Pre-conference Session | HeartSong Salon C

Tim Phelps,
Natural Resource Specialist – Wood Innovations      State, Private, and Tribal Forestry  
USDA Forest Service
Southern Region

USDA USFS Wood Innovation Team
”Wood Energy & Innovation Grants for TN Industry”

Tim Phelps is the Natural Resource Specialist – Wood Innovations for the Southern Region of the USDA Forest Service, remotely based in Nashville, TN. Tim joins the Forest Service following a 25-year career including work with state government, academia, and non-profit organizations. He most recently served as the Communications and Outreach Unit Leader for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry. In this position Tim was responsible for public and media relations, the general promotion of forestry as a discipline, conservation education, and the role the Division plays in protecting, conserving, and enhancing the forest resources of Tennessee. While with the state, Tim also deployed with several Type 1 Incident Management Teams on large wildfires as a Public Information Officer. Prior to his work in Tennessee, he spent 8 years at Penn State University working as a Senior Research Support Technologist studying hardwood silviculture and tree improvement and served as an instructor of forest dendrology.

Tim is a graduate of Southern Illinois University where he received his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Forestry. He is a longtime member of the American Chestnut Foundation, having served on its Board of Directors, as its Pennsylvania Chapter’s President, and as its Tennessee Chapter’s Treasurer. Tim is very active with the Society of American Foresters having served in leadership positions at the state and national levels, including KTSAF Chair, House of Society Delegates Chair, SAF Board Member representing District 9, and SAF Treasurer.

Tim is excited to bring his skills and talents to the Forest Service in this new role. In addition to fulfilling his passion for forestry, Tim is an avid musician and plays guitar in a band and records in his home studio supporting other artists. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his spouse, two children, and two dogs.

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