While people headed to the beach or the mountains this summer, forestry alumnus Kevin Hoyt (’83, ’88) traveled to New Mexico to volunteer as a Visiting Forester at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

Hoyt is the Research Center Director for the Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center. He also received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry from the University of Tennessee.

In July, he went to the Philmont Scout Ranch to teach scouts forestry skills such as tree ID, forest measurements, fire ecology, and forest management. The lessons took place along trails as scouts trekked through the Philmont Demonstration Forest Area. Hoyt says Philmont provides uniforms, tent housing, and meals for the week.

Hoyt first participated in the program in 2021 after seeing an advertisement from the Society of American Foresters. This year marked his second time volunteering with the program.

He encourages graduate foresters from SNR to apply, especially if they were an Eagle Scout or went on a Philmont trek in high school. “It’s a chance to go out west for a week in the summer to experience New Mexico and Philmont firsthand and be a teacher or mentor to the young men and women trekking at Philmont,” Hoyt says. He adds that volunteers can build relationships with other foresters across the U.S. Volunteers might also be able to use their time for SAF Continuing Forestry Education credits.

The program schedules the Visiting Forester slots from early June through mid-August. Anyone interested can contact Mary Stuever with the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department for New Mexico at mary.stuever@emnrd.nm.gov.