Libby Metcalf

MISSOULA, Mont. — The University of Montana has named Libby Metcalf as the new dean of the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, marking the first time a woman has led the college in its 112-year history. Metcalf, a longtime UM professor, had been serving as interim dean. She also takes on the role of director of the Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station, a state agency focused on research and education tied to Montana’s forests, water and working lands. …Metcalf will oversee six academic departments and major research and education sites, including Lubrecht Experimental Forest northeast of Missoula and Bandy Ranch near Ovando. She joined UM in 2010 and is widely recognized for her work in natural resource management, student education and community resilience.