Michelle, center, accepts the Society of American Foresters gavel last year.
Michelle Metcalf didn鈥檛 initially plan to work in forestry. Growing up on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, far from any forests, she headed to college as a pharmacy major. But after connecting with people in the forestry program at the University of Montana, everything changed.
鈥淚 met wonderful people who I just bonded with,鈥 Michelle says. 鈥淚 switched my major to forestry and haven鈥檛 looked back since.鈥
Today, Michelle brings that same people-first mindset to her role as environmental management systems manager for Western Timberlands, helping ensure sustainability is woven into every aspect of our operations.
鈥淭his job really fits who I am as a person,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 enjoy going to work every day and supporting our teams.鈥
Michelle on her retired endurance horse, Lexi, now 23 years old.
MEET MICHELLE
Your title is EMS manager. Tell us what you do.
I manage the Western Timberlands environmental system and 庐 certification program. This involves formalizing the policies and procedures we use within our environmental system to ensure we achieve both our certification and sustainability commitments.
Our teams regularly conduct environmental field reviews and audits, which help us validate our processes and confirm they鈥檙e being implemented in the field. That鈥檚 why integrating our sustainability commitments into daily business practices is so crucial 鈥 it ensures we consistently apply our environmental standards across our timberlands, whether it鈥檚 a typical workday or an external audit.
Have you always done this type of work?
I鈥檝e had a variety of roles over my 25-year career, both inside and outside 吃瓜不打烊. I came to 吃瓜不打烊 through the Longview Timber Company acquisition in 2013, and I鈥檝e been in my current role for about five years.
Before this I worked on the recreation program in the Northwest, and I鈥檝e also done land use work.
What led you to choose this job?
I鈥檓 a forester by trade, and I love working with people. This role brings those two things together. I get to work with teams across all of Western Timberlands, which really aligns with my strengths: I鈥檓 detail-oriented, I enjoy building relationships, and I like connecting people and ideas at a broad, program level.
Michelle鈥檚 husband Erik joined her in Maine for a few days while she assisted the New England Timberlands team with their internal audit.
Tell us what your day is like.
Every day looks a little different, and it often depends on the time of year. If we鈥檙e preparing for an audit, I spend a lot of time working with teams in the field to make sure they鈥檙e ready and understand how certification fits into their daily work. Other times, I鈥檓 reviewing policies, updating procedures or conducting quarterly environmental reviews.
Those reviews are one of my favorite parts 鈥 they鈥檙e less formal than audits and give us a chance to connect with teams, validate what鈥檚 working and identify opportunities to improve.
What鈥檚 your favorite part of the job?
Definitely getting outside and seeing the different landscapes and team cultures across the region. Each operating area is unique 鈥 from the terrain and the conditions to the way teams approach challenges. It鈥檚 really interesting to see how creative people are in adapting to those differences.
You must have some challenges. What are they?
One challenge is maintaining consistency across a large and dynamic organization. Teams are constantly changing 鈥 new people, shifting roles 鈥 so it鈥檚 important to make sure everyone understands not just what we do, but why we do it. That connection to our sustainability value is key, which is why regular field touchpoints are so valuable. They help reinforce expectations and keep everyone aligned.
Is there anything about your job that would surprise people?
The sheer number of audits that take place across our timberlands. Each year we鈥檙e audited for forest management, fiber sourcing, chain of custody and certified sourcing. In 2026 alone the company will undergo 14 external audits related specifically to our SFI庐 certification program.
Michelle hikes the Twin Peaks trail with her black lab, Jake.
What advice would you give to people who want a job like yours?
Building relationships is critical. In this role, I don鈥檛 directly supervise most of the people I work with, so I have to exercise influence-based leadership. That means building trust, understanding perspectives and bringing people together. Being a clear communicator is also really important.
What are your career aspirations?
I鈥檝e really enjoyed getting exposure to the corporate, strategic level of the business, and I鈥檇 love to continue growing in that space. I鈥檓 also passionate about mentoring and helping others grow, so I see myself continuing in roles where I can support people and build strong relationships across the organization.
Who are your customers in this role?
Internally, it鈥檚 our operations teams and leaders 鈥 the people out in the field doing the work every day. Externally, it includes customers who value sustainable products, as well as investors and partners in the architecture and engineering communities.
But most of my day-to-day work is supporting our operations team and helping connect what they do in the field to our broader sustainability goals.
Tell us about your interests outside of work.
I鈥檓 a horse person. I have three horses, and I love riding! My husband and I also enjoy hiking and spending time outdoors. We spend a lot of time in the scenic Goat Rocks area of Washington, and we explore new trails whenever we can.
