ForesTree Equipment Trader

Click. Connect. Trade. www.ForesTreeTrader.com

PRINT CLASSIFIED AD RATES: Print advertising rates are $50 per inch. Space is available by column inch only, one inch minimum. DEADLINES: Ad reservation must be received by 10th of month prior to month of publication. Material must be received no later than 12th of month prior to month of publication. CONTACT: Call Bridget DeVane at 334-699-7837, 800-669-5613, email bdevane7@hotmail.com or visit www.southernloggintimes.com

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RECONDITIONED DELIMBINATORS!!

In addition to new machines, CHAMBERS DELIMBINATOR,

INC. now has factory reconditioned DeLimbinators. These units have been inspected, repaired, and updated as needed. Call us and we will help you select a DeLimbinator for your need. WE ALSO BUY USED DELIMBINATORS

Call: 662-285-2777 day, 662-285-6832 eves Email: info@chambersdelimbinator.com

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TIG welding, air hammer “peening” of the welds, and alloy repair rods are the proven way to fix cracks in feller saw disks. Balancing and straightening a specialty. CARVER SAWDISK REPAIR

Washington, NC 27889 252.945.2358

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Logo indicates that equipment in the ad also appears on www.ForesTreeTrader.com

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I approached a mill that had just imposed a price cut going into the winter harvest season. Their response was, “I’ve seen the trucks those loggers are driving, they are doing just fine.”

Far more are leaving the industry than are coming into it. l Federal Timber Availability: The USFS is an easy target. Federal policy and environmentalists have tied their hands. I’ve worked with the USFS in DC and locally and found them to be genuinely committed to proper forest management, but the system prohibits it. NEPA and ESA have been weaponized against them, and the timber industry, to restrict silvicultural based sustainable forest management practices on federal lands. I recently spent six hours with loggers with the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference and Trinity River Lumber Co. touring by helicopter the aftermath of the wildfires in California. Loggers were rushing to salvage the timber from private land and replanting, while little to nothing was being done on USFS managed lands. The contrasting responses could not have been more evident, and disappointing.

Recently a mill in South Dakota closed. They produced lumber. Who in their right mind would close a lumber mill this day and age with the price and demand skyrocketing? Unfortunately due to the aggressive timber harvest campaign by the USFS to mitigate the beetle infestation, the USFS indicated that they were going to restrain their future harvest volume. Where 80% of the timber came from federal timber sources, the mill was not going to be able to secure enough timber after 53 years of operation, and eliminated 120 jobs. Western states forest products industries are heavily dependent on federal timber, but even from a Midwestern perspective, the USFS manages approximately 11% of Minnesota’s timber lands, but only contributes 4% of the harvested timber. In fact, the Superior National Forest has 63,000 acres of land in need of treatment, but the quality of the timber has deteriorated to the point that it is only suitable for biomass, and Minnesota has no biomass markets.

When the housing market crashed I went to DC to meet with the USFS regarding timber permits. We requested modifications to USFS Timber Permits. The officials agreed with the need, but indicated that they did not have the authority to do so and would need Congressional authorization. So, we worked with Congress and six months later had the Rate Redetermination authorization in the 2010 Farm Bill. That saved loggers hundreds of millions across the country. The ALC needs to work with the USFS to remove the restrictions from them that are inhibiting their ability to conduct forest management, reduce wildfire frequency, and support timber salvage and reforestation.

SLT: At times ALC has had a lobbyist in DC and also worked various programs to directly contact Congress people and staff and agency officials as well. Any thoughts on increasing or intensifying ALC’s impact on Capitol Hill in DC?

DANE: There is nothing more effective at state capitals or DC than loggers and truckers personally sharing their challenges, needs and stories. But loggers and truckers are not always

27 ➤ able to be at the state capitals or DC. Other representatives and/or lobbyists can effectively represent the industry. As is said, “If you are not at the table, you are probably on the menu.” The timber industry needs to be at the table. But lobbyists are only as good as the people they represent if they effectively educate, direct and assist the lobbyists. A priority of the ALC is national representation with federal legislation. That will continue to be a mission priority of the ALC and there will be an increased presence in DC to support these important initiatives and conduct the groundwork. SLT: We saw recent reports ALC has seen a membership increase. How is the ALC’s overall health in terms of logging members, associate members, overall funding streams, etc.? DANE: The ALC has never been in a stronger position both from a membership perspective and financially. But there is room to improve. The membership committee will be rolling out an Associate Membership Campaign soon. While the ALC is a logging and trucking association, many other industries depend on the success of American logging and trucking industry. When we are successful, they are successful. Landowners, mills, forestry associations, insurance companies, fuel companies, financial institutions, equipment dealers, truck companies and foresters. The ALC is generally the point man on many of the legislative efforts that improve the timber industry across the country and from which these other stakeholders benefit. So we are inviting them to “Help Us Help Them Succeed.” SLT