The first annual Tileston Award was presented to the Alaska Board of Forestry. The nine member board represents the various interests of forest users: commercial fishing, Alaska Native corporations, environmental organizations, forestry industry, mining, and recreational users. The Board advises the state’s policy makers on forest practices issues and provides a forum for discussion and resolution of forest management issues on state lands. In 1990 the Board played a leading role in the adoption of major revisions to the Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act (FRPA). The 1990 rewrite and subsequent revisions ensure that timber harvesting will be done in a manner that protects the water quality and fish habitat in the state’s rivers and streams. The law requires landowners to notify the state before beginning commercial timber operations; sets standards for forest management along waterbodies, including buffers; sets standards to prevent erosion into waterbodies; and requires reforestation on all forest ownerships except where the land will be converted to another use, or where the harvest area is significantly composed of dead or dying trees. In addition, regulations adopted pursuant to the FRPA establish best management practices for road construction and maintenance, and for timber harvesting.

Accomplishing this was not an easy task for the Board of Forestry but they worked through the various conflicting points of view to arrive at solutions that are in the best interest of the state, its forests, waterbodies, and fish and wildlife habitat.

Congratulations.

Board of Forestry Members

• Matthew A. Cronin, Ph.D., Fish/Wildlife Biology - Non-Governmental, Anchorage
• Jack Dimarchi, Mining Organization, Fairbanks
• Lawrence L. Hartig, Recreation, Anchorage
• Wayne Nicolls, Forester - Non-Governmental, Juneau
• Bill Oliver, Commercial Fishery, Kodiak
• Chris Maisch, Chair, State Forester, Fairbanks
• Rick Rogers, Forest Industry Trade Assn.,  Anchorage
• Richard Smeriglio, Environmental, Seward
• Ron Wolfe, Native Corporation, Juneau

The Alaska Conservation Alliance (ACA) and the Resource Development Council (RDC) jointly established this award to honor organizations, individuals and/or businesses that create solutions and innovations advancing the goals of economic development and environmental protection.

The “Tileston Award” honors two long-time Alaskans, Peg and Jules Tileston, who worked on seemingly different sides of conservation and development issues but who always agreed “that if it is in Alaska, IT MUST BE DONE RIGHT!” (ADN article 3.13.08)