The Imperial Forestry Institute (IFI) was a research institute founded at

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

in 1924. Originally the Institute remained distinct from the

School of Forestry, Oxford A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of fo ...

, however they were both headed by

Robert Scott Troup Robert Scott Troup (13 December 1874 – 1 October 1939) was a British forestry expert. He spent the first part of his career in Colonial India, returning to England in 1920 to head Oxford's School of Forestry. Education Troup was educated at ...

, the Professor of Forestry at

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

. However in 1935, as the role of the Institute had grown, the leadership of the two organisations was separated, with a new role, the Director of the Imperial Forestry Institute, with John N. Oliphant, previously Deputy Director of Forestry, Malaya, appointed to that role. Whereas the School of Forestry provided

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, ...

instruction which would prepare students for posts in the

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or in overseas parts of the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

. The Institute provided

post graduate Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...

study, an opportunity immediately taken up by Forestry officers from the colonies.

Origins

The proposal for the Institute arose at the First British Empire Forestry Conference 1920, with the call for the creation of an impartial Committee, which would consist of representatives of Government the relevant Government departments and other relevant experts. This committee was established and in 1921 submitted a report based on visits the Universities of

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

, Bangor, and

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

and evidence from other academic bodies involved in forestry. This report advocated the setting up of the IFI at Oxford.

References

{{reflist Forest research institutes Forestry in the United Kingdom Research institutes in Oxford