Tricia Gorby

Natural Resources Institute Director

UW-Extension Natural Resources Institute



About

Prior to joining Extension, Tricia served in several roles at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and most recently as the Section Chief for the Forest Sciences Section with the Division of Forestry, where she led an engaged staff of research scientists and specialists that focus on reforestation, forest health, applied research, silviculture, hydrology, and forest economics.

She served as a Senior Research Scientist with the agency, leading projects that informed management, outreach, and policy decisions around areas such as private lands management and landowner decision making, the effectiveness of partnership networks, and alternative land management practices that restore system structure and function.

Tricia also spent five years as a post-doctoral researcher with Iowa State University and UW-Madison, integrating research, teaching, and outreach to address pressing issues such as bioenergy production, community readiness to address urban tree pests, farmer perspectives on nutrient management practices, and the business networks of our forest industry. She holds a PhD in Forestry and M.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Iowa State University, and obtained her Bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison.