A Life Spent Outdoors: John Erixson Steps Down as Nebraska State Forester

It was a cold winter morning in Nebraska, and eight-year-old John Erixson lay in a snowbank waiting for geese, the temperature stuck at 32 below zero. The other adults in the hunting party had retreated to the warmth of a fire. John and his father and grandfather stayed put. It was there, tucked into the snow, that Erixson had an epiphany: he wanted to spend his life outdoors.

And that's exactly what he did, for the next fifty years.

Erixson's path to forestry wasn't a straight line. He originally set his sights on wildlife management, but opportunities in the field were scarce when he was in school. A friend studying forestry in Idaho suggested he look into it instead, and Erixson realized the two weren't so different: managing wildlife habitat means managing vegetation, and that's forestry's core work. He earned both his undergraduate and master's degrees, the latter in range ecology, from Idaho State University. Along the way, he picked up hands-on experience with prescribed burning and wildland fire engines while working for a consulting firm, a background that would later serve the state he grew up in.

Though born and raised in Nebraska, Erixson spent years building his career in Idaho before a chance conversation brought him home. In 2014, he took a job as deputy director of the Nebraska Forest Service, working alongside then-State Forester Scott Josiah before eventually stepping into the top role himself. He's led the agency through some of the most difficult wildfire seasons in state history, guided by a philosophy of servant leadership: prioritizing the success of his team and trusting that individual success follows.

Now, after nearly a decade as State Forester, Erixson is retiring. Before he goes, the National Association of State Foresters has recognized him with its 2026 Chris Maisch Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the profession's highest honors. The award recognizes sustained contributions to NASF's goals at the state, regional, and national level, the ability to overcome significant obstacles, and effort that goes well beyond the normal expectations of the job, criteria Erixson's colleagues say he has met many times over during his tenure.

Tiffany Heng-Moss, Harlan Vice Chancellor for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, credited Erixson's legacy to his commitment to people and stewardship. "John Erixson's legacy is defined by his unwavering commitment to people, service, and stewardship," Heng-Moss said. "During some of the

state's most devastating wildfire events, John's steady leadership, calm resolve, and focus on collaboration helped guide response efforts and support those on the front lines. His lasting impact is reflected... in the people he mentored, inspired, and prepared to carry that work forward."

For Erixson, the accomplishments he's proudest of aren't programs or policies, but the people he's worked alongside. Asked what he'll miss most about the job, he didn't hesitate: the people. Walking away, he admits, is bittersweet. But he leaves confident the Nebraska Forest Service, and the mission he's spent a career serving, is in good hands.

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