| This research presents a historical account and evaluation of PL 87-788 (16 USCS 582a) now referred to as the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program. The law was sponsored by Representative Clifford McIntire of Maine and Senator John C. Stennis of Mississippi and signed by President John F. Kennedy on October 10, 1962.; For the evaluation, the 65 colleges and universities eligible for McIntire-Stennis funding were surveyed in 2002. The survey results (61 percent response rate), a focus group meeting, and interviews indicate that the McIntire-Stennis program is meeting its goals to increase institutional forestry research in production, protection, and utilization while encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, and producing future researchers.; While the program currently provides proportionally less in research funding than it did 25 years ago, it continues to furnish the institutions' base funding for forestry research. The initial program goals expressed by Senator Stennis were accepted as the current goals with the additional goal of forest sustainability. The questionnaire respondents reported that the number of publications, degrees, and fund leveraging were important measurement outputs of the program, while program outcomes should be determined by case studies of research projects and leveraging of research funds from other sources.; For over one-half of the survey respondents, the program provides less than 10 percent of their research budgets. Yet, over one third of their graduate degrees were fully or partially funded by the McIntire-Stennis program. Changes are suggested for the Current Research Information System to allow valid comparisons of the program with other research programs. Technology transfer could be improved with increases in Renewable Resources Extension Act funding to extend the existing Extension system to non-land grant institutions.; Case studies of McIntire-Stennis projects at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Iowa State University, Mississippi State University, Oregon State University, and Virginia Tech provide qualitative evidence showing that the program is efficient, effective, and equitable.; Due to the positive impacts of the program in natural resource management, funding at the authorized level is recommended. With agreed upon goals and goal measurements, this research provides a benchmark for future evaluations. |
