DYER BROOK, Maine — Safety, harvesting techniques and environmental protection are just a few components of the Qualified Logging Professional certification program in southern Aroostook County.
The rain let up long enough for these loggers to fine tune their forestry skills at the Southern Aroostook Community School woodlot on Thursday, April 25.
Led by veteran forestry instructor Dave Libby, the group demonstrated today’s safest felling techniques and other logging skills. Felling techniques is only one component of the QLP program that has been held this past winter.
Classes were held these past months with topics covered by guest speakers that included harvest planning, environmental protection, water quality, forest diseases, trucking safety, equipment maintenance and business budgeting, insurance, fire suppression, forest regeneration, aesthetics/public perception, and the tree growth tax. To achieve final QLP certification these loggers will take CPR/First Aid classes and pass a worksite inspection this spring.
QLP is approved by the State Implementation Committee of the Maine Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and is a cooperative effort of Houlton Hodgdon Adult and Community Education (HHACE), Region Two CTE, Maine Forest Service (MFS), Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District, Louisiana Pacific, and other local agencies and businesses.
For more information about QLP, contact the Houlton Higher Education Center at 521-3100 ext 5. QLP is a local logging certification program that offers the opportunity for smaller operators to continue their education and training while certifying their product.
