Stan Adams and the NC Division of Forest Resources

The Stanford M. Adams Scholarship was established in 2006 by the NC Division of SAF in partnership with the NC Division of Forest Resources and the late Stan Adams.

Mr. Stan Adams graduated from NC State University with a bachelor’s degree in Forest Management in 1957. He went on to work with the U.S. Forest Service as a forester, district ranger, and forest supervisor primarily in Arkansas, Virginia, and his native state, North Carolina. In 1972, Stan became the director of public affairs for the U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Region, helping to form policy and coordinate legislative efforts pertaining to forestry across the South and leading the Southern Forest Fire Prevention Campaign. Stan retired from the U.S. Forest Service in 1991 and became director of the NC Division of Forest Resources.

In addition to his work at the Division of Forest Resources, Stan served as president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer of the prestigious National Association of State Foresters’ Fire Committee and as a liaison for the Southern Group of State Foresters’ Fire Committee. His career as a forester was marked with many awards including the Distinguished Alumni Award from NC State University, the Distinguished Service to Forestry Award by the Appalachian Society of American Foresters, Society of American Foresters Fellows Award, Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Association of State Foresters, U.S. Forest Service Golden Smokey Award, NC Forestry Association Outstanding Service Award, North Carolina Tree Farmer of the Year, and the prestigious Governor’s Order of the Longleaf Pine.

Stan loved to work on his family farm where he nurtured his tree farm and enjoyed spending time with his family at Atlantic Beach. In 1988, Stan retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain. Stan passed away in 2009.