Inspired by the regenerative cycle of the forest and a desire to care for the land, alumnus Matt Mattioda ’95 has worked in forestry and construction since graduating from Oregon State University. He now leads a career focused on communication, collaboration and long-term forest stewardship at Miller Timber Services.

Mattioda did not grow up with a forestry background. Raised in the suburbs of California’s Bay Area, he learned woodworking from his father, a general contractor. His appreciation for the forest developed during regular family camping trips, where he spent time outdoors and felt connected to the landscape.

His inspiration to pursue forestry came during one of those camping trips in high school.

“There was a bunch of little saplings growing out of the cut bank on the side of the road,” Mattioda said. “I dug a few up, brought them home and planted them in the backyard. At that point, I thought maybe forestry is for me. I just wanted to care for the trees and watch them grow — to leave something better for the next generation.”

Mattioda now works for Miller Timber Services as chief forester and chief marketing officer. He said he enjoys the freedom his job provides and the opportunity to work with people who share a passion for forests.

“I’ve met a lot of really cool people over the course of my career,” he said.

One of those encounters included meeting the president of Finland during an overseas business trip, where Mattioda worked with other companies and government forestry departments. Through his work at Miller Timber Services, he has traveled to Chile, Brazil, South Korea, Scotland and Finland. He has also appeared in a Discovery Channel program and a PBS documentary hosted by the keyboardist from the Rolling Stones.

Looking back on his education, Mattioda said the most important lesson he learned at OSU was how to build trust and relationships.

“They teach you the foundation for forestry — the nuts and bolts of how things work,” he said. “But in the end, forestry comes down to people. Trust is the most important thing in any field.”

His advice for College of Forestry students is to keep learning beyond graduation.

“Your learning isn’t done the minute you get your diploma,” Mattioda said. “It’s a lifetime of learning and sharing with others. We need to leave forests in better condition than we found them and pass knowledge on to the next generation.”

As foresters, Mattioda said, that responsibility begins with a simple principle: “Take care of the forest, and it will take care of you.”