NEWPORT — Since 2005, the Vermont Land Trust has been recognizing outstanding high school juniors and seniors who are studying the fields of agriculture and forestry.
This year, Anthony Allen received the Land Stewards Award from the land trust, along with a check for $250.
Anthony has grown up learning to harvest timber with his father, who is a logger.
He helps with logging on the weekends and hopes to have his own logging business in the future.
He was nominated for the award by his Natural Resources instructor at North Country Career Center, Sam Nijensohn.
“Anthony is a remarkably hard worker with an authentic desire to perform acts of conservation and stewardship to the land he works on, and to care for it for the benefit of future generations,” Nijensohn said.
Anthony’s hard work is apparent not just in the forest, but also in the classroom. He has excelled in his Natural Resources class and shows dedication in math to learn the financial skills necessary to run his own logging business in the future.
“His professionalism and work ethic are his greatest attributes, and he is dedicated to doing his job well,” said Nijensohn. “He is kind, personable, and mature.”
Carl Powden of the Vermont Land Trust presented the Land Stewards Award and cash prize to Anthony on Wednesday at the North Country Career Center.
“The Vermont Land Trust is grateful that young people like Anthony are choosing to build skills to maintain and manage the working landscape,” said Nick Richardson, president of the land trust. “They represent the future of innovative and thoughtful land stewardship, which is to the benefit of all Vermonters.”
The Vermont Land Trust conserves working farms and forests to support a vibrant rural economy.
Students like Anthony who pursue careers that rely on and nurture the landscape are essential players in this economy and identity.
“I am confident that Anthony will find his niche in the challenging world of logging as a sought-after and well-respected logger who believes first in caring for the land and understands the role a logger plays in terms of reaching that goal,” Nijensohn said.
Great job, Anthony. Keep up the great work. You ae an inspiration to future students.