On October 10, the Forest Resources Association and STIHL Incorporated honored Bruce Barnes, owner of Barnes Logging in Clements, Maryland, as the Appalachian Region 2020 Outstanding Logger.
At an early age, Bruce Barnes assisted with his father’s horse logging operation. Bruce continued the horse logging operation for many years, and while he logs with mechanized equipment today, he maintains some of his history with horses, competing in horse pulling competitions and demonstrations.
Bruce works independently, purchasing his own timber and merchandising all timber types for the best value to the landowner. He manages his own log yard where he scales and grades the higher-quality logs for export markets. Bruce manually fells timber using STIHL chain saws. A long-time Maryland Master Logger who is very proficient with a power saw, Bruce has taught chain saw safety training classes for loggers.
Bruce often works with a consulting forester to achieve silviculturally sound forest management objectives, with strict adherence to BMPs and protection of the residual stand of timber. This has earned him repeat business with forest landowners and praise from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. He further enhances his professional image to the public by keeping his logging equipment immaculately clean.
Bruce has a friendly and loyal reputation in the local business community. He serves as chairman of the St. Mary’s (MD) County Fair Board, and he has been a mentor to many loggers over the years.
The FRA 2020 Appalachian Region Outstanding Logger Award prizes—a cherry & walnut wooden crosscut saw plaque from FRA and a STIHL MS 462 chain saw gift certificate and a $250 check provided by STIHL—were presented to Bruce Barnes by FRA Appalachian Region Manager Rick Meyer at the at the Western Maryland Forestry Field Days & Equipment Show in Friendsville, MD on October 10.
The Barnes Logging nomination was submitted by the Maryland Forests Association and the Maryland-Delaware Master Logger Program.
FRA’s Outstanding Logger Award program is designed to raise the visibility of professional logging contractors and to encourage other loggers to adopt the performance of the award winners. The Regional Award winner becomes a nominee for FRA’s National Outstanding Logger Award competition.
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.
STIHL Incorporated serves as the sponsor of FRA’s Regional and National Outstanding Logger Awards.
For more information on FRA, contact:
Rick Meyer
Appalachian Region Manager
Forest Resources Association
8848 Boones Chapel Road
Boones Mill, VA 24065
Mobile: 540-798-1721