Green Horizons

From left to right: Stihl chainsaw program sponsor from Crader Distributing; Lisa Allen, MDC State Forester; David Minich, log cutter for Larry Young; Larry Young, winner; John Tuttle, MDC Wood Utilization Supervisor.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has announced the winner of the 2008 State Logger of the Year Award: Larry Young. The announcement was made at the Missouri Forest Products Association’s annual summer meeting.

Larry’s operation is a two-man crew with himself and David Minich. Resource Forester Mike Norris’s nomination description included many positive accolades of Larry. "Best Management Practices are followed and completed on all of Larry’s sales. He optimizes log landings and skid trail locations to conduct the job in the most efficient manner possible. Larry was instrumental in the success of the development of oak pine woodland structure on the Rocky Creek CA restoration project. His careful style of logging, in heavily over-stocked stands of pine and mixed oak poles, left the woodland with a minimal amount of residual damage. His excellent utilization of all material and careful consideration for aesthetics make this crew one of the best in the Ozarks. For a private landowner that is looking for a quality logging job, Larry is the first logger I suggest to conduct the sale. He is easy to work with and always has a positive attitude."

Through this award MDC recognizes loggers that use Best Management Practices (BMPs), have good working relationships with landowners and foresters, demonstrate safe work performance, and have completed the Professional Timber Harvester Program.

Crader Distributing Company, the exclusive distributor of STIHL Outdoor Power Equipment in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Southern Illinois is sponsoring the Logger Award program. STIHL has donated to each Regional Logger Award recipient a Protective Kit valued at $479 as well as a new STIHL chain saw to the State Logger of the Year award recipient.

The 2008 Regional Logger Award recipients: Greg and Joe Brinkley, Southeast Shannon Jarvis, St. Louis Jim Nelson, Southwest Danny Chaney, Ozark co-winner Lawrence Young, Ozark co-winner.