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5/24/2006
Conservationist honor forester for his 'tireless' work

Gordy Sanders, resource manager for Pyramid Mountain Lumber Co., was touted as a "tireless advocate for a new forestry ethic in Montana's woods."

Tom France of the National Wildlife Federation presented the award. "I think Arnie would be especially pleased with this choice, because it illustrates not only how we've changed in our outlooks about resource conservation, but also how the timber industry has changed and evolved in reponse to different environments in the forest, in local communities and in the logging business," France said.

As the role of the Forest Service changed, the timber companies had to make significant investments in new technologies, diversify their sources of timber and retrain workers. They also had to do a better job of convincing the public and agencies that timber was a renewable resource - and that logging was compatible with other natural resources, France said.

France stated that no company has been more successful than Pyramid Mountain Lumber. Recast as the 'Stewardship Company', Pyramid has stepped forward with new equipment and now competes on both public and private lands.

Sanders was a driving force behind this revolution within the timber industry that called for sustainable logging and began building cooperative partnerships for projects that included restoration, habitat improvement and community outreah.

"I believe we've bridged the gap. . .we're working constructively with mainstream conservation groups to find the common ground that helps us all work together for the resource," Sanders said. "If you don't believe something is possible, there is no chance that it will happen. Good things don't happen by accident."

For a complete reading of this article published in the Missoulian go to: http://www.missoulian.com