Grunwald Legacy to be Honored this Spring

There is an annoyingly over-used expression these days, "It is what it Is." We hear it so often in our daily lives and in sports interviews, that it's on it's way to cultural extinction.

However, for those people who knew John Grunwald, and there were many, a modified version of the adage seems to be the perfect way to sum him up: "He was who he was."

If you talk about people with "passion" for forest management, the discussion begins and ends with John. I didn't get to know him until he was near retirement, but even after his career ended, his work on behalf of our industry did not. John continued to represent us at the Federal policy-making level right up until the time of his passing in 2010.

His passion drove him, and his feelings were never left bottled up. No speaker at any meeting was left unchallenged. I was fortunate enough to attend many of the same meetings as John, often in Washington, DC, and from those meetings have some great memories, all of which involve his passion in his beliefs.

My favorite "John moment" came during a Hardwood Federation meeting, where a prominent Congressman had come to address our luncheon at the request of a constituent who served on the HF Board. Not only was the Congressman already a friend of our industry, but they are exceptionally well-briefed on the issues before attending meetings, and this was no exception.

He spoke flawlessly in tune with the audience, showing that he knew our positions on every key issue. A rousing appreciation was returned by the audience as he finished a job well done. There was but one problem, however - no one had briefed him that John held an opposing view on a key issue. As John drove home point after point of disagreement on that issue, the Congressman became clearly unnerved at the horror that he had gotten our issue wrong, and you could tell he was thinking of which aide would be fired today.

The rest of the audience winced until John finished, seeing the dilemma, and a quick-thinking chairman eased the Congressman's with a quick disclaimer and a end to the questions!

This is the side of John that so many of us came to admire and respect. He had an unwavering conviction in his beliefs, along with the energy and fearlessness to spread our message. I'm sure he's doing the same in his new, celestial wooded homestead.

At this year's IHLA convention you'll receive a flyer asking for a very modest contribution to the Hardwood Forestry Fund, so that a special tree planting can take place in John Grunwald's name at Yellowood State Forest. Eighteen acres will be the home of 16,000 new trees, to be managed for timber products and a lasting legacy to an unforgettable champion of forestry.

Yellowood Forest is in Brown County, where John made his home, and just off the same highway that tragically took his life. The convention flyer will give instructions on where to send donations. The industry couldn't possibly repay John for his contributions, but you can show your thanks with a small donation.