Dave McGill

My forestry path began in the chaparral of the coast ranges in California (B.S. Natural Resources Management, Cal Poly, SLO). It took me to the Sahel in Niger, West Africa, then on to the deep woods of Wisconsin (MS. Forestry, University of Wisconsin—Madison) then on to Penn’s Woods (Ph.D. Forest Resources, Penn State) and finally to the woodlands of West Virginia where I began as a research scientist at Westvaco Corporation in Greenbrier County. I’ve been at WVU since 2001 and my focus as a forestry extension specialist is to educate people about forests and woodlands. I work collaboratively with other individuals and conservation organizations to provide education for landowners to discover ways they can work with their properties to create their “ideal” woodlands. I team teach the global forest resources course (FOR425) and specialize in tree and shrub identification trainings, both to university students and adult audiences. My most popular outreach workshops are winter tree ID, shiitake mushroom production, and the “Woods and Wildlife” seminar that I teach alongside our wildlife extension specialist. My research has evolved over time from silviculture focusing on invasive species control to exploring motivations of landowners. Recent research has explored gender and property management, landowner willingness to work across boundaries, educational choice and motivations for attending workshops, and landowner perspectives of complex timber sales.