In memoriam: Dennis Teeguarden

Dennis Teeguarden, professor emeritus of forest economics in the UC Berkeley Department of Environment Science, Policy and Management, passed away at home in Richland, Wash., on Feb. 21. He was 88.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, Teeguarden earned his Master of Forestry degree and Ph.D. in agricultural and resource economics at UC Berkeley, then immediately joined its faculty and went on to become an internationally recognized scholar in the field of forest economics. He served as chair of the UC Berkeley Department of Forestry and Resource Management and then as associate dean of the College of Natural Resources.

“He set a high standard for all of us with respect to fairness and civility, concern for students and junior faculty, and professional engagement beyond the boundaries of the campus,” said Keith Gilless, UC Berkeley professor of forest economics. “I benefited a great deal from his support and advice throughout my own career.”

Teeguarden served as a consultant to industry and government, including the National Park Service, the California Forestry Protective Association, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, the U.S. Forest Service, and the California State Legislature.

“Of particular note was his service as a member of the Committee of Scientists formed to assist in the development of the federal regulations to implement the National Forest Management Act of 1976,” wrote Gilless. “The act, which was passed in the aftermath of the Monongahela judicial decision regarding harvesting, curtailed clearcutting on national forests. Teeguarden's impact on the Committee's recommendations was profound, reflecting his belief in the value of rigorous financial analysis in support of sustainable management to provide recreation, water, wildlife, and other forest ecosystem benefits to current and future generations.”

Teeguarden co-authored “Forest Resource Management: Decision-making Principles and Cases,” a major textbook on forest-resource management. He was a fellow of the Society of American Foresters and a member of the Western Forest Economists, the California Wildfowl Association, and Ducks Unlimited.

He is survived by his wife Sally Annette Gleason, sister Judith Ruth Moyle, children Jason Teeguarden, Julie Pebworth and Justin Teeguarden, and grandchildren Sagan, Soren and Sebastian Teeguarden.

Teeguarden earned a bachelor's degree in forestry from Michigan Technological University in 1953, and his affection for hisalma mater led him to serve in retirement on that institutions Board of Trustees. The family suggests that donations in Teeguarden's name can be made to the Michigan Tech Alumni Endowed Scholarship fund (#5001) by sending a check to Erin Froese, The School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr., Houghton, MI 49931  

A veterans memorial service will be held on May 4, 2019, in Richland, Wash. 

Read more about Teeguarden's career at https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/news/2019/03/memoriam-dennis-earl-teeguarden.

 

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