Jimmy Carter, a Converse, Louisiana logging contractor; Joe Beatty, a family forest landowner in Webster Parish; and Dr. Robert L. Lank, a Baton Rouge forest landowner, won the Louisiana Forestry Association's top honors at the 57th annual LFA convention at Baton Rouge on September 1-2.

The LFA, which represents forest landowners, foresters, timber companies, manufacturers, and loggers through its affiliated Louisiana Logging Council, was due to hear keynote addresses from top industry and political figures are on the program for the 57th annual convention of the Louisiana Forestry Association in Baton Rouge August 31-September 2.

Outstanding Logger
Jimmy Carter of Converse, Louisiana, received the award as Outstanding Logger for 2004. The 44-year-old logging contractor is owner of Carter Industries in Sabine Parish, where he employs 10 people and has six contract trucks. Carter, along with two other crew members, are recognized as Master Loggers under the continuing education program of the Louisiana Forestry Association and the Louisiana Logging Council.

The judging committee consisting of Dr. Clyde Vidrine, retired Louisiana Tech forestry professor, Lisa Lewis with the U.S. Forest Service, and Martin Gardner, 2003 Outstanding Logger, picked Carter from a field of four nominees.

Carter Industries has two overriding strengths - a highly motivated and adaptable leader, and an experienced crew that is cross trained on all the equipment. Carter Industries has little turnover, constant timber production, and a clean safety record.

Carter is a "quality supplier" for International Paper, hauling timber to the IP Mansfield mill, and Henderson, Texas sawmill.

Carter is vice president of then Louisiana Logging Council. He and his wife, Terri, have two daughters and a son.

Outstanding Tree Farmer
Jim Beatty, owner of a family forest in Webster Parish, was presented the state Outstanding Tree Farmer award by the LFA during the annual meeting.

Joe and Diane Beatty own a 700-acre forest that is part of the American Tree Farm program. Their property and home are located in Heflin on acreage that dates back to his great grandfather who purchased it in 1896.

"In the last ten years, we have sold some timber every year but one," said Joe during an interview at his northwest Louisiana home. The Beatty Tree Farm is under the Weyerhaeuser Landowner Assistance Program, with forester Toby Hammons working closely with him.

"I can truly say that Mr. Beatty has a passion and desire to make the best decisions regarding timber management on his tree farm," Hammons said. "He s not only active in all the decision making processes that are implemented on the ground and on paper in the management of his tree farm, but he is vary active on the local and state level on the committees he serves."

Beatty is president of the Webster Parish Forestry Club, a board member of the Louisiana Forestry Association, and a member of both the North Central Regional Extension Service Advisory Committee and the local conservation programs committee. He was also a finalist in the 2003 Louisiana Farmer of the Year context sponsored by Agri-News Network.

Joe is the son of Ken Beatty, who was the 1988 Future Forest winner and the 1987 Tree Farmer of the year winner. The family takes their simber seriously. In fact the Beatty Tree Farm has been recognized as a Centennial Forest with the land in the family for over 100 years.

Future Forest Winner
Dr. Robert B. Lank, landowner in Baton Rouge, was presented the 2004 Future Forest award by the LFA September 1. The award in given annually to a private landowner who does a good job of reforesting forestland.

The award was given for 180 acres of former grazing land that was converted to forestland for timber production and wildlife habitat. Dr. Lank retired as associate dean of veterinary medicine at LSU in 1977. His Zachary farm was his place to raise polled Hereford cattle, but in 1998 he began a conversion to forestry.

Today Lank has a two-year-old stand and a six-year-old stand of pine that is thriving. He also has some hardwoods, a pond, and other wildlife enhancements.

Dr. Lank was nominated by Mitchell Garlington, a Georgia-Pacific forester who works with him.

"Dr. Lank wishes to maximize the productivity and viability of each acre of timberland he owns," Garlington said. "Benefit cost analysis is looked at before any activity occurs so he will realize the most bang for his buck."

After a series of social and entertainment events on opening day, the main business session of LFA on Wednesday, September 1 at the Baton Rouge Marriott featured presentations by Rick Holley, CEO of Plum Creek Timber Company; and Wade F. Camp, director of market information services, Southern Forest Products Association at New Orleans. Plum Creek is the second largest private timberland owner in the U.S., with 8 million acres in a Real estate Investment Trust. The company came to Louisiana in 1996 with purchase of 538,000 acres from Riverwood. Plum Creek also owned and operated major sawmills at Joyce, Louisiana, and Huttig, Arkansas, before selling the mills to the Canadian -owned West Fraser, Inc. in 2000. In 2001, Plum Creek merged its timberlands with The Timber Company, a subsidiary to Georgia-Pacific, to become the nation's number-two timberland owner. Plum Creek continues to own and manage major forest land and logging operations in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi, as well as in the West and the Northeast.

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco was the invited guest speaker at the LFA officer's breakfast on Thursday morning, September 2.

The Louisiana Forestry Association is a 3,300 member group made up of landowners, foresters, forest products employees, loggers, and researchers. Its mission is to promote the health and productivity of Louisiana's forest for present and future generations through the practice of sustainable forestry.

Back