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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has named Chris L’Heureux of Wayne County as the Southeast Regional Logger of the Year. His ability to carry out a timber harvest in a manner that causes the least amount of damage to the remaining resources on site is “remarkable,” according to consulting forester William Riggle, who nominated L’Heureux.
“Chris always does a great job keeping residual tree damage low and putting in place best management practices,” said Riggle.
L’Heureux was presented a framed certificate and a Stihl woodcutter’s safety kit with chainsaw chaps, a saw helmet system, leather gloves, and safety glasses.
Riggle said L’Heureux always works to minimize soil erosion, which includes not harvesting on days that the ground conditions are too wet.
“All the landowners have told me that they like Chris personally, they like his work and that they trust him,” said Riggle. “He maintains control of operations by conducting logging in a workman like and orderly manner.”
L’Heureux completed Professional Timber Harvester’s Training Program in 2008.
The award recognizes loggers who practice low impact logging. These loggers take extra time and effort to demonstrate how forest harvests should be carried out. Their work uses forest resources in a sustainable way while also preserving those resources for future generations.
Criteria for the award includes maintaining good working relationships with landowners and foresters, minimal damage to remaining trees and resources, prevention of soil erosion, aesthetics of the site after harvesting is completed, safe work performance and use of equipment, utilization of harvested trees, the desire to address wildlife management concerns, and use of proper forest management techniques. The logger must also be certified through the Professional Timber Harvester’s Training Program sponsored by the Missouri Forest Products Association and MDC.
For more information about forestry jobs in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov.
