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Forest Utilization Research requests workforce manager to train students on new logging technology
Summary
The Forest Utilization Research program (FUR) requested funding for a workforce development manager to train student employees on recently purchased advanced forestry and logging equipment; program leaders said the equipment was bought with proceeds and private support and the manager is necessary to operate it safely and as a training asset.
Kevin Campbell presented the Forest Utilization Research (FUR) program budget. FUR operates under the University of Idaho College of Natural Resources and the program’s director and college dean, Dennis Becker, told the committee FUR has 13.28 authorized FTP and was seeking partial funding for a workforce development manager to supervise and train student employees at the University of Idaho Experimental Forest.
Becker described recent purchases of advanced forestry and logging technology—he said, "we purchased about $2,000,000 in advanced logging technology with our logging proceeds and with some assistance from private industry"—and said the new equipment requires a dedicated manager to train students and supervise work safely. Becker said the workforce development manager would help the program’s stated mission of workforce training and that current staff capacity does not allow adequate training for the equipment recently acquired.
Campbell’s budget slides showed that roughly 90% of FUR expenditures are for wages and benefits and that recent small ongoing appropriations have supported personnel costs at the Wildland Fire Center. Becker asked for the committee’s support for the workforce manager and told the committee the manager would allow FUR to expand its student workforce training capacity.
Ending: The committee heard the request and had no substantive follow‑up questions in the hearing; FUR leaders said they will continue to work with staff on detailed budget materials as the packet moves through the session.
