Online Nomination Form

Nominate a Logger for the 2024 WV Outstanding Logger Award

The WVFA “WV Outstanding Logger” award program aims to acknowledge exceptional independent logging contractors. By recognizing competent professionals within the forestry community, this program sets a model for others to follow and elevates the overall performance of the broader industry. Notably, it emphasizes safety as a critical aspect of their work. The program is directly modeled after the Forest Resources Association (FRA) Outstanding Logger Program, offering selected loggers a chance to advance to regional and national award levels.

Click Here to enter your simplified nomination today!  Nominators will just need some basic information about the logging business they are nominating (name, address, and such) and a few sentences explaining “What makes this nominee an outstanding logger – with safety, BMPs, business practices, and community invovlement,” If your nominee is selected as the 2024 WV Outstanding Logger, the nominator (YOU!) will receive a reward of $100.

Completed nominations forms must be submitted no later than April 15, 2024.

Outstanding Logger Award Committee Chair: Mike Moran | Mike.Moran@weyerhaeuser.com

Evaluation Process:

Nominees will be evaluated based on the suggested guidelines provided below. Consideration will be given to the type of operation, equipment involved, the desired results, available markets, economic limitations of the logger, and limitations by the landowner specifications.

The minimum requirements for nomination of “WV Outstanding Logger” are:

  • All timbering operations will have “Notification Forms” on file with the WV Division of Forestry.
  • All loggers will use appropriate safety gear for eye, ear, head, foot, hand, and leg protection as hazards dictate.
  • Logger must be in good standing with the WV Division of Forestry.

The WV Outstanding Logger Selection Committee will evaluate each written nomination and select State Finalists based on the details provided in the written nomination in May and conduct field visits to select the State Winner by early June.

The State Finalists and the State Winner will be recognized by the WVFA at the Annual Meeting in July at Canaan Valley State Park.

What makes an “WV Outstanding Logger”? 

The following five sections of statements and questions listed under each section can help describe the professional work of the nominee in each area.

Safety
  • Nominee establishes and enforces harvesting and transportation safety standards/regulations/practices…and personally adheres to them?
  • Nominee and employees use personal protective equipment?
  • Nominee provides safety training for employees?
  • Describe safety features or modifications on harvesting/transportation equipment.
  • Nominee has developed unique approaches to safety (i.e. bonus for the number of hours of safe work, etc.).
  • Other safety information?
Forest Management
  • Nominee knows and follows AF&PA’s Sustainable Forestry Guidelines.
  • List types of harvest (clearcut, selection, thinning, etc.) performed by nominee.
  • Describe how nominee plans, constructs, and retires landings and road systems.
  • Nominee follows forest management plans?
  • Nominee carries out soil erosion protection measures?
  • Nominee has developed some unique approaches to forest management with landowners?
  • Other forest management information?
Timber Harvesting
  • Describe nominee’s major harvesting and transportation equipment mix.
  • Scheduled maintenance program
  • Appearance of equipment?
  • Nominee’s utilization standards?
  • Nominee practices top and slash disposal?
  • Nominee concerned with aesthetics of timber harvesting?
    Nominee cleans up landings at job completion?
  • Nominee leaves buffer strips?
  • Nominee adheres to local timber harvesting ordinances/regulations?
  • Nominee has harvested timber from certified Tree Farms?
  • Other timber harvesting information?
Business Management
  • List number and job titles of nominee’s employees.
  • Describe relationship between nominee and local business community.
  • Nominee uses written contracts when purchasing or cutting and hauling timber?
  • Describe nominee’s payroll and bookkeeping system.
  • Other business management information?
Other
  • Nominee’s previous awards?
  • Does nominee have any family involvement in the business?
  • Nominee distributes literature (forest management, association membership, safety, etc.)?
  • Describe how nominee handles referrals for forest management assistance.
  • Describe any presentations on logging/harvesting made by nominee.
  • List or describe any news articles, press coverage, etc. on logging/timber harvesting by nominee.
  • Does nominee participate in Log A Load For Kids campaign or other charitable fund-raising activities?
  • Other