For the Foresters... Well Anybody Interested in Forestry for that Matter.

[northmanlogging]

Its nice to hear that the people making the "plan" actually trying to learn the other end of the spectrum, in machining the engineers always want something that while possible on paper its either impractical or just plain made up nonsense. Don't get me started an all this ISO 9001 junk that has been going around for a few years, might as well go back to black smithing, or get out of it entirely and focus on logging, (machining got me out of logging, everything moves in circles) and the metric system is for people that can't do simple math, going away now...

 

[OlympicYJ]

Its nice to hear that the people making the "plan" actually trying to learn the other end of the spectrum, in machining the engineers always want something that while possible on paper its either impractical or just plain made up nonsense. Don't get me started an all this ISO 9001 junk that has been going around for a few years, might as well go back to black smithing, or get out of it entirely and focus on logging, (machining got me out of logging, everything moves in circles) and the metric system is for people that can't do simple math, going away now...

For sure that is the best way. Back in the day a young guy went through the Simpson Plywood plant (now a Simpson door plant) in McCleary and worked his way through all the jobs in the plant. My grandpa was the one who taught him how to patch plywood. Well my grandpa knew at the time he was too sharp to be working in a plywood plant, he could tell he was educated. Well several years later that young guy was the President of Simpson. Apparently his one condition on accepting the job was that he would work his way through all the jobs the company had. When I say all I mean from settin chokers to workin in the mills. Pretty cool story, figured I'd share it. Always stuck with me. If you don't know or even try and understand what the other guy does you don't have any business judging what he does.

 

[northmanlogging]

Sometimes its better to keep yer mouth shut and eyes and ears open, hard to hear or see whats going on if you're constantly correcting the teacher, even if they are wrong you learned something. I love the jerks that ask a question and before I'm done giving my answer they are telling me I'm wrong. I've learned to walk away... its more fun to watch them swing on their end of the rope, than to get mad and spend the rest of the day in a bad mood or jail... although it would make me feel really good to sock em in the mouth a couple times... does this mean I'm getting old?

 

[slowp]

I created a stir when I showed up with a chainsaw (the borrowed one before Twinkle) in the back of my pickup.

It was very good of the guys to answer my questions without any or very little teasing. Bribing loggers with chocolate chip oat meal cookies will do wonders!

 

[northmanlogging]

Teasing shows they care... no really its does

 

[Jacob J.]

Are FS and other govt. foresters edumacated the same as other foresters in the states?
Sounds like they're less popular, but I like to think thats because of who they work for, not what they do..

Like Madhatte said, educations vary. Professional Foresters (i.e. those working for the government in the professional forestry classification) have a four-year degree or better in Natural Resource Management, Forestry Engineering, or some related natural resource discipline. Some have unrelated degrees and take additional classes to meet the requirements of the series (0460.) 0462 is "Forestry Technician," a job classification used for the majority of government workers in land-management fields. Often these folks (such as myself) have worked in the woods and have some education but not enough to be a professional forester. Firefighters, tree-marking crews, Silviculture crews, and even some wildlife people fall under forestry technician. We qualify for positions through a combination of education and documented experience.

Some people get a Natural Resource Management degree and migrate that over to a specialty position, like a fire ecologist or fuels specialist. My FMO (fire management officer) has a NRM degree and is classified under 0401- General Natural Resource Management and Biological Sciences, another "professional" series. One individual who was on my fire crew for years obtained a four-year Forestry Engineering degree and used that to get a professional forestry job in private industry with a base salary starting at $15k/year higher than what he would have got with the government.

How much experience one garners in a particular series in the government dictates the next step that individual will be able to move to. For example, most of my government experience is under 0462, although I have some experience under 0301-General Administration, which potentially qualifies me for a purely administrative position like purchasing agent or contracting officer.

 

[Samlock]

That sounds like truly bureaucratic scheme to me, Jacob.

Two weeks ago I signed in a one year educational program, which will officially qualify me as something you would call a forest technician. I already have education needed, but that program will sort of wrap the package together - demerits of a cutter and a forester combined in a single person.

 

[floyd]

It would have been a good thing had some of the wonder foresters I met had a clue about falling. Then maybe the one tree in the middle of 16 would not be marked like you are a damn magician & can fall that tree straight up.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

Hey all:

For the loggers here:

Would you rather bid on a contract based on stumpage, or be paid based on a fixed rate per thousand?

I recently prepared some rough contracts for a client to salvage storm broken or tipped over Doug-fir (one is a service contract to remove the wood, and one is a sales contract for the log buyer).

Did the cruise myself: 99MBF Doug-fir, and 3 MBF Grand fir. Some roads have to be re-built and a small portion built from scratch. I also prepared the layout and map.

I was in Spokane too, but at the WFCA workshop on timberland appraisal. Some foresters there suggested that I was being too complicated preparing two contracts; I need to get this figured out, as my signature is on the logging permit, and I want to swap my name for the logging company. Which leaves a third option: I could sub out to a logging company, but again, more complications.

So, you may be wondering, why is this forester asking such basic questions? Answer: this is my first timber sale I am preparing. I am one of those " 'ologists" (Forest Ecology, focused on entomology and pathology), and have my own consulting arborist company with a tree service side to it.

I climb too. The best part is I can "call it" like I did today : rain/snow and 30's, so no, climbing can wait until tomorrow. On to my third cup of coffee and some desk work (once I leave this site:msp_biggrin:

 

[floyd]

YOu want it really bad. Smokejumper falling for my team. 80'stick. perpendicular to the road...in a willow patch , cut off1'above the ground.

My teams were good. But they could not take that 80' log 20'to the other side of the road, swing it 90 degrees & go. There is a small matter of the 60' behind them that has no articulation at 45'.

Then he got pissed because I was trimming his pig ears that were hanging me up at the landing.

Then he told me he could get a big old skidder in there.

I drove the team to the trlr, loaded them told him what he owed me & left.





Probably can't have too much contract. Talk to the boys in The Dalles at State Forest Service. They have some sample contract forms.