Professor Dennis Propst retires after 30 years
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EmailDennis Propst officially retired from the MSU Department of Forestry in August.
On August 15, 2012, Dennis Propst officially retired from the MSU Department of Forestry. Propst joined MSU Forestry in 2004, after spending 21 years in the Department of Park, Recreation and Tourism Resources before it merged with the Department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies.
In his 30 years at Michigan State, Propst taught 14 courses. His most recent courses included Environmental Attitudes and Concepts (PRR302), Foundations of Natural Resource-Based Recreation Management and Parks (PRR448) and Protected Areas Policy and Management (FOR/ACR872).
Reflecting on these courses, Propst says, “I hope they collectively taught students to appreciate the complexity of the natural resource management profession, think critically about messy natural resource management issues, to question their assumptions, to know what to do when they are embroiled in some of these messy issues, and to understand the implications of the fundamental relationship between humans and natural resource settings."
During his tenure, Propst's used multivariate statistical methods and social science research designs to build a better understanding of how we should manage natural resources, specifically in regard to outdoor recreation behavior, landscape perceptions and economics. He worked with many organizations outside of the Michigan State, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, developing tools for resource managers to estimate the economic impacts of recreation visitors to their facilities.
But as times change, so has Propst research.
"In recent years, I have focused on the role of the Internet in communication between resource agencies and citizens with particular emphasis on using the Internet for public participation and issues of website usability for diverse recreation users," says Propst. In fact, he'll continue this research into retirement, testing out a mobile app that will help outdoor recreation and other resource managers quickly obtain and analyze public comments on natural resource-related plans and policies.
In addition to continuing his research, Propst will help a couple students wrap up their doctoral degrees and assist in the development of an online course. So Propst will indeed be seen in the halls of Natural Resource Building. But when he's not in the building, home improvement tasks will keep him busy, as well as visiting children who live on opposite ends of the country and spending time outdoors, hunting and fishing.
And in the longer term, says Propst, "I’m looking for some volunteer opportunities and rekindling some long-neglected skills in watercolor painting and fly fishing."
