FSM’s Board of Director’s recently appointed Jessica Masse and Kyle Burdick to our board. They bring a wealth of experience and insight to FSM, including in design/branding and forestry respectively. We look forward to their guidance as we move forward into a new strategic plan.

Jessica Masse is the Managing Partner at Designlab, a design and branding firm in Millinocket, Maine. Prior to joining Designlab, she was an Information Analyst at the Jackson Laboratory, managed a research lab in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School, and was an adjunct Instructor of Chemistry at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. She attended Bowdoin College and the University of Maine. Jessica is originally from Caribou, Maine. Professionally, Jess maintains the 25/75 “good neighbor” rule, devoting 25% of her time to pro-bono work, supporting initiatives that prioritize rural economic development and have long-term impact on Maine. Jess is a founding member of Katahdin Revitalization, a member of Our Katahdin BOD (redeveloping the former mill site, One North, in Millinocket), a member of the Eastern Maine Development Corporation BOD, and the Vice-Chair of the Maine Arts Commission. Jess was also a member of the Governor-appointed Economic Recovery Committee and a member of the Maine EDA Project Advisory Committee in conjunction with Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute.

I am delighted to be part of the board and look forward to furthering the mission of the organization. I have benefited tremendously from Maine’s forests — my life has been shaped by my experiences living close to the wild areas of Maine. It’s only right that I should work to make sure the next generation has the same opportunity! — Jessica Masse

Kyle Burdick is a Maine Licensed Forester, SAF Certified Forester, and owner of Forest Geek LLC. Based in Lee, Maine, Kyle has spent nearly two decades managing investment, conservation, and family-owned forestlands throughout eastern Maine and the Northeast. Kyle has built a career focused on sustainable forest management, timber harvesting, forest certification, woodland investment, and emerging carbon markets. Over the course of his career, he has overseen management activities on more than 200,000 acres of Maine forestland, sold over one million tons of timber, and advised on the acquisition of more than 24,000 acres of forestland. He also managed the first carbon project established on commercial timberland in Maine. Prior to starting his own consulting business, Kyle was most recently the vice president of Baskahegan Company, worked as a contract forester for Lyme Timber and served as both a forester and contract forester for the Downeast Lakes Land Trust. Kyle has more than 18 years of experience administering and implementing forest certification programs, including FSC, SFI, and American Tree Farm standards. He is also pursuing certification as a Master Pesticide Applicator. Kyle is a past Chair of the Maine Division of the Society of American Foresters and a past Chair of the Maine Tree Farm Committee. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Maine Woodland Owners, is a member of the Outcome Based Forestry Panel, and remains active with the Forest Stewards Guild, Project SHARE, and the Maine Tree Farm Program as an inspector and facilitator. Through his professional work and volunteer leadership, Kyle remains committed to ensuring that Maine’s forests continue to provide economic, environmental, and community benefits for generations to come.

Anyone who cares for forestland knows that the ecological, economic, cultural and recreational values of the woods don’t exist separately. They complement one another, and sometimes come into real conflict. Finding the right balance can be deeply rewarding, but it can also be complicated and difficult. That is what makes the Forest Society of Maine so important. FSM recognizes both the value of Maine’s forests and the realities of owning and managing them, and brings people together to find solutions that keep forests intact, productive, accessible and meaningful for generations. — Kyle Burdick