Iowa State University first taught the subject of forestry in 1874 under the auspices of the Department of Horticulture and Forestry. In 1904, H. P. Baker developed a program in technical forestry and taught classes in elementary forestry, silviculture, forestry management and policy, and wood technology. The following decade, Iowa State introduced forestry camps as part of the curriculum. The Department of Horticulture and Forestry separated into two separate units in 1946. In 2002, the Department of Forestry was combined with the Department of Animal Ecology to create the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management. This collection includes course materials used to teach classes in forestry at Iowa State including syllabi, course objectives, and exams.

Iowa State University first taught the subject of forestry in 1874 under the auspices of the Department of Horticulture and Forestry. Taught by H. H. McAffee (Head of the Department of Horticulture and Forestry, 1874-1877), the coursework included subjects such as evergreens, forest trees, forest plantations, tree nurseries, and woods. As interest in forestry grew, a one-credit course was offered separate from horticulture. In 1902, the Farm Forestry course became a three-credit course.

Technical training for foresters began at Iowa State in 1904. H. P. Baker developed and taught the first four courses offered in the program: Elementary Forestry, Silviculture, Forestry Management and Policy, and Wood Technology. In 1911, a course of study separate from horticulture began for juniors and seniors and a four-year course of study was established in 1913. Since 1935, the Society of American Foresters has accredited forestry coursework at Iowa State.

Iowa State was among the first to include forestry camps as part of the curriculum. The first forestry camp was offered in the summer of 1914. Thirty-five students participated in a three-month camp at Cass Lake, Minnesota. The summer camps were held yearly at various locations and were only suspended in 1943, 1944, and 1945 due to World War II. The length of time spent at the camps had been reduced to approximately three weeks by the early 1990s. Since 1994, the camps have been held during the fall semester. The camps allow students to get firsthand experience in professional forestry. Subjects studied at the camps include taking measurements, mensuration, harvesting and processing of wood, and silviculture.

In 1946, the Department of Horticulture and Forestry separated into two departments: the Department of Forestry and Department of Horticulture. In 2002, the Department of Forestry combined with the Department of Animal Ecology to create the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (NREM).

This collection (1963-1980, undated) contains course syllabi, course objectives, exams, and other materials for classes taught by the Department of Forestry. Courses include studies in introduction to forestry, forest conservation, farm forestry, forest mensuration, logging and milling, forest recreation resource management, forest pathology, forest range management, and the practice of silviculture.

The following related materials are also available in the University Archives:

Additional Department of Forestry records and faculty papers, see collections classified under RS 9/14

Self-evaluation report. Prepared for the Committee on Accreditation, Society of American Foresters (call number SD254 I83 I59x 1972)

Department of Forestry, Iowa State University, comprehensive program review: April 9-13, 1990 (call number SD254 I83 U55x 1990)

Street tree survey of Ames, Iowa (call number SB435.52 I82 S77x 1931)

The collection is arranged by course number.