2017 International Forest Industries Magazines June July 2017 | Page 69
in the FMA. The business leaves
local decisions to those with the
local knowledge while providing
coordinated oversight at the FMA
level (Sakâw).
The Thomas family became
a skidder subcontractor under
AC Forestry in the nineties and
continued until the Weyerhaeuser
closure that left AC Forestry with
virtually no harvest contract.
Always the entrepreneurs, the
family got into the food concession
business, travelling to local
Pow Wows. This period marks a
rare departure from logging for
Gary and Darren. “We always tip
waitresses well. It is hard work
being on your feet or in the kitchen
all day,” says Gary speaking from
experience.
In November 2010 Sakâw Askiy
Management Inc. acquired the
Prince Albert Forest Management
Agreement from Weyerhaeuser
Canada on behalf of its eight
member companies. AC Forestry
ended up with an annual cut of
around 700 000 cubic metres.
The brothers returned to AC
Forestry, this time as employees.
They did a five-year stint – with
Gary operating feller buncher
and Darren on a processor. The
brothers always believed in their
own abilities, work ethic and high
(L-R) Chuck Miles, Darren Thomas, Greg Bill, Bob Head, Daniel Thomas, Gary Thomas, Melvin Gladue and James Farquhar
International Forest Industries | JUNE / JULY 2017 63