‘Deeply Meaningful’: UM Names First Female Dean of W.A. Franke College of Forestry

January 30, 2026

Libby Metcalf is the first female dean in the history of the 112-year-old W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the 91��Ԫ.

MISSOULA – Libby Metcalf, a 91��Ԫ professor of forestry and conservation, recently was announced as dean of UM’s W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation.

Metcalf becomes the first female dean in the college’s 112-year history, marking a milestone for Montana’s cornerstone forestry and conservation unit that delivers statewide and national impact.

“Being named the first female dean of this college is deeply meaningful to me,” Metcalf said. “I know how important it is for our faculty, staff and students to see leadership that reflects who we are today and where our field is headed. I am incredibly grateful to the mentors, colleagues and students who have supported, challenged and inspired me along the way, and I’m honored to continue building on the legacy they helped create.”

In addition to serving as dean and a Franke Professor of Forestry and Conservation, Metcalf was also named director of the Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station, a state agency dedicated to the education, research and engagement of natural resource issues in Montana like healthy forests, clean water and working landscapes.

Metcalf said the station provides world-class teaching and research to solve vital challenges for Montana’s working lands and forest ecosystems.

“We are the leading program in the West for environment and natural resources,” Metcalf said. “Our strength comes from a deep bench of scientists whose work continues to shape the field across wildlife, prescribed fire, forests, water and people.”

The station includes more than 21,000-acres of forestland managed by UM and enjoyed by students for educational training and career development.

Metcalf will oversee six academic departments and educational and research initiatives within Bandy Ranch, a 3,596-acre working cattle ranch northwest of Ovando, and Lubrecht Experimental Forest, a 21,432-acre forest 30 miles northeast of Missoula.

Throughout her time at UM, Metcalf has demonstrated a profound commitment to undergraduate education and student success. She has spearheaded curricular renewal and made it easier for students to navigate coursework and graduate on time. She expanded access to student advisers and field-based learning opportunities while assisting with internships and career readiness for students.

Metcalf has been particularly involved in hunting education programs at UM, including the development of a class open to any UM major called Wild Sustenance, which teaches students about hunting as a wildlife management tool and provides hands-on field learning on harvesting wildlife.

The program has been so successful, its interest from students led to the creation of UM’s Center for Hunting and Conservation to advance science, research, education and outreach to shape the future of land and wildlife management in the United States. The center is supported in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Metcalf was the college interim dean. Previously, she served as the college’s senior associate dean and the Joel Meier Distinguished Professor of Wildland Management.

Since joining UM in 2010, Metcalf has become a highly respected leader and scholar in the field of human dimensions of natural resource management. Her research focuses on complex socio-ecological systems, recreation and wildlife management, and community resilience.

Metcalf’s scholarship profile includes a deep focus on understanding people and their perspectives on recreation, wildlife and natural resources in Montana. She currently co-leads Montana’s NSF EPSCoR Smart Fires project, which works to expand the effective and responsible use of prescribed fire across the state.

“In Montana, our most pressing challenges are inseparably tied to our natural environment, and we are at the forefront of training and educating the next generation of leaders who will steward this state’s future,” she said.

Metcalf holds a doctoral degree from The Pennsylvania State University in recreation, parks and tourism management and the human dimensions of natural resources and the environment. She earned a master’s degree from West Virginia University in recreation, parks and tourism resources and two bachelor’s degrees from Southern Connecticut State University in recreation and leisure studies and relational communication.

In honor of UM’s forestry roots, . For more information, visit umt.edu/environment.

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