I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
June 21, 1996
By Devlyn Brooks
Staff Writer
One year after spending four weeks in Russia, Chippewa National Forest Supervisor Steve Eubanks had the chance to return some of the hospitality he received while he was there.
Malkevich Vladimir, and his son, Mikhail, made a similar trip to the United States this week to observe the machinery and techniques used by Minnesotan loggers.
Eubanks and the Vladimirs are involved in a joint effort between the U.S. Forest Service and Russian parties interested in forestry. The USFS is working with its counterpart, the Russian Federal Forest Service, The Sukachev Institute and Russian loggers and mill owners to develop a sustainable forest industry in Russia, while at the same time keeping in mind the ecological impacts of the business.
Malkevich is the town manager of Predivinsk, which is located in central Siberia. He also is manager of the town mill, and is basically responsible for everything that happens in the town, Eubanks said. So, it is of great interest to him to see how Minnesota loggers work.
The Vladimirs spent the last five days touring the area, mostly in the Chippewa National Forest. Eubanks said they toured some different logging operations in area forests, the Potlatch plant east of Bemidji, the Rajala Lumber Co. in Deer River and Stuart's Inc. in Bemidji.
Malkevich, speaking through his translator, said his trip to the United States was important because America and Russia have similar interests.
He said he was interested in learning more about ecological restoration practices the USF uses because as a result the world would be a better place.
"In both countries we want to have a sustained forest enterprise that keeps people working," he said. "But we must also think of the ecology in the long run."
Malkevich said his overall impressions of Minnesota logging were "very good." He said the loggers use interesting approaches from a technological standpoint.
Eubanks said that one of the reasons the equipment here was so interesting to the Russians was that none of their equipment has rubber tires. Their equipment runs on heavy tracks, which are damaging to the ecology.
The Russian mill manger also was impressed with the "outstanding people" working for the loggers. He said they were enthusiastic about what they do and about preserving the forests.
Another thing that impressed him was the network of logging roads in the Chippewa National Forest. He said there are few usable roads where he works.
He also said the logging companies around here employ fewer people than where he lives because of the automation used. In Russia, automation is limited by a number of factors, especially money.
Money is a problem because of how far away from the markets Malkevich works. Eubanks said the nearest markets for Malkevich's company is comparable to the distance from New York to San Francisco.
Malkevich and his son were scheduled to leave Thursday to visit a USFS forest products laboratory in Wisconsin. After that, they are headed to visit more logging operations in Maine, Eubanks said.
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