Superior District Forester earns Master Cruiser certification

SUPERIOR - Superior Ranger District employee Ed Bringenberg was awarded the title of Master Cruiser earlier this month in a ceremony at the Lolo National Forest Supervisor’s Office at Fort Missoula. Bringenberg, a Presale Forester on the Superior District, joins the ranks of only a handful of timber cruising specialists throughout the Northern Region to earn the Master Cruiser certification from the Regional Forester.

Timber cruising is a forestry practice to estimate timber stand conditions, species composition, volume and other attributes of a forest. 

The Master Cruiser Certificate award was presented to Bringenberg by Tom Martin, the Forest Service Northern Region Assistant Director of Renewable Resources Management. 

Bringenberg has been an instructor at regional courses in Advanced Cruiser Training for the past eight years and was instrumental in the re-development of the Regional Qualified Cruiser Training, which is currently being utilized as the standard for cruising training. He also is part of the national cadre for the Mountain West Advance Cruiser Project (Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 and the Forest Service Washington Office). 

In 2003 Bringenberg received a Regional Forester Certificate of Merit and in 2005 he was recognized for outstanding performance by then Regional Forester Abigail Kimbell for his work as an instructor in Timber Cruiser Training.

The Superior Ranger District Supervisory Forester, Wanda Smith, said Bringenberg has made a tremendous contribution to the district’s timber management program.

“Ed is an asset to our timber program and has been since I have been here,” Smith said.

 “He represents our agency with the highest of standards and his integrity has made him one of the most respected people in our field. 

He has exceeded expectations every year.  

Our sale preparation work, for which Ed is responsible, has always been on time or ahead of schedule every year...his work has always been of professional quality and has met or exceeded regional standards.”

The requirements to achieve Master Cruiser certification are outlined in the Forest Service Handbook. 

A Master Cruiser serves as the Regional representative for cruising and also coordinates the Regional quality control program. 

Every employee certified in timber cruising, regardless of level and whether they are active or inactive, must attend periodic formal training as well as receive annual cruising checks to ensure they retain the skills required for certification. For more information please contact Wanda Smith on the Superior Ranger District at (406) 822-3931.