Kirby McCarthy – 2021 CLP Conventional Logger of the Year
Recognition in this business doesn’t just fall from the trees. You must earn it. The nominees were submitted for the awards by fellow employees, employers, foresters, and landowners. The winners were chosen by a panel of industry stakeholders, and all must meet and exceed in the respective categories.
The awards, sponsored by Huber Resources and Conservation Forestry Partners, are presented each year, along with $1000, an engraved plaque, and a jacket to a logging operator in each of three categories- Conventional, Mechanical, and Contractor/ Supervisor. They are given to loggers who have demonstrated the highest level of professionalism throughout their careers.
The CLP award winner for 2021 in the Mechanical logger category is Kenneth Jandreau from St Francis, Maine. Ken has been in the program since 1996. His nomination states, “His work is second to none. He takes care to protect the regeneration and not to damage any residual trees. I have been a forester for 36 years and he is in the top two operators I have ever worked with in the woods.”
The winner in the Conventional logger category is Kirby McCarthy (pictured above) from Macwahoc, Maine. Kirby has been CLP since 1999. A forester for a land management company states, “Kirby, a third-generation logger, specializes in environmentally sensitive areas and lots that require a light touch. His directional felling is exceptional and because of that his residual stand damage is minimal.”
The Contractor/Supervisor winner is Jerod McBreairty, owner of JMM & Sons Logging in Fort Kent, Maine, CLP since 2008. A landowner forester states, “JMM & Sons is cultivating the 5th generation of loggers in the family, and they have a good understanding of how today’s actions can affect future generations. Jerod’s focus on long term stewardship of the forest, employee wellbeing, and commitment to the logging industry makes them an excellent candidate for logger of the year”.
Since 1991, the Certified Logging Professional program has provided certification for Maine loggers. The program’s mission is to promote continuous professional growth, based on education & training, complemented by an onsite performance-based review of worksites.
