A new generation of KLG timber harvester operators – possibly the only Alaska Native Certified Harvester Operators in the World: L-R Andrew Kameroff, Jr., Nickolai Savage, Instructor Alan Waldan, Stanley Morgan, unidentified
An example of the certificates they received
11-15 after being weathered out for a day the KLG crew arrives in Anchorage just in time to catch the flight to Seattle as it was boarding
11-6 After a long flight and a long drive, Nickolai gets to see what a brand new harvester head looks like at the training facility in Kelso/Longview Washington. This was the first time out of Alaska for Nickolai & Stanley
It’s been a few years since these guys had to sit and behave in a classroom!
Andrew learning to program the computer that runs the harvester head
Learning to troubleshoot the electronics and computer system
Computer screen, keyboard, and control modules – these are all found on the harvester at the Kalskag timber harvest site
What it looks like up close – very sophisticated technology
Nickolai mastering the simulator – easy stuff for the X-Box generation!
Field trip to Wood’s Logging Supply where we order some of our supplies from.
After completing the classroom training it was time to head into the Washington hills to observe a large scale timber harvest operation – Andrew & Stanley are riding with the logging company owner in the lead truck
L-R Andrew & Stanley geared up
Logs being trucked from the harvest site to the mills along the Columbia River
Stan is especially observant on the differences between Washington wood and ours. Although the trees on this truck are about the same diameter as Middle Kuskokwim timber they are much, much younger.
Observing a “yarder” in operation was a real treat. We had only seen these on the T.V. show “Axemen” before this.
Andrew climbing into the harvester that is working with the “yarder”
Watching the slingers down in the valley hooking logs up to the yarder to be pulled up the hill
Something the Kalskag crew has in common with the Washington loggers – a campfire to warm up and have coffee or lunch by
We also learned about reforestation techniques
We even saw some Big Foot tracks!
We are very grateful to the following for making this life changing training for our People possible:
- the U.S. HUD Indian Community Development Block Grant
- Alan Waldman and the rest of the staff at Waratah, USA
- Lisa Feyereisen, NVN Administrative Support
Thank you.
