{"id":546,"date":"2024-01-08T15:12:51","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T20:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/?p=546"},"modified":"2025-04-15T09:41:51","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T13:41:51","slug":"luke-hadden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/luke-hadden\/","title":{"rendered":"Luke Hadden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Forestry alumnus (&#8217;14) works to conserve more than 250,000 acres of forest in East Tennessee<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"utia-accentbar\"><hr style=\"background-color:#ff8300\" align=\"left\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>When did you graduate from UTIA, and what was your degree?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I graduated in spring of 2014 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/naturalresources.tennessee.edu\/undergraduate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Forest Resource Management<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"utia-accentbar\"><hr style=\"background-color:#ff8300\" align=\"left\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>What is your current role, and can you describe your typical day in the life?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following graduation, I started with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency as a forester at North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. After five years there, I received a promotion and transferred to Catoosa Wildlife Management Area where I have been since 2019. Since then, I have received another promotion in which I now supervise the forestry work units at both WMAs and ultimately forest operations on wildlife management areas for the eastern half of the state. In addition to that, I help to coordinate and oversee road maintenance on Catoosa and North Cumberland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of my favorite aspects of my job is that there is no typical day. My current role is filled with more administrative duties such as meetings and site visits, but I still make time to help lay out timber sales, conduct forest inventory and prescribed burns, as well as running the road grader and dozer on road projects.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"utia-accentbar\"><hr style=\"background-color:#ff8300\" align=\"left\" \/><\/div>\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-id546_1fb216-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id546_1fb216-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id546_1fb216-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);grid-template-columns:repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));}.kb-row-layout-id546_1fb216-9a > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id546_1fb216-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id546_1fb216-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id546_1fb216-9a alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column546_25a54a-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column546_25a54a-ec\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>What do you enjoy most about the work you do?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is a two-part answer: first, I have had the pleasure of being a part of some really great work units. I have seen retirements and new hires, and I have made sure to learn as much as I can from both. Secondly, the spontaneity of my work. As I said before, there is no \u201cnormal day\u201d. You may <em>think<\/em> you have a plan for the day but working on Catoosa (which is 80,000 acres) and North Cumberland (nearly 200,000 acres) there is always an emergency. From clearing roads after an ice storm to helping to relocate elk, we get an opportunity to do it all.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column546_016a18-39 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column546_016a18-39 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column546_016a18-39 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column546_016a18-39 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column546_016a18-39 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column546_016a18-39 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column546_016a18-39{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column546_016a18-39 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column546_016a18-39 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column546_016a18-39\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"731\" src=\"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/264\/2024\/01\/hadden2-1-1024x731.jpeg\" alt=\"Luke Hadden in the field\" class=\"wp-image-551\" srcset=\"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/264\/2024\/01\/hadden2-1-1024x731.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/264\/2024\/01\/hadden2-1-300x214.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/264\/2024\/01\/hadden2-1-768x549.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/264\/2024\/01\/hadden2-1-1536x1097.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/264\/2024\/01\/hadden2-1-2048x1463.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"utia-accentbar\"><hr style=\"background-color:#ff8300\" align=\"left\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>What brought you to UTIA, and why did you choose your field of study?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I started off my college path at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. I was a biology major with an environmental science minor. I spoke with my advisor (who coincidentally did wildlife management work in the Serengeti) about my passion for the outdoors and wanting to do something forestry related. I concluded that Wake Forest University just wasn\u2019t the right fit for my future, so I looked to transfer. Between academics and the opportunity to be part of the track and field team, UT Knoxville was a clear choice.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"utia-accentbar\"><hr style=\"background-color:#ff8300\" align=\"left\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>How did your time at UTIA impact your life and career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UTIA has opened doors for me that I would not have had otherwise. The UT network is so large, it has been extremely easy to make professional connections. Many of the people I work with have degrees from UT Knoxville so it truly feels like extended family, everyone has a story about campus, professors, and Knoxville.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"utia-accentbar\"><hr style=\"background-color:#ff8300\" align=\"left\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>What is your proudest accomplishment?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In my personal life, my wife and two daughters. They are the ones that make the stress and grind of work all worth it. Professionally, having the opportunity to be in my current role with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). I directly influence forest management on the state\u2019s two largest wildlife management areas with a forest management footprint of nearly 60,000 acres.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"utia-accentbar\"><hr style=\"background-color:#ff8300\" align=\"left\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>What advice would you give to prospective students?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you are in school start finding internships and opportunities that are applicable to you career interests. It is hard to know exactly what you want to early in your schooling but get exposure to everything. You never know what will spark your interest. Lastly, don\u2019t be afraid of trying new things, asking questions, and putting in the time to perfect your craft. Experience doesn\u2019t happen overnight so seek council of those that have been doing it for years and don\u2019t be afraid to make mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"utia-accentbar\"><hr style=\"background-color:#ff8300\" align=\"left\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>What do you like to do outside of work and\/or what is a fun fact about yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My wife and I have a small farm that takes up most of our free time. Our girls love spending time in the barn with me. Whether it be feeding the cows or fixing the fencing, they are always up for a project. We work to blend forest management, wildlife management and agriculture on our property to develop the land into something that we can proudly pass on to our daughters. On the weekends, we like to take our girls camping and enjoying the outdoors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Forestry alumnus (&#8217;14) works to conserve more than 250,000 acres of forest in East Tennessee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":781,"featured_media":623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","wds_primary_category":25,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,36,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-herbert-college-of-agriculture","category-school-of-natural-resources"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/781"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}