2010 National Outstanding Logger Dave Berthiaume

The Forest Resources Association honored Cloquet, Minnesota's Berthiaume Logging as its 2010 National Outstanding Logger at its March 14 Annual Awards Luncheon in Hilton Head, South Carolina. FRA Chairman Dave Liebetreu presented Dave and Cindy Berthiaume with a special plaque.

Kent Hall of STIHL Inc. also congratulated them and presented them with a $1,000 check.

Dave Berthiaume thanked Liebetreu and FRA for the Award, commenting, "My father, now 87, started the Berthiaume family logging business nearly 60 years ago. As I and my brothers grew up and entered the business, he instilled upon us the values of hard work, the unbendable rule of treating people fairly and that if you treat the land with respect, it will provide for you always."

He added, "I would be remiss not to mention how all of us in the timber industry have a greater environmental awareness than ever before. It does my heart good to see industry companies up north like Sappi, Potlatch, and Bell Timber step forward to support logger training and best management practices."

Over the years, Berthiaume Logging has developed a strong reputation for conducting harvests in a way that is sensitive both to the environment and to landowner objectives. On sites where harvesting will be highly visible and aesthetics will be a major issue, it is not uncommon to hear--from industry, agency, or consulting forester--"Can we get Berthiaume Logging to do the work?"

One of many examples of Berthiaume Logging's commitment to following Sustainable Forestry Initiative requirements is its use of logging slash on steep slopes to divert water runoff and mitigate erosion concerns. Governing his operation in accordance with the Minnesota Forest Management Guidelines, Dave Berthiaume does not wait for the forester or landowner to shut his crew down if a site has received significant rainfall--he suspends operations until conditions improve, voluntarily.

Berthiaume Logging's commitment to safety and the firm's outstanding safety record also set it apart. Consuming mills often consult Dave for his advice on woodyard safety, as well as on trucking and logging safety issues.

A family-run business for three generations, Berthiaume Logging has been a mainstay in the education of students at Cloquet Forestry Center. When students need to see an example of sound forest management, they tour an active Berthiaume Logging site, questioning crew members about practices and performance. The company has also made itself available to work with researchers at the Cloquet Forestry Center, in one case reducing productivity significantly to conduct a controlled experiment on the impact of spreading, versus removing, logging slash on an active job, to permit the Center to evaluate impacts.

In spite of the many demands of his business, it is important to Dave Berthiaume to find the time to involve himself deeply in his community. As his daughter, Rachael, wrote in supporting Berthiaume Logging's nomination:

"My Dad always claims, 'You have to work with the people.' One of my favorite donations he does is to haul and set up the buildings for the Sentence to Serve. These are young folks that have started out life down the wrong path but gain a sense of pride by participating in the creation of these buildings. My Dad says it's all worth it when he sees the young folks' excitement when the final log is raised."

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