November 2, 2021 4:00 a.m.
On Friday, the Oregon Board of Forestry voted unanimously to appoint Cal Mukumoto as Oregon’s 14th state forester.
Mukumoto will now work with the Department of Forestry’s Human Resources team on terms of his employment prior to determining a start date.
A release from the Oregon Department of Forestry said Mukumoto is a forester and management consultant from Coos Bay. He earned a bachelor’s degree in forest management from Humboldt State University and a Master in Business Administration degree from the University of Washington. His diverse leadership experiences span the public and private sector and include work in the field of economic development, natural resource management, turnaround solutions, and biomass energy development. He has worked extensively with the Native American business community, serving on the boards of six Tribal enterprises.
The release said Mukumoto served as chair of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission, vice-chair of the Oregon Board of Forestry, and as a member of the U.S. Board for the Forest Stewardship Council, among other organizations.
Board Chair Jim Kelly said, “Cal has demonstrated that he has what’s needed to be successful in this critical and complex role”. In addition to the state forester’s statutory responsibilities related to protection and management of forestlands, they also serve as the board secretary and chief executive officer of the Department of Forestry.