Mila Novak

“I love my job because it's one of the few where I can see the fruits of my labor in a tangible way. When I chop down a tree, I know it'll be used to make something useful.”

Mila is a tough Iowan-turned-Serbian who doesn't shy away from hard work. She began her career in forestry as a conservationist but grew to find the profession limiting and sought out work as a logger. Her deft handling of a chainsaw is only rivaled by her quick wit and dry humor. She finds joy in simple things like a freshly brewed cup of coffee in the woods and moments of quiet contemplation.

What is the biggest misconception about logging?

That we're just mindlessly chopping down trees without a care for the environment. Most loggers I know are doing our part to keep our forests healthy and sustainable for generations to come.

What's your favorite thing to do when you're not logging?

I love to read. It's a perfect escape from the sometimes grueling work of logging. Right now, I'm deep into a book on the history of the Serbian monarchy.