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Home / Washington Business - January/February 2004 / Raymond Woodlot Owners Named “2003 Tree Farmers of the Year” |
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Raymond Woodlot Owners Named “2003 Tree Farmers of the Year” |
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Written On: January/February 2004 |
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Written By: By Daniel Brunell |
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For only the second time in the history of the American Tree Farm System, Washington woodlot owners were honored as Tree Farmers of the Year. Bob and Lynette Falkner of Raymond were the first Washington tree farmers to receive this award since Albert Deshl of Spokane took top honors in 1979.
The Falkners own and manage Custer Creek Tree Farm, a 700-acre patch of woods held by the family since 1888. The Falkners received their award at the National Tree Farmer Convention in Columbus, Ohio, last October.
Located outside Raymond, Custer Creek Tree Farm is a small operation. It has 23 species of trees ranging from new seedling plantations to 85-year old second growth forests.
“It was absolutely shocking!” exclaimed Lynette. “We’re just farmers. It is a great honor not only to ourselves, but the generations of my family that have worked this place.”
In addition to managing the tree farm, Bob is an Olympia Catholic youth minister and Lynette is a teacher and homemaker. The Falkners have four children between the ages of 23 and 13 whom also work on the farm. In the future, Bob and Lynette hope to pass the stewardship of this tree farm to their children and grandchildren.
"The Falkners share a sincere commitment to the care of their forest. It is an extension of their family and is treated with the same careful nurturing they have given to their children. This is truly stewardship" said Robert Simpson, director of the American Tree Farm System.
Founded in 1941 with Weyerhaeuser’s Clemons Tree Farm near Montesano, the American Tree Farm Systems now has over 65,000 members that manage more then 60 percent of the forest lands in the lower 48 states. In our state it is sponsored by the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA), an organization of private forest landowners founded in 1908 to protect private forestlands from fire. Today its members own about 4 million acres in our state.
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