Hoilands know their trees

I think nearly everyone is aware that Duke and Naomi Hoiland were honored as Montana's Tree Farmer of the Year. State winners then advance to a regional contest. Montana winner is judged against state winners from Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The judging at this level is quite complex with judges flown in who actually visit each of the state winners' tree farms to see for themselves what has been done and to interview the tree farmers. In the case of Hoilands', tree farm judges flew in from the southeast region and went from here to the Portland, Oregon area to view that state's winner. This took place earlier this summer.

Recently we received word that Hoilands' tree farm is now the Regional Tree Farm of the Year and they are one of four regional winners being considered for National Tree Farmer of the Year. The National Winner will be announced this fall at a conference in Seattle, Washington. I do not think anyone could be more deserving or could have done more with their land than the Hoilands.

Work on the Hoiland property was started by Naomi's parents, Larry and Florence Gaffaney, who started thinning the doghair lodgepole that covered the area with Douglas fir and tamarack mixed in.

Duke and Naomi continued the work and expanded on managing their forest with the help of their children and grandchildren.

Their log home is built with logs from their own property. They have a sawmill which sawed all of the lumber for their house and all of the outbuildings and Duke's planer planed all of that lumber. Again with wood from their own property.

And the work continues. Earlier this week Duke, his daughter Juli, and grandson Tanor were out working on a fuels mitigation project along Trail Creek Road which is an extension of a precommercial thinning and fuels management project that was done last year. The U.S. Forest Service could take lessons from the Hoilands on how to create and maintain a healthy forest with consideration for diverse wildlife.

Above and beyond working on their own land, Duke and Naomi do a lot to promote forest management among their friends and neighbors. Several of us are Montana Tree Farmers as a result of the Hoilands' encouragement. I think they deserve national recognition as well as the thanks of all of us in the forest who have benefited from their encouragement and example.