SENATE RESOLUTION 28

(By Senators Karnes, Plymale, Williams and Kessler)

[Introduced February 9, 2016.]

Designating February 9, 2016, as Forestry Day at the Legislature.

Whereas, The West Virginia Division of Forestry created the “Loggers of Excellence” program as a recognition initiative designed and implemented to place positive emphasis on those professional loggers who go above and beyond industry standards during a given calendar year; and

Whereas, Professional loggers must qualify for the following minimum criteria on an annual basis: The company must maintain a valid timber license for the entire year; must be in compliance with the laws of the state, specifically referring to their business license, workers’ compensation and unemployment compensation; must receive no orders for noncompliance from the Division of Forestry; and must be a professional logger who has harvested at least 100 acres during the year; and

Whereas, Professional loggers are the keystone for the entire forest products industry which provides tremendous economic benefit to the state; and

Whereas, In 2015, one hundred eighty-one professional loggers exceeded these standards and twenty-seven of those exceeded these standards for five consecutive calendar years, from 2011 through 2015; and

Whereas, Forest management and sustainability is impossible without the efforts of professional loggers; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate hereby designates February 9, 2016, as Forestry Day at the Legislature; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the appropriate officials representing the Division of Forestry.