American Loggers Council announces Mike Albrecht as new board president; Albrecht has been with logging company Sierra Resource Management since the 1990s, helped found Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions

December 19, 2023 (press release) –

Mike Albrecht , a vocal timber industry advocate for decades in Tuolumne County , is the newly-elected board president for the American Loggers Council , a national advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.

Albrecht has been with Sierra Resource Management of Sonora , a logging company that specializes in forest thinning, since the 1990s. He helped found Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions, a collaborative of diverse forest stakeholders known as YSS for short, more than a decade ago before the devastating 2013 Rim Fire.

Albrecht has been a key figure with YSS, which has been instrumental in helping the county get more than $60 million in grant funding for fuel reduction and reforestation projects in the Stanislaus National Forest since 2018.

The council, which is based in Washington, D.C. , is billed as the only national organization solely dedicated to representing the rights and interests of its members — independent loggers and log truck contractors — on a national level.

"He's been successful in the logging business for many years, and he has a reputation among all kinds of people for doing a good job and complying with rules and regulations," Dick Pland , a former Tuolumne County supervisor, said Wednesday of Albrecht. "He's respected by all different types of people, not just in the logging business. He was instrumental in getting YSS started. He has all kinds of credentials and respect."

Albrecht brings experience and education to forestry and logging, drawing from his 40-plus years in the timber industry and his education background, said Melinda Fleming , executive director of TuCARE, the Tuolumne County Alliance for Resources and Environment . He led multiple local and state groups before becoming the council board's president.

" Mike Albrecht is an amazing individual," Fleming said. "He does not seek the limelight, but works behind the scenes, diligently for our county, the state and our nation's forest management.

In his previous positions, Albrecht has displayed a keen mind that is adept at problem-solving, creating synergistic partnerships where there had been discord or animosity, and always acting in the best interest of his constituents, Fleming said.

"As the president of a national organization, Albrecht will bring a spotlight to forest management throughout the U.S. , but in particular California and specifically Tuolumne County and the Stanislaus National Forest ," Fleming said.

Albrecht has already worked with the Forest Service and county officials to help create some of the most innovative forest initiatives and plans of action nationwide, Fleming said.

"The county is fortunate to have a citizen like Albrecht, who is willing to make personal sacrifices so the community can be a better place to live and work," Fleming said. "TuCARE is confident that Albrecht's tenure as American Loggers Council board president will have a significant impact on how forested public lands in Tuolumne County are managed for the future."

John Buckley , executive director of the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center in Twain Harte , also praised Albrecht for his leadership with YSS.

"While in the past many people assumed that Mike and I were on different sides of issues, because he represents the timber industry and I represent environmental values," Buckley said, "in reality, in recent years, the vast majority of the time Mike and I are on the same page when it comes to forest management.

"Seeing that Mike is now in a prestigious position at a national level is very positive, because he not only has so many decades of experience in the forest, but he has decades of experience working with a diversity of forest stakeholder interests."

In addition to his experience, Albrecht also brings a personality that makes people enjoy being around him and that is appropriate for sharing new information that sometimes can be a little challenging for lay people to accept, Buckley said.

"Mike has a good ability to be a strong communicator, not just on forest issues but on various issues tied to the county, the Stanislaus National Forest , and other issues that affect natural resources of the region," Buckley said.

Stacey Martin Dodge , president and principal owner for Sierra Resource Management, said she is proud of what Albrecht has accomplished so far, and — after all of the years he's led many local and state associations — it's unsurprising to see him leading a national advocacy group.

"Mike was born to lead," Dodge said. "It's been a privilege to work with Mike for over 30 years and observe his leadership skills.

"His temperament allows him to listen before making spontaneous-rash decisions, which has helped Sierra Resource Management gain positive relationships with Sierra Pacific Industries , the Forest Service , and even with our local environmental community. With Mike at the helm of the American Loggers Council this year, the nation can look forward to more logical progression in the timber industry. I'm proud of Mike and all he's accomplished in his career."

Albrecht downplayed his election to the council board presidency at a conference in Newry, Maine , in October, saying he's been on the board several years and it was his turn to take gavel. His term started in October and runs through October next year.

"The big news is we're going to have our annual national conference right here in Sonora the first week of October," Albrecht said. "Usually 300 to 350 folks come to these conferences, and the headquarters for this conference will be the new Chicken Ranch Casino ."

Albrecht also plans to be in the nation's capital in April to lobby Congress , and he'll have another board meeting in Montana in July. Otherwise, he's staying close to home in Tuolumne County . He's not moving to D.C. or anywhere else.

Albrecht, 69, has a master's degree in forestry from Duke University . He is a registered professional forester in California , and has worked for more than 45 years in forest management and the forest products industry. He is past president of Associated California Loggers and the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference .

Contact Guy McCarthy at gmccarthy@uniondemocrat.net or (209) 770-0405. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @GuyMcCarthy.

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