The Hofmann Forest was purchased in 1934 as an EDUCATIONAL asset, with only the modest hope that it someday would be able to generate a positive financial return.  Now that foresters have finally succeeded in making it valuable as a financial asset as well, after taking more than 50 years to turn a profit, the Chancellor and last couple of Deans want to cash out.  

The money-making experiments the Chancellor quotes were just that; true (failed) research efforts in the spirit of education and demonstration.  Selling out to a crop farmer who cannot help but wreck the environment, wildlife, and waters in the region when he does farm is the reverse–rejecting all the education, innovation and demonstration the forest was purchased for.

Doc Hofmann said that the forest purposes were to be:  

“…a forestry laboratory, demonstration area and as a source of revenue to help carry on the forestry education work.”

The Forestry Foundation is to hold this property for the sole interest and benefit of the Forestry Department of State College.”

Julius Hoffmann, July 17, 1933; Memorandum for NCSU President E.C. Brooks

Or per the recent Hofmann Forest History Book, p.2-3.

“Outdoor Laboratory

To complement the classroom lectures, Doc Hofmann saw the need to secure a tract of forest land where the intricacies of silviculture and allied sciences could be ingrained in the students. But equally important as the educational aspects of forestry was his thesis that forests that pay their way are assured of perpetuation.”

And the 2008 Natural Resource Foundation Charter states that the Natural Resource Foundation: 

“…is organized to operate exclusively for scientific and educational purposes in support of the scientific, educational, research, and outreach missions of the College of Natural Resources at NC State University.  The Corporation has a strong history and lineage of forestry and forest products support, largely due to the management of the Hofmann Forest, which is recognized as a unique resource and a primary focus of the Corporation since its inception.”  

Sure, in 1933, Julius Hofmann had aspirations that the Hofmann Forest would someday generate more revenue than expenses, but it took until the 1980s before that even occurred.  But the new spin from the university the Hofmann Forest was just meant to make big bucks for the university is just Orwellian doublespeak.  

The forest was always meant to be an educational asset, and now it is an irreplaceable environmental asset as in this era of scarce natural areas, even as it generates income from timber from planted trees, wildlife hunting leases, and wetlands banks.  Indeed the point of Hofmann and modern land trusts is that we are trying to make forests pay well enough to stay in forests and protect their large nonmarket values, not make a killing for real estate development and watch them be destroyed.

Let’s keep the Hofmann as an educational asset, and show that as a university that we can be innovative and creative leaders to find environmentally positive ways to generate reasonable incomes for the university.

Teach what we believe – Practice what we teach!

Fred Cubbage

Professor, NC Registered Forester