Growing up hiking, camping and biking in California’s Berkeley Hills and the Sierra Nevada, Tobi Mankita developed a deep connection to the outdoors early on. Initially planning to study construction management, a visit to Oregon State University — and a chance to sit in on a logging mechanics class — changed his mind.
“Even though the class was challenging, the students all seemed to really enjoy it,” he recalled. “I knew OSU was the right fit for me.”
Mankita recently earned his forestry degree with a focus on wildland fire and restoration — a subject close to home, given his lived experience with California’s frequent wildfire seasons. One of his favorite classes was John Punches’ prescribed fire practicum, where he learned everything from fire behavior to developing a burn plan, complete with hands-on field labs that included a live fire day in the OSU McDonald-Dunn Research Forest.
Outside the classroom, Mankita spent three years with OSU’s Student Logging Training Program, gaining real-world timber harvesting experience and building lasting friendships. He also loves biking and skiing, often exploring the roads of the McDonald- Dunn Research Forest on his bike.
This summer, Mankita is working as a wildland firefighter for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. When the season wraps, he’ll return to OSU to pursue a Master of Forestry, continuing to build on the skills and passion that have guided him from California’s Berkeley Hills to Oregon’s forests.