John Houghton, associate professor of forestry for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point�s College of Natural Resources (CNR), has been named Vallier Treehaven Chair of Ecology.

The chair has been established within the CNR beginning this summer thanks to a three-year $180,000 gift from Dorothy Vallier and the Vallier Foundation. The purpose of the appointment is to enhance curriculum development and programming and provide academic leadership for CNR students attending summer camp at Treehaven, one of three field stations operated year-round by the CNR.

Located near Tomahawk, the facilities include conference rooms and classrooms, living centers for overnight lodging, a dining hall, library, nature store and trails spread across 1,400 acres of northern forest. Jacque and Dorothy Vallier donated the land in the early 1980s in order to create a natural resources camp for the university. "We are very happy that John will be the first ever chair at Treehaven," said William "Biff" Kummer, the son of Dorothy and Jacque Vallier.

Houghton will be spending his 16^th consecutive summer at Treehaven, having been a part of that program since its inception in 1985. But his ties go even further back to 1972 when as a Ph.D. candidate at Michigan State University he was hired as an instructor at Clam Lake, the predecessor to Treehaven. "I�m real excited about this opportunity and to continue some scholarly work while taking a hands-on approach to natural resources education," said Houghton. "The Vallier family�s ongoing support for Treehaven and the many hundreds of CNR students that have gone through our programs is a wonderful legacy."

Each summer two six-week sessions provide hands-on, practical field training for about 200 students � future environmental managers and natural resource leaders for Wisconsin and the nation. Twenty-two faculty from UWSP, UW-Madison, UW-Green Bay and UW-Marathon College will instruct students on natural resource disciplines including forestry, wildlife, soils, water and plant identification.

"In my view this summer camp program plays an integral role in the overall education and preparation of our students for professional careers as natural resource managers," said

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Houghton. "In essence, this experience oftentimes is a defining learning experience in the academic careers of our students."

During his tenure as Vallier Treehaven Chair of Ecology, Houghton will teach six weeks in residence, coordinate the camp�s academic program, assist in the development of a new and improved curriculum, chair the summer camp committee, recruit visiting keynote presenters for summer sessions, and prepare an annual progress report.

Treehaven is a year-round educational facility as are the CNR�s other two field stations, the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station (CWES) in Amherst Junction and Schmeeckle Reserve, located on the north side of campus in Stevens Point.

A native of Michigan, he holds a bachelor�s degree in forestry and a doctorate in resource economics from Michigan State University and a master�s degree from Western Michigan University. He resides in Stevens Point with his wife, Marilyn, and their four children.

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