John Day’s Rude Logging gets Award of Merit from ODF Board

By Logan Bagett on Monday, December 4th, 2023 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories

PRAIRIE CITY – The Eastern Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee, an advisory committee to the Oregon Dept. of Forestry Board, has selected a Grant County firm to receive the Eastern Oregon Award of Merit.

Tim Rude of Rude Logging, based in John Day, received an Award of Merit from the Committee for protecting waters of a fish-bearing stream, while harvesting in steep forests. The thinning work also reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfire. In the ODF video below, watch local landowner Jay Burril, ODF Stewardship Forester Kirk Ausland, and Tim Rude discuss the project:

Find the full press release from the ODF below:

(Press Release from the Oregon Department of Forestry)

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Leigh Ann Vradenburg of Klamath County is slated to become Operator of the Year for eastern Oregon. The Eastern Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee (an advisory committee to the Oregon Dept. of Forestry Board) selected Vradenburg to represent this region earlier this fall. She and recipients for Northwest and Southwest Oregon will be recognized in Salem at the January meeting of the full ODF Board in Salem. The other honorees are:

Northwest Oregon – Ron Staley of Ron Staley Enterprises, Inc., of Lebanon, Ore., in Linn County
Southwest Oregon – Wally Plikat of Plikat Logging, Inc., based in Roseburg, Ore.

The award recognizes forest operators who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that consistently meets or goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act *. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat, and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting. Videos about each of the three Operators of the Year and five Merit Award winners can be viewed on the ODF website at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Working/Pages/default.aspx

Work to improve forest health recognized

Leigh Ann Vradenburg is a forest consultant working with Klamath Watershed Partnership, a community based non-profit organization focusing on the needs of landowners and sustainability of natural resources. In her role, Vradenburg brings together landowners, agencies and other partners to conserve, enhance, and restore the natural resources of the Klamath Basin, while ensuring economic vitality for the community.

ODF Stewardship Forester Jason Pettigrew works with Vradenburg in the Klamath-Lake District. He said, “She works tirelessly to educate owners of small forest parcels about health risks to their forestland, including overly dense tree numbers, insect pests, mistletoe and fire danger, and to identify their objectives for their property. She then works to obtain federal grants to fund the work. By assembling many small jobs into larger projects, she makes it economically viable for local logging firms to do the work. And she is very hands on, meeting multiple times with landowners before marking trees to be thinned or retained and inspecting the work at every stage. She is a trusted partner for landowners and loggers in this area.”

Because of her work, Pettigrew says large swathes of overcrowded forest stands have been thinned and had brush cut back, reducing drought stress on remaining trees and improving their health and resistance to pests. “It also makes it safer for landowners and firefighters to control any wildfires that occur,” he adds.

John Day firm receives Award of Merit

Tim Rude of Rude Logging, based in John Day, received an Award of Merit from the Committee for protecting waters of a fish-bearing stream while harvesting in steep forests needing thinning to reduce risk of catastrophic wildfire.

Merit Awards were also given to four other companies.

Northwest Oregon

Olav “Ole” Berg of Big O Logging, Inc., based in Birkenfeld in Columbia County for helping thin overcrowded forestland during ongoing road repair work.
Greg Pelham of Pelham Cutting, Inc. based in St. Helens, for consistently high performance in harvesting and reforestation, with care to avoid high landslide-risk areas and identify and leave important old-growth wildlife trees.

Southwest Oregon

Butte Falls-based Don Hamman of Don Hamman, Inc. in Jackson County for assisting small landowners in urban-adjacent, high-visibility areas with thinning to reduce wildfire risk.
Austin Weber of Weber Logging and Construction, Inc., based in Roseburg for consistent employment of innovative logging technology in steep-slope areas to protect fish-bearing streams and minimize soil disturbance and erosion.

ODF Forest Resources Division Chief Josh Barnard said, “This year’s honorees harnessed innovative technology and techniques to protect water quality, and helped small landowners improve the health of their forests and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire through careful planning and coordination. In challenging harvesting sites, they have shown extraordinary care and diligence to protect resources and meet landowner objectives. We’re proud to recognize the community spirit and leadership these operators have shown.”

* Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The law focuses on ensuring responsible forest operations and protecting natural resources in forestland. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to natural resource management.

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