Michael Kangas

Delivered technical, financial, strategic, and administrative leadership for two North Dakota Forest Service programs.

• Developed and implemented agency’s Facility Master Plan to enhance operational effectiveness.
• Led risk management and safety team, serving as liaison to North Dakota State University Loss Control Committee.
• Supervised production and sale of one million conservation tree seedlings annually at Towner State Nursery.
• Directed nursery mechanization program, ensuring product quality and expanding customer base.
• Managed fiscal sustainability through budget oversight, income trend assessment, and operational cost evaluation.
• Oversaw forest resource management across five State Forests, encompassing 13,945 acres.
• Directed operations of four fee campgrounds and developed grant proposals and service contracts.

Developed and administered North Dakota Forest Health Management program for statewide monitoring and assessment.

• Coordinated surveys of native and non-native forest pests using aerial and ground methods.
• Provided technical assistance and training on pest detection and management to forestry professionals.
• Produced publications including annual highlights and biennial condition reports on forest health.
• Instructed PPTH 456/656 Forest and Shade Tree Pathology at North Dakota State University from 2005 to 2011.
• Educated undergraduate and graduate students on tree disease identification and management techniques.
• Prepared online lectures and organized labs to improve understanding of tree disease biology.
• Led initiatives on forest health issues at regional and national levels through USDA programs.

• Designed and executed field research on delayed ponderosa pine mortality after prescribed fire in central Oregon.
• Completed coursework in Forest Ecology, Wildlife Management, Wildland Fire Science, and related fields, Bark Beetle Ecology, Statistical Analysis, Silviculture, Natural Resource Policy and Law.

• Conducted field surveys on conifer pathogens across Pacific Northwest, emphasizing root diseases.
• Established study plots and supervised field crews to ensure data integrity.
• Led efforts in identifying and documenting various tree diseases in the region.

• Performed a variety of recreational area, trail, and campground maintenance activities on the Nicollet National Forest.

• Performed a variety of forestry tasks including stocking surveys, timber cruising, timber stand boundary delineation on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Northern Idaho.