Two Suwannee County loggers (l-r), John W. Pettrey, III and Kenneth F. Pettrey, Jr., awarded Florida Master Logger designation.

Two loggersfrom Suwannee County, John W. Pettrey III and Kenneth F. Pettrey Jr., were recently awarded the designation of Florida Master Logger.  Master Loggers are logging professionals trained in environmentally sound, safe and efficient logging practices. A total of 24 loggers from around the state received the Master Logger designation following completion of the three-day education program held at Catholic Parish Hall in Perry, Nov. 15-17.

The Master Logger course includes training in safety, business management, rules and regulations, timber security, environmental concerns, ethics and public relations.

These 24 Master Loggers now return to their businesses with enhanced credentials to offer logging and forestry services in this growing segment of the local and state economy. Forestry contributes $68.9 million to the Suwannee County economy.  Approximately 426 employees work directly in the county’s forest industry, which generates a $20.5 million payroll. Forest products and paper companies within the state collectively generate $16.6 billion in manufactured products and create over 133,000 jobs in local communities.

“The program has as its goals the enhancement of professionalism among loggers, the improvement of the state’s quality of life, the provision of a continuing flow of forest goods and services and the protection of environmental qualities of Florida’s forests,” said Bob Moore, Logger Education Program consultant.

There are 497 loggers in Florida that hold the title of Master Logger.

Forests cover over 16 million acres in Florida–nearly 48 percent of the state’s total land area. The Master Logger program is sponsored by the Florida Forestry Association and the Florida Sustainable Forestry Initiative State Implementation Committee. For more information, please visit www.floridaforest.org/master_logger.php.