relevant and important for Oregon students, according to Beth Krisko, director of the Eugene-based forest education program Forests Today and Forever. In a new guest post on the OFRI blog, she highlights just a few of the many good reasons to include forestry education in schools. Read the blog.
BLOG: "Fire awareness today and every day"
Last month was Wildfire Awareness Month, but even though it’s now June, Oregonians should still be practicing fire awareness and prevention every day. In a new blog post, OFRI Senior Manager of Forestry Education Julie Woodward explains why this is so important, especially as we approach summer, and offers a list of fire awareness and prevention actions you can take. Read the blog.
BLOG: "It's spring! Time to think about wildlife in burned areas"
Specific actions for wildlife are not always included in suggestions of how to restore forests after wildfire. One simple thing landowners can do to help forest critters is spreading a wildlife-friendly seed mix in burned areas. In a guest blog, OFRI’s contract wildlife biologist, Fran Cafferata Coe, explains why this can make a big difference. Read the blog.
Amity High School wins 2021 Oregon Envirothon
A team of students from Amity High School placed first in the 2021 Oregon Envirothon, an annual natural resources knowledge competition hosted by OFRI. Over 100 high school students, representing 23 schools from across the state, competed in this year’s Oregon Envirothon. Learn more about the 2021 Oregon Envirothon and see a complete list of winners here.
Wildfire prevention campaign doubles investment with OFRI grant
As Oregon enters another fire season still reeling from the impacts of last year’s devastating Labor Day wildfires, the Keep Oregon Green Association’s longtime efforts to prevent human-caused wildfires are getting a substantial boost from a $200,000 OFRI grant that will double the investment in Keep Oregon Green’s annual wildfire prevention campaign. Learn more.
OFRI board elects new leadership
The OFRI board of directors has elected a new chair and vice chair. Jerry Anderson will serve as the board chairman and Eric Schooler will be the board’s new vice chairman. Learn more about the OFRI board here.
Schools receive natural resource education grants
Two Oregon high schools have received grants from the Oregon Community Foundation’s Oregon Natural Resources Education Fund (ONREF). The fund, which is dedicated to sustaining natural resources education programs at Oregon high schools, awarded a $4,570 grant to Pleasant Hill High School’s Agriculture and Natural Resource Program to create an arboretum for natural sciences laboratory work. Philomath High School’s Forestry and Natural Resources Program received a $1,556 grant to purchase safety equipment and log scaling training manuals. Learn more about ONREF here.
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Oregon Forest Resources Institute |
The Oregon Legislature created the Oregon Forest Resources Institute in 1991 to advance public understanding of forests, forest management and forest products and to encourage sustainable forestry through landowner education.
A 13-member board of directors governs OFRI. It is funded by a portion of the forest products harvest tax.
Copyright © 2021, Oregon Forest Resources Institute. All Rights Reserved.
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