Great Mountain and Oregon Forests- Reflections Across Decades

Great Mountain Forest is pleased to welcome William G. “Bill” Robbins for a special talk at the Norfolk Library exploring the connections between his early experiences at Great Mountain Forest, his decades of work in Oregon forests, and his distinguished career as an environmental historian.

Robbins’ relationship with Great Mountain Forest began in the summer of 1958, when, as a young man, he first worked in the forest. Those early experiences helped shape a lifelong interest in forests, forestry, and the people and institutions connected to them. He later moved west to Oregon, where he worked in the woods as a choker setter and as a foreman of fire crews while pursuing graduate studies.

His practical experience in the forest eventually became intertwined with an academic career focused on the history of the American West, the Pacific Northwest, forestry, and environmental change. Robbins joined the faculty of Oregon State University in 1971, where he taught Western American history, Pacific Northwest history, and environmental history until his retirement in 2002. He is now an emeritus distinguished professor of History.

During this talk, Robbins will reflect on the evolution of his work—from his first experiences at Great Mountain Forest to his years working in Oregon and his scholarly research into the complex relationships among forests, industry, politics, communities, and conservation.

Join us for an engaging look back across more than six decades of forestry, scholarship, and changing landscapes—and for a conversation about the enduring connections between Great Mountain Forest and the forests of Oregon.

To find out more and to register, please visit here.