Chelsea on vacation in Switzerland a few years ago. 'I spent a lot of time outdoors as a kid, hiking and camping with my family. I always knew I wanted a career that allowed me to spend time in nature. When you actually love being at work, you know you made the right choice. I enjoy passing that enthusiasm on to students and letting them know, hey, you can have this, too!'
Given the scale and diversity of our land base and our in-house expertise, we are in a unique position to provide solutions that help address the impacts of climate change and provide other environmental benefits, including through renewable energy development, forest carbon and CCS, conservation and mitigation banking.
For Chelsea Lopez, raw materials manager at our sawmill in Millport, Alabama, her mentorship goes far beyond thrilling lumberjack sports like axe throwing and double-buck sawing. She also provides academic assistance and career guidance to students at her alma mater’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.
Chelsea, left, participates in a crosscut sawing timbersports event in college. 'Since I graduated in 2014, I’ve gone back to Stephen F. Austin State University several times a year to talk to the forestry students and attend special events like tree identification competitions and other academic and physical events,' she says.
Whether she’s helping students practice their cross-cutting skills or helping them find the career path that’s right for them, Chelsea’s often described as a relatable role model who greets everyone with a smile.
“Chelsea has inspired countless students over the years to put in extra effort to finish their degrees and succeed as professional foresters,” says Dr. Jeremy Stovall, professor of silviculture at Stephen F. Austin State University, who nominated Chelsea for our Volunteer of the Year award. “She’s always eager to help solve a problem and gives selflessly of her time and efforts.”
As part of Chelsea’s Volunteer of the Year award recognition, she received a $5,000 TREE-mendous Matching Gifts reward. She plans to give it to the Sylvans Forestry Club.
Chelsea chats with a member of the timbersports team she coaches. 'I often talk to students about my own career path as an example of what theirs might look like,' Chelsea says. 'We discuss potential summer internships, competitions they could participate in, and how to network with people in the industry.'
MEET CHELSEA
Tell us a bit about your day job.
I’m responsible for the log inventory at our mill. I make sure all incoming logs meet our quality standards so the mill can hit its target lumber volume and produce finished products we’re proud to ship to our customers. I work closely with a diverse team of foresters who help us achieve those goals.
What did you think when you found out about the award?
The announcement email from Anne Leyva arrived while I was leading a conference call with my team, and some people on the call saw it before I did. Another manager congratulated me on the call, and I had no idea what he was talking about. I was so excited! It was definitely a surprise.
What motivates you to volunteer?
I love the feeling of accomplishment that I was able to help someone, even in a small capacity.
Chelsea (second from left) and the Sylvans timbersports team she coaches after their Southern Forestry Conclave victory in 2017. This year’s team also won the Conclave earlier this month. 'COVID put a damper on things for a while. We couldn’t meet in person, but I kept up with the club via email, phone calls and text, which allowed me to help students one on one. I was so happy to get back to in-person gatherings as soon as it was safe. It was exciting to see that even after all the downtime, with a completely new set of students, we were able to build the camaraderie and teamwork needed to get back on track.'
What made you choose to dedicate your time to SFA Sylvans Forestry and Timbersports Club?
When I was a member of the club in college, I learned invaluable leadership and networking skills, which set me up for a career I absolutely love. I’m so excited to give back to an organization that was such a great benefit to me when I was in school.
What are the community challenges you see that you’re trying to address with this work?
Many college students don’t know what life will really look like after they graduate. That can give them a lot of anxiety — they wonder, “Am I prepared? Can I really do it?” Mentoring and networking gives them access to people with personal experience so they can ask questions, learn more about the details and boost their confidence.
What’s your favorite part of the work?
The diversity of the students I work with — each one has a different background and unique point of view. Working with them enriches my life, and I feel like I grow as much as they do!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to give back but doesn’t know how or where?
Start with your hobbies. What do you love? What are you good at? Engaging with those things will infuse your volunteer work with passion, which is contagious. You’ll also be more likely to enjoy the work and stick with it over time.
Chelsea (center, holding the SFA flag) with the 2016 timbersports team she coached.
What have you learned by volunteering? How have you benefited or been changed?
Everyone has their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. I’ve learned a lot about how to help people overcome personal obstacles and challenges in their lives or in their own learning processes. Working with students as a mentor has really honed my people skills and leadership skills, which has been a big benefit for my career.
What’s next in your volunteer plans for the year ahead?
I’m excited to continue talking to students in the Intro to Forestry classes and to volunteer at various forestry competitions.
The funds from my Volunteer of the Year award will help the Sylvans Forestry Club buy a trailer to transport their forestry equipment to academic field trips and other outings. I’m so grateful to be able to contribute to that goal.
