Logging professional demonstrates techniques

Students at Foster Technology Center learned forestry techniques from logger Chris Maxim of Chesterville, right, at a lot behind Jay High School on Wednesday. Center team teachers Jill Orcutt, left, and Dean Merrill, middle, discussed tree felling safety and techniques with students after Maxim felled a large tree.

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- Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

Forestry students at Foster Technology Center in Farmington learn techniques from logger Chris Maxim of Chesterville at a woodlot behind Jay High School on  Wednesday. Center teacher Jill Orcutt and Maxim discussed equipment used in the woods.

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- Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

Forestry students at Foster Technology Center learn techniques from Chris Maxim of Chesterville at a woodlot behind Jay High School on Wednesday.  Center teachers Jill Orcutt and Dean Merrill discuss tree felling safety and techniques with students before Maxim, front, felled the tree.

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- Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

Forestry students from Foster Technology Center in Farmington learn techniques from logger Chris Maxim of Chesterville at a woodlot behind Jay High School on Wednesday.  Teachers Jill Orcutt and Dean Merrill discuss tree felling safety and techniques with students after Maxim, right, felled the tree.

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- Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

JAY — A former student of Foster Technology Center demonstrated the skills needed to fell trees for this year's forestry class Wednesday.

Chris Maxim of Chesterville, a 1990 Mt. Blue High School graduate who took the forestry course his junior and senior years, is now a certified logging professional. He was a first-place winner in the Maine regional Game of Logging in Greenville this summer. The event is held for CLPs and winners can go on to national competition, he said.

Maxim works for L & A Ridley Logging in Jay where he and employer, Ron Ridley, are cutting softwood and hardwood on more than a hundred acres owned by the town. The wood is destined for local mills.

The land, known as the Tower lot, is a recreation parcel behind Jay High School, Ridley said. Profits from the work will go into the town's recreation funds.

Ridley grew into the logging business started by his father 45 years ago but took automotive classes when he was in high school. He understood the importance of sharing their knowledge and time with the students.

After days of rainy weather both stopped their work to show the students the work of a logger. Maxim explained what he was doing as he prepared to fell a couple of large trees by hand. The work is more than just cutting trees. A logger has to operate and sometimes fix equipment, he told the students.

Forestry team teachers Dean Merrill and Jill Orcutt quizzed the dozen plus students on safety techniques and the steps for felling trees.

Planning to drop the tree between two distant hemlocks, Maxim told the students even though he was pretty sure it would drop where he wanted, he takes the precaution to stand behind another large tree or a skidder in case of dropping branches.

“If you've never felled a tree the wrong way then you haven't cut many,” Merrill told his students.

After the tree landed on target, Merrill ranked Maxim just as he warned the students they would be graded. He earned all A's.

Grading starts first on safety, Merrill said. Accuracy and technique are also ranked.

Along with learning about softwood and hardwood and use of equipment, the students have worked to clear areas in Rangeley this fall at Heritage Park and Cupsuptic Campground, Merrill said.

abryant@sunjournal.com