Professor Emeritus, Consulting Forester
Dr Douglas Piirto has been recognized by International Who’s Who as one of the Most influential Collegiate Educators of all time. Drawing upon a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada, a Master of Science from Colorado State University and a PhD from the University of California Berkeley, Dr. Douglas D. Piirto is a registered professional forester in the State of California and a certified forester through the Society of American Foresters (SAF). Douglas has served as Professor, Scientist and Forester in the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA. During that time, he served as NRES Dept. Head for 14 years (2001 to 2015). Dr. Piirto taught courses in silviculture, forest harvesting, environmental impact analysis, forest management, resource fire control, introduction to forestry, and other forestry/conservation courses.
At the inception of his career in 1970, he served as a research assistant for Colorado State University for one year before serving in the same capacity for UC Berkeley from 1972 to 1977. After earning his PhD, he was a forester and certified silviculturist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Sierra National Forest in Trimmer and Shaver Lake, California, until 1985. Dr. Piirto joined California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo in 1985 as an associate professor within the Department of Natural Resources Management, holding the position for five years. Advancing to full professor in 1990, he excelled as the department head from 2001 to 2015.
Throughout his career, Dr. Piirto has flourished as a researcher, consultant and expert witness in the field, and has contributed to the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences since 2001.He served as the Forestry Projects Coordinator for Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific School Forest and Ranch from 1986 to 2015. Prior to 1985, Dr. Piirto worked 10 years for the USDA Forest Service as a professional forester where he helped coordinate forestry work, archeological and environmental surveys for federal timber sales. A former part-time instructor at Reedley Community College, he has further contributed myriad articles to scientific and forestry journals. Additionally, Dr. Piirto is a fellow of the Society of American Foresters and member of the Forest Products Society, International Society of Wood Science and Technology, and Sigma Xi, among others.
Dr. Piirto received his Ph.D. in Wood Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1977. He received his M.S. in Forest and Wood Science from Colorado State University in 1971, and his B.S. in Forestry from the University of Nevada in 1970. Dr. Piirto is a Registered Professional forester (RPF #2179) in California, a certified Forester with the Society of American Foresters, and while employed by the USDA Forest Service he was a certified Silviculturist. Dr. Piirto has completed the Certified Archaeological Surveyor Training March 24, 2017. In light of his contributions to his industry, Dr. Piirto received several Meritorious Performance and Professional Promise Awards from California Polytechnic State University in 1989 and from 1996 to 2001. The university’s College of Agriculture also bestowed upon him an Outstanding Teaching Award in 1995, and the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection gave him the Francis H. Raymond Award for outstanding career achievements in forestry in 2016. Alongside these endeavors, he is the owner of Piirto Farm Ltd. and Crestline Forestry, Inc., providing consulting forestry services. For more information, visit https://www.