Sierra Pacific Industries' Forester Awarded For Archaeological Stewardship; Richard Wade Has Discovered 30 Prehistoric and 55 Historic Sites.

Business Editors

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 12, 2004

The California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection and the California Department of Forestry (CDF) has awarded Sierra Pacific Industries' (SPI) Registered Professional Forester (RPF) Richard Wade with its "Golden Trowel Award" in recognition of outstanding achievements in the protection of California's archaeological resources.

Two thousand three hundred people who have completed CDF's certified archaeological training program are eligible to receive the "Golden Trowel Award." It symbolizes the integration of archaeological site identification and management into professional forestry.

Wade's survey work took place on SPI's Camino tract, which is rich in history. Since arriving at Camino, Wade has found and recorded 30 prehistoric sites and 55 historic sites.

Archaeological sites are a public trust. They may include Native American villages, old homesteads, pioneer trails, gold mining, railroad logging and prehistoric milling. These resources are particularly vulnerable because they are both fragile and hard to find. Damage to historic resources is irreversible; this makes the work of Richard Wade so important.

According to Dan Foster, manager of CDF's Archaeology Program, "CDF saw superior archaeological work product by Rich Wade for 15 years."

During the 2001 Star Fire Wade performed surveys over hundreds of acres of ash-covered terrain and discovered 7 historic and 2 prehistoric sites. "He stepped up to the plate and prepared top-quality site records that included information not typically found in a forester's report or for that matter some archaeologist-prepared records," recalled Foster. "Wade recorded sites prior to their possible destruction by fire-induced erosion. Rich's understanding of the importance of stewarding cultural resources while harvesting is exceptional."

"I'm very gratified and humbled to be in the select company of Golden Trowel recipients," said Wade. "It's exciting when you piece together the scattered evidence on the ground to provide a picture of the past, particularly when you draw on your experience or intuition to get you there."

"You begin to gain a larger understanding of the scope of historic and prehistoric activities -- a cultural identity of the forest. This deeper understanding allows you to do better archaeological work, to predict where sites may be, and to better interpret what you see," said Wade.

Wade received his B.S. in Forestry at UC Berkeley. He served on the Board of Directors of the CA Licensed Foresters Association for six years, including service as the CLFA President. In 1995, he joined SPI as a forester, a position that he holds today.

Sierra Pacific Industries is a third-generation, family-owned and operated forest products company based in Anderson, CA. It employs approximately 3,600 employees and operates 13 sawmills and four wood products plants in California.