Nate Herring, Manager, Director of Biometrics and Inventory Services, brings 17 years of experience to his role. He has a Bachelor of Science in Forest Science from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science in Forest Biometrics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Why did you pursue a career in forestry? I grew up on a farm that raised and grew a little bit of everything: hogs, cattle, ducks, chickens, corn, hay, and vegetables. The farm was also enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and programs administered by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, such as streamside fencing and tree planting. These programs transformed the small farm almost immediately by providing habitat and food and improved water quality through shade and less soil erosion. Seeing all the improvements and the increased critters around, as well as the fact that I like to hunt and fish, got me interested in becoming someone who makes these management decisions. Another aspect of becoming a forester that appealed to me is the problem-solving nature of the job, just like running a farm. There are objectives such as harvesting timber for revenue and creating habitats at the same time. I just liked the idea of coming up with ways to address these types of objectives. Once I learned that there were more specialized roles within forestry, such as biometrics and inventory, that included math, stats, and computers that complemented land management, I was hooked.
What do you like the most about your role with AFM? My favorite part of my role at AFM is the diversity of the projects and people. It is typical for me to simultaneously be working on projects involving planted southern pine, natural hardwood growth and yield in the Lake States, teak inventory in Central America, carbon projects in the Pacific Northwest and Appalachian, and testing merchandising equations. The work just does not get stale.