The Jan Iris Wage Peace Scholarship is a $500.00 award given to a South Fork High School Senior that writes the best essay on what they have done to promote peace or what they have done to protect the environment. The essay and required letters of recommendation are judged by a panel, made up of members of the Garberville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post number 6354.
Jan, a Vietnam veteran, was exposed to radiation while serving our country and he died from complications resulting from that exposure. His body now rests peacefully at the Briceland Cemetery. Jan Iris lived in the Southern Humboldt community and dedicated his last years both to the preservation of our environment and to the development of forest practice methods that would allow peaceful co-existence
between all species. Another of Jan's desires was to inspire local students to advance their education in order that they would bring those learned talents and skills back to our community. This Scholarship is offered to fulfill that desire, as well as to keep his memory alive.
Jan Iris always believed that it is possible both to improve the forest and to continue providing employment in the woods for generations yet to come. He established Wild Iris Forestry, a logging and forest products company, that uses selective harvesting of trees - a method that results in little or no impact on the Eco-system.
The seeds he planted have germinated. His dream of a strong and healthy forest industry lives on through the Institute of Sustainable Forestry and other enterprises that provide "SmartWood" products to the marketplace. Certified "SmartWood" products meet ten elements of sustainability criteria, thereby assuring jobs, in the woods, for the unborn generations.
Because of the collective experience of the veterans of Southern Humboldt, we know and we especially want all high school seniors to know, that one person, like yourself and like Jan, CAN make a difference. We encourage all, to promote peace in yourself, in your family and in your community, and to promote protection for your environment, and your world.
The 1997 South Fork High School winner was graduate Tracy Hanson, the 1998 winner was graduate Sarah Brown, the 1999 winner was graduate Michael Eastwood.
Institute of Sustainable Forestry contact info: PO Box 1580, Redway, California 95560 Phone: 707-247-1101 Fax: 707-247-3555 info@isf-sw.org website: www.isf-sw.org
WAGE PEACE