November 19, 2021 3:40 a.m.
In the KQEN Business Spotlight:
Plikat Logging of Winston has been named Operator of the Year for southwest Oregon by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
An ODF release said the Oregon Board of Forestry will honor owner Wally Plikat and his crew along with two other regional awardees at its January 5th meeting in Salem.
The release said Regional Forest Practices committees select operators of the year and merit award recipients from among nominees sent in by landowners, ODF staff and others. The award recognizes forest operators who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting. The award honors operators who consistently meet or exceed Forest Practices Act regulations.
ODF said Plikat Logging took on a difficult operation on a unit in Douglas County that bordered a busy state highway and had two different utility powerlines running through it as well as a fish-bearing stream and wetlands. The release said excellent communication and coordination with utilities during logging prevented any damage to powerlines, avoiding disruptions to customers. Thoughtful selection of access roads and timing more logging at night also avoided traffic delays on the bordering highway. Felling parallel to the stream and choosing landing sites carefully also helped preserve intact the buffer zone protecting the stream and wetlands.
The other regional honorees are:
*Northwest Oregon – All Around Logging LLC of Stayton in Marion County
*Eastern Oregon – H Timber Contracting of Hines in Harney County
The release said videos about each of the three Operators of the Year and five Merit Award winners can be viewed on the ODF website: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Working/Pages/default.aspx