New extension faculty member Hackman sees forestry as ‘the mesh between art and science’
“There’s something about the woods, something about the people that work in forestry." — Jacob Hackman
By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Sept. 13 2024
Fast Facts:
- Hackman joins Cooperative Extension Service as assistant professor of forest management and extension
- Hackman brings experience working with loblolly pine forests
(500 words)
(Newsrooms: with art)
MAYPORT, Fla. — Though he grew up in row crops, Jacob Hackman found his calling in
forestry.
Hackman joined the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Sept. 1, as assistant professor of forest management and extension. Hackman is based at the Little Rock State Office of the Cooperative Extension Service.
“We’re excited about Dr. Hackman joining us in this vital extension position,” said Michael Blazier, dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources for the University of Arkansas at Monticello. “He brings great expertise and experience into the position from his forest soils and productivity work at North Carolina State University, where he worked closely with the forestry industry on finding solutions for optimizing the growth of loblolly pine forests.
“He has an engaging personality and family ties to Arkansas, and I know he’ll serve the forestry community of our state well,” he said.
Hackman grew up in southern Illinois’ row crop country. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and crop science and a master of science in plant pathology, both from Southern Illinois University.
His early jobs were in row crops, first as a microbiome researcher in corn and soybeans at SIU, and later in corn and canola genetics for Monsanto.
However, “it just didn’t feel right,” Hackman said.
Recalling his early years, Hackman said he spent lots of time in the woods with his father hunting and fishing and in 2018, he decided to take another tack, starting work on a doctorate at North Carolina State University in forestry and environmental management.
“There’s something about the woods, something about the people that work in forestry,” Hackman said. “When I started meeting foresters, I think the people more drew me in than the woods itself.
“They made me feel comfortable and welcome,” he said. “Everyone is just very down to earth.”
That sense of community is important in an industry where problem solving is much different than in row crop agriculture.
“Right now, Arkansas is really suffering from brown spot needle blight and that’s a big deal,” Hackman said. “That’s an all-hands-on-deck moment where everyone is coming together as one over this issue. We can’t just cut down the trees and start over fresh. So, we’ve got to find a way to stop it and save the trees.’
Forestry’s variety and broad time scale made the field attractive, Hackman said.
“Growing trees, it’s going to take 20 years, so you’re looking more towards the future and I like that,” he said. “In row crops, you might have a week to get a harvest in, whereas in forestry you have five years before you have to even think about it.”
“There’s so much more variability in the prescriptions in the fertilization and the management,” Hackman said. “It’s said that silviculture is the mesh between art and science. It’s very much so and that’s why I really like it.”
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagra.m.at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices.
Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu