Dr. Frank Reed

Dr. Frank C. Reed of Surprise, Arizona Dr. Frank C. Reed died on October 9, 2021 at the age of 77. Frank was born and raised in Oswego, New York, the son of Peg and Frank Reed, Sr, brother of Margaret Reed (all deceased) and husband of Barbara Allison Reed (Nelson). Frank was a renowned scientist, local politician, published author, and fierce fighter for democracy. After high school, he attended Syracuse University, Forestry and graduated from State University of New York at Oswego with a degree in science. The National Science Foundation granted Frank a three-summer Master’s Degree program in Science at Michigan State University. Frank’s professors at MSU offered him a scholarship to get his PhD in Botany/Ecology. He was awarded his degree in 1973. Dr. Reed taught science at Kent State University, and then moved to Vermont Law School, where he taught and co-authored Environmental Law for Non-Lawyers. Frank’s passion for science went hand-in-hand with his passion for politics. He worked his entire adult life to ensure that everyone would be treated with dignity by our government, as well as, every person. He wanted all people to work together to save our environment. Working at all levels of politics and government, he volunteered his expertise to lawmakers and candidates at all levels, presidential, state, and local. One of his first environmental projects was combatting Acid Rain. He received national attention for his work on acid rain. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s Dr. Reed, working as a consultant to New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF), helped to raise millions from foundations and individuals to purchase two of the largest working forest conservation easements in the U.S. Both easements are located in northern Maine. Frank, with NEFF, teamed with University of Maine School of Forest Resources to design a satellite to ground easement monitoring system, considered by major conservation organizations to be highly innovative, cost-efficient, and the first of its kind in the U.S. A few years later Dr. Reed’s consulting company was awarded a U.S. Forest Service grant to work with University of Maine to adapt the monitoring system for two large easements in New Hampshire and Vermont. In recent years, Frank was known to 4th, 5th, and 6th graders at Nadaburg Elementary as Dr. Reed who came into their classrooms to teach science and play “Stump the Scientist.” He was stumped sometimes, but he always got back to the students with answers to their questions. He worked tirelessly to pass a bond to build a high school in their district. Frank Reed will be missed by all who knew him.