A La Plata County landowner and a Bayfield logger will be recognized for their sustainable forestry practices.
On Friday, Brunhilde "Bruni" Bradley and Eric Husted will receive awards from the San Juan Tree Farmers.
Bradley is the San Juan Outstanding Tree Farmer for 2008, and Eric Husted is the Colorado Outstanding Logger for 2008.
For more than 20 years, Bradley has maintained a tree farm on her property near Lemon Dam and has done various forestry treatments to the 54-acre lot.
Originally from the Black Forest in Germany, she now lives in Phoenix, but visits Durango about three times a year to work on the property. She flies her plane and stays in a motel because there is no building on the property.
She bought the property with her husband in 1981. Along with her husband, who died in 1998, she began to work with the Forest Service to clear out 5 acres that had been burned in a lighting strike.
After the Missionary Ridge Fire in 2002 burned about 40 acres of her property, she worked to clear burned and dead trees and has planted over 6,000 seedlings in the burn area.
"I was very happy when I heard about the award," Bradley said. "I've been working hard to keep the property going in memory of my husband."
Husted, of Bayfield, is being recognized for his company Lorax Forest Care, which uses draft horses to provide logging and fire mitigation thinning services for property owners.
"It's very gratifying to receive this kind of recognition," Husted said.
He also owns and operates a portable sawmill so he can produce lumber and timber from his logging activities.
Linda Jones, an administrative assistant for the Colorado State Forest Service, said recognizing individuals like Bradley and Husted helps educate the public about what can be done with forested property.
The San Juan Tree Farmers is a branch of the American Tree Farm System, which promotes nationwide sustainable forest management by educating and reaching out to private forest landowners.
Bradley and Husted will receive their awards Friday on Bradley's property.
Bradley will give a tour of her property, followed by the awards ceremony and luncheon.
For more information about the meeting, call the Colorado State Forest Service in Durango at 247-5250.The Durango Herald
