Instructor Profiles

John Adler, Senior Instructor NEWT co-owner John Adler is among the most recognized logging instructors in the United States. He brings fifteen years of experience as a Game of Logging instructor and has trained hundreds of professional loggers, forest owners, and students throughout New England, New York, and beyond. During the winter months, John owns and operates Eagle Forest Improvement, a logging business based in Chester, VT. John has worked with a variety of logging systems, ranging from cable skidders to dozers to his current forwarder-based operation. John has a degree in forestry from Paul Smith’s College.

David Birdsall, Lead Instrucor NEWT co-owner David Birdsall is a “woods-educator”. He has worked extensively with young adults at Sterling College, the Vermont Leadership Center, and the Merck Farm and Forest Program. Most recently, David has focused on teaching adults in the Vermont LEAP program and the Vermont Coverts Program. Dave’s experiences in teaching are grounded in his work as a consulting forester, logger, and portable sawmill owner/ operator. During the summer months, Dave leads backcountry trips for his family-owned summer camp, Northcountry Camps.

Jeff Putnam, Lead Instructor Over the past 25 years, Jeff Putnam has trained hundreds of professional loggers while meticulously perfecting the art of chain saw productivity. Students who watch Jeff work can see that his every motion is deliberate and calibrated towards safety and efficiency. During his career as a NH licensed forester and certified logger, Jeff has received many honors, including several safety awards and NH Logger of the Year in 1995. Jeff is a lead instructor for the New Hampshire Professional Logger Program. He currently works as a logger and safety coordinator for Long View Forest Contracting, Inc., based in Charlestown, NH.