Forest philanthropist invites others to give Reese Halter has spent a fortune on his not-for-profit Global Forest research institute; he hopes to continue his work

by David DaSilva

Reese Halter has spent more than $1 million of his own money backing resource research. Now, he needs some help from others.

Halter is the founder and president of a not-for-profit research institute called Global Forest ( www.globalforestscience.org). He set up the research agency three years ago due to a lifelong devotion to forests and trees, an obsession that started when he was a child and he, his father and brother planted trees every year on their three-acre property in Winnipeg.

Now 35, Halter has spent his entire inheritance -- he won't reveal exactly how much was spent except to say that it is in the millions -- on various research projects through Global Forest. His most recent contribution was $25,000 to Simon Fraser University to set up a $35,000 insect quarantine facility, which will further studies of foreign pests that ravage plants in Western Canada.

Global Forest's initial plan called for Halter to spend his own money conducting research and, after establishing the institute's credibility, seek out contributions. He's now putting out the word to government and business for donations and grants. Global Forest has a budget of $500,000 to pay for two staff members and to fund various projects. Halter said he receives no pay for his own work. Instead, he makes his living conducting research for others.

"Because I am so committed and so passionate about initiating research, I stepped up to the plate," he said.

Halter has a degree in physical geography from the University of Winnipeg, a forestry degree from the University of British Columbia and received his doctorate in tree physiology from the University of Melbourne.

Global Forest is supported by several university professors and is starting to receive recognition from businesspeople. Gordon Moore, a cofounder and vice-chair of U.S. computer chip-making company Intel Corp., is an honourary scientist with Global Forest. Moore's private foundation in San Francisco, the Moore Family Foundation, funds Global Forest's study of the endangered westslope cutthroat trout in southeastern B.C.

Symantec Corp., a software company whose products include the line of Norton anti-virus programs, gave Global Forest a grant to study the relationship between coastal redwood trees in California and the fog that rolls in off the coast and blankets the forest for most of the summer.

Dean of sciences at SFU Willie Davidson praised Halter for his philanthropy, adding that the insect quarantine facility, which will be the only one in Western Canada, would not have been possible without his contribution.

"His approach is very different from some of the approaches that you get from the radical environmentalists," Davidson said. "His ap proach is, 'Let's find out about forest pests and deal with those.' He also puts his money where his mouth is."

Halter cringes at the thought of being lumped to gether with environmental activists.

"We are not about stopping things at all," he said. "We are about mak ing sure that development is done better."

Halter insists his research can assist business by providing timely, new information about forests so those firms can make the best management decisions.

Some of Global Forest's research projects include a study to determine how different trees recycle carbon dioxide, setting up a detection and trapping system if the pink gypsy moth arrives in North America and analyzing how black bear dens can be retained in areas logged by forestry companies.

Scientists supporting Global Forest teach in Australia, England, the U.S. and Canada. They include Harvard University professor emeritus Edward Wilson.