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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
A BRIEF HISTORY OF
National Forest Products Week 2017 marks the 57th anniversary of National Forest Products Week. This annual observance dates back to September 13, 1960, according to the Forest History Society. On that day, Congress passed a joint resolution providing for the establishment of an annual National Forest Products Week to be held each year on the week beginning with the third Sunday in October. President Eisenhower signed the first proclamation two days later, calling on the people of the United States “to observe the week beginning October 16, 1960, as National Forest Products Weeks, with activities and ceremonies designed to focus attention on the importance of our forests and forest products to the Nation’s economy and welfare.” Upon signing the proclamation, Eisenhower was presented with a commemorative clock made from 10 different species of American wood. The full proclamation is below:
National Forest Products Week Legislation PUBLIC LAW 86-753; 74 STAT.898 [S. J. RES. 209] Joint resolution providing for the establishment of an annual National Forest Products Week. WHEREAS our country and its people have always found constant strength, individual peace and personal pride in the bounty of our forest and timber land; and WHEREAS from the beginning of our Nation’s founding, the forest and its products have provided a core of living and freedom touching and inspiring each citizen with majestic beauty and practical use; and WHEREAS as our only renewable resource, wood offers the availability and abundance to satisfy the Nation’s ever growing demands and through modern forestry we can be assured of a continuous supply of timber for the future; and WHEREAS the first settlers gained foothold in the new world and carved for themselves and their descendants a free nation and built homes, schools and churches using the forests as an ever plentiful source of material; and WHEREAS this early building is now multiplied a thousandfold in these great United States and the importance of our forest lands has developed with equal vigor through wise management constant replanting and growth of this vital resource, and today our forests provide thousands of products - lumber, paper, building materials, chemicals, furniture and cloth - all dedicated to improvaing the lives of our people; and WHEREAS in order to reemphasize to each citizen in the United States the importance and heritage of our vast forest resources which are inseparably tied to our present and our future: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That: The seven-day period beginning on the third Sunday of October in each year is hereby designated as National Forest Products Week, and the President is requested to issue annually a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe such week with appropriate ceremonies and activities. Approved September 13, 1960.
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
Defoliation by spruce budworm a problem at Maine’s Border COURTESY OF MAINE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION & FORESTRY, MAINE FOREST SERVICE
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lthough we have still not seen defoliation by spruce budworm in Maine, surveyors in New Brunswick have, including some right across our border. Observers on the ground mapped very light and scattered defoliation on the New Brunswick side of the St. John River between Madawaska and St. Francis. Aerial survey and additional ground plots in a wider area detected about 3,700 acres of light, scattered defoliation in the northern third of New Brunswick. The detections near the St. John River were a result of targeted roadside surveys conducted by the Province, one part of their monitoring program. Host branches from about one in four ground plots were found to have trace to light defoliation. This is not the sort of damage that would be picked up by a casual observer, nor through
the level of operational monitoring conducted in Maine at current spruce budworm population level. The eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, is a native moth that feeds on spruce and fir needles as a caterpillar (larva). This species has cyclical populations that build when the host trees mature. Populations reached epidemic levels in Maine, leading to tree growth loss and mortality, three times in the last century. The most recent outbreak collapsed in the late 1980’s. In Maine, spruce budworm feeds on the spruces (native white, red, black and introduced species) and balsam fir. Within that group of trees, the budworm has favorites. It does best on balsam fir and white spruce whose buds begin to expand early in the spring when the
caterpillars are ready to feed. Red and black spruce buds swell after those of white spruce and fir, so these species are not as well suited for feeding by young spruce budworm caterpillars. Maine has about 5.8 million acres of spruce and firdominated forests which is an area equal to the size of New Hampshire. Defoliation has intensified on the Quebec side of the Maine border as well, with increases in area and intensity seen in the Bas-Saint-Laurent Region, which lies closest to our northwestern border. The Province of Quebec has been mapping defoliation from this pest for more than a decade during the current outbreak. In 2017, more than 17.6 million acres of forest were defoliated across the entire province representing an area nearly equal to all of Maine’s forests.
Pheromone trapping of adult moths is another method for monitoring populations of spruce budworm. The Maine Forest Service (MFS) has led a cooperative pheromone trapping effort which is just wrapping up for the year. As in the past several years, around 20 private and public organizations participated in the program. Several of these cooperators have already retrieved their traps and sent in samples to the MFS Insect and Disease office in Old Town. Others will be collecting their samples next month at the same time as another sampling effort involving the collection of overwintering spruce budworm larvae (L2 Survey) is completed. In addition, citizen scientist volunteers with the Healthy Forest Partnership led Budworm Tracker Program (budwormtracker.ca) have collected their
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
traps for the year and are sending in their catches for analysis. Together, the data from these surveys will provide a reasonable picture of current spruce budworm populations in Maine. To date, about 27 percent of the MFSCooperator pheromone trapping locations have been received and counted with catches on par with last year which was down significantly from the previous summer (2015). Across 114 sites, the average catch is nine moths/trap; the average on the same sites in 2016 was six. Catches range from zero to 68.3 moths/trap and the highest numbers are found in a 40-mile wide band south of the northern boundary of our state. Sites in the eastern third are also tending towards higher catches than those in the western two thirds. This trend is apparent from Route 9, north to the border with New Brunswick. The sampling is not complete for this survey and we anticipate receiving moths from more than 300 additional locations. In addition, ground surveys in Maine this fall will be targeting
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areas closest to the known defoliation in New Brunswick and Quebec. The picture could change before the dust (composed of moth scales in this case) has settled from those surveys. The coming epidemic of spruce budworm in Maine’s forests will probably be less severe than that in the 1970’s-1980’s. However, a significant loss of trees and wide-ranging impacts to Maine’s naturalresource based-economy, forest structure and composition, wildlife and our society are expected. Forest and social conditions in Maine have changed greatly since the last outbreak, so it is difficult to predict the specifics of what the next will bring. The best time to prepare for a spruce budworm outbreak is between them, and the current low populations and lack of detected defoliation observed in Maine gives forestland owners and managers, as well as others who will be impacted, additional time to prepare. PHOTO COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE. For more information visit sprucebud- A CTL Land Management Services Scorpion King harvester working in Bath, ME. wormmaine.org.
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
Dirt roads to Maine’s monument intended for loggers, not visitors BY NICK SAMBIDES JR./BDN
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atahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine – The unpaved logging roads that lead to Maine’s national monument were never meant for tourists. Strewn with holes, rocks and ruts, the seven private roads on the National Park Service map of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument are bumpy and sometimes narrow -- not wide enough for more than one vehicle. Foliage blocks the view around many curves. Driving faster than 15 mph is dangerous. Loggers have the right of way, but few signs say so. Speed-limit signs also are rare. That’s why a dozen representatives of the loggers, landowners, truckers and National Park Service officials are working to prevent crashes on the roads that lead to the 87,562acre Katahdin Woods, which critics say are unfit for tourist traffic. “We are trying to be pre-emptive,” said Dana Doran, executive director of Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, a group that represents most of the interests of the forestproducts industry near the area and opposes the monument. “There are some dangerous turns and some dangerous hills on roads near the monument.” The group has met several times since the monument’s creation in August 2016, Doran said. The loggers plan to install more right of way signs and work at times when tourist traffic is minimal, while the park service plans to spot-grade the road leading to the monument’s main entrance. A lot rides on the monument’s first full year of operation. Proponents hope the gift to the nation from Burt’s Bees entrepreneur Roxanne Quimby will jumpstart the Katahdin region’s economy. Critics contend it was created without adequate input from people who live or work in the area, including loggers who have said tourist traffic is a safety risk in their woods. Monument Superintendent Tim Hudson said the roads are not terrible. Last fall, crews employed by the park service graded Swift Brook Road and Katahdin Woods’ 16-mile main Loop Road entrance. NPS-funded crews will
spot-grade Swift Brook in a few weeks, he said. Swift Brook Road “could be improved and made more rideable for people without making it a superhighway,” Hudson said recently. Monument officials encourage visitors to get into the monument through Swift Brook, which connects to the main Loop Road entrance, the Grondin Road leading to the monument’s most northeastern parcel, and via Grand Lake Road, which runs to the land’s northern entrance. The park service discourages tourists from using the other roads, which lack rights of way for tourist traffic, Hudson said. “We don’t just want to avoid accidents,” Doran said. “We want to educate people visiting the monument so that they are aware of the work that’s being done.” The loggers and landowners are generally working together well with the park service despite some differences and external pressures. Needing three years to finish their monument management plan, National Park Service officials are building out features within the monument now and hoping for a gradual increase in its traffic, despite pressure to draw tourists in immediately. Some Katahdin region businesses hope to soon see an eighth road that would connect Millinocket, the region’s largest town, to the monument. This story originally appeared in Bangor Daily News July 11, 2017
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
Wadsworth Woodlands experts in resource management, client relationships COURTESY OF WADSWORTH WOODLANDS, INC.
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adsworth Woodlands, Inc., is a multigenerational family owned business that has been in operation for 22 years and has over 44 years of forestry experience. Our foremost objective is to help the landowner achieve your goals of natural resource management through land management plans, and responsible harvests of your wood products; ensuring the greatest return on your forestland investment, forest health, and creating wildlife habitats. Our foresters are licensed in Maine and New Hampshire; and we pride ourselves in being able to offer our landowners a wide range of experience, knowledge, and technology. We are always evolving and incorporating new techniques, but we are steadfast in remaining stewards of the forest. We offer all the timber harvesting, forestry consulting and land management services you need to successfully manage your woodlot and grow your timber investment. Our foresters have spent many years in the woods and they put their expertise to work for you. Whether you want your woodlot inspected, a land management plan, or cruising and assessing your timber potential, we can provide it all. We have always been committed to harvesting timber in an environmentally friendly manner, and we specialize in selective tree cutting and lot clearing ensuring you receive the best return from your timber and from future harvests. We proudly serve small and large
landowners and have written land management plans for over 75,000 acres of private land as well as for land and conservation trusts in Maine and New Hampshire. We continuously meet with new and established clients to discuss forest management activities. These activities range from examining a woodlot for harvest, locating boundary lines, creating tree growth and tree farm management plans, formulating timber value/volume, and beyond. Our foresters enjoy being in the woods, but it is our clients that bring us much joy. The foundation of our company is to create and maintain strong, lasting relationships with both our clients and the lumber mills. We feel that strong relationships go hand in hand with good forestry practices, and we are committed to serving the individual forestry needs of our clients and their woodlands. As professional foresters, our mission is to provide landowners with a wide array of economical forestry services and bring our expertise and experience to responsibly work with your woodland. We strive to always do our best in satisfying our client’s objectives, and in return we can feel good about our accomplishments. We believe that good forestry practices begin with good landowner relationships, and that long term sustainability is achieved through responsible, resource management. A well-managed, sustainable woodlot is good for you and even better for the forests!
PHOTO COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE.
A CTL Land Management Services Scorpion King harvester working in Bath, ME.
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
PLC raises over $71k at 21st Annual Log A Load for Maine Kids Golf Tournament COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE
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he Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine raised $71,547 at the 21st Annual Log A Load for Maine Kids Golf Tournament Sept. 15th at JATO Highlands Golf Course. The tournament, which benefits Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals in Maine, is the PLC’s largest annual fundraiser for charity. Combined with money raised at the PLC’s annual meeting in May, the tournament’s success means PLC has raised more than $115,000 for CMN hospitals in 2017. “We continue to be impressed by the generosity of those who make this tournament a success every year,” Dana Doran, executive director of the PLC, said. “After 21 years of raising money to support the Log-A-Load for Kids program, and during what may be the most challenging time for loggers in the history of their occupation, this result and the funds raised at our annual meeting truly shows how strong compassion for Maine kids is throughout the logging and forest products industry no matter what
challenges they are faced with.” The PLC has been the sponsor of the Log A Load program in Maine since 1996. To date, the PLC and the Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) Foundation have raised approximately $900,000 for children in Maine. Donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. EMHS is a CMN hospital. Additional sponsors for the tournament included American Forest Management (AFM); Nortrax/John Deere; BBC Land, LLC; Cross Insurance, and American Loggers Fire Suppression. Participants in the tournament enjoyed spectacular weather conditions at the scenic golf course, which includes views of Mt. Katahdin. The event concluded with a barbecue and awards ceremony. Tickets to the 2017 tournament sold out and many individuals and organizations donated items, services, and gift certificates for the Log A Load for Kids auction and a
raffle. Forty teams competed in the tournament. The South Carolina Forestry Association started the Log A Load for Kids program in 1988. Originally, the concept was for loggers, wood-supplying businesses, and other industry supporters in various states including Maine to donate the value of a load of logs to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Today, Log A Load funds impact more than 60 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across North America. Hospitals utilize the funds based on what they need the most. Funds are often used to purchase lifesaving equipment, support therapy programs and provide charitable care. Nationally, Log A Load for Kids is a leader in CMN fundraising. For more information, please visit www.logaload.org. Founded in 1995 with a handful of members who were concerned about the future of the industry, the PLC has grown steadily to become a statewide trade association which provides independent logging contractors a voice in the rapidly changing forest products industry. Learn more about the PLC at www.maineloggers.com.
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
PHOTO COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE
(above) Participants in the 21st Annual Log A Load for Maine Kids Golf Tournament Sept. 15th at JATO Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAINE FOREST PRODUCTS COUNCIL
(right) Dana Poulin of Poulin Logging. PHOTO COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE
(far right) A grapple skidder working in central Maine, owned by John Khiel & Sons Logging and Chipping, Inc.
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
Pleasant River Lumber named 2017 Chamber Business of the Year COURTESY OF TRUST TO CONSERVE NORTHEAST FORESTLANDS
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he Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce board of directors is pleased to announce that 2017’s Business of the Year recipient is Pleasant River Lumber of Dover-Foxcroft. The distinction was awarded Oct. 12 at the chamber’s annual meeting and Business of the Year celebration. This isn’t the first time Pleasant River Lumber has been nominated by members of the community or recognized by the chamber for its unwavering commitment to local communities and nonprofits, and for the continued economic impact for the region as one of Piscataquis County’s largest employers. In 2008 Pleasant River Lumber was honored as the Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce’s Large Business of the Year. Pleasant River Lumber is a 100 percent U.S., family-owned Maine business with four generations of experience in the forest products industry. Over the years, the Brochu family has built a reputation on quality, service and attention to detail. Annually, their mills produce over 100 million board feet of Mainesourced spruce dimensional lumber and eastern
white pine for customers throughout the East Coast. To sustain an operation of this size while maintaining unparalleled service and quality, Pleasant River Lumber employs over 100 individuals from administrative positions, to mill workers, to truckers and more. One might think the family running this ship would be too busy to find time to re-invest in their communities, or to partner with other organizations for the sole purpose of making the region stronger. “It isn’t unusual to see large corporations making monetary donations on occasion,” said chamber executive director Denise Buzzelli, “but what is different about Pleasant River Lumber is what they do over and above their financial contributions, things like donating lumber to the local high school for their musical’s set, or taking a leadership position on the board of directors of the local YMCA during a season of struggle; they give of their time and their resources, and they have been doing it for decades.” This story originally appeared in the Bangor Daily News September 18, 2017
PHOTO COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
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KVCC Sustainable Construction program develops holistic approach to building trade COURTESY KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
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ennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) just carved itself a niche in Maine’s construction education space, and the timing is both opportune and critically necessary. In 2014, as the pulp and paper industry came undone and the mills closed one by one, the construction industry began to recover from the economic collapse six years prior. Maine’s forests and its vast and renewable resources needed new markets. At the same time, the construction industry could benefit from new ways of thinking about better building practice. That same year, KVCC received a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and launched the Sustainable Construction program with its signature timber framing course. On day one, students pick up a chisel and mallet and chip away at
green, local timbers, patiently shaping mortise and tenon joints that will support a semester project: a well-built frame fastened entirely without a nail or screw! While working with timbers is certainly at the heart of the program and builds an important appreciation for high-quality, locally sourced materials, craftsmanship, and structural integrity, we know sustainability means much more. In this spirit, our students develop a holistic approach to the building trade, pulling from fields as diverse as solar photovoltaics and building science to small business management and 3-D modeling. The result is a student wellequipped to contribute to Maine’s 21st century building and forest economies. A better quality of life for Mainers lies at the center of this endeavor, ensuring
that we at KVCC are true ambassadors for our state’s motto and official status as role models for the way life should be. This quality of life is one where social, environmental, and economic advancement are not at odds with one another. The marriage of Maine’s natural forest resources and the building construction industry symbolize this balance so well. Much of our state’s housing stock is arguably below or at code minimum, uncomfortable, unhealthy, expensive to operate, and totally reliant on polluting fossil fuels for energy and heat. We can do better while creating jobs, lowering long-term costs, and decreasing our carbon footprint. The Sustainable Construction program at KVCC is just one player that is actively
embracing the new forest economy in pursuit of ways of life that are new yet rooted in tradition. Just recently, Republican Senator Susan Collins and Independent Senator Angus King announced a new $450,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to create the Maine Mass Timber Commercialization Center at the University of Maine to help advance forest products technologies and enhance innovation in mass timber manufacturing. Tall buildings made of glued timbers are on the rise in popularity and the millennia-old craft of timber framing is experiencing its second resurgence since the 1970’s. What better way to do our part than to offer low-cost educational training to support these important movements?
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
INNOVATING FOR WOOD PRODUCT BY KELLY SHORT/NORTHERN FOREST CENTER
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aine’s wood product manufacturers turn out fine furniture, wooden toys, construction lumber, pepper mills, modular homes, golf tees, wooden eggs for the White House Easter egg hunt, indoor and outdoor play sets, baseball bats, decorative objects and moldings, custom cabinets and much more. These varied businesses face many similar challenges that come with operating in today’s global market, where customers shop online and expect custom options, quick turn-around and competitive prices, in addition to quality craftsmanship. Other issues include succession planning, organizational
development, marketing and e-commerce. The Northern Forest Center, a nonprofit organization with offices in Maine and New Hampshire, has been helping Maine wood product companies to introduce innovations that make them more competitive and profitable. “Strong wood products companies are a lynchpin in the region’s forest economy,” said Rob Riley, president of the Center. “They create demand for wood, which in turn helps forestland owners keep forests as forests, and they support good jobs on both sides of the process—for mill workers, manufacturing staff, loggers, foresters and truckers.”
The Center uses a combination of in-house expertise from Dave Redmond, director of wood products initiatives— whose career spans 30 years in manufacturing and banking—and financial assistance through a matching grant program to enable companies to contract with the experts they need to make big changes in their companies. The program has been supported by the Northern Border Regional Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Sewall Foundation, Maine Timberlands Charitable Trust, other foundations and private contributions.
KBS Builders
KBS Builders employs 146 people at its plants in South Paris and Waterford. The company manufactures about 250 modular houses a year, ranging from ranches to multi-family homes. Operations Manager Ryan MacEachern said that the major challenge for KBS Builders is to improve technology and to overcome the lack of skilled workers available. “We’ve committed to organizational change with regards to lean manufacturing
and putting all employees through training for Lean 101,” he said. “It’s a huge financial and time commitment for us.” The core principle of lean manufacturing is to eliminate all waste in the manufacturing process, and “waste” is anything that does not add to the value of the product from the customer’s perspective. Lean projects often improve layout, speed production, eliminate wasted steps, and smooth the work flow throughout a plant. Wayne Messer, senior project manager at the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments (AVCOG) and the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Maine MEP), is providing the lean manufacturing expertise to the KBS Builders project, and the Center has covered almost half the cost. “We’ve done a lot to change the shop layout, and it’s made us more efficient,” said MacEachern. “We’re introducing new technology. The first step is a new CNC lumber saw, which we’re just learning to use. We also changed our design software to go with the new saw.” “Our long-term goal is to add on product lines and increase output,” MacEachern said. “The Center’s help has been hugely important from a financial perspective. Dave shows his passion for what we’re doing, and it motivates us. He sees the changes more clearly than we do, because he’s not seeing it every day.”
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
GROWTH IN MANUFACTURING Stratton Lumber
The Stratton Lumber mill yard sprawls across 85 acres in the village of Stratton, at the southwestern tip of Flagstaff Lake. It processes millions of board feet of softwood construction lumber annually. General Manager Jed Whiting said a typical week sees about 100 log trucks coming in and another 90-100 going out with finished product, in addition to 100 trucks with residual material from milling. “We need to get different streams of product where they need to be, efficiently. Both incoming and outgoing trucks,” said Whiting. “We need to create an environment that allows everybody to do their work in most efficient way possible.” Wayne Messer of AVCOG/Maine MEP worked with Stratton Lumber to develop a new workflow for the lumber yard based on lean manufacturing principles, with half the cost paid by the Center’s grant program. “When we implement the plan, it will allow us to increase our production,” said Whiting. “Our goal is to more efficiently manage our current level of business and to increase in the future without increasing our acreage.” Stratton Lumber sources all its spruce and fir from local loggers and its own log yards throughout New England. The
nearly 400 weekly truck loads going in and out of the mill are run by owneroperators and truck brokerages, so the mill’s economic impact flows far across the region. “If we increase production at the planer mill, it’s good for everybody,” said Whiting. “Being able to do this project has given us interest and insight into how we can implement more lean procedures in other parts of our facility. We’re inspired to use these methods elsewhere.”
Katahdin Cedar Log Homes
With 82 employees, Katahdin Cedar Log Homes in Oakfield is the second largest employer in southern Aroostook County, and owner David Gordon understands that many people beyond his own family depend on the success of his business. The Center has helped Gordon with two projects, first funding experts to help him with an efficiency plan for a new sawmill, and later working with him on a succession plan for the business. Dave Redmond also helped connect the company to new outlets for the cedar residuals that come from manufacturing. “The Center understands how important these mills are to the region,” said Gordon. “Dave has helped me tap into new markets because of his contacts
throughout New England. It’s very helpful to have his level of industry knowledge.” Gordon’s father established the family business in the 1970s, and Gordon is planning now for the transition to his own son, Gabe, who lives 250 miles away in Berwick, Maine. Jim McHugh of McHugh & Company is helping develop a multi-year succession plan to reorganize company leadership and transition to Gabe Gordon’s eventual management. “We’re learning what the pitfalls have been for others,” said David Gordon. “We’ve got our radar up so we won’t make the same mistakes. We’ve got to have the proper people in place, and
really understand the financial ramifications of our decisions.” The Center has assisted several other companies in Maine, including Duratherm Window Corporation, where lean manufacturing improvements and strategic planning that helped position the company for sale to Pella Windows; Maine Wood Concepts, where organizational development work helped the company expand through acquisition of a line of gourmet kitchen products; and Thos. Moser, where a lean manufacturing project increased efficiency at the manufacturing facility in Auburn.
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
Maine SFI Implementation T Committee wins award for community leadership, outreach COURTESY MAINE FOREST PRODUCTS COUNCIL
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAINE FOREST PRODUCTS COUNCIL
he Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced today that the Maine SFI Implementation Committee is the winner of the 2017 SFI Implementation Committee Achievement Award. This award, announced at the SFI Annual Conference, recognizes the exceptional work of the grassroots network of 34 SFI Implementation Committees across the U.S. and Canada. Groups ranging from Habitat for Humanity and Boy Scouts to universities and Ducks Unlimited Canada work with SFI Implementation Committees. “Education and outreach have long been a strength of the Maine SFI Implementation Committee. Every year we hold multiple events and workshops that involve hundreds of people and benefit our communities. Having these efforts recognized with an SFI award is hugely gratifying,” said Pat Sirois, the Maine SFI Coordinator. “This award really belongs to the network of countless people who care about Maine’s forests. We all share the benefits of the healthy, productive forests that are such a significant part of the quality of life in our state.” The Maine committee was selected based on education outreach efforts focused on water quality, a community partnership with Make-A-Wish Maine, which grants the wishes of children diagnosed with lifethreatening illnesses, and the growth of the SFI Program. “The Maine committee exemplifies SFI’s connection with environmental education, community engagement, and outdoor recreation for all,” said Kathy
Abusow, president and CEO of SFI Inc. Education outreach highlights from 2017 included an expanded flume table program. The flume tables are sandboxes about the size and height of a kitchen table. They started out as a teaching aid to demonstrate natural stream functions. They have evolved into an effective SFI outreach tool to raise awareness of sustainable forest management, and best management practices for water quality. The tables are used during Project Learning Tree (PLT) workshops. PLT is an award-winning environmental education program that uses trees and forests as windows on the world to increase youth understanding of the environment and actions they can take to conserve it. PLT became an SFI program in July and this new relationship will strengthen SFI’s growing youth education efforts. Support for Make-A-Wish Maine brightened the lives of two boys. For 13year old Kyan MacDonald, a cabin delivered to his home is a dream come true. “Kyan’s Kabin,” complete with two lofts, built-in storage and windows letting in plenty of light, was unveiled as a surprise on August 9. Kyan was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and is now in remission. On July 20, four-year-old Derek Wilson got his own, one-of-a-kind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed playhouse. The main part of the playhouse is a two-floor block and it includes custom-made doors feature Derek’s name. Derek was diagnosed with leukemia almost three years ago and remains in treatment.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE
A log loader working on a Kimball logging & firewood operation in Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery.
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE & MASTER LOGGER PROGRAM Providing a Voice for Skilled Stewards of the Working Forest
Since 1995, when a group of Maine loggers created it, the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) has been a trade organization which exists to give independent logging contractors and sole proprietors a voice in the rapidly changing forest products industry. Board membership consists of only loggers, making it an organization that is run by loggers on behalf of loggers. PLC's mission is to promote logging as a f i advocate d ffor llogging i professionals, f i l profession, cultivate responsible forest management, and sustain a strong forest products industry. Logging contributed an estimated $882 million to the State’s economy in 2014 . The industry supports thousands of jobs in the State. In 1999, PLC created the first in the world Master Logger Certification Program, setting the standard for third-party certification, establishing
the independent Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands in 2003 to administer the program. Since its inception, the Trust’s primary goal has been to “Enhance the health of working forests through exceptional accountability.” The nine standards our Master Loggers must meet and continue to demonstrate through random audits and re-certification are detailed. Our members realize that harvesting is not just about “cutting trees,” it’s about providing assurances of loggers’commitment to excellence. Master Loggersare dedicated to continuous improvement,protecting water quality, maintaining soil integrity, and enhancing wildlife habitats while ensuring the health and aesthetics of Maine’s forest resource. The Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands has expanded the Maine Master Logger program to become the Northeast Master Logger Certification i N program (NEMLC) (NEMLC), encompassing New England and New York, and has added separate FSC® Forest Management and FSC® Chain of Custody Group Certifications. Today each of these independent organizations remains as non-profits, fully supported by their membership. The Professional Logging Contractors of Maine are promoters of economic development in Maine, providing quality
business services tailored to loggers & related businesses, facilitating regional interaction and training for loggers. The Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands’ Northeast Master Logger Certification Program works to enhance the health of working forests through exceptional accountability, allowing participants in the NEMLC program to address the unique needs of landowners throughout New England and New York.
Proud Supporters of the PLC & Master Logger Program HANINGTON BROTHERS MACWAHOC, ME • 765-2681
MADDEN TIMBERLANDS, INC OLD TOWN, ME • 827-0112
LINKLETTER & SONS ATHENS, ME • 654-2301
W T GARDNER, INC LINCOLN, ME •794-2303
TATE BROOK LOGGING CO, LLC LINCOLN, ME • 907-0915
FSC® C017399
Contact Information for TCNEF & NEMLC: Ted Wright, Executive Director 207-688-8195 • websites: www.tcnef.org www.masterloggercertification.com Email: executivedirector@tcnef.org
Contact Information for PLC of Maine: Dana Doran, Executive Director executivedirector@maineloggers.com 207-688-8195 • www.maineloggers.com Standing Strong For Loggers
ROBIN A. CRAWFORD & SONS LINCOLN, ME • 794-6357
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands to lead national promotion efforts for Master Logger Certification program COURTESY OF TRUST TO CONSERVE NORTHEAST FORESTLANDS
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he American Logger’s Council (ALC) has announced that the Maine-based Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands (TCNF) will lead a national effort to promote the Master Logger Certification program. During the ALC’s Summer Board of Directors Meeting in Opelika, Alabama on July 29, members of the ALC voted to move forward with a proposal submitted by the TCNF and the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) to revitalize and promote the program. “Loggers have been leading the way in point of harvest certification, and we want the partners in the industry and the general public to know that Master Loggers go above and beyond and that their practices are verifiable by thirdparty auditing processes,” TCNF executive director Ted Wright said. “Practices that go above and beyond should be recognized and loggers will benefit from the recognition.”
Master Logger is well-known in the forest products industry as a rigorous certification which can only be earned by loggers who are harvesting professionally and sustainably, and adhering to the highest standards of conduct. While it may be generally unknown to the public, landowners large and small are increasingly seeking Master Loggers for harvests on their property, and many end-users of wood are also seeking its assurances that the wood they are buying is being harvested sustainably and responsibly. In the northeast where the program originated and is quite robust, it operates under the Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands, a 501(c)3 organization formed by the PLC in 2003 to administer the program with the broader goal of “enhancing the health of working forest ecosystems through exceptional accountability” throughout the Northern Forest region.
The decision to have the TCNF lead the effort to revitalize and promote it is a practical one given that its roots are in Maine: in 2000, the PLC created the Northeast Master Logger Certification Program, the world’s first third-party independent certification program for timber harvesters using standards cross-referenced to all the world’s major green certification systems. The program was recognized and adopted by the ALC that year, and since then 18 states have approved templates for implementation of it. It has gained international attention and been adopted in other nations, and was awarded the first-in-the-world SMARTLOGGING Certificate through the Rainforest Alliance. Long-time PLC Member and TCNF board member Andy Irish was one of those who helped create the program. He attended the July 29 ALC meeting, where he pointed to the benefits of a strong branding effort for Master Logger like
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
that which established Angus beef as a premium brand, so that customers recognize Master Logger as a premium product and know what they are getting when they see that name. He also praised the strong ALC support for having the national effort be led by TCNF and PLC. “I think now is the time and I know it’s going to work,” Irish said. “We made a world-renowned program, it’s finally started to take root, it’s come back home and now we’re going to grow the program.” The ALC’s national Master Logger Certification program template is built on seven areas of responsibility that meet the performance standards of the program, but allow each state participant to tailor their program based on existing state regulations and forest practices acts. Under the proposal submitted by the TCNF and PLC, the first year of the effort to revitalize and promote Master Logger will include organizing and meeting with subcommittee members, standardizing the branding and marketing of the program, and providing technical support and outreach to states. For more information on the Master Logger Program contact Ted Wright at (207) 532-8721 or executivedirector@ tcnef.org. Information is also available at masterloggercertification.com.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MAINE FOREST PRODUCTS COUNCIL
Richard Wing and Son Logging.
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
Maine Wood Products Association announces award winners COURTESY MAINE WOOD PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION
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t a recent awards banquet held in Waterville, the Maine Wood Products Association (MWPA) presented its Pine Tree Award to Pallet One of Livermore Falls and its Pine Cone Award to Shaw & Tenney of Orono. In addition, the UMaine School of Forest Resources received special recognition for their dedication in the advancement of wood technology impacting the wood products industry. “The awards announcement and the celebration dinner is an exciting time for MWPA because it allows us to showcase the creativity and innovative spirit of both larger and smaller members alike,” said Kris Cornish, executive director of MWPA. “The general public often has the misconception that wood manufacturing is an industry that is behind the times technologically. These awards help to highlight the innovations made in this industry by our members.” “This year we also recognized the University of Maine School of Forest Resources for their technological advancements impacting the wood products industry through their research at the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and the Forest Bioproducts Research Institute,” Cornish continued. The Pine Tree and Pine Cone Awards are presented each year to two MWPA members who are Maine based wood products manufacturing companies that have taken innovative steps in the prior two years to
strengthen their businesses. Acquisitions of other businesses, investments in current operations, the addition of major equipment or new product lines, and sustainability efforts are just some of the creative things former winners have been awarded for. The winning companies also promote the Maine Made Americas Best theme. The Pine Cone is awarded to one of our smaller members and the Pine Tree is awarded to one of our larger members. Stuart Isaacson, area sales manager and Donnie Isaacson, VP and regional manager of PalletOne, accepted the Pine Tree Award on behalf of their company. PalletOne is the largest pallet manufacturer in the U.S. with 17 facilities in 9 states. The facility in Livermore Falls, originally Isaacson Lumber, employs over 175 Mainers. The Livermore Falls facility is FSC Certified, all logs harvested come from land that is FSC, SFI or Tree Farm Certified. They have an aggressive pallet recovery and remanufacture program and run their plant using Lean Manufacturing principles. “If you want to know how the economy is doing, ask a pallet manufacturer,” said Stuart Isaacson. “Every tractor trailer that is driving down the road is filled with product that is sitting on pallets. The more pallets our customers are buying, the more product they are selling. We usually feel the economy shift 3-6 months before the rest of the world sees it.” The Pine Cone Award was presented to Steve Holt
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
and Nancy Forester-Holt, caretakers to the Shaw & Tenney legacy. Shaw & Tenney has been producing the world’s finest traditional oars and paddles in Orono, Maine since 1858. Shaw & Tenney is the second-oldest manufacturer of marine products in the U.S. Shaw & Tenney was awarded the Pine Cone Award as a smaller company but their impact is anything but small. They have expanded their traditional offerings to include boathooks, masts, spars, flagpoles and custom engraving on their products for awards and art. They offer time honored traditional craftsmanship in their products but all are manufactured to be 100% sustainable. Shaw & Tenney have utilized their website, social media and the internet to bring their Maine craftsmanship and products worldwide. They were also noted in MaineBiz as as one of Maine’s Top Ten Iconic Products. Dr. Douglas Gardner accepted special recognition from the Maine Wood Products
Association, on behalf of the UMaine School of Forest Resources. The research being done at the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and the Forest Bioproducts Research Institute is critical to the advancement of the wood products industry. Their research on cross laminated timbers, wood composites pilot manufacturing, nanotechnology, and biomass will directly impact wood manufacturing in Maine. The awards were presented at a banquet on September 21 at O’Brien’s Event Center, Waterville, Maine. “Being innovative is important for wood products companies in Maine, in order to effectively compete in our global marketplace,” said MWPA president Phil Roland of Aquest Corp. “Innovation can take many forms depending on the size and nature of the company and we think it is important to shine a light on these companies to serve as models for the wood products industry.”
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
FIRST GRADUATES COMPLETE PLC’S MECHANIZED LOGGING OPERATIONS PROGRAM COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE
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he first graduates of Maine’s new post-secondary training program for operators of mechanized logging equipment were recognized Sept. 22 at a ceremony held in the woods south of Medway where they spent weeks harvesting timber using sophisticated state-of-the-art machines like those they will encounter in the logging industry. The new program was launched this summer thanks to a partnership between three Maine community colleges, the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine, and industry partners including Milton CAT/CAT Forest Products and Nortrax Inc./John Deere.
“We could not be prouder today to see these newly trained forest technicians enter our industry,” Scott Madden, owner of Madden Timberlands and President of the PLC, said at the ceremony. “With twelve weeks of hands-on training under your belt, each one of you has a great opportunity to enter this industry at just the right time. There are great things on the horizon for this industry and with the training you have received here, you will always have a job.” While the logging industry has seen some contraction in recent years due to the loss of pulp and paper mills, the demand for skilled operators of the feller bunchers,
harvesters, grapple skidders, forwarders, delimbers, and other mechanized logging equipment that now harvests approximately 95 percent of all timber in Maine is strong. Many current operators are reaching retirement age and the steep costs of training new operators is driving up demand and wages. “Logging is at a crossroads and these graduates are perfectly positioned to begin rewarding careers in an industry that despite the headlines - is going to be around for a very long time,” PLC Executive Director Dana Doran said. “When employers drive hundreds of miles to interview students who have not even graduated yet
for jobs, it is clear there is great demand for them. Every one of these graduates already has a job waiting for them in the industry.” The post-secondary program began June 19 in Millinocket, in conjunction with Eastern Maine Community College, and will rotate to other locations around the state as each class completes it. The hands-on experience students gained operating equipment for weeks in the woods is something unavailable anywhere else in Maine and neighboring states. It generally takes at least a year of training and experience before an operator becomes skilled enough to run this equipment safely and efficiently. The cost
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017 PHOTO COURTESY PLC
Scott Madden, owner of Madden Timberlands and president of the PLC, addresses the graduates and attendees at the Mechanized Loggers Program graduation Sept. 22.
for companies to train these operators themselves is approximately $100,000 each. The program was jointly developed by the PLC and Northern Maine Community College (NMCC), Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC), and Washington County Community College (WCCC). Maine’s lawmakers made funding available for the program through the ‘Put ME to Work Program’ to support creation of new job training programs at Maine’s community colleges. It enjoyed bipartisan support. Other support came from Acadia Insurance, Labonville Inc, Katahdin Fire Company, Eldon Pelletier, Steve Hanington, and Madden Timberlands Inc. More information on the program is available at www.nmcc.edu/industry-customized-training/ mechanized-forest-operations/
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
We proudly recognize
National Bioenergy Day
FIFTH ANNUAL
Celebrating Nature’s Energy Source
OCTOBER 18, 2017
ReEnergy creates bioenergy, contributes to economy, preserves Maine forests COURTESY OF REENERGY HOLDINGS
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ReEnergy Ashland (39 MW) Ashland, Aroostook County
ReEnergy Livermore Falls (39 MW) Livermore Falls, Androscoggin County ReEnergy Stratton (48 MW) Stratton, Franklin County Creating environmentally responsible renewable power using biomass material, which is residue from logging and mill operations. Biomass energy supports jobs, enhances
www.reenergyholdings.com
www.biomasspowerassociation.com
www.bioenergyday.com
eEnergy Holdings celebrated the fifth annual National Bioenergy Day on Oct. 18, 2017. This day is marked across North America to inform citizens about a form of renewable energy with significant local benefits. Bioenergy is electricity and heat generated from wood and other organic materials. In 2015, according to the U.S. Energy Information Association, approximately 22% of all renewable energy consumed was from wood – more than wind and solar and second only to hydroelectric energy. When operating at full capacity, ReEnergy’s four biomass power facilities together spend approximately $90 million per year in operating expenses, much of which is used to pay for the purchase of fuel from local logging contractors and sawmills. The four plants generate enough power to supply 154,000 and support approximately 100 direct jobs and an estimated 700 indirect jobs. The facilities serve as a critical market for residue from logging and mill operations. “Bioenergy contributes a great deal to our local economy and helps keep forests as forests. It enhances forest health and supports jobs in the forest industry,” said Bob Cleaves, a lifelong Mainer who serves as president of the national Biomass Power Association. “We employ local residents and generate clean energy from materials that would otherwise be discarded. National Bioenergy Day gives people an opportunity to see what we do firsthand and learn more about bioenergy.” In Maine, ReEnergy conducts business with more than 80 logging/trucking
contractors and approximately 20 mills, including sawmills, chip mills, pellet mills, and pulp/paper mills. ReEnergy also has invested approximately $15 million to purchase almost 80 pieces of state-of-the-art logging equipment for about 70 logging companies. ReEnergy’s fuel procurement program is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), an internationally recognized standard that verifies that ReEnergy’s suppliers follow best management practices that promote sustainable forest management and consider all forest values, including the protection of wildlife habitat and water quality. “Since we became a Maine corporate citizen in 2011, we have deployed more than $500 million in capital and operating expenses in our Maine assets, and we wish to increase that commitment,” said Larry Richardson, ReEnergy Holdings’ chief executive officer. “Many logging companies and mills count on our facilities for their continued viability, and we firmly believe that our biomass assets represent a critical economic development tool, as each of our power facilities is located adjacent to at least one large tract of undeveloped land and each could provide affordable electricity, thermal energy and other infrastructure support to a co-located industry. We appreciate the policy support that our sector has received from the State of Maine, and we’re working to ensure that our facilities can be a catalyst for the development of new complementary industries. We are engaged in aggressive efforts to ensure long-term viability of our assets in Maine.”
FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017
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Acadia Insurance to distribute premium dividends to eligible PLC safety group members COURTESY OF ACADIA INSURANCE
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cadia Insurance, a W. R. Berkley Company, recently announced that it will pay nearly $1.5 million in premium dividends to eligible policyholder members of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) Safety Group. Since 1999, Acadia has distributed over $7.6 million in premium dividends to eligible participants of this safety group. Founded by Acadia Insurance, the PLC Safety Group dividend program rewards logging companies and sole proprietors for having a safe workplace by refunding a portion of their insurance premium if certain measures are met by the entire safety group. In addition, Acadia Insurance, in coordination with the PLC, provides risk management and mitigation expertise to members to help ensure the
long-term sustainability of the logging industry in Maine. “We are very pleased to once again issue dividends to eligible PLC members and appreciate the group’s collective commitment to safety,” said Jonathan Becker, regional vice president of Acadia Insurance’s Maine office. “It is truly a win-win when we can return premiums while helping protect such a vital part of Maine’s economy.” The PLC of Maine has been serving loggers since 1995 and aims to give independent logging contractors a voice in the ever-changing logging industry. The PLC focuses on advocacy, safety, quality operations and business innovation for loggers. The PLC is a logging organization run by loggers that understands the importance of the
logging industry and its impact on the Maine economy. For more information about the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Safety Group, contact Kim Farquhar, marketing director, Acadia Insurance, at kimberly.farquhar@acadia-ins.com. Acadia Insurance is a regional underwriter offering commercial and specialty property casualty insurance coverages through independent insurance agents with local offices in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, Acadia Insurance Company is a member company of W. R. Berkley Corporation, one of the nation’s premier commercial lines property casualty insurance providers. Visit www. acadiainsurance.com for more information.
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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 19, 2017