Bob and Mary Burr of Mercer are the 2019 Woodland Owners of the Year at Somerset County Soil & Water Conservation District. The award will be presented at the SWCD Annual Dinner, April 25 at Canaan Farmers Hall. Contributed photo.
SKOWHEGAN – The Somerset County Soil & Water Conservation District is pleased to announce that Mary and Bob Burr of Blue Ribbon Farm, Mercer, are the 2019 Outstanding Woodland Owners.
The Burrs have been actively managing their woodlands since 1976 and have been part of the Tree Farm family for more than 40 years. Through the years they have had a variety of commercial timber harvests, annually harvested firewood, thinned stands, and improved the complexity of wildlife habitat on the property. Some of these efforts have been conducted with assistance of USDA-NRCS contracts while others have been performed on their own initiative.
While they work in their woods in all seasons, they particularly enjoy being active in the fall. Bob’s love for the forest began in the 1960s when he was working for Jim and Sandra Pottle in Perry; the Pottles twice won the Maine Tree Farmer of the Year award.
In addition to the management activities conducted by the Burrs, they have also sponsored several forestry workshops organized by Maine Woodland Owners. The Burrs have been ardent supporters of the organization for years, attending the annual meeting and potluck. They have sponsored that event the last two years at their restaurant, 122 Corson.
The Outstanding Woodland Owners and Outstanding Farmer awards will be presented at the Somerset County Soil & Water Conservation District Annual Dinner at 6 PM Thursday, April 25 at the Canaan Farmers Hall. Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Amanda Beal is scheduled to speak at the event, which also includes a locally sourced dinner prepared by Radici Cucina of Skowhegan. Seating is limited and tickets must be purchased by April 18 at the SWCD office located at 70 East Madison Road in Skowhegan. A ticket mail order form is available online at www.SomersetSWCD.org. For more information, phone 207-474-8323 x 3 or email somersetswcd.outreach@gmail.com.