Through the eyes of the nominating consulting Forester, Jan Bernu of Two By Forestry Company - SAF Certified Forester & MNWWN Board member & MNWWN-NE network co-coordinator
I have been consulting with private landowners for many years now – and time does fly as it’s getting close to that 40 year mark!
My humble beginnings were as a fresh-out-of college, contract consulting forester with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources-Forestry field office in Zimmerman where I mainly worked with private landowners throughout Sherburne County. For some time now, I’ve been writing plans and administering timber sales among many other projects. During this time, one of my favorite “jobs” was, and still is certifying new Tree Farms (TF) and conducting re- inspections of current TFs.
In the spring of 2016, my phone rang with a request for a new project - to update an old plan for a 1,800-pluse acre property in Pine County that is owned by Becky Lourey. Wow, I thought, that’s quite a hunk of land! That spring, I met with Becky and her land manager, Ken Gerard, before heading out to do the field work for her land.
Becky is a small woman with twinkling eyes, an engaging smile, a huge heart, and enormous ideas! I immediately felt like one of the family as she showed me her quaint, cozy farmhouse and introduced me to her family in the pictures splashed all around on the walls - and then we sat in Becky’s kitchen discussing her land (among other things!).
This initial meeting with Becky (along with our other meetings and correspondence) always brings a smile to my face. She is such a rare treat and a breath of fresh air! Her warmth, enthusiasm, and ideas just bubble out during site visits, emails, and telephone conversations. I became really excited to do this plan - her passion for her land was so contagious!
I spent several days wandering around her haven of trees and agricultural fields and also along the Willow River that flows through the land. Once I’d completed her plan, another idea began to form in my head – Becky is just the perfect person to be nominated for 2020 Outstanding Tree Farm of the Year! So in February 2020, we met once again - she filled me with awe as she told me more of her story.
Becky and her late husband, Gene, were partners from the beginning, with far reaching visions. They bought this land in 1974 and wanted to create and maintain large tracts of forestlands intermixed with agricultural lands, all of which would be sustainably managed over the years. As Becky told me in one of our interviews, Gene had the visions and she implemented his ideas and made sure the projects were completed. This is Becky’s forte – she was involved in managing people for years as a legislator and this skill flowed over onto the management of her property. Becky and Gene accomplished many management projects over the years – it is quite a long and varied list.
The forest part of their vision took off in 1975 and 1976 when they planted 50,000 trees, mostly red pine, on some of the existing agricultural land. The Loureys have always believed in caring for their land. In the early years, they bought low impact logging equipment and a small sawmill and kiln dryer. They began cutting and sawing mature trees for lumber both off their lands. They also had the neighbors bring in their harvested wood for sawing and drying. This vision was to produce local, sustainably grown wood products that stayed local and gave back to the community. In regard to the areas of agricultural fields, they formed a partnership with the Pine County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) to sustainably manage their agricultural lands; this partnership still exists today. Over the years they have nurtured their forest and agricultural forest lands using environmentally friendly, low impact equipment and gratefully and happily watched as the land prospered and gave back to them.
When Becky and Gene owned and operated Nemadji Wood, a sawmill and kiln dryer business in Sandstone, their land was a demo area and an educational tool for low impact logging practices; they also used their local business to promote and encourage locally owned and sustainably grown wood products. They discuss their timber sales and land management projects with neighbors and other landowner to promote sound, environmentally-friendly, sustainable forest and agricultural land management.
After Gene passed away in 2008, Becky made a commitment to continue to carry on their visions and desires to have environmentally friendly, sustainably managed lands. She persistently maintains Gene’s visions as well as their strong belief in sustainably managing the forest and the agricultural lands to carry on the family’s legacy.
They have instilled and she continues to instill in their children, these beliefs and the strong commitment, persistence, and heartfelt passion to keep on managing this property in environmentally friendly and sustainable ways. This large, beautiful tract of land is so fortunate to have the Becky and the Lourey family taking care of it!
Becky passionately described her goals in this meeting and in several emails to me. She also had so much gratitude for this opportunity. I often think that this feeling is reversed and that I am the lucky one! I’m sure the critters also are happy because she wants to provide them with travel corridors and safe havens throughout the property. The one goal that really strikes me is her commitment to managing her forest and agricultural lands in sustainable ways to give back to the environment. She constantly strives for as much knowledge as possible by attending classes and asking questions – she isn’t afraid to shoot off an email to me that asks “what do you think of this?” This large, beautiful tract of land is so fortunate to have Becky taking care of it!
PS And as a bonus, she always has delicious treats for me and makes a GREAT cup of coffee!!!