Jack Ward Thomas
Encyclopedia
Jack Ward Thomas was the thirteenth chief of the U.S. Forest Service, serving during the Clinton
administration years of 1993-1996.
He was born September 7, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas
. His undergraduate education and degree (a B.S. in wildlife management in 1957) was from Texas A&M University
. He worked for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
for ten years. Then while working as a USFS research biologist at Morgantown, WV, he received an M.S. in wildlife ecology from West Virginia University
. He followed this up with an assignment with the USFS in Amherst, Massachusetts
where got his PhD in 1972 from the University of Massachusetts
. In 1974 he moved to La Grande, Oregon
working as a research biologist at the USFS Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory.
On December 1, 1993 he was appointed Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. During his time as head of the USFS, the Northwest Forest Plan
was adopted. After retiring from the Forest Service, he accepted a position as Boone & Crockett Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the School of Forestry of the University of Montana
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
administration years of 1993-1996.
He was born September 7, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. His undergraduate education and degree (a B.S. in wildlife management in 1957) was from Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. He worked for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas...
for ten years. Then while working as a USFS research biologist at Morgantown, WV, he received an M.S. in wildlife ecology from West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
. He followed this up with an assignment with the USFS in Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
where got his PhD in 1972 from the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
. In 1974 he moved to La Grande, Oregon
La Grande, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,327 people, 5,124 households, and 2,982 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,833.5 people per square mile . There were 5,483 housing units at an average density of 1,260.3 per square mile...
working as a research biologist at the USFS Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory.
On December 1, 1993 he was appointed Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. During his time as head of the USFS, the Northwest Forest Plan
Northwest Forest Plan
The Northwest Forest Plan is a series of federal policies and guidelines governing land use on federal lands in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It covers areas ranging from Northern California to western Washington...
was adopted. After retiring from the Forest Service, he accepted a position as Boone & Crockett Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the School of Forestry of the University of Montana
Publications
He has more than 600 publications to his credit, including:- Jack Ward Thomas: The Journals of a Forest Service Chief, edited by Harold K. Steen. UofWA Press, 2004, 417 pp.
- North American Elk: Ecology and Management, Smithsonian Institution Press, 2002, Thomas was co-editor.
- Wildlife habitats in managed forests: the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington, Agriculture Handbook No. 553, USDA, 1979. Thomas was editor.
- Viability assessments and management considerations for species associated with late-successional and old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest, USFS, 1993. The Spotted Owl report
- A Conservation Strategy for the Northern Spotted Owl, 1990
- A Rope Truss for Restraining Deer, Journal of Wildlife Management, 1967
- Wildlife habitats in managed rangelands: The Great Basin of southeastern Oregon : riparian zones (General technical report PNW), 1979
External links
- JackWardThomas.com
- Oregon Encyclopedia
- Jack Ward Thomas bio (Forest History SocietyForest History SocietyThe Forest History Society is an American non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of forest and conservation history. The society was established in 1946 and incorporated in 1955....
)