Scott E. Schlarbaum joined the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries (now School of Natural Resources) in 1984 as an assistant professor of forest genetics. In the subsequent years, he progressed through the professorial ranks to professor and was honored by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville by being named a James R. Cox Professor in 2002. Professor Schlarbaum is responsible for the leadership of the University of Tennessee's Tree Improvement Program, a research and development program developed in 1958.

Professor Schlarbaum was educated at Colorado State University (B.S. and Ph.D. degrees) and the University of Nebraska (M.S. degree). He was a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, before coming to the University of Tennessee. Professor Schlarbaum is the author of numerous articles on forest genetics, forest health, and forest tree and agronomic plant cytogenetics. He has served as an officer in the IUFRO (International Union of Forest Research Organizations) from 1990-2005 and was the Coordinator for the Cytogenetics and Five-Needle Pine Breeding and Genetic Resources Working Parties. Professor Schlarbaum has testified as an expert witness on forestry and forest health issues before various subcommittees and committees of the U. S. House of Representatives. He was Science Advisor for exotic forest pests to the National Park Service from 2005-2010.

Congressional Testimonies

Professor Schlarbaum has been invited five times to testify in the United States House of Representatives as an expert witness on forestry issues. He assisted subcommittee staff with organizing the Exotic Plants and Pests hearing, recommending expert witnesses to testify. The Roadless Area hearing was the first hearing in the House of Representatives on this issue, and they called only a single panel of witnesses: Professor Schlarbaum, Michael Dombeck (Chief, USDA Forest Service) and Mr. George Frampton (Head, President Clinton’s Council on Environmental Quality).

Forest Health - Timber Salvage Download Testimony 042705

December 19, 1995 - Statement before the Committee on Resources: Task Force on Timber Salvage and Forest Health; United States House of Representatives: Concerning Issues associated with Forest Health Timber Salvage in Southern States.

US Forest Health Download Testimony 040997

April 9, 1997 - Statement Before the Committees on Agriculture and Resources; United States House of Representatives: Concerning Issues associated with Forest Health in the United States.

Exotic Plants and Pests Download Testimony 062497

June 24, 1997 - Statement Before the Committee on Resources; Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health; United States House of Representatives: Concerning Issues associated with Resident Exotic Plants and Pests in the Unites States.

Roadless Areas Download Testimony 110399

November 3, 1999 - Statement Before the Committee on Resources: United States House of Representatives Concerning Issues associated with Preserving roadless areas in the National Forest System.

Reforestation Download HNRC_04-27-2005_Testimony

April 27, 2005 - Statement Before the Committee on Resources; Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health; United States House of Representatives: Concerning Issues associated with Reforestation Problems on National Forests.