Rockville, MD – STIHL Inc. honored the partners of McDermott, Ohio’s Redoutey Logging as the 2009 National Outstanding Logger at the Forest Resources Association’s (FRA) March 16 Annual Awards Luncheon in Hilton Head, SC. Kent Hall of STIHL presented them with a $1,000 check and STIHL MS 460 chain saw.
August Redoutey thanked STIHL and FRA for the Award, commenting, “I always set out to try to be the best, do a little better job.” He remarked on the influence famed Swedish logging trainer Soren Eriksson had on his commitment to excellence: “He was the one who I always wanted to do better for.”
August’s son Ryan recalled that, back in 1998, August had “volunteered” him for service in the Southern Ohio Loggers Chapter of the Ohio Forestry Association (OFA). Since then, on top of his responsibilities in running the business, Ryan has continued to involve himself in association and committee work, currently serving on OFA’s Board of Trustees and chairing its Logging Standards Council. He also participates on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Stewardship Committee and its Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee. Ryan commented, “It takes people coming together, people in manufacturing, people who work in the woods, and at every level. These associations do a lot to move us all forward.”
The partners of Redoutey Logging, based in McDermott, Ohio, are true leaders in adopting innovative harvesting methods that promote sustainable forest management and safety.
August Redoutey started the company as a sole proprietorship in 1982, using conventional harvesting methods. August took “Game of Logging” training from Soren Eriksson and won the “Game of Logging” national championship in 1993.
August’s two sons, Ryan and Reg, and cousin Aaron Daniel joined the business in the mid-1990s. Ryan became heavily involved in “Game of Logging” as well, serving on its national board of directors since 2003. Collectively, August and Ryan have taught these chain saw safety techniques to hundreds of timber cutters in Ohio.
Since the late 1990s, Redoutey Logging has specialized in “low impact logging,” employing the correct piece of cut-to-length equipment with properly trained operators for the specific timber, terrain, and ground conditions.
For the past four years, Redoutey Logging has been working with Glatfelter foresters to perfect a “de-coupled” logging system, in which each function of the logging operations works independently, maximizing the efficiency of each aspect of the logging operation and making year-round harvesting possible.
John Dorka, Executive Director of the Ohio Forestry Association, comments, “Redoutey Logging is one of the most professional, up-to-date logging companies in the state. They have raised the bar for all of us over the years.”
FRA has honored 19 National Outstanding Loggers since establishing the national award in 1990. Recent National Outstanding Loggers include John and Nipper Bunn of Georgia (2004), Mitchell and Wanda Presley of Alabama (2005), Adrian Bishop, of South Carolina (2006), Tommy Barnes and David Cox, of Edgemoor, South Carolina (2007), and David and Kurt Babineau last year. Nominees for this year’s award passed through state-level recognition to regional award programs administered through FRA’s Regional Division structure. A jury of 25 national-level leaders in forestry and conservation selected the winner.
The other nominees for this year’s National award were:
- Anthony Madden, A.W. Madden Inc., Milford, Maine
- Scott Pittack, Pittack Logging & Trucking, Bovey, Minn.
- William “Billy” Rice, Rice Timber Company, Homerville, Ga.
- Greg Williams, Greg Williams Logging, Saline, La.
The Outstanding Logger program is designed:
- to recognize outstanding logging contractor performance;
- to raise the visibility of competent, professional independent logging contractors in the forestry community;
- to encourage other independent logging contractors to emulate the outstanding performance of the award winners; and
- 4) to improve forester-logger relations by publicly recognizing outstanding logging performance as an essential element of every planned timber harvest.
About the Forest Resources Association Inc.
The Forest Resources Association Inc. is a nonprofit trade association concerned with the safe, efficient, and sustainable harvest of forest products and their transport from woods to mill. FRA represents wood consumers, independent logging contractors, and wood dealers, as well as businesses providing products and services to the forest resource-based industries.
About STIHL Inc.
STIHL Inc. manufactures the world's largest selling brand of chain saws and produces a full line of powerful, lightweight, and versatile handheld outdoor power equipment for homeowners and professional users. STIHL products are sold through independent servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast – not mass merchants. STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL dealers are for distribution in the United States only. For more information or for the name of the closest STIHL retailer call toll free 1-800-GO STIHL (1-800-467-8445) or visit the dealer locator on STIHL's Web site at www.stihlusa.com.
STIHL is also pleased to support the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), National FFA, Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), and the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD).
For information on job opportunities with STIHL Inc., please go to www.stihlcareers.com.
STIHL is an EEO and drug-free work environment
