April - June, 2008
News from Missouri
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently solicited nominations for the 2008 MDC Regional Logger of the Year Award. There are eight MDC regions throughout the state and each region was given the opportunity to nominat a logger that meets the criteria of the Logger of the Year.
The criteria for being chosen for the MDC Regional Logger of the Year are as follows: must be a logger operating in Missouri that has completed the Professional Timber Harvester's Training Program and be current with the qualifications (or equivalent training if the logger is an out of state resident.), must be practicing sustainable forest management, have good forest product utilization, and is implementing best management practices. More criteria for the logger award is that they should have low residual tree damage on their harvests, must be practicing safe work habits and preferably using all the safety equipment, and they must not have any recent complaints or issues working with landowners and foresters on timber sales.
Jim Nelson was selected the Southwest Regional Logger of the Year. Jim Nelson has been operating a logging and sawmill business out of Oldfield, Missouri for over three decades. He and his son Brian were some of the first loggers in the state to voluntarily attend the Professional Timber Harvesters Training and have made it a point to stay current on all requirements of the certification.
Lawrence (Larry) Young and Danny Chaney were selected as 5 Co-Ozark Regional Logger of the Year Award winners. Danny comes from a family rich with logging experience and history, including his father who was also involved with early education efforts with Missouri's loggers. Danny's quality work was also a major factor in the success of the harvest operations around the conservation flagship of the Ozarks, the Twin Pines Conservation Education Center. Larry Young's logging operation is small scale with many jobs less than 250,000 BF. He has excellent product utilization skills and has found markets for small diameter material, culls, and shortleaf pine. Larry is always agreeable and works well with landowners and foresters.
Joe and Greg Brinkley received the Southeast Regional Logger of the Year Award for 2008. Joe and Greg have cut numerous state land and private land sales for the Department of Conservation throughout the SE Region. They have worked for at least 11 MDC foresters over the past 30 plus years. Joe and Greg have always proven to be easy to work with and do what they say they will do.
Shannon Jarvis received the St. Louis Regional Logger of the Year Award. Shannon's crew has worked for both private landowners and USDA Forest Service. This crew uses directional felling of trees and installs BMPs to prevent erosion as needed. Shannon has been active in the Missouri Forest Products Association and has worked hard to implement new programs.
Crader Distributing Company, headquartered in Marble Hill, Missouri, 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.
After all the Regional winners were selected, a committee then selected one as the State Logger of the Year. This committee recently selected Lawrence (Larry) Young as the state winner. Larry will be receiving his award at the Missouri Forest Products Association's summer meeting at the Lake of the Ozarks.
For contact information on any of the loggers mentioned above please contact the nearest MDC forester or give me a call. John Tuttle (573)522-4115 ext 3304