KREH
LEAVES LEGACY AT VIRGINIA
TECH'S REYNOLDS HOMESTEAD
BLACKSBURG,
Dec. 19, 2002 - Richard
Kreh, senior research
associate in the forestry
department and superintendent
of Reynolds Homestead
Forest Resources Research
Center in Virginia
Tech's College of
Natural Resources,
has retired after
more than 33 years
of service.
"As
a mainstay of the
center from its inception,
Kreh helped develop
Reynolds Homestead
into a leading forestry
research, teaching
and outreach facility,"
said Harold Burkhart,
head of Virginia Tech's
forestry department,
which manages the
center. John Trobaugh,
who worked in forestry
and tree nursery operations
in Oregon, now heads
up the Reynolds Homestead.
Research
projects conducted
at Reynolds Homestead
include impacts of
site preparation on
water quality, endangered
plant species recovery,
forest soils and testing
urban forestry methods,
root growth analysis,
tree physiology, forest
herbicide testing,
forest biodiversity,
and fresh water fisheries
aquaculture. The climate,
soils, and topography
are typical of a large
area of the hardwood
and pine-growing region
of the southeastern
U.S. and numerous
tree species have
or are being studied.
In
1969 Kreh came to
Blacksburg from Connecticut
to manage the Reynolds
Homestead and pursue
a graduate degree
at Virginia Tech.
He had previously
served as a submariner.
"Moving to southwestern
Virginia was an interesting
and rewarding experience,"
Kreh said. "I was
fortunate to spend
my entire career contributing
what I could to the
knowledge of forestry
and playing a part
in the education of
graduate and undergraduate
students. Now my wife
and I are enjoying
living nearby and
doing some travel."
Kreh
and his family lived
for five years in
the historic Rock
Spring Plantation
home, which was built
in 1843 in Critz,
Virginia, by Hardin
William and Nancy
Cox Reynolds. The
Reynolds had several
children, including
Richard Joshua, who
went on to become
founder of the R.J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company.
The Reynolds' grandson,
Richard Samuel Reynolds
Sr., the son of their
eldest son, was the
founder of Reynolds
Metals in Richmond,
Virginia.
"During my early years
in Virginia, one of
my many duties was
giving tours of the
homestead and I became
friends with the Reynolds
family," said Kreh,
who helped the Reynolds
attain state and national
historic landmark
status for the homestead.
The building is listed
on the national registry
of American homes.
Tom
Fox, associate professor
of forestry at Virginia
Tech, remembers the
help and friendship
he received from Kreh.
"Richard was a tremendous
help to me when I
was a graduate student
at Virginia Tech in
the early 1980s,"
Fox noted. "His ability
to solve all the problems
associated with forestry
fieldwork was well
known by many, but
more important was
the friendship of
Richard and Connie
and their children
Rick and Melissa during
this time. They made
me feel welcome and
a part of their family."
Shep
Zedaker, professor
of forestry, added,
"Kreh was instrumental
for both me and my
graduate students
in getting research
projects completed.
We could always depend
on his cooperation
and extraordinary
ability to fabricate
whatever equipment
we needed for research."
Harold Burkhart, distinguished
professor as well
as the forestry department
head, echoed similar
comments.
"Richard
was the right person
for the job. He was
the person who could
make things happen.
He could provide faculty
and students with
whatever they needed
to make their project
a reality."
Photos
of Kreh discussing
research and of the
historic Reynolds
Homestead.
