Tom Fox

Planted forests in the southern United States are some of the most productive forests in the world. Forest management practices developed over the last 50 years to mitigate resource limitations have increased growth rates more than three times. Precision forestry, in which silviculture is matched to soil, site, and environmental conditions, coupled with forestry best management practices creates a mosaic across the landscape that ensures that forests are sustainably managed and ecosystem services such as clean water, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration  are protected. 

Speaker Biography

Tom Fox – Vice President of Forest Productivity and Sustainability, Rayonier

Tom Fox is Vice-President of Forest Productivity and Sustainability at Rayonier.  He coordinates Rayonier’s research and technology transfer programs in silviculture, tree improvement, and sustainable forestry. Prior to joining Rayonier, Dr. Fox was the Honorable Garland Gray Distinguished Professor of Forestry at Virginia Tech. He was also the Co-Director of the Forest Productivity Cooperative and the Site Director for the National Science Foundation Center for Advanced Forestry Systems. Dr. Fox was a Fulbright Scholar at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile.  Tom received a B.S. in Forestry and Wood Products and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Pulp and Paper Science from the University of Maine, an M.S. in Forest Soils from Virginia Tech, and a PhD in Soil Science from the University of Florida.  He is a Registered Professional Forester in Georgia, a Society of American Foresters (SAF) Certified Forester, and a Certified Professional Soil Scientist. He received the Barrington Moore Award for Research from SAF, the Stephen Spurr award for research from the Florida SAF, and the Research Award from the Southeastern SAF.  He served on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Forestry Association, NCASI Foundation, and SAF. Fox is currently the Vice-President of the Society of American Foresters and will serve as the President in 2027.  He is a Fellow in the Soil Science Society of America and the Society of American Foresters.