This past June, supported by generous funding from the Forest Stewards Guild, students from the University of Alabama’s Forest Stewards Guild Student Chapter traveled northwest to Missoula, Montana, for the North American Forest Ecology Workshop. The gathering served as a platform for learning and connection, offering students and professionals alike a stage to share their own research through oral presentations and poster sessions. They also had the chance to attend a wide array of sessions hosted by forest ecology researchers from across the country. Standout presentations included Dr. Klaus Pettermans’s talk on old-growth forests and stand development models, while Dr. William Keeton’s presentation on disturbance dynamics and late-successional structural development in old-growth riparian forests was another major point of interest that sparked discussion among the group.
The learning extended far beyond the conference room walls. Stepping into the field, the group got a firsthand look at Montana’s stunning local forest ecosystems. Stands of ponderosa and lodgepole pine swept across the state’s rugged mountains and hills, accompanied by vibrant wildflower communities and cushion plants—some of which have been growing for over a century. The group decided to make the journey back home an immersive road trip, featuring stops at Lolo National Forest, Custer National Forest, and Yellowstone National Park. These visits exposed the group to new forest types, unique management styles, and local wildlife, giving a tangible context to the ecological research they had spent the week discussing.
