NMCC Employee Leah Buck Wins the Outstanding Contributions to Forest Industry Education Award

June 1, 2023

Presque Isle, M.E. — On Thursday, May 18th at its annual Loggers’ Banquet, the Northeastern Loggers’ Association (NELA) presented Northern Maine Community College (NMCC) Assistant Dean Leah Buck with the 2022 Outstanding Contributions to Forest Industry Education award. This year will be Leah’s 28th year with NMCC.

“It’s great to be recognized for the hard work we have done to develop and deliver the Mechanized Logging Operations Program since 2017,” said Buck. “This is a unique program that has a great reputation for training quality operators throughout the State of Maine and beyond
—these are folks who learned to safely and efficiently operate the newest logging equipment and bring great value to their employers.”

Buck shared that she is proud of the graduates of this program and grateful to all the valuable partners who have assisted in making this happen each year. “The use of technology in today’s harvesting equipment is tremendous and training students to use it effectively helps get the most out of every tree,” stated Buck. “Being selected for this award by the Northeastern Loggers’ Association confirms to me that this training is valued by the industry and that we have built a program that is helping to shape the workforce of loggers for the future. I am appreciative of that acknowledgment.”

According to NELA, the award is presented to someone who has “increased knowledge and understanding of the forest industry or any one of its parts.” Award winners’ contributions to education can be professional, vocational, technical, or directed toward the public at large.

The mission of the Northeastern Loggers’ Association is to serve its members and the region’s forest industry by developing and promoting programs and services that strengthen the community as a whole and help members produce products and environmental benefits to meet the needs of the American people.

NELA hosts its awards banquet every year on the evening before it opens its annual Loggers’ Expo, which was held May 19 and 20 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The expo location rotates between Bangor and Essex Junction, Vermont, and showcases between 200 and 250 exhibitors, regularly attracting between 5,000 and 7,000 attendees.

Maine loggers are a vital part of the state’s forest products sector, which is worth an estimated
$8.1 billion annually. Logging contributed an estimated $582 million to the state economy in 2021.

Anyone with an interest in the Mechanized Logging Operations Program can apply online at www.nmcc.edu or can contact Holly Grant at Northern Maine Community College at (207) 768-2845 with any questions.

About Northern Maine Community College: Founded in 1961, NMCC is an accredited two-year public community college located in Presque Isle, Maine. The College is committed to excellence in learning and offers over 30 innovative associate degree and certificate-level programs both online and in-person. NMCC is one of seven colleges in the Maine Community College System. To learn more: visit www.nmcc.edu or call NMCC Admissions at 207-768-2700.

On Thursday, May 18th Northern Maine Community College employee Leah Buck was presented with the Outstanding Contributions to Forest Industry Education Award at the Northerneastern Loggers’ Association Annual Loggers’ Banquet in Bangor, ME. Buck is pictured with fellow award winner Donald Burr, MLOP Program Coordinator and Lead Instructor, who was awarded for his contributions to safety within the logging industry. (Photo credit: Erin Kessler)