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PRESQUE ISLE TREE FARMER TAKES 2008
HONORS FOR OUTSTANDING
WOODLOT
Laurence
and Edith Park of Presque Isle received the 2008 Outstanding Tree
Farmer of the Year award at the Maine Agricultural Trade Show, held at
the Augusta Civic Center on January 16.
The
Park’s 100 acre woodlot has been a certified Tree Farm since 1982
and is managed sustainably. All of the work is done by the owner, a
retired seed potatoe grower. Park harvests with a tractor and winch to
minimize soil compaction and root damage and to avoid damage to other
trees.
The
Tree Farm is managed for multiple use, including snowmobiling, cross
country skiing, hiking and hunting and trapping by permission. Park
gives tours of the woodlot for students of area schools and other
groups and has hosted Envirothon competitions.
In
addition to winning the state Outstanding Tree Farmer award, Park also
received the AroostookCounty award. He is the Northern Maine Chapter
Representative for the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM),
and was Supervisor of the Central Aroostook Soil and Water
Conservation District (SWCD) for 30 years. He was the SWCD
Conservation Farmer of the Year in 1973d their Forest Landowner of the
Year in 2003. His Forester is Bruce Wilkins.
Runners
up in the Maine 2008 Tree Farmer of the Year Contest were Oxford
County winner Benjamin and Rie Welch of Dixfield and Lincoln County
winner Andrew Abello and Amanda Russell of Edgecomb. Ronald and Sandra
Kostron of China received the Kennebec County award.
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Tree
Farming, the sign of good forestry.