COFE is an international organization based in Corvallis, Ore. The organization aims to foster the development of forest engineering in industry, government, and university teaching to promote best management practices. Five oral presentations with proceeding papers were presented by HSU graduate students (Hunter Harrill and Brian Vitorelo), a research associate (Dr. Fei Pan) and a faculty member (Dr. Han-Sup Han) in forest operations.
Subjects ranged from small log sort yards to biomass harvesting to mastication and fuel reduction, which unveiled their recent research efforts. Highlights of the meeting included an all day field trip to view fuel reduction projects in the Tahoe basin, as well as two days of technical and poster sessions. The meeting also included a special dinner with awards ceremony in which Hunter Harrill was awarded the 2009 Student Communication Award, for presenting the best student written paper titled Application of Hook-lift Trucks in Centralized Slash Grinding Operations.
The Operator Award recognizes a forest professional who has made significant contributions to technological innovations in forest operations. The recipient of the award is generally nominated and selected from the region where the COFE meeting is held. This year it was given to Mike Anderson. Anderson graduated with a forestry degree in 1976 from Humboldt State University, and has served as President of Associated California Loggers and California Forestry Association. Currently Anderson is the President of Mendocino County Farm Bureau and has a seat on their state wide Forestry Committee.