2019 Indiana Logger of the Year
Shipshewana Hardwoods, Shipshewana, Indiana is the 2019 Indiana Logger of the Year. Nick Brown, Logging Operations Manager accepted the award at the Tree Farm Breakfast at the Indiana Hardwood Lumberman’s Association (IHLA) convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 4, 2020. Shipshewana was selected for professionalism, communication, concern for long-term sustainability, training, and use of new technology.
Shipshewana has several of their own logging crews and also uses other contract logging crews, most notably Royer Logging. This is a unique business relationship that is mutually beneficial. Shipshewana has better access to capital, timber, training, technology, and materials such as mats, bridges, trucks, and loaders. Royer brings a mechanized feller to the partnership which offers increased production, safer working environment, and less soil impact and damage to remaining forest. The seven year sawlog production averaged 6.4 million board feet and veneer averaged 1.2 million board feet.
Concern for the soil and water resource caused them to be among the first is the state to adopt best management practices and invest in mats and temporary bridges, use of corduroy roads, and gravel where needed. The use of the mechanized feller also reduces damage to the residual forest.
Shipshewana is noted for excellent communication with the landowner, loggers, and truckers. Any problems that arise are quickly solved. Examples of the kinds of problems that occur are changes in conditions, safety concerns, or accidental damage to residual trees. They even conduct a post- harvest survey with the landowner. Their goal is to ensure each operation is successful, resources protected, and the landowner satisfied.
Training has been an integral part of the success of Shipshewana. During the past five years their staff has participated in Cutter 1, 2, 3, and 4, and Skidder 1 and 2 of Game of Logging Training, Best Management Practices, lumber grading, CPR and first responder training, and safety training. They also invited consulting foresters to attend this training as well. Crews are outfitted with hard hats, chaps, chain saw proof boots, eye and ear protection, high visibility clothing, two-way radios, and an emergency beacon.
The use of technology is impressive using both hand held devices and a fleet management program. The hand held devices are used in the field to track landowner and forester contacts, timber access, seasonal restrictions such as hunting or crops, soils, need for mats or bridges, aerial photographs, maps, number of trees and volume harvested daily, woods inventory, yard inventory, and historical data. The fleet program allows them to see real time locations and operations of skidders, loaders, and trucks. They track speeding, hard braking or cornering, hours, and any violations.
Outreach is important to Shipshewana. They have participated in Soil and Water Conservation District field days, high school agriculture classes, and state legislation on natural resource issues. They along with Royer’s also participate on Rapid Response Teams for disasters, most notably Pine Bluff, Arkansas flood and Braidwood, Illinois tornado relief.
Shipshewana Hardwoods was nominated by Tom Crowe of Crowe Forest Management, LLC. The Logger of the Year is sponsored by Indiana Tree Farm to recognize outstanding professionalism in sustainable forestry practices. Awardees are selected by the Indiana Tree Farm Committee which consists of 31 members representing a cross section of forestry professionals in Indiana.
Ken Day is retired Forest Supervisor of the Hoosier National Forest.