Mike Gaige is the recipient of the 2015 John M. Collier Award for Forest History Journalism, presented by the Forest History Society (FHS). This award was established in 1987 to honor the memory of John M. Collier, who was a noted journalist for more than three decades while working for the Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA).
Mike’s article “Wolf Trees: Elders of the Eastern Forest” was published in the Fall 2014 issue of American Forests. In his letter of recognition to the author, FHS President Steven Anderson explained: “This award recognizes the author of the best article or series of articles published in newspapers, trade press publications, or general circulation magazines in forest and conservation history.” Mike receives a $1,000 prize and a plaque.
The winning article was among eleven submissions. SFPA’s Richard Wallace, vice president of communications, served as one of three judges. Choosing Mike’s article for first place, Richard noted: “Excellent storytelling here, revisiting a 1945 article about Vermont’s mountain woods; vivid imagery and the first-person viewpoint are highlights, putting the reader in the woods.”
John Collier’s SFPA career spanned 1954 to 1986. He was a lifelong journalist skilled in public, government, and media relations, as well as advertising and sales promotion. He was a working scholar and a prolific writer of articles and special features for forest industry publications; he also served as an FHS board member. Click here to read his full bio.