This issue is dedicated to education. Meet the 2022/2023 Oregon logging Conference Foundation scholarship recipients, find out where funding comes from for these scholarships, and Future Forestry Workers Career Day plans are underway. Easy Quick Links to the tentative 2023 OLC program schedule and other activities can be found on the last page of this newsletter.

25 college and college-bound students have received scholarships from the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation. These young men and women represent the next generation of workers who have chosen to pursue careers in logging and forestry related industries.

Each of the 25 students who applied for scholarships this year were qualified to receive financial assistance. Since the scholarships program was established in 1968, more than 500 scholarships have been awarded, totaling more than $1 million dollars in financial assistance.

In addition to receiving OLCF scholarships, two recipients, Caleb Joy-Norman and Cole Taylor also each received a $1,000 Carl Welle Memorial scholarship. Joy-Norman is studying Forest Engineering Resources and Management at Oregon State university and Taylor will be studying diesel mechanics at WyoTech in Laramie, WY. (see article in this newsletter about the Carl Welle Memorial scholarship)

Two recipients who were awarded OLCF scholarships were also recipients of the John E. Hadaller Memorial scholarship, a new fund established this year. The recipients of this scholarship are Hunter Hinners and John Nicholson (see article in this newsletter about the John E. Hadaller Memorial scholarship).

Meet the 2022/2023 OLCF scholarship recipients.

Luke Donaldson will receive a scholarship of $2,000 donated by Pape’ Machinery and $1,500 from the OLC Foundation.

Donaldson will pursue his interest in forestry and land management at Oregon State University this fall and plans to study natural resource management. “With college credits already applied to my focus of study, I hope to receive my bachelor’s degree early and enter the workforce as a forester or land-use consultant,” Donaldson said.

He currently works with the South Slough Reserve and Surfrider Foundation Coos Chapter performing water quality tests, removing invasive species, making vegetation plots, installing wildlife cameras, and on a variety of other projects.

“Of all my outdoor experiences, the most interesting have been in the forest, whether hunting, planting seedlings, or conducting surveys,” Donaldson said.

Donaldson said he owes what he calls his journey of academic success to his family and especially his mom. “From an early age, she instilled the value of knowledge and that being open to new experiences would lead to success,” he said.

Lily Hull will receive a scholarship of $5,000 donated by Thompson Foundation.

Hull said she comes from a long line of loggers and a family with deep roots in the Oregon timber industry.

She is planning to attend Oregon State University to study harvest operations management and minor in business. “Going to college to study forestry was an easy decision for me to make,” Hull said, “partly because of my family’s history. However, I also found a career path I am extremely passionate about,” she added.

Hull said she is proud to carry on the family legacy and feels lucky to be part of the timber industry. Hull grew up on her grandparent’s small woodland business, David Hull Tree Farms, in Bellfountain, OR.

At Philomath High School Hull participated in the forestry and natural resources program and was president of the forestry club when she was a junior and senior. When in high school, she also joined Oregon Women in Timber.

John Nicholson will receive a scholarship of $2500 from the John E. Hadaller Memorial scholarship fund, $1,000 donated by Starker Forest and $2,500 from the OLC Foundation.

Nicholson is a graduate of Lower Columbia College and an incoming freshman this year at University of Idaho. He is pursuing a B.S. in Forestry Management and minors in Forest Operations and Business Administration. Eventually, Nicholson plans to attain an MBA.

Nicholson said his interest in forestry started during his freshman year of high school when he found the FFA forestry team. He also coached that team for three years, which resulted in several top five placings.

Helping him get a better understanding of the industry, Nicholson is interning for Merrill & Ring Timberlands learning about reforestation, timber cruising, timber sales, and general logging processes.

After college Nicholson plans to enter the workforce. “While doing so, I will actively give back to my community,” Nicholson said. “I am a strong believer of supporting those who supported me,” he added.

Jake Gerrard will receive a scholarship of $1,000 donated by L & L Inc. and $2,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Gerrard will be attending Oregon State University pursuing a career as a forester. He is a graduate of Umpqua Community College, a school he highly recommends for anyone wanting to pursue a career in forestry.

“In my career I want to continue to enjoy the outdoors, learn, and make a positive impact on the management of our forests” Gerrard said. He said he will be open to all career opportunities when he graduates and hopes to someday start his own business to help landowners manage their land to its maximum potential.

Gerrard grew up helping his grandparents with various outdoor tasks including cutting firewood and assisting in a logging operation.

“Being exposed to forestry at an early age has made the decision easy for me to say that forestry is the career path for me,” Gerrard said. “My favorite part of forestry is being able to work in the outdoor setting and practicing land stewardship,” he added.

Lace-Anna Shiffert

will receive a scholarship of $500 donated by Rikki and Dave Wellman, $1,000 donated by Oregon State Implementation Committee and $2,500 from the OLC Foundation.

Shiffert will be a senior this year at Oregon State University, majoring in Forestry Engineering. Her goal is to graduate with her degree and then applying that to a career in teaching. She hopes to teach high school forestry.

She credits her high school forestry teacher Blake Manley with helping her decide to pursue and then combine the fields of forestry and teaching. “I knew in 7^th grade that I wanted to be an engineer,” Shiffert said. “(And) I wanted to get a more solid and well-rounded understanding of the forestry industry before I went on to acquire a teaching degree,” she added.

She hopes to be teaching high school forestry within the next ten years. “I may not be making the salary of a forestry engineer, but I will be making a difference in the lives of teens and young adults,” Shiffert said. “That is what I want to be doing, no matter what the pay,” she added.

She said without the OLCF scholarship she would not be going to school right now, if at all.

Christopher Trapp will receive a scholarship of $1,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Trapp will be a senior this year at Oregon State University with a dual major of Forest Management and Forest Restoration and Fire.

“On top of my forestry degree, I am also pursuing a GIS certificate to help further my knowledge of forestry inventory tools and strategies,” Trapp said.

Trapp became interested in natural resources, specifically forestry at McMinnville High School, which has a program that offers a variety of classes giving hands-on experience and knowledge that can be applied in fields like forestry.

“Included in this was the opportunity to participate in the Envirothon, a state-wide natural resource competition, which was both useful to push myself to learn more as well as a fun way to learn the main concepts of forestry,” Trapp said.

After graduation, Trapp plans to pursue a career in reforestation forestry and continue to learn new ways to manage and care for forests.

Hailey Whitfield will receive a scholarship of $3,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Whitfield is a student at Linn-Benton Community College and is completing an associate degree in practical business management. “I chose this degree to better understand accounting principles, financial management, macroeconomics, and business development strategies that I use in my job for a local timber harvesting company every day,” Whitfield said.

Whitfield said her future goal is to be able to successfully plan, coordinate, and execute any task or event that an employer sets forth, and to one day run the day-to-day office operations on her own.

Whitfield said she feel privileged and honored to have been selected as a scholarship recipient. “Through their generosity,” she said of OLCF, “they have allowed me to focus on the most important aspect of school: learning.”

Isaac Cherry will receive a scholarship of $2,000 donated by Douglas County Forest Products and $1,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Cherry plans to use his OLCF scholarship to finish his degree in forest management at Umpqua Community College (UCC), with plans to transfer to Oregon State University in the fall of 2023.

“As a forest management student here at UCC, in addition to learning the basic knowledge of how forests function in biological cycles, I learned the value Oregon’s forestland hold, and support they provide to local communities,” Cherry said.

This summer Cherry is working as a forest management intern for Lone Rock Resources, based in Roseburg, OR. He is working with experienced foresters and furthering his understanding of the private timber industry in Oregon.

“Our forests are in a constant state of change and my goals in the future as a forester in western Oregon include staying current with this change, applying what I’ve learned from past experience and research, and adapting it to the future,” Cherry said. “It is vital that as caretaker of our forests we manage for both future sustainability and present profitability,” he added.

Dylan Miller

will receive a scholarship of $2500 from the OLC Foundation.

Miller describes himself as a California born and raised forestry kid. Miller would spend summers with his father, who worked in the woods. “This young exposure to the world of forestry broke through to me and made me want to continue that experience,” Miller said.

Miller is excited about his upcoming year as a senior at Oregon State University. “All I can think about is how fast it all went by,” Miller said, “(and) that is why I am so thankful for this scholarship to allow me to continue such studies and continue learning about everything forestry.”

Gage Hanson will receive a scholarship of $1000 donated by Teevin Bros. and $2,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Hanson grew up raising cattle and hay on a small ranch in Powell Butte, OR. He was also involved in Big Fir Timber, the family tree farm in Vernonia, OR

Hanson will be attending Wyoming Technical Institute in Laramie, WY where he “will be fulfilling my lifelong dream of becoming a diesel mechanic. Watching my dad who was a diesel mechanic and a WyoTech graduate has led me to follow in his footsteps,” he added.

Hanson said he chose this degree so he could help the people he grew up with, ranchers and loggers, make sure their equipment is always running and in tip top shape.

Hanson emphasized his work ethic and expressed his appreciation for financial assistance from OLCF. “I feel I am well prepared for this next step in continuing my education and am looking forward to the challenge,” he said.

Joshua Kaleo Theis will receive a scholarship of $500 donated by RiverRidge Excavating and $2,500 from the OLC Foundation.

Theis is planning to attend Southwest Oregon Community College this fall and is enrolled in the welding technologies and engineering programs.

Theis said he became interested in welding during his senior year in high school while taking a welding course. “I found that I had a knack for it and was inspired by what I could do with it,” Theis said. “I would like to become more proficient in the welding and engineering trades so that I can use these skills to work with others and to help people in the agricultural and industrial aspects of life,” he added.

“I know that it will take more time, training and experience to truly develop my skills with welding,” Theis said, “but I am confident that I will be able to do so, and use these skills to inspire and help others in meaningful ways.

Ben Gittins will receive a scholarship of $2500 from the OLC Foundation.

Gittins first entered Oregon State University as a business major but realized after taking an Introduction to Forestry class, this was the field he wanted to pursue.

“I’ve grown up with a passion for the outdoors and see myself thriving in a career that entails forest management and reforestation,” Gittins said.

He is currently interning with Giustina Resources, where he hopes to learn different aspects of the timber industry. “My goal for the future is to obtain a degree in Forest Management along with a minor in Spanish, and following graduation, I hope to begin a career with a private company in the Pacific Northwest,” Gittins said.

Hunter Hinners

will receive a scholarship of $2500 from the John E. Hadaller Memorial scholarship fund and $2,500 from the OLC Foundation.

This year, Hinners will be a Sophomore at Grays Harbor College, majoring in forestry. “My goal is to complete my degree and work for a local timber company, then start my own business in the Pacific Northwest area,” Hinners said.

Hinners is a recipient of the John E. Hadaller Memorial Scholarship. “I was privileged to be able to work with John a few summers and learned a lot from his mentorship,” Hinners said. “I will work hard to carry on his legacy of honest hard work, adventurous spirit, and dedication to a career in forestry,” he added.

Hinners expressed his appreciation for the scholarship, calling it an investment in the future and helping him be one step closer in pursuing his career. Referring to OLCF he said, “I hope I can give back and help other students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.”

Miranda Coy will receive a scholarship of $2,500 from the OLC Foundation.

With a career goal of becoming a forest engineer, Coy, a graduate of Rex Putnam High School, is planning to attend Oregon State University and major in forest engineering. “I chose this career because I have a passion for the outdoors and want to be involved within the forestry industry,” Coy said.

She said planning projects and different styles of forest practice management has always appealed to her. “I want to be able to bring to the table good forest management plans and projects,” Coy said, “to help with having and maintaining healthy forests, while still being able to utilize the resources within it.”

Taking a forestry class in high school helped Coy finalize her decision to pursue a career in the industry. “This career overall felt to me to be a perfect fit because it’s outdoors,” Coy said. “I get to make an impact on management of the forest,” she added, “and I have so much variety of things I will be doing, so I won’t get burned out or bored with my career.”

Zak Holsey will receive a scholarship of $1,000 donated by Chapala’s Mexican Grill and $3,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Holsey will be attending George Fox University this fall and plans to study civil engineering, with an open mind in different areas of study. “I (do) plan to enter the forest engineering department after I graduate from college,” Holsey said, “and help maintain our Oregon forests.”

Holsey was a four-sport athlete in high school and was also part of the high school logging team, which competed in several logging shows each summer.

While studying civil engineering at George Fox University, Holsey also plans to play football and run track.

Matthew Scheuber

will receive a scholarship $5,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Scheuber is studying Forest and Civil Engineering at Oregon State University. “As I have learned through class and internships with Lone Rock Resources last year and starting with Weyerhaeuser this year, forest engineering is both technical and an art,” Scheuber said.

He chose his field of study because there are different solutions for every problem faced by a forest engineer. “I want a career that is challenging, creative, rewarding, and the opportunity to work with other like-minded people to see how to solve the same problem, but to each (have) our own unique solution,” Scheuber said.

Future goals for Scheuber include obtaining his professional engineering and land surveyor licenses, “and finding a company that has the best opportunity to pursue these goals while providing projects that force me to adapt and improve over the course of my career,” he said.

Jack Glover will receive a scholarship of $1,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Glover will be attending Oregon State University and said he chose to study business and forestry “because I feel like the wood products industry has a very large opportunity for people.” He believes that it is important to find safe ways to harvest trees while also preserving forests. “I believe in keeping forests safe but still usable for future generations,” Glover said.

He said his future goal is to help the wood products industry grow while also keeping the planet alive. 

Brandon Talbot

will receive a scholarship of $500 donated by Harold and Lory Huffman and $2,500 from the OLC Foundation.

Brandon Talbot describes himself as a smart, loud, friendly, and motivated individual, who grew up in Camarillo, CA. “While growing up, my cousin Mack had a great influence on what I wanted to do in life,” Talbot said.

He and his cousin would work on cars together, with Talbot learning about the specific tools needed for specific repairs.

When Talbot was a junior in high school, Coastline Equipment did a classroom presentation about their Construction and Forestry Technician Training Program. “I was immediately interested,” Talbot said, “and talked it over with my cousin whether it would be good to start in this field. He agreed it would, Talbot said, “and I’ve been working on learning more about this career ever since.”

He said the OLCF scholarship will help him “pay for school (and) expand my knowledge about a field which has intrigued me since I was barely starting school.”

Jacob Mitchell will receive a scholarship of $1,000 donated by Stuntzner Engineering and $2,000 from the OLC Foundation.

This year Mitchell anticipates completing his associate’s degree in the forest management (forest restoration and fire option) program at Southwestern Oregon Community College. Planning to graduate in the spring of 2023, Mitchell then plans to transfer to Oregon State University to finish his bachelor’s degree.

“I always knew I wanted to work in resource management,” Mitchell said. “I’m the fourth generation in my family to do so,” he added.

Mitchell has volunteered with local agencies in Coos County, OR to complete habitat restoration projects. “This experience led to a position as a restoration crew member with the Coos Watershed Association, which I held for two summers prior to high school graduation,” he said. After graduation Mitchell was a wildland firefighter with the Coos Forest Protective Association and has returned for a second year this summer.

Mitchell said his plan is to stay in the Pacific Northwest to pursue a career in forestry.

Karissa Hadermann

will receive a scholarship of $1,000 donated by Sundance Lumber and $1,500 from the OLC Foundation.

Hadermann is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources, with a focus on Forest Ecosystems and Society, and a minor in Botany at Oregon State University. She will begin her third year at OSU this fall.

“I am excited to continue seeking new perspectives and involvement in my communities as I work towards my career,” Hadermann said. “Although I am unsure of what that career will entail, I look to find a path that will satisfy my endless curiosity and love of learning,” she said.

About the OLCF scholarship she received Hadermann said, “It will put me closer to challenging intellect, working hard, following passions, and making positive changes through all that my future holds.”

David Hamilton will receive a scholarship of $2000 donated by Giustina Resources and $1,500 from the OLC Foundation.

Hamilton is currently attending Oregon State University pursuing a PhD in sustainable forest management, specializing in electric trucking feasibility in the Pacific Northwest.

“Leveraging my experience in geomatics and as a professional forester, I am researching the feasibility of electric logging truck deployment in industrial forest activities,” Hamilton said. “My long-term goal post graduation is to pursue a mix of industry and academic work and help influence development of heavy forestry equipment,” he added.

Prior to attending OSU Hamilton was a Registered Professional Forester in Canada, had achieved a master’s degree in geomatics and environmental management and a bachelor’s degree in forest resource management from the University of British Columbia.

Hamilton currently works for SBS Forestry Inc. which provides multiphase forest development consulting services. Hamilton is working as a project manager assistant performing forestry field supervision and geomatics-based mapping. During the upcoming school year he will also be a teaching assistant with OSU’s Forest Engineering department.

Cole Taylor will receive a scholarship of $1000 from the Carl Welle Memorial scholarship fund and $2,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Taylor graduated this year from Pleasant Hill High School and plans to attend WyoTech in Laramie, WY in October to pursue a career in auto and diesel mechanics. “I look forward to earning a living doing what I love, and all the freedom and flexibility it will allow,” Taylor said. Taylor has worked at a local mechanic shop for over a year and that has reinforced his decision to enter this field. He hopes to one day own his own shop.

Taylor grew up in a logging family and spent many hours in the woods watching his father run equipment to build and maintain logging roads. From this he said, “It didn’t take long to see a great need for mechanics and I found that the opportunities in the profession are endless.”

Taylor is the recipient of the Carl Welle Memorial and OLCF scholarships. He expressed his gratitude for the financial assistance which will help him pay tuition costs, supplies and living expenses.

Caitlin Wind will receive a scholarship of $2000 donated by the Bell Pole & Lumber, $1,000 donated by the Oregon State Implementation Committee and $500 from the OLC Foundation.

Wind spent her childhood playing in the forests of Mt Hood and choose to study forest management because of the sense of calm and sense of “right” she feels when in the woods.

Plus, when she was in high school both her parents returned to college and then got jobs in the forestry sector, something she said had a formative impact on her career making decisions.

“I had always known that I felt at home in the woods but realizing I could make a living off of managing forestlands was truly eye-opening,” When one of her community college professors said ‘The worst day in the woods still beats the heck out of the best day in the office,’ Wind took that to heart and said she couldn’t see herself taking a different career path.

Wind said her main goal is to ensure that throughout her career she remains focused on sustainable forest management. “The ability to learn from and utilize best management practices on our valuable forest resources, coupled with seeing the outcome of management decisions directly is what drives me,” Wind said. “I know that I will be having a hands-on impact on the well-being of forestlands,” she added.

Jacob Kennedy will receive a scholarship of $2,500 from the OLC Foundation.

After taking forestry classes in high school, Kennedy decided to pursue a career in forestry. “I always knew I wanted to have a job outdoors but never knew the available job opportunities,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy plans on getting his bachelor’s degree in forestry in Montana and then returning to Oregon to pursue a career in forestry.

Kennedy said he has enjoyed the woods since he was a child. “I have a basic rule that I always leave a location in better condition than when I left, whether picking up litter that I or someone else left,” Kennedy said. “I believe that everyone that loves the outdoors should do their part keeping our woodland areas clean so we can continue to enjoy what we have enjoyed as a community for generations,” he added.

Caleb Joy-Norman will receive a scholarship of $1,000 from the Carl Welle Memorial scholarship fund and $1,000 from the OLC Foundation.

Joy-Norman is pursuing a dual degree in Pre-Forest Engineering and Forest Engineer Resources and Management at Oregon State University. He will be a sophomore at OSU this fall.

Following graduation from OSU, Joy-Norman plans to pursue a career as a Civil Engineer, with hopes of working for the U.S. Forest Service. He is focused on a career that allows him to work outside, with nature as his office.

In his free time Joy-Norman enjoys floating and fishing on the McKenzie River, riding dirt bikes (and participating in events across the northwest), bow hunting locally and in eastern Oregon, and working on cars.

In 2020 this scholarship fund was established to honor Welle who graduated from Thurston High School and pursued a career as a paramedic until he bought his first D-4 CAT and found his true passion for logging. He turned that passion into owning his company, Riverridge Excavating and Logging.

Welle’s family hopes the recipients of this scholarship will pursue forestry, natural resources or other careers that involve a life spent working in and enjoying forests. The family feels Welle would appreciate this form of paying tribute to Carl and giving a financial boost to a deserving student. 

This is a new scholarship fund, established this year (2022) to honor John E. Hadaller for his passion for family and devotion to his career in the forest industry. Hadaller graduated from Battle Ground High School in 1972 and then in 1975 graduated from Centralia College with a degree in forestry. This degree led him to a passion that lasted a lifetime.

Hadaller was determined to leave his mark on the timber industry. He was a passionate, knowledgeable, and strong believer in the sustainability of forests and care-taking of the timber industry.

This scholarship fund reflects the legacy of Hadaller, and the value and importance which the financial assistance provides to the recipient.

The generous donations and proceeds from the two-day auction at the annual Oregon Logging Conference allows the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation (OLCF) to award scholarships to deserving students and support other educations programs.

The auction is held annually at the OLC, during the Thursday and Friday morning breakfasts at the Wheeler Pavilion, at the Lane Event Center and Fairgrounds. The auction dates for next year are February 23^rd & 24^th. Again, this year, the auctioneer will be Jaime Yraguen of Basco Logging.

Donations of auction items are now being accepted and those who would like to donate should contact the OLCF office at 541.686.9191 or complete the donation form. The OLCF is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and all donations and purchases are tax-deductible.

The list of donations will be updated regularly on the OLC website and watch for updated lists in future issues of OLC NEWS.

Hundreds of high school students are anticipated to participate in the Future Forestry Workers Career Day, taking place on February 24, 2023, in conjunction with the 85^th Annual Oregon Logging Conference.

The event takes place at the livestock arena on the Lane County Fairgrounds and offers students an opportunity to learn about the logging and forestry industry. Hands-on activities include tree planting and running a small backhoe. Students also learn about firefighting, saw milling, and view state of the art equipment. This event also incorporates the high school skills competition/demonstration, with examples of crosscut sawing, cable setting, axe throwing, and more.

Since the establishment of this natural resources career day in 2018, student interest and industry participation has steadily increased.

More details will be included in future issues of the OLC NEWS newsletter or you can call the Oregon Logging Conference office at 541.686.9191.

Students enjoy talking to industry professionals about forestry

career opportunities

Over 825 High School students, teachers, and parents attended the 3rd Annual Future Forestry Workers Career Day.

Students learn about heavy

equipment operation.

Weyerhaeuser talks to the students about Forest Engineering and Reforestation

Students enjoy pizza lunch hosted

by OLC Foundation.

Sierra Pacific Industries talks to the students about Forest Products Manufacturing Careers.

Anti-forestry lawsuit puts forests and communities at risk. Read more

Dead trees into jet fuel? Project could help offset $180 million cost of wildfire reduction projects. Read more



Axes – If only they could speak. Read more.

Oak Basin named Tree Farm of the Year. Read more

New state fire risks map leaves property owners with insurance concerns; some cities challenge data. Read more

Umpqua Community College transfer student Justin Helgren, from Elkton, has received the Oregon State University Forestry Program Harold Bowerman Leadership Award. (Note: Helgren is a past recipient of the OLC Foundation scholarship) Read more

Portland’s new airport project attracts the tradies. Read more

The Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) has partnered with the Reno Fire Department and NV Energy to reduce the risk of wildfire in the lower Rosewood Canyon of Reno through targeted goat grazing. Read more

US testing new fire retardant, critics push other methods. Read more

California makes way for tall wood buildings. Read more

Insight into past--and future--of Western US wildfires. Read more.

Oregon's new wildland-urban interface fire risk map is online. Read more

NCSU forestry and textile experts develop new prototype fire shelters for firefighters. Read more.

3 Mass Timber Structures That Take Wood To New Heights. Read more.

History of the 'crummy'. Read more.

The earliest sawmills were set up near water, often on rivers or creeks that emptied into the ocean. Read more.

Environmentalists lose Oregon grazing lawsuit. Read more.

Tallest Mass-Timber Structure in Colorado Wins National Award. Read more

The Best Wood for Smoking Fish of 2022. Read more

Did you know; A cord of wood will yield 7,500,000 toothpicks. Read more.