B.S. Forest Science 1981
David W. Trimpey graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Forest Science in 1981. After a few years working as a seasonal forestry tech, he began his career as a forester in 1983 with Hammermill Paper Company's Northern Timberlands division. Hammermill was bought out by International Paper in 1987. Dave stayed with the new company, eventually becoming forest manager of 20,000 acres in Warren County, PA. Later he moved into log procurement and sales, which foreshadowed his future career. In 1997, International Paper sold its forestlands, and Dave was hired in 2000 by Collins Pine Company's Kane Hardwood Division as a Harvest Manager to supervise all logging operations, the log yard, and log sales.
Since 2008, Dave has been the Forest Resource Manager at Collins Pine in charge of the Forest Resources department at Kane. In addition to the harvesting, procurement, and log sales activities, management of the 118,000-acre, FSC-certified Collins Pennsylvania Forest was added to his duties. Dave employs a staff of nine salaried and five hourly workers. Some of his major accomplishments at Collins have included improvements and expansion of the log yard, expansion of log merchandising and log sales programs, and several strategic land sales and acquisitions to improve the economic return to the company. Dave never loses sight of sustainable forest management with economic return as critical to private forest ownership.
In addition to his employment accomplishments, Dave has served as a committed long-term volunteer and leader with numerous conservation and professional organizations during the past 30 years. These include (listed alphabetically):
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Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group (AHUG) Board of Directors, 2009 - present (president 2016 - 2018)
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American Tree Farm System/Pennsylvania, Area 1 Chairman, 2014 - present
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DCNR Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Committee (CNRAC) - appointed by Senator Joe Scarnati, 2014 - present
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Society of American Foresters (SAF), member since 1981; Chairman, Plateau Chapter of SAF, 2012 - 2016; current PA Division of SAF, sec/treasurer; Chair of Planning Committee for Allegheny SAF 2017 Summer Meeting - 50th Anniversary of SILVAH - which had 140 participants and made over $5,000 for the Plateau Chapter.
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State Conservation Commission (SCC), Public Commissioner, appointed by Governor Thomas Ridge for two four-year terms. (the SCC oversees funding for and operations of county conservation districts statewide; the state's Nutrient Management Program, the Dirt & Gravel Road Program, the Chesapeake Bay Program and numerous other programs), 1997 - 2005
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Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA) Board of Directors, 2017 - present
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Penn State Cooperative Extension, Warren County, volunteered as a forest resources instructor at numerous public educational meetings and events, 1988 - 2000
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Penn State School of Forest Resources Advisory Board, 1993 - 1996
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Penn State Warren County Cooperative Extension Board, 2011 - present
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Quality Assurance Board of the Warren Co. Dirt & Gravel Road Program, 1999 - present
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Warren County Conservation District Board of Directors, 1987 - 1997 (chairman 1989 - 1997) and 2012 - present
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Western PA Conservancy Northern Area Advisory Committee, 2013 - present
Dave served (and still serves) with the Conservation District in his own county and several associated state-level conservation committees as a forester. These agencies, traditionally working with farm conservation programs, have had insufficient professional forestry representation since they were formed more than 80 years ago. This made his leadership experience even more difficult at times, yet essential, as societal needs shifted to include land conservation for a multitude of ecosystem services and values.
In 1992 Dave and his wife Rhonda purchased a 140-acre Tree Farm in Warren County. For 20 years they produced Christmas trees for wholesale markets, and since they bought the land, they have managed 80 acres of hardwood forest and 165 acres of oil, gas, or mineral rights with three active gas wells. They also operated a portable band sawmill for custom sawing and sawing purchased logs and logs from their Tree Farm. Dave's current practical experience has given his professional forestry career and volunteer roles added credibility and standing.
The achievement Dave is most proud of is raising two children, Nathan and Amanda, and instilling in them an appreciation and knowledge of the forest and natural world, the value of hard work and the love of family. Even though the life paths they have chosen have taken them far from their birthplace, they return often and know that time at the tree farm is time well spent.
Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
- Office 814-865-7541
- Fax 814-865-3725
Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
- Office 814-865-7541
- Fax 814-865-3725
