, Mcleod Receives Forestry 'Aword ot 47]h Conferencei

Tqlk Fir for Redwood Region

Western forestry's most prized award went to a Californian whose career in lumbering began over six decades ago-George B. Mcleod of San Francisco, recently retired chairman of the board of the Hammond. Lumber Company,

San Francisco. The prize, an engraved plaque honoring the well-know timber pioneer and conservationist, was pre- sented to Mr. Mcleod by Kenneth Smith, vice-president and treasurer of The Pacific Lumber Company, San Fran, cisco, at the annual dinner in the Canadian Institute of Forestry in connection with the Western Forestry Conference which just held its 47th session at Victoria, B. C.

In making the award, Kenneth Smith said, "It is pecu- liarly appropriate that the outstanding award of the West, in recognition of significant and distinguished achievement in the field of forestry and forest conservation, from an organization whose motto is "One Forest Under Two

Flags," should be presented this year on this side of our friendly border, since its recipient was born and educated here.

"And it is a particularly happy occasion, too, because of your admirable practice of honoring a living man with these awards. Earlier this year, W. D. Hagenstein vividly underscored this thought in his address dedicating the George B. Mcleod Tree Farm of the Hammond Lumber Company, at Lacomb, Oregon, when he said, 'I like the idea of naming a tree farm to honor a living man. So often we seem to honor our great men when they are no longer with us to share our sentiments.' bec. fn 1891, the year he was graduated from the Royal Military College, in Kingston, Ontario, he moved to Missoula, Montana, and went to work for the late A. B. Hammond. He has just retired as chairman of the board of the Hammond Lumber Company, after having served the Hammond interests for 65 years.

"Very early in his career he recognized the necessity for the industry to work together to protect its timber assets, and for more than 50 years has been in the forefront of those working to establish practices assuring the perpetuity of our only renewable resource.

"fn the first decade of this century he helped in establishing five fire prevention organizations.

"In January 1909, he joined with 18 other men, under the chairmanship of George S. Long, in the formation of the Pacific Northwest Forest Protection and Conservation Association. The following year the name was changed to Western Forestry and Conservation Association. He is the only living member of that group of founding fathers of this association. He served as its president in 1932-34, and was in fact the key leader of that small group, whose stout hearts and deep faith in its purposes kept \Mestern Forestry and Conservation Association alive in those dark years at the depth of the depression. He served long years as trustee and is now an honorary trustee. His name has been intimately interwoven with the asssociation's achievements for nearly half a century.

"He helped to set up a forestry department for the state of Oregon.

"I{e was long an active leader of the California Forest Protective Association, and is now one of its two honorary directors.

'

"Mr. Hagenstein said something else on the occasion that epitomizes the service to forestry for which George Mc" Leod is again being honored on this occasion, when he ,' said, 'I also like the idea of seeing a tree farm named for a ' man who has helped to lead the forest industry out of its .. old-fashioned idea that it is a dying industry as its old growth timber disappeared.' r'.

"Here is a man who has not onlv served our forest industry so long.and so effectively as to win the acclaim of lt" all who have served with him. but who did it in the course of packing a terrific and ever-growing work load in the companj/ with which he is associated.

"He was born in New Brunswick and educated in Oue-

"He cooperated on behalf of the Redwood industry with the Biggar Legislative committee study, which brought about the California Forest Practice Act of 1945.

"IIe has been chairman of the Conservation committee of the California Redrvood Association since its inception in 1950.

"While he was .its president, the Hammond Lumber Company established the first tree farm in the Redwood Region.

"He presided over the meeting which founded the Redwood Region Conservation Council, and has been the industry's most faithful supporter of its projects. So great is his interest that now, in his so-called retirement, he is actively serving as a volunteer staff member of that unique organization.

"Here is a man cherished by all who know him as an industry stalwart, a distingrrished gentleman, and a welltried friend.

"I have not been privileged to know him as long as many of you, but my introduction to the quality of the man more than made up for that lack. The occasion, one of the best remembered of my life, was a banquet given at his home by Leonard Hammond in 194I, to honor George lVlcl-eod on the fiftieth anniversary of his Hammond service. f r.vas then a newcomer to the Redrvood family and was the only guest who was not an old friend, but I came away tremendously impressed by how great had been his accomplishments in those years, and how highly respected 'and warmly regarded he r,r'as by those old friends.

"It has been my happy privilege in the years since td serve with him in those California activities already re: cited and to present this plaque which he has so deservedly', been awarded for 'Lifelong Achievement in Forestry and Service to the Forest Industries."'

After receiving the award, Mr. Mcleod expressed his ,'" appreciation of the signal honor he had received. Chair- ' man Hugh Bancroft, president of the Vancouver Island branch of the Canadian Institute of Forestry, presiding, at the award dinner, then read a letter from Dame Flora :i Macleod of Macl-eod, chief of the Clan Mcleod, congratulating George Mcl-eod for the great honor which he had I brought to the Clan Mcleod by winning the Western (Continued on Page 50)