College Priorities
Featured Content
Supporting student scholarships
Alumni and friends of the W.A. Franke CFC set up annual, endowed, and memorial scholarships every year to support the growing financial needs of our students. With tuition costs rising, students need financial awards to lessen their burden. Students are able to use these awards for tuition, travel, and support with internship experiences. Memorial scholarships, like the Lee Clark Memorial Scholarship, help to remember those who have passed away by supporting a future generation of natural resource managers. Read more about how to set up a scholarship.
Meeting the challenges of wildland fire
The college leads the way in developing tools, science, and strategies for addressing the new realities of wildland fire. Through our Fire Center and academic programs, the college provides scientific, educational, and technical capacity to help land managers. We also create student leaders who can integrate fire operations with science and technology. Private donations have supported a student course in Georgia where students learn more about and practice prescribed fire. The student fire club (a SAFE chapter) works with private landowners on fuels reduction treatments. Our new academic minor in Wildland Fire Sciences & Management combines classroom and hands-on learning. Students need equipment, travel support, training funds, and more to succeed.
Supporting graduate student research
The college attracts smart, engaged graduate students by providing fellowships, including the Plum Creek Graduate Fellowship established by Plum Creek Timber Company in 1994. This fellow is responsible for organizing the Plum Creek Distinguished Lecture Series and conducting forest management research. Current Plum Creek fellow and PhD candidate Eryn Schneider studies the impact of snow pack on stands of trees at Lubrecht Experimental Forest. Many other exciting graduate projects need private support to attract and retain the brightest students. For more information on funding a graduate fellowship, visit the UM Foundation web site.
Learning at Lubrecht
The 28,000 acre Lubrecht Experimental Forest has been the crown jewel of the school since 1937. This expansive field classroom boasts mixed conifer timberland, the Blackfoot River, recreational ski trails, wildlife, a vacation lodge, and much more. Students and researchers use the forest for experimental thinning, prescribed burning, wildlife and water monitoring. Supporters of Lubrecht Forest have helped us innovate and improve the forest and facilities.
Providing water and climate data to every Montanan
Water is the lifeblood of the West. In Montana we depend on water for agriculture, ranching, fishing, skiing, forest health, rafting, and so much more. The Montana Climate Office provides accurate information on weather and water availability to every Montana family and business. The climate office uses scientific data from key sources like NOAA to monitor and measure Montana's atmospheric water and the state's fresh water systems. While recognized as Montana's official climatolgist and climate data stewards, the faculty and students who run the climate office rely on private support to provide key information to Montana's recreationists, ranchers, and industries.
A new building for the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation
CFC faculty, staff and students work in six buildings across campus, and are excited to consolidate into a common space that allows faculty and students to collaborate and have top-notch learning spaces. We are raising awareness and funds for a new building and for updates to the historic forestry building. This new building will preserve our historical building, will be sustainably constructed and furnished, and will use local wood. To succeed for the next 100 years, our students need updated technology, more lab space, better equiped classrooms, and full ADA accessibility to all buildings.
Reforestation and education at the Memorial Greenhouse
Thanks to private support, the Memorial Greenhouse was re-established in 2010 as a seedling nursery. This student-run facility produces seedlings for reforestation work at Lubrecht Forest or for sale to local landowners. Local grade school children have visited the greenhouse to learn about Montana's forests.
