A Roseburg-based logging company has been chosen as Forest Operator of the Year for Southwest Oregon.
An Oregon Department of Forestry regional advisory committee selected Plikat Logging, Inc., earlier this fall. The firm and two other recipients representing Northwest and Eastern Oregon will be recognized in Salem in January.
The award recognizes forest operators who -- while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work -- protect natural resources at a level that consistently meets or goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act. The law requires people to manage forests responsibly, protect steams, water quality and habitat, and reduce landslide risk.
Two other Southern Oregon logging firms were given an Award of Merit. They are Roseburg-based Weber Logging and Construction for consistent employment of innovative logging technology in steep-slope areas to protect fish-bearing streams and minimize soil disturbance, and Don Hamman, Inc., of Butte Falls for assisting small landowners in urban-adjacent, high-visibility areas with thinning to reduce wildfire risk.
Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to resource management.
