Haydn P. Reinecker (Jerry) held a B.S. in Forestry from UC Berkeley and a M.S. in Natural Resources Administration from the University of Michigan. He was a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with the State of California and a Certified Forester with the Society of American Foresters (SAF).
Jerry had a distinguished career spanning 31 years with the California Division of Forestry (CDF/CalFIRE), working in Yuba, El Dorado and Sacramento counties. After nine years of working as State Forest Ranger, he took a leave of absence to pursue his Master’s Degree at the University of Michigan. Upon returning to CDF in the spring of 1957, he was appointed to lead the Fire Research Program. In this role, he oversaw pioneering efforts to evaluate the practicality of using aircraft for fire suppression drops, explored the potential of cloud modification as a means of reducing lightning‑caused fires, and worked to establish reliable cost parameters for fire protection.
Jerry also conducted research on chemical fire retardants, brush clearance and fire behavior as part of the control activities and wildfire prevention efforts by the California State Division of Forestry. His master’s thesis, Fighting Forest Fires with Air Tankers (1958), remains a source for numerous academic investigations, a testament to its lasting relevance.
Mr. Reinecker was promoted to Assistant Deputy State Forester in 1959 to lead CDF’s Engineering function. During his tenure, he had the privilege of working alongside and mentoring many of the department’s early pioneers and distinguished leaders. He remained with CDF until his retirement in 1978, overseeing statewide programs in Engineering, Personnel, Finance, Training, Safety, and Physical Fitness.
His professional dedication was reflected not only in his work but also in his active membership with the Society of American Foresters, where he contributed to the broader community of professionals committed to forest management.
Throughout his life, he devoted himself to research that deepened understanding of natural resources and their preservation. His legacy endures through his contributions to science, education, and the institutions he helped strengthen, inspiring others to carry forward his vision of a more sustainable world.
The Haydn P. Reinecker Distinguished Professorship in Forest Genetics
After his retirement, Jerry developed an interest in the field of Forest Genetics. He recognized the unlimited opportunities for improving timber species if the School of Forestry were to formally engage in such a program. In 1998, he and his wife established the Distinguished Professorship in Forest Genetics at the University of California, Berkeley’s College of Natural Resources, ensuring that future generations of scholars would continue to expand knowledge in the discipline he cared so deeply about.
The Haydn P. Reinecker Distinguished Professorship in Forest Genetics was established to protect the commercial pine species, Pinus lambertiana, with attention to the blister rust disease and/or productivity to improve characteristics for commercial use. The fund income may be used for genetic research on other commercial pine or forest species if the blister rust disease is eliminated, or if the Dean of the College of Natural Resources, in consultation with forest industry leaders, determines that the effort to eliminate blister rust disease is a failing effort; or that other forest genetics research programs are more promising. 50 % of the fund income will also advance the development of commercial forest products using modern genetics as long as there is a need for the research.
Jerry and his son, David – August, 2008
