Building partnerships that add value to the business, while at the same time supporting rural communities, is important to Vaagen Fibre Canada (Vaagen). Mid-Boundary Contracting is one such partner that aligns with Vaagen’s vision of sustainable forestry while supporting the local rural communities.
Dan Macmaster, Fibre Manager with Vaagen Fibre Canada, has closely worked with Mid-Boundary Contracting and witnessed the company’s values first-hand.
“The way Mid-Boundary Contracting operates is by keeping the community first, be it in terms of employment or in terms of seeing what’s best for the community in the long-run; they harvest the right way, in a sustainable manner, and that fits well with Vaagen’s values,” remarked Macmaster.
The contracting company, owned by Reid Hedlund, has been in the area for a long time.
Reid started working at the Midway mill when it was under different ownership and management prior to Vaagen. When the other former company left, Reid and other investors bought the sawmill, and leased it to Vaagen.
“I was the vice-president of the sawmill before Vaagen bought it,” noted Hedlund. “For that entire time during the transition, I worked in the mill in operations to get the sawmill opened. Vaagen had hired me at that point as a contractor to work in the mill yard and once it was up and running, I pulled together a logging crew and I have been logging for them ever since.”
Mid-Boundary Contracting is what’s called a stump-to-dump logging contractor. They do full-phase logging, build roads where needed, maintain roads, harvest, and deliver logs to the sawmill under Vaagen’s supervision. But for Hedlund and his team, doing all of this sustainably, and with the betterment of the community in mind, is important.
“We are basically wanting to make sure that any work we do is sustainable to the area, and we are leaving a light environmental footprint. We are trying to look after the forest sector the best we can. We are always conscientious of what we are doing, as far as managing the resources out there – the land and the water,” Hedlund explained.
This desire to undertake forestry in a sustainable way aligns with Vaagen’s values. According to Hedlund, Vaagen is a company that isn’t just coming in, taking resources, and leaving.
“Vaagen has a very strong community-oriented structure, and they are a perfect fit for the local area and the people that are here,” said Hedlund, who has been in Midway since he was 13 years of age. “A lot of residents may not understand how good of a job Vaagen does in trying to be entrenched within our small community and creating employment, and that a lot of what they do revolves around community. They have great community values.”
At 65 years of age, Hedlund is one of the few employers within Midway. Hiring locally and contributing to the growth of the local economy is important to both himself, and his company.
“I try to hire locally, and if I have to hire someone from out of town, I am hoping that I am able to integrate them into the community for long-term which helps to support the community all around,” said Hedlund.
Thank you to Reid Hedlund and Mid-Boundary Contracting for leading by example in forestry stewardship and helping with growth that is both sustainable for the forests and for our communities.