Audrey and Rick Barnes - 2014 Western Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year
American Tree Farm System® Award Sponsored by STIHL, Inc.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Audrey and Rick Barnes of Roseburg, Oregon, have been named
2014 Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year for the Western region for their work to transform 700 acres of a former nickel mine to a thriving, sustainable Tree Farm, Nickel Mountain LLC. The regional award was conferred by theAmerican Tree Farm System®(ATFS), a program of theAmerican Forest Foundation. It places the couple among four finalists for recognition as the 2014 National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year, an honor that will be conferred in July at the annual ATFS conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year award is sponsored by STIHL, Inc.
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber praised the couple’s work to reclaim mining land as sustainable forestland. “Your work in replanting mining spoils with trees, reducing forest fuels to prevent wildfires, and controlling invasive species has set a high standard for sound, sustainable natural resource management,” Gov. Kitzhaber said in a letter to Rick and Audrey Barnes.
Every year, ATFS inspecting foresters and state committees nominate Certified Tree Farmers whose conservation efforts, outreach efforts to their community and advocacy for sustainable forest management exceed expectations.
“Privately owned woodlands are vital to our country's clean water and air, wildlife habitat, recreational activities and producing the jobs, wood and paper products we all need. These benefits wouldn’t be possible without the outstanding stewardship and hard work of dedicated landowners across the country, and the American Tree Farm System is proud to recognize the 2014 Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year,” said Rita Hite, Executive Vice President for Woodlands and Policy with the American Forest Foundation.
All Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers will attend the National Tree Farmer Conventionthis July in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and participate in a panel discussion about their sustainable forestry work. The National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year will be selected from one of these regional awardees and announced at the convention. In addition to Audrey and Rick Barnes, other regional honorees include: Southern Region -Judy and Dwight Batts, Macclesfield, NC; Northeast Region - Bambi Jones and David (“Tracy”) Moskovitz, Whitefield, ME; and North Central Region - Kim and Dennis Schoeneck, Pelican Lake, WI.
The Regional and National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year awards are sponsored bySTIHL Inc., manufacturer of the number-one-selling brand of handheld outdoor power equipment in America. STIHL is proud to support the accomplishments of hard-working Tree Farmers from across the country. The four regional awardees will receive a $500 gift certificate from STIHL and travel assistance to the National Tree Farmer Convention.
Contact: Sara Anrrich, sanrrich@forestfoundation.org, 202-765-3376
###
The American Tree Farm System® is a network of 82,000 family forest owners sustainably managing 24 million acres of forestland. ATFS is the largest and oldest sustainable woodland system in the United States, internationally recognized, meeting strict third-party certification standards. The American Tree Farm System® is a program of the American Forest Foundation. Learn more at www.treefarmsystem.org/awards-recognition.
