AUGUSTA – On November 13, the Maine Forest Products Council presented UMaine’s Dr. Angela Mech with the organization’s 2025 Abby Holman Public Service Award. This award is designed to recognize an individual who demonstrates a level of passion, loyalty and dedication to Maine’s forest products industry, to good government and a robust economy much the same way that Hon. Abigail “Abby” Holman did.
The award states, “In recognition of her leadership and research at the University of Maine Spruce Budworm Lab. The lab has proved invaluable in the early intervention effort to prevent a major outbreak in Maine. Dr. Mech’s work has a direct impact on the information available regarding the potential for an outbreak and has informed the practices on millions of acres of Maine’s forests.”
As Chair of the Maine Budworm Response Coalition, MFPC Vice President Alex Ingraham nominated Dr. Mech for this award. He said, “Maine landowners are currently faced with a swiftly building spruce budworm outbreak that has the potential to devastate 6 million acres of forestland in Maine. If left to run its course, this outbreak is estimated to cost $794 million in lost timber and revenue per year. Fortunately, this time around, landowners are armed with a new tool called the Early Intervention Strategy. This strategy, designed by our neighbors in New Brunswick to alter outbreak dynamics, is critical because it supports healthy forests and the economy. The success of this entire effort hinges on the quality of our monitoring program, which is supported by the Maine Spruce Budworm Lab at the University of Maine. This state-of-the-art laboratory is run by Dr. Angela Mech, an individual who embodies the qualifications for this prestigious award. Dr. Mech has proven to be a passionate professional with a strong dedication to Maine’s forest products industry, and to the forests of Maine.”
The Maine Forest Products Council appreciates the importance of Dr. Mech’s work, and we are grateful for her efforts.
About the Maine Forest Products Council: Since 1961, the Maine Forest Products Council has served as the voice of Maine’s forest economy, representing hundreds of members from all facets of the forest products industry. Our members include pulp and paper mills, sawmills, secondary wood processors, foresters, loggers and truckers. We also represent commercial landowners managing more than 8 million acres of forestland. FMI: www.maineforest.org
About the Maine Budworm Response Coalition: The Maine Budworm Response Coalition is comprised of forestland owners who support the successful implementation of the Spruce Budworm Early Intervention Strategy.