Wally Covington retires after over 40 years of forest science excellence – Arizona Daily Sun

Wally Covington has been showing people the science of forestry in Flagstaff for years.

At places like Gus A. Pearson Natural Restoration Area in Flagstaff, a living forest experiment, Covington has helped bridge peoples connection to nature by explaining cutting-edge science in simple terms. He has become known as a master science communicator, and hes been at it for years. And this week, after 44 years, at the age of 73, Covington has stepped down from his executive director position at Northern Arizona Universitys Ecological Restoration Institute.

Looking back, hes proud of the work hes done, the people hes met, and especially the students hes had the opportunity to teach.

Im proud of all of 'em, Covington said. They love working with students, do great research, care about the environment just great, great people, men and women.

Covington actually predates the institute hes leaving. He helped the state and federal government fund the Pearson restoration area, the research-focused ERI, and one of the first restoration projects ever funded at Mt. Trumbull near the Arizona Strip. Using this science and his skill at communicating, he helped politicians pave the way for many of our forest restoration projects today like the local Four Forest Restoration Initiative and Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project.

As to how he communicates so well? Covington said its simple.

I never want to sound like a smarty-pants, or be pedantic, he said. That just gets you nowhere.

Beyond his position at ERI, Covington was a key figure in a community of activists, scientists, politicians and foresters who are pushing forest management away from the conditions that have led to the catastrophic fires seen across the west.

No leading scientist stands alone, Covington points out, but getting the Pearson restoration area funded has been a critical tool for explaining science. The 12-acre experimental forest took advantage of 150-year-old trees that were mixed with trees less than 100 years old, the difference between young and old trees.

[The experimental forest] is important because it really did set into motion that forestry must be based on strong science, Covington said. And this being the first U.S. Forest Service experimental forest, its got the longest record of scientific research in the U.S. for forest ecology.

The experimental forest clearly lays out the problem for anyone who walks among the trees. Because of post-European settlement land management practices of suppressing fires, tree density has grown from 23 trees per acre in 1876 to 1,300 trees per acre in 1992. With such high density, groundwater is spread thin and pine needles build up, creating the perfect scenario for fire to explode into the catastrophic conditions we see today.

But ERI researchers dont keep the gates closed to only politicians and foresters. From walking around with Flagstaff residents and elementary students during the Flagstaff Festival of Science in the '90s, to politicians looking to understand forest ecology and better land management practices, Covington has spoken to them all.

Bonnie Stevens, who organizes the Flagstaff Festival of Science, has also worked on a documentary about the state of forests with Covington. She said retirement isnt a word she associates with the man, and expects to see him continue to work in the forest.

This man is incredibly busy. Hes really an adviser to so many projects, yet what strikes me is in a social setting, he will remember names, and your kids' names, Stevens said. He will ask you about those people. You can tell he truly cares about the people hes around.

This includes when he gets the opportunity to spend time talking about science with the children of Flagstaff.

Its been great bringing the junior high kids, elementary school kids and showing them around. They ask these crazy questions you just never think of, Covington said with a glint in his eye. One of them was, 'what about butterflies?'

This question of whether forest restoration impacts butterflies was one no one had asked before -- not scientifically, anyway.

Yeah, what about butterflies... Covington thought at the time. The question ended up becoming the focus of a dissertation by an ERI researcher Amy Waltz.

Diane Vosick, director of policy and partnerships at ERI, describes Covington as unrelenting. His nature helped him as he navigated political fights to push for government funding of projects in Flagstaff and as he pushed science to the forefront of policy debates surrounding forest management.

In the policy world you take barbs. You take spears. And a lot of people just don't want to do that, Vosick said. Hes taken spears from multiple sides, but hes been willing to continue to hold the line on what needs to happen.

But many will tell you that despite Covingtons hard work, and the work of those around him, there is still more to be done as global temperatures continue to rise and the world continues to see new, unprecedented fires.

Prescriptive approach

Covingtons story was tied to NAU before he was born: His parents first met at the university campus. Covington told the story at last year's commencement of how his father would help his mother sneak out of Morton Hall in 1941 on campus.

My mom, years later we were walking around the campus, and she said yknow, your dad used to sneak me out of that dorm right there to go kanoodle, Covington said laughing.

Covington was born in Wynniewood, Oklahoma on March 31, 1947. He said he moved away from the area at age 5, but Oklahoma, and specifically the Arbuckle Mountains, have always felt like home to him.

Until the Arbuckle Fire of 2000, the forest had trees that were 400, 500 years old, Covington said. The place in Honey Creek called Blue Hole had this 80 feet by 30 feet crystal clear water and all these cascades. The fishing is great in there, hiking, anything you want.

Covington found himself drawn to serving others and began his attempt of service at medical school after getting his bachelor's degree. He spent his early life asking himself what specialty he should be in, as opposed to asking what he wanted to do with his life.

He said he remembers an interaction with a doctor that changed his path forever.

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Wally Covington retires after over 40 years of forest science excellence - Arizona Daily Sun