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Forest Utilization Research asks for workforce manager to train students on $2 million logging equipment
Summary
University of Idaho’s Forest Utilization Research program requested a workforce development manager to supervise student employees and train them on recently purchased advanced logging technology; program leaders said the equipment was acquired with logging proceeds and private support.
Forest Utilization Research (FUR), part of the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources, told the Joint Finance Committee work group it seeks funding for a workforce development manager to train student employees on newly acquired advanced forestry equipment.
Kevin Campbell, the Legislative Services Office analyst presenting the program, said FUR has 13.28 authorized FTP with a half‑time vacancy and that roughly 90% of its expenditures are wages and benefits. He said the program operates experimental forests, a nursery, a rangeland center and a recently created Wildland Fire Center.
Dennis Becker, dean of the College of Natural Resources and director of the program, said the university purchased about $2,000,000 in advanced logging technology using logging proceeds and some private industry assistance and that the requested workforce manager would supervise and train students to operate the equipment safely and productively.
"This workforce development manager will be really important for helping us to train those students which we currently do not have capacity for," Becker told the committee.
Campbell said the FY2026 request is partial funding for a workforce development manager; the program previously received $18,200 ongoing in FY2024 for personnel costs at its Wildland Fire Center and a half FTE administrative specialist in FY2025.
Becker emphasized FUR’s role as a workforce‑training program and said the new equipment, paired with a dedicated supervisor, will help prepare students for careers in the forest products industry.
No formal committee action was recorded; members had no substantive questions beyond the presentation and indicated they would review the materials in the legislative budget book.
