Austin Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award to be presented to Tilberg at Blaine House

Tilberg will be honored for her commitment and contributions to exceptional sustainable forest management in Maine.

AUGUSTA — Karin Tilberg will be recognized for her outstanding dedication and contributions to sustainable forest management in Maine at the Blaine House on Oct. 24. She is set to receive the Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award, presented annually by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry in partnership with the Maine Timber Research & Environmental Education Foundation. This award is the premier recognition for individuals and organizations demonstrating exceptional and sustainable management of Maine’s working forests.

Tilberg has a B.S. in wildlife biology from the University of Vermont and a J.D. from the University of Maine Law School. She started her career as an attorney, initially at the law firm of Perkins, Townsend & Shay in Skowhegan and later as the staff attorney/director of advocacy for the Maine Audubon Society. She has been a strong advocate for the conservation of the North Woods, promoting sustainable forestry, and supporting healthy, diverse local economies. Tilberg has provided guidance on environmental and natural resource law and policy matters to individuals and organizations for decades.

She became the Maine director and then interim director for the Northern Forest Alliance from 1998 to 2003, following which she served as deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Conservation from 2003-07. From 2007-10, she worked as a senior policy advisor to Gov. John E. Baldacci. During this time, she directed and implemented Baldacci’s natural resource, environmental, and energy policies, co-chaired the governor’s Natural Resource Agency Task Force, and participated in stakeholder groups for the executive office. Most recently, Tilberg has been the president and CEO of the Forestry Society of Maine, where she has worked since 2011 and is set to retire in November.

Tilberg’s remarkable career reflects outstanding contributions to forest stewardship in Maine. Her forest policy and conservation expertise have positioned her as a leader within Maine’s forestry landscape. Her continuous forest advocacy illustrates a deep commitment to environmental stewardship and the economic prosperity of Maine’s forest industry, embodying the essence of the award.

“Karin Tilberg has been an exemplary leader and a tireless advocate for Maine’s forest stewardship. Her deep understanding of the intricate balance between conservation and economic vitality has played a significant role in shaping sustainable forestry practices across our state. Through her decades of work, she has ensured that Maine’s forests remain not only a vital natural resource but also a cornerstone of our rural economies. It’s an honor to recognize her commitment to safeguarding the future of Maine’s forests,” said Amanda Beal, commissioner, DACF.

“Karin Tilberg’s contributions to Maine’s forestry community have been transformative. She has championed the principles of sustainable forest management with passion and expertise that inspire all of us who work in this field. Her collaborative spirit and dedication to the long-term health of our forests have strengthened both the environmental and economic fabric of our state. It’s fitting that Karin is receiving the Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award, which celebrates the highest ideals of forest stewardship—ideals that Karin has embodied throughout her remarkable career,” said Patty Cormier, Maine state forester, DACF Maine Forest Service.

“Karin Tilberg’s profound impact on sustainable forest management and her unwavering commitment to conserving Maine’s working forestlands have set a towering standard in the forestry community. Her success illuminates a clear path towards valuing the interdependence of ecological health and local economies. This award is a testament to the profound influence one individual can have on shaping a better future for our forests and communities. Karin represents the spirit and values the Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award seeks to honor,” said Logan Johnson, executive director, Maine TREE.

Tilberg, known for her exceptional ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders, emphasized the crucial role of her family and community support in her successful career and in being selected to receive the Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award. She expressed her surprise and gratitude for the award, stating, “I’m humbled and deeply moved by this award and have drawn upon the ethic of collaboration and respect for divergent views shared by many in the forestry and conservation fields to create a big tent for the many interests that depend on, value, and steward the forests of Maine. This award truly belongs to all who hold these goals dear.”

She also highlighted the pleasure she derived from working with dedicated professionals who care about forest stewardship in various ways throughout her long career, emphasizing that she finds inspiration from people researching, managing, conserving, and deriving livelihoods from forests across the states.

Looking ahead, Tilberg mentioned her just-published book, “Loving the North Woods: 25 Years of Historic Conservation in Maine,” and her approaching retirement. She expressed her eagerness to complete a long to-do list, including spending more time outdoors, engaging in leisurely paddles in Maine’s North Woods, angling (fly fishing), writing poetry, and stewarding the woodlot she and her husband recently acquired.

Tilbueg will be presented the Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award twice on Oct. 24, first by Gov. Janet Mills and later that evening during Maine TREE’s Forest Awards Night, along with several other awards that recognize outstanding contributions to sustainable forestry and excellence in forest-based careers at Morgan Hill Event Center in Hermon

Tickets for the 2nd annual Forest Awards night can be purchased online at
www.mainetree.org. For more information, contact the Maine TREE Foundation at info@mainetree.org or 207-621-9872.

Maine TREE, in collaboration with countless collaborators, is celebrating 35 years of
educating and advocating for the sustainable use of the forest and the ecological,
economic, and social health of Maine’s forest community. Together, we realize our
mission through forest-based education and research programs engaging students,
teachers, forest professionals, landowners, and the general public. Our work with forest community members helps foster public values that support healthy forest ecosystems, forest professionals, and scientific forest management and stewardship that sustains Maine’s forest-dependent people and communities.