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Vol. 44, No. 4
(Founded in 1972—Our 511th Consecutive Issue)
F E AT U R E S
APRIL 2015 A Hatton-Brown Publication
Phone: 334-834-1170 Fax: 334-834-4525 www.southernloggintimes.com
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J.M. Wood Spring Auction Success
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Green Logging, LLC Family, Faith
Co-Publisher Co-Publisher Chief Operating Officer Executive Editor Editor-in-Chief Western Editor Managing Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Production Manager Ad Production Coordinator Circulation Director
David H. Ramsey David (DK) Knight Dianne C. Sullivan David (DK) Knight Rich Donnell Dan Shell David Abbott Jessica Johnson Jay Donnell Cindy Segrest Patti Campbell Rhonda Thomas
ADVERTISING CONTACTS DISPLAY SALES Eastern U.S. Kathy Sternenberg Tel: 251-928-4962 • Fax: 334-834-4525 219 Royal Lane Fairhope, AL 36532 E-mail: ksternenberg@bellsouth.net Midwest USA, Eastern Canada
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John Deere L, M Series Debut
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out front: It’s a good day for logging according to Louisiana’s Greg Williams, nicknamed “The Guru” by some of his peers. The owner of Greg Williams Logging also serves with the Southern Loggers Co-op. Story begins on PAGE 8. (Jessica Johnson photo)
Historic Series Appalachian Logging 1880-1920
D E PA RT M E N T S Southern Stumpin’..............................6 Bulletin Board ...................................34 Industry News Roundup ..................36 At The Margins..................................44 Machines-Supplies-Technology ......45 IronWorks ..........................................46 Safety Focus ......................................53 Coming Events/Ad Index .................54
John Simmons Tel: 905-666-0258 • Fax: 905-666-0778 32 Foster Cres. Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 1W1 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com Western Canada, Western USA Tim Shaddick Tel: 604-910-1826 • Fax: 604-264-1367 4056 West 10th Ave. Vancouver, BC V6L 1Z1 E-mail: tootall1@shaw.ca International Murray Brett Tel: +34 96 640 4165 Fax: +34 96 640 4022 Aldea de las Cuevas 66 Buzon 60 • 03759 Benidoleig (Alicante), Spain E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
Bridget DeVane
Tel: 1-800-669-5613 • Tel 334-699-7837 Email: bdevane7@hotmail.com
Southern Loggin’ Times (ISSN 0744-2106) is published monthly by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Subscription Information—SLT is sent free to logging, pulpwood and chipping contractors and their supervisors; managers and supervisors of corporate-owned harvesting operations; wood suppliers; timber buyers; wood procurement and land management officials; industrial forestry purchasing agents; wholesale and retail forest equipment representatives and forest/logging association personnel in the U.S. South. See form elsewhere in this issue. All nonqualified U.S. subscriptions are $65 annually; $75 in Canada; $120 (Airmail) in all other countries (U.S. funds). Single copies, $5 each; special issues, $20 (U.S. funds). Subscription Inquiries—TOLLFREE 800-669-5613; Fax 888-611-4525. Go to www.southernloggintimes.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe/renew via the web. All advertisements for Southern Loggin’ Times magazine are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. harmless from and against any loss, expenses, or other liability resulting from any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Southern Loggin’ Times. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices.Printed In USA.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Southern Loggin’ Times, P.O. Box 5613, Montgomery, AL 36103-5613 Member Verified Audit Circulation
Other Hatton-Brown publications: ★ Timber Processing ★ Timber Harvesting ★Panel World ★ Power Equipment Trade ★ Wood Bioenergy
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SOUTHERN STUMPIN’ By David Abbott • Managing Editor • Ph. 334-834-1170 • Fax: 334-834-4525 • E-mail: david@hattonbrown.com
Rushed ebruary was busy. I made three separate trips to Georgia and one to Tennessee; the fruits of those trips have been filling the pages of this and other Hatton-Brown publications last month and this. In between destinations, I heard conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh mention logging on his February 9 radio broadcast. As part of his daily diatribe of lambasting liberals, Rush recalled the northern spotted owl controversy in California 25 years ago (I remember reading about it in my dad’s SLT when I was a kid). An estimated 30,000 jobs were lost in the Pacific Northwest, and timber harvesting declined by 80%. Arguably there were and remain other long-term factors beyond the spotted owl, but it’s a powerful symbol of the perceived conflict between commerce and ecology; perception affects reality. Citing the situation as an example of the communication breakdown across the political divide, Rush noted how timber companies lamented their portrayal in the story—demonized in the media and misunderstood by the public. We don’t want to destroy the forest, frustrated California loggers told him at the time. We need the forest; we are in the forest business. If we don’t replant more than we cut, we’ll be out of business. Rush says he explained to the loggers that the attack was not logical but ideological. It was a little disconcerting to realize that in the quarter-century since, I don’t know how much progress we’ve made in combatting that public image. No doubt many have worked hard to overcome it, but it seems that the perception of loggers as greedy robber barons, villains in Ted Turner’s “Captain Planet” cartoon, hell-bent on wiping nature out, still persists in the imaginations of many who don’t know any better.
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Deere Day In Georgia, I attended John Deere’s media event introducing its L and M series lineup, including its first Final Tier 4 forestry machines (see p. 18, this issue). The M series had already been introduced, but the L series wasn’t to be made public until after April 1, so we didn’t include my report last issue. It was a fun day. Turns out one of Deere’s PR people lives in the same Maryland town as my best friend from college. I got a chance to drive one of the new L model skidders. I had played with a small loader at the Elmia show in Sweden in 2013, but this was the first time I had driven a skidder in about 15 years or more. My dad retired from logging and sold his equipment in 2002, and the last time I worked very much on his crew was in 1998 or so. That was a Franklin skidder, and before that, orange Timberjacks. So this skidder is a far cry from what I ran growing up. 6
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The Most Dangerous Job Back in Georgia I visited Pierce Timber Co. at its home office in Waycross, and, days later, a few of its several logging crews. This produced an article in SLT’s last issue focused on one of the Pierce foresters, Chad Nimmer, as well as a more complete article on the whole company in the March/April issue of our companion periodical, Timber Harvesting. On the way there, I heard another mention of logging on the radio, this time as a news item. For the second year in a row, logging has been named the most dangerous job in the country, in terms of per capita fatalities—91.3 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was 127.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2012, the year when logging overtook long-time fatality front-runner, fishing. Note that those numbers are extrapolated; there weren’t 128 logging deaths in 2012 and there weren’t 100,000 logging jobs. According to the BLS, there were 34,050 working full-time in logging jobs in 2012, and 62 deaths (59 deaths in 2013). Online, I found basically the same information repeated in articles on the web sites of CNN, Business Insider, Forbes, CBS and the Washington Post. “Mothers, don’t let your babies grow up to be loggers,” declared a January 16, 2014 CBS article (http://www.cbsnews.com/media/nations-10-mostdangeous-jobs/). A top 10 list of deadliest jobs in a Business Insider article from December 5, 2014 (http://www.businessinsider.com/most-dangerousjobs-in-america-2014-12?op=1#ixzz3VXKy3kXI) also included construction workers, electrical power line workers, farmers/ranchers, truck drivers, miners, roofers and professional fishers—none of those professions had as many deaths, as a percentage of the number of workers, as logging. Police and firefighters did not make the top 10 lists, based on BLS numbers. None of the articles mentioned military deaths. Earlier I referenced the public perception of loggers. It’s not just a PR concern; it can have tangible effects. When I mentioned this report to the Pierce Timber guys, they pointed out that this perception of logging as dangerous—even though technology has made it less dangerous than in the past—creates higher insurance premiums. Several of the articles did point out two things. First, they did point out that loggers are providing the raw material for numerous vital products we all use everyday—a fact that all-too-often somehow seems to escape the notice of industry critics. Second, many noted the danger is almost entirely to those working on the ground and has been significantly reduced by the rise of feller-bunchers and harvesters.
Do you have a formal safety program and conduct regular meetings? Some make it a big, fun quarterly or monthly event—the Wall family in Osyka, Miss., for instance, host a company cookout with the safety meeting. Some hire outside consultants, like Safety On Site—this is the Pierce Timber method. Others bring issues up as they come up. However you approach it, do something. For most loggers I meet, this has now become second nature, but there are still a few stubborn holdouts. A logger once defiantly told me that he would not wear a hardhat and no man could make him (his wife, it seems, later made him). That’s his prerogative I suppose, but…why? I know people who get really upset that the law requires them to wear seatbelts. What do you prove or gain by NOT wearing a seatbelt? Maybe I’m too pragmatic but choose your battles, you know? Why take a stand on something that really costs you nothing and might save your life? Does it really hurt you to wear a hardhat? Don’t tell me you’re worried about messing up your hair.
Dead Ringer Pierce forester Nimmer is also a Georgia state legislator, so our conversation included broader issues beyond the forest products sector. One thing he mentioned briefly—this didn’t make it into either the TH or SLT version of the story— was the rise of the film industry in his state. Georgia has become a favorite destination for Hollywood movie studios looking for locations to film. I told him how last summer I took my two sons to New Orleans to film a scene as extras in the latest Jurassic Park movie, which will be released in a couple of months. (I doubt you can actually see us, but if you go see it, look for us in the crowd when a huge water dinosaur eats a shark—we’ll be the bald dad with two young boys, one wearing a funny hat.) I also mentioned that I’m a big fan of AMC’s monstrously popular TV series, The Walking Dead, which films in Georgia; the cast and crew live around Atlanta much of the year. Most of my family and many of the people here at Hatton-Brown’s offices also follow the runaway hit. It’s not for everyone. My dad won’t watch it; he’s too squeamish. But my mom loves it. Jokingly, I asked Nimmer if he could use his swing in the General Assembly to get me a walkon role as a “walker” on the show (in the story, the characters call the zombies “walkers,” and they are often played by extras). “Sure, man, I got you covered,” he laughed. Chad, if you’re reading this, I know you were joking. I don’t care, I’m holding SLT you to it anyway.
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One Fine Day ■ Happy go lucky Greg Williams knows what he's doing in Louisiana.
This 234 is one of the most recent additions to Greg Williams’ Tigercat-heavy machinery roster.
By Jessica Johnson SALINE, La. ★ reg Williams, 54, the owner of Greg Williams Logging, makes a habit of giving friends and family bumper stickers that say, “It’s A Fine Day for Logging.” Williams thinks every day is a fine day for logging, no matter the conditions. That kind of upbeat attitude isn’t always prevalent with loggers in the dry heat of Louisiana. But for Williams, he really does believe what he says. In fact, he proudly “flies the flag” and his truck has the forest green sticker. It
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started in a morning meeting, and it quickly grew. “I’m always coming up with different little anecdotes and I got started saying it every morning.” It finally stuck, and someone said he should probably put that on a bumper sticker…and the rest, well, it’s history. “There have been a lot of them circulating around. These are giveaways to fly the flag,” he says. His son is now involved in the business, helping to add a youthful exuberance to the already bubbly personality of the company. Williams serves as the Southern Loggers Co-Op Board of Directors Secretary, where many have nicknamed him “The Guru.” There
aren’t many problems Williams hasn’t thought through and can’t solve.
Beginnings Williams is a third generation logger, and started working first as a day hand. Though now, he can’t think of anything he would rather do. He explains, “It really came to me as a necessity, as to why I first got into it. Someone had a skidder they needed to be running so I crawled on. I had a family to feed.” After that he was hooked, and moved jobs to begin trucking on his own in 1995. When an opportunity came up in 2000 to buy the job he was working on he jumped on it.
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From there, he says, “We worked our way on with it.” It came with all used equipment, but has since grown as the times have changed and machinery has gotten more advanced.
Iron Registry Williams says that moving away from the old equipment in 2000 was a gradual progression and he began to buy new stuff after a couple of years. Currently the job has a 2002 Tigercat 630B skidder, a 2007 John Deere 335 loader, a 2009 Tigercat 725 fellerbuncher, a 2011 Tigercat 630D skidder, a 2012 John Deere 750K dozer, a 2014 Tigercat 720E feller-buncher, and a 2014 Tigercat 234 loader.
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Doggett Machinery provides sales and support for Williams’s John Deere products, while Patrick Miller provides sales and support for Tigercat. While he’s got a few John Deere pieces, and has no complaints about them, Williams is more of a Tigercat fan. He says, “Tigercat is dependable, high performing and durable and the service we get from Patrick Miller— they are great.” Williams doesn’t use GPS systems inside the equipment, but does make use of GPS systems to look at tracts of timber, to locate sets and for road building. Using the GPS Williams says he can easily tell right where he is on a tract, something you couldn’t do without the technology. Routine maintenance is done by the crew every 250 hours. Operators grease their own machines daily. Williams explains that in terms of the larger maintenance work, they do as much as they possibly can themselves, and luckily don’t report too many breakdowns. “If we need somebody from the dealer, they are usually Johnny on the spot, quick to come out,” he says. He credits the crew with the lack of breakdowns. “The guys take good care of the machines. They know how to run it. The equipment is a lot better than when I started in the early ’80s. It’s a little better built,” he believes. The crew has both a 40x60 shop with a 40x70 wash rack on the back to work from and a service truck outfitted with diesel, Stihl power saws, hand tools, an air compressor and a small array of parts like water pumps and alternators. Williams explains that keeping alternators on the service truck helps get the crew right back in it. “If an alternator goes out, you’ve only got what’s left in the battery. That’s a plus with Tigercat, on the important stuff, like alternators, everything will swap over, so you only have to keep one,” he says in reference to the financial investment of keeping parts. The Southern Loggers Co-Op supplies all diesel; Williams has been a member since the beginning. (His membership number is 14.) He feels that the Co-Op is important because of its objective: lower cost of doing business. On any given day, he says, the trucks will stop at any of the four stations in the area: Winnfield, Carmel, Campti and Hodge. He likes it not only for the price savings, but for the convenience as well. McCartney Oil delivers diesel to his shop, where he keeps a 2,000 gal. tank as well as a 500 gal. one.
Another 2014 model, the 720E is one of two Tigercat cutters on the crew.
Trucking Arm Williams runs all of his own trucks, and chooses only one brand: Mack. “I didn’t know there was
Like father, like son: Greg, left, and Luke Williams, right
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anything else,” he says with an easy smile and booming laugh. Trailers are Magnolia double bunks, Bear pole, Pitts plantations and a Viking lowboy. Out of the five trucks, four run full time hauling to the mills, while one is set aside as a lowboy truck. Williams doesn’t run scales because he’s not really worried about short loading and hasn’t had problems with weight tickets. He does, however, have problems with truck shakedowns and the move to Tier 4 engines. In fact, he names one of his biggest concerns in the industry as regulations—and not the one most think of. His biggest problem has come from moving to the engines that have regen systems. His trucks are going to the shop more than ever before without mechanical problems. Instead, they have sensors failing thanks to the added emissions cleaning part of the engine. “An internal combustion engine is complicated enough without adding a whole other system to it. There was no real reason for this; I never choked on breathing this air. I breathe it straight out of these exhaust pipes nearly. There’s no way to compensate for it. Everything went up nearly $10,000,” he says, and all because a sensor is going bad. Williams reports that the trucks don’t have weight ticket troubles, but that doesn’t stop his trucks from being stopped by DOT. “It takes just as long to shake one down and write a ticket for the least thing the officer can possibly find as it does for pulling one over and shaking it down for very dangerous things,” he says in frustration. “Once the officer writes it down, they’ve got to type it in—killing 45 minutes on the side of the road and even if you don’t have a violation your shakedown time is about the same. That’s a real issue,” Williams believes. “Listen, if they had probable cause to pull us over and stop us because they saw a flat tire or something dragging the road, fine, but without some reason, don’t just sit there on the side of the road, on a long straight stretch and start waving people over. That’s not the American way,” he believes.
Typical Tracts Williams works with Burns Forest Products, in nearby Bienville, La., a timber dealer in his area that keeps him close to his home base of Saline. He says he’s very fortunate. The tract they were on when Southern Loggin’ Times visited was just four miles from his house, but he’s not always that fortunate. Typical radius is about 75 miles from Saline. The tract Williams was on when SLT visited was a 100-acre clear-cut of a mixed stand, which is a typical 10
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Williams is a big fan of Mack trucks—“I didn’t know there was anything else.”
The standard tract for Williams is around 100 acres within a 75-mile radius of home base.
size and sort for him. Though the crew does do some first thinnings every year, they much prefer clearcuts, since thinnings cut down on their production. He explains, “If we are on three months of first thinning, it cuts into our yearly amounts. With a four man crew, skidder, cutter, delimber, if we keep first thinning down to a month, a year production can stay at 100,000 tons.” He reports that average yearly production is 100,000 tons, exactly where he wants it to be. “I’m one of those that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. We move at a good brisk pace, as long as there’s some receiving points for what we do, we don’t need more production,” he explains. “If there’s some more efficient ways, I’m always looking for a better way to do it. But to say I wanted to start moving more than 100,000 tons a year? I don’t need to.” Williams says at this pace he thinks his rates are good. The crew likes to stay under 80 miles on
as he needs to depending on who is paying the most. “We might pull off one and go to someone else, except with logs. Chopin is just about our only market for gatelogs,” Williams explains.
Employee Relationships
Gwen Williams is an accountant.
hauls and so far hasn’t had too much trouble. Pine logs go to RoyOMartin at Chopin, La.; pine pulpwood to RockTenn; hardwood pulpwood to the port in Natchitoches, La., and hardwood logs to Winn Lumber Co. in Winnfield, La. He says that while those are his main markets, he will make changes
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The three-man crew is a tight knit bunch. It helps that Williams’s bubbly personality and firm but easygoing attitude is a family trait. His son Luke, 28, has an easy manner with the guys and is quick to crack jokes as well. “Great minds think alike,” he says cheekily when asked if he ever argues with his dad. Williams is quick to remind him that while Luke’s opinion definitely matters, everyone knows it is Williams who gets the final say. Employees are paid by the day with a bonus plan that kicks in at 40 loads, and gets progressively better once they’ve moved up the ladder. Usually, the crew begins to
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hit bonus on Wednesday. As an additional incentive, the employees have a top of the line Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana healthcare plan, paid for by Williams. Families can be added, but employees pay for the coverage of the additional family members. Something he put into effect well before Obamacare, Williams believes it’s critical to have health insurance. “I wanted insurance for myself, and if the fruits of their labors are going to pay for my insurance, I felt that it was necessary to have, I think they should have the same thing as I do,” he says. Williams explains that he had a quadruple bypass in 2008, and out of that was only out of pocket $5,000. Unfortunately, later that same year, one of the drivers had to have a triple bypass. Thanks to the insurance it did not cripple him. “Had we not had the insurance I might have financially survived, but it would have been tough for him to survive financially,” Williams says. “I’ll be the first one to tell you, when I was young, I didn’t need insurance, I needed money to feed my family,” he says, though now he’s changed his tune and has strong health coverage for himself and his family. He makes sure the employees, no matter their age, are covered as well. Each morning meeting has a safety element, Williams reports. Nothing formal, but every morning the crew all get on the same page as to what the objective is. Luke reports on any truck coordination issues, and if any safety issues come up, the crew will discuss it. Monthly, there is a formal safety meeting, addressing a particular topic. Greg Williams Logging has had some small things happen on the job, but nothing major in terms of accidents. Williams’s wife Gwen, an accountant by trade, does all the bookwork in her home office, where she has the side benefit of watching Luke’s infant son, Grant, every so often. She does everything from check writing to W-2s to managing tickets. Drivers turn tickets in over the weekend, so Sunday afternoon usually before church, she gets the tickets together and creates a spreadsheet to turn into the timber dealer on Monday. “We don’t need an outside CPA because I have a professional accounting background,” she explains. “We know our profit. It would be hard to trust someone else to do it. We can work on our strategies together.”
high school, runs the loader and coordinates the trucking activities. Williams says that since Luke grew up around logging, he knew that’s what he wanted to do. It is not exactly the same path his brother took. Williams’ other son didn’t want any part of logging. He is the Director of Cardiology and Nuclear Medicine at the Green Clinic in Ruston, La. Williams says that shows the woods aren’t for everybody. He sagely adds, “There’s more to life than logging.”
Williams enjoys his work, but does see himself slowing down sometimes in the future—just not the immediate future. He hopes that one day Luke will be in the position to buy the job as he did, and continue the family business. “If he decided he wanted to be a big time logger and take this and go, I could easily see myself driving a truck for him.” And while Luke is very interested in one day having his own job, he’s not sure he wants it to be a huge one. “This all comes natural
to me. I’d be a fourth generation, and keeping something going that long, it means something to me. I’m always thinking about tomorrow,” he says. Though he explains that thinking about tomorrow doesn’t necessarily mean the far off tomorrow, but instead the actual mechanics of tomorrow: should he suggest trading in pieces? “I’m constantly thinking about what we need to be doing,” he says. It’s something he surely learned from SLT his dad.
Fourth Generation Luke, who entered the family business when he came out of Southern Loggin’ Times
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SOLD! ■ J.M. Wood’s annual spring auction was a big success.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. .M. Wood Auction held its 42nd annual spring auction, at the ★ company’s headquarters in Montgomery, Ala. on March 10-12. “This was the largest auction in the 42 years of our family business,” according to company president Bryant Wood. “We had over 600 consignors who put faith in this auction and we worked hard on their behalf; their timing could not have been better. Prices were strong and attendance was high.” J.M. Wood’s next forestry auction in Montgomery will be June 3-4, followed by Alabama state DOT auction June 19-20. The company’s next South Carolina auction will be held later this year, the date yet to SLT be determined.
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Among the highlights of the auction: 2014 model John Deere and Tigercat machines and 2011 Caterpillar machines. Also more than 300 trucks—Mack, Kenworth, Peterbilt and Western Star—ranging from 20072015 models, were auctioned.
The auction grossed over $52 million in total sales, including almost $9 million in online sales—breaking company records.
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Both on-site and online (32% of bids came from online), more than 4,000 bidders came from 20 countries and 45 U.S. states.
Countries represented included Columbia, Bolivia, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Thailand, Panama, Pakistan, New Zealand, Jordan, Mexico, Jamaica, Italy, Guam, Egypt, Australia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico.
The 600 consignors included several logging equipment dealers—Blanchard, Thompson, Yancey Bros., Flint, B&G Supply, among others.
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The Right Path ■ Green Logging works the hills and the flats with a purpose.
By Jay Donnell TRACY CITY, Tenn. he Greens have been ★ logging in Tennessee for more than 40 years. Wesley Green, 71, started Green Logging in 1970. The business is thriving today because of good planning, good management and harvesting efficiency. Wesley’s son, Darrin, 44, started working for the company in 1989 and he hasn’t looked back since. He took over the company in 2000, but Wesley is still on site every day helping out with various jobs. The company ran two crews for many years before they had to cut back to just one crew during the recession. Now they are back to two crews and Darrin feels like that’s right where they need to be. “We had to cut back for a while, but we’re back to full strength now,”
Darrin says. “We have one crew for saw timber and one crew primarily for pulpwood. I don’t want to expand because we’re all such a close knit outfit and I don’t want to mess that up. ” Wesley’s wife, Mary Jane, did all of the company’s paperwork for many years before she passed away. Today, Darrin’s sister, Cindy, helps out with most of the office work. The company, which maintains a shop and office in Tracy City, attributes its success to hard work, and even more so to strong faith.
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Operations
Green Logging, LLC owners, left to right, Darrin Green and Wesley Green
Green added this 959K, a 2014 model, last fall so the company could access high-quality timber on high slopes.
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The company harvests 50-60 loads per week on flat terrain in the winter. “I have never found an ‘easy button’ for mature hardwood limbs,” Darrin says. During the summer months they produce up to 70 loads when the days grow
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longer. When Southern Loggin’ Times visited, they were thinning a 50-acre tract. They had been on the tract for a couple weeks and expected to be there for one more week. Green Logging finds its tracts through Charles R. Page, Jr. and Associates, Inc. whom they have worked with for many years. “We’ve had a really strong relationship with (them),” Darrin explains. “They’ve always been fair with us and I don’t think the relationship could be any better.” Other help comes from Wayne Turner and Ed Eldridge of FP Resolute Paper Mill (Bowater), in Calhoun, Tenn. “I’ve known Wayne for a number of years,” says Wesley. “He’s a good friend and a great help in helping us keep our paper wood volume up.” Generally working (almost exclusively thinning) about 45 minutes to an hour from their home office, Green Logging cuts mostly white oak and poplar. White oak goes to Magnolia Investments Inc. in Stevenson, Ala. and most saw logs go to Cardin Forest Products in South Pittsburg, Tenn., while the pulpwood is taken to FP Resolute in Calhoun. They work on private land almost exclusively such as Werner Timber Company, LLC and Pullen Trust. These private lands consist of many different sized tracts. Sometimes the company will find itself on a 300-acre tract. Employees usually arrive on site at 7 a.m. and leave at 4 p.m. They receive two weeks of paid vacation and they’re granted personal time for sickness or family emergencies. Employees receive a $100 performance bonus if they get 50 loads in a week and $150 for 60 loads. “We’ve gotten to the point where we can usually hit 60 loads pretty consistently,” Darrin says. “It seems like things go a lot better at sunny and 65° than rainy and 35°.” Darrin adds: “Great employees are the key to any successful business. I feel like we have been blessed with the best employees of any logging outfit I know. When new equipment is purchased, they take to it like they built the machine from the ground up. They are professionals in their field. I am thankful for this group of men!” They include Thomas Bowman, who operates a feller-buncher; Gary Bowman-skidder operator; Sydney Bowman-skidder and cutter operator; Richard Bowman-skidder operator; Bryan Clark-loader operator; Harold Tate runs the set-out trucks, and co-owner Darrin Green is a loader operator. When the company arrives on a new tract roads are built if necessary with a John Deere 700 dozer. In many cases, it’s Wesley Green who builds the roads and gets the site
With production bonuses as an incentive, the crew can routinely haul 60 loads a week.
The Greens are dedicated John Deere operators, buying from Nortrax in Chattanooga, Tenn. and Warrior Tractor in Athens, Ala.
The company primarily does thinning on private hardwood stands, mostly white oak and poplar.
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prepared. When leaving a site the company makes sure to leave the land as clean as possible. If they’ve crossed any ditches or streams they’ll clean them out and make sure they’re good to go. “They know we’ll do it right and that means a lot,” Darrin says. “If they see anything extra that they want done, they’ll let us know and we’ll do it. We want our customers happy. Proverbs 22:1 states, ‘A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.’ That is important to us.”
Equipment The company runs mostly John Deere equipment, including three 2010 748H skidders, a 2010 437D loader, 2011 437D loader, 2008 843J cutter, 2014 959K cutter, 2005 700 dozer and two International 10 wheel drive set-out trucks. Their main equipment dealer is Nortrax Equipment in Chattanooga, Tenn. They also use Warrior Tractor and Equipment in Athens, Ala. Green Logging prefers John Deere for many reasons. “We like Deere for its speed, fuel economy, operator comfort, and the fact that they are built tough and can stand up to the extreme conditions we loggers face,” Darrin explains. Green Logging’s newest piece of equipment is a 2014 959K track feller-buncher that was purchased in October. Most of the time the company works on flat terrain, but recently they have been cutting a lot of high quality timber on slopes. “We’re used to working on flat ground, but we couldn’t say no to this higher quality timber so we bought the tract cutter and said we’ll go do it,” Darrin says. Doing business with Nortrax has worked out well for the Greens. “The people at Nortrax are great and they treat you like family,” Wesley says. “The location of the store and the ease of getting our parts when we need them is extremely important. When we have a machine down and we need parts or service, Nortrax understands the urgency.” Each employee who runs a machine greases that machine at least twice a week, and during the warmer months they usually grease
The Green family and crew, along with Nortrax reps, pause production for a breather.
the machine at the end of each day. The company uses Shell oil and runs Firestone tires. All of the trucking for Green Logging is subcontracted. “I used to own my own trucks, but that became a big headache,” Darrin says. “I’ve got all I can handle around here.” Last year, Green Logging spent $60,000 on repairs, parts and miscellaneous supplies. The figure would have been much higher if they didn’t save on labor costs by doing a lot of their own repair work. “We had a transmission go out on one of our machines and that cost around $25,000.” The company’s estimated business investment is about $1.3 million.
Challenges/Issues Darrin reports the company did well enough through the recession, but they had to cut back to one crew. Today, they are back up to two crews. “We’re still in the game so we’re definitely blessed,” Darrin says. “We did pretty well this year so we’re happy with where we are right now.” Green Logging faces many of the
In the Tennessee hills, trucks sometimes require help getting in and out of the woods.
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same challenges that all loggers face, but Darrin Green doesn’t like to focus on things he can’t control. “You just have to deal with a lot of this stuff and go because there’s nothing you can do about it,” he says. “I don’t like to get hung up on equipment prices and things like that because it’s not going to do me any good to sit around and worry about it.” The company has a good safety record and that’s due to the fact that the business experiences very little turnover. Employees look out for each other on the job site and they know they have each other’s back because most of them have worked together for many years. “The last time we hired a new employee was five years ago. We simply needed more bodies,” Darrin says. “It’s not like we fired someone and had to replace them.”
Ahead Green Logging became an official LLC in 2000. Darrin and Wesley give all the credit to God for allowing them to run a business for so many years. Darrin started logging full time
after he graduated from high school in 1989. He doesn’t believe there are many secrets to being successful in logging. “I’ve always said you’re no better than the timber you’re in and the terrain you’re on. We’ve had some pretty high quality timber and that’s the reason we bought that new tract cutter.” Like a lot of loggers, Darrin and Wesley enjoy the outdoors even when they’re not working in the woods. Members of Green Logging enjoy hunting and fishing on their days off. “We’re like brothers,” Darrin says. “We do a lot of things together and we’re all really close.” While the industry has changed over the years there has been one constant for the Green family and that’s their belief in God. “The Lord has been the key for us,” Darrin emphasizes. “He gives the whole crew strength and health each morning to get up and hit the site working and I am very thankful for that. The way I see it, if we leave God out, we may as well stay home in the bed. I know where my strength comes from.” Green Logging LLC is a member of the Tennessee Forestry Assn. SLT
Green Logging, LLC crew, left to right: Sydney Bowman, Richard Bowman, Thomas Bowman, Harold Tate, Bryan Clark, Gary Bowman, Wesley Green
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Game Face On ■ John Deere unveils its new line of “game changers”—the L and M series skidders and cutters. By David Abbott PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. n February 11, Southern Loggin’ Times was part of a ★ small group invited by John Deere to take a first-hand look at its new L and M series machines. The event, held in Peachtree City, Ga., took place during training sessions for dealers that lasted from January till March. Deere refers to the L-Series skidders and wheeled feller-bunchers and M-Series tracked feller-bunchers and harvesters as “Game Changers.” According to Marty Wilkinson,
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Deere product marketing manager Cliff Caudill explains features of the new machines.
The 800 and 900 series M and MH lines include both tracked feller-bunchers and harvesters.
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Vice President, Worldwide Construction and Forestry Division, developing the L and M series has been the largest investment Deere has made in the timber business since the acquisition of Timberjack 15 years ago. The machines were tested more extensively both in the lab and in the field than any forestry product Deere has ever built, he said at the event. Durability, reliability and increased performance were among the goals for the new designs. Wilkinson added that the company has submitted 55 different patent applications and has already been awarded 30 new patents related to the L and M series machines. “Loggers today face a stiff chal-
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lenge,” Wilkinson said. “They are continually being pressured to produce more wood per hour at a lower cost per ton. So much is asked of our loggers, they need more from their machines; more productivity, more reliability and uptime, more efficiency. Or to put it another way, they just need lower operating cost. It’s our job to provide the equipment that addresses the business challenges loggers face.” As part of the designing and engineering process over the last three years, Deere turned to its customers, assembling a Customer Advocacy Group (CAG) made up of loggers enlisted from around the world. With the real-world experiences of and suggestions from the participants, the CAG helped lay the foundation. Thousands of hours of prototype testing and tweaking ensued before the new machines were deemed ready for market. A host of innovations and improvements are common among several of the new machines— among them, larger cabs, increased visibility and fully adjustable armrests with fingertip/joystick controls. Serviceability has been enhanced with easier access for preventative maintenance. Hoses have been routed for enhanced protection. Remote diagnostics via John Deere ForestSight and Ultimate Uptime service packages are of course available for all models.
L-Series As 2015 marks 50 years since Deere started manufacturing skidders, the L-Series, both skidders and wheeled feller-bunchers, also marks a first: these are the first Deere forestry machines to debut with Final Tier 4 engines (6.8L diesel engines in the smaller models and 9.0L in the bigger ones). Other machines will remain Tier 3 through the remainder of 2015. Brandon O’Neal, product marketing manager for Deere construction and forestry, calls the L series a “ground-up redesign.” Available in five sizes—640, 648, 748, 848 and 948—the L-Series skidders boast several noteworthy features. Continuously variable transmission (CVT) and drivetrain offers a combination of benefits from both hydrostatic transmission and a torque converter—ease of operation and fuel efficiency, as well as constant engine speed. Shifting is no longer necessary, as the transmission can select the best operating point based on operatorselected speed range. The CVT also automatically senses load weight and adjusts torque appropriately. Axles have a life expectancy of up to 15,000 hours, while grapples, bushings and roller-bearings have 20
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Deere’s first Final Tier 4 forestry machines, the L series also marks the 50th anniversary of John Deere skidders.
all been built to last longer and to be easier to repair or replace. Grapples are also larger—up to 22.3 sq. ft. available on the 948L—and independent axle lock enables flexibility in engaging all four tires, or only the front or rear two. Wheeled feller-bunchers come in two sizes—the 643L and 843L. The one-button quick dump feature is just what it sounds like—a single button to open both accumulating and grab arms simultaneously. A longer wheelbase and improved weight distribution improve stability on steep terrain. For after-hours work, six high-intensity halogen lights come standard. Lift and tilt hydraulic cylinders and pins and bushings are more robust, offering increased durability and easier replacement. Electrical systems have been simplified with a sealed switch module to allow faster servicing.
Hydraulic filter service has doubled to 4,000 hours. The cab, 25% larger, features 17% more front window area than in previous series.
M-Series The M-Series tracked feller-bunchers and harvesters come in both a midsized (800 series) and larger (900 series) range. To simplify maintenance and repairs, many components are shared in common between the 800 and 900 series: engine, undercarriage, booms and cab. There are three sizes in the 800 series—803, 853 and 859— both M and MH (the M suffix applies to tracked feller-bunchers, while MH denotes harvesters). The 800M and 800MH models boast 25% greater engine power and 50% greater fuel tank capacity (now up to 230 gallons). In most conditions, these
L series cutters feature a number of innovations, like the one-button quick dump feature.
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models can go a full 24 hours without refueling, according to Cliff Caudill, manager of product marketing for Deere’s construction and forestry division. High-torque swing, which is standard on MH and an option on M models, also offers more power. A closed-loop hydrostatic drive adjusts priority between track drive and other hydraulic functions, allowing the machines to handle multifunctioning better on hills. Tractive effort increase of up to 45% also helps on rough terrain. The cab has 44% more window area, stretching from floor to ceiling. Other than the cab, the changes are less dramatic with the 900 line, Caudill says. The series builds on improvements already introduced in the 900K models, such as 30% increased cutting swath on the feller-buncher and 8% on the harvester booms. The 900s come in four sizes—903M/MH, 909M/MH, 953M and 959M; note that the latter two are available as tracked fellerbunchers but not harvesters. The MH-Series harvesters feature a 13% increase in swing torque. Floor-toceiling front window increases visibility by 22%. Another feature common to the 800M/MH and 900M/MH series is the rapid cycle system (RCS), which combines automated fellinghead arm cycling with simple boom control. RCS can be turned on and off with a single button, and settings, tailored to individual skill sets, can be saved for multiple operators. Also, through-nose harvester head plumbing option extends hose life by routing them in safer areas. One neat option available on all 900 models is an undercarriage-mountSLT ed toolbox.
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Historic Logging/Lumbering Series...
Mountain Boom ■ Early forest exploitation impacted the economic and social structure of the Southern Appalachians.
Second Of Three Parts From U.S. Forest Service Archives
Destructive Mining he penetration of the mountains by railroads was a key in unlocking the region’s mineral wealth, as it had the region’s timber. In McCreary County, Ky., for example, a virtual wilderness of untouched and unwanted lands, considered worthless for generations, overnight aroused the interest of large corporations and land speculators whose agents invaded the territory on the heels of the new railroad. As with timberlands, the sale of mountain lands to coal company agents was usually done willingly, even if unscrupulous methods sometimes were used. In Kentucky, where the Stearns Coal and Lumber Co. bought thousands of homesteads beginning in the late 1890s, William Kinne, the Stearns land agent, was received warmly and came to be regarded with respect and even endearment. Nevertheless, the transfer of land ownership to land and development companies in the 1880s and 1890s ensured that the control of the mining industry, and much of the profit from it, would flow outside the region. Mineral developments in the Southern Appalachians included mica, iron, copper, manganese, and coal mining. Mica mining flourished for a time around the turn of the century in North Carolina and then declined as mica was replaced by other substances. Between the end of the Civil War and about 1910, an iron and copper industry based on locally produced coal, iron ore, copper ore, sulfur, and limestone grew up in eastern Tennessee. Although railroad construction at first improved the market for iron, the expansion of the national transportation network eventually drove regional producers out of business. Limitations in the quality and quantity of iron ore also were a factor. By World War I, little remained of the iron industry that had flourished earlier in Chattanooga, Duck-
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Mules prepare to move log onto tram car in 1904 in Overton County, Tenn.
Action on greased log skid in North Carolina, 1910
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town, Rockwood, and Dayton. In spite of these mineral developments, it was coal mining that most significantly altered the economy and society of the mountains. From 1900 to 1920 the increasing national demand for coal led to the penetration of the Great Lakes market by Southern Appalachian coal producers and to the rapid development and, ultimately, overdevelopment of the mountain coal fields. It was comparatively cheap and easy to extract coal by strip-mining from seams in the mountainsides. The most important requirement was a large supply of cheap labor. Although large areas of accessible mountain land were affected by the timber boom, coal and other forms of mining at first affected only individual isolated valleys, chiefly in Kentucky and Tennessee. However, the impact of mining was more permanent. Timber companies would ‘cut and get out,’ but mining companies, working rich and extensive seams of coal, would remain for years. Unlike the logging camps, the mining towns became of necessity the permanent homes of those who came to work the mines. Mine operators developed company towns partly to provide housing in isolated areas, and partly to gain control of the labor force. Workers often had no alternative to the company town because the coal company owned all the land for miles around. To the coal entrepreneur, a local mountaineer who remained on his own ‘home place’ was an unreliable worker. He would take time off for spring planting, and several times a year he would go hunting. He might also take off from work for a funeral or a family reunion. Once a
worker was housed in the company town, however, he could be disciplined more effectively because, if he lost his job in the mine, he would be evicted from his house at the same time. Also, most company towns did not permit independent stores to operate. Workers were generally in debt for purchases made at the company-owned store. In many towns even a garden patch to supplement the store-bought food was, for lack of space, impossible. When the timber boom began to slacken just after World War I, mountaineers who had been dependent on work in logging camps and sawmills moved into the coal mining areas of the mountains to find work. Many went across the crest of the Appalachians from North Carolina and Virginia into Kentucky to the coal fields of the Cumberlands. Mountaineers were also faced with competition for jobs, when outsiders, including blacks from the Deep South, as well as European immigrants, were imported to enlarge the labor force.
Squalid Towns
Railroads were a mainstay in the second, move invasive wave of logging in the Southern Appalachians. This scene was from North Carolina in 1910.
Pulp logs were peeled in the woods before being shipped to the mill.
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The coal industry in the Southern Appalachians continued to grow until 1923. However, throughout the 1920s coal producers maintained their competitive advantage by wage reductions. The cutthroat competition in the coal industry discouraged investment in improvements for the company towns. Many of these hastily constructed communities grew increasingly squalid. Miners moved frequently, hoping for better housing and working conditions at another mine. Mining was destructive to the
Riding the carriage at Kenwood Corp. sawmill, Dailey, West Virginia
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environment, even in the early days. The demand for pit props, poles, and railroad ties contributed to the exploitation of the surrounding forests. The mines produced slag heaps and acid runoff, which severely damaged streams and wildlife. The company towns had no facilities for sewage and refuse disposal, so human waste and trash heaps polluted streams, causing serious health hazards. One particularly blighted area— perhaps the largest and most notori-
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ous in the country—was near Ducktown, Polk County, Tenn., and McCaysville, Fannin County, Ga. There, the acid fumes from the smelting and refining of copper and iron destroyed thousands of acres of the mountains’ entire vegetative cover. Erosion was severe from the bare slopes, and heavy silting occurred in the main channel of the Tennessee River, 45 miles to the west. Yet decades went by before such devastating impacts of mining attracted wide attention.
Logging’s Impact The impact of large scale logging on the Southern Appalachians in the years after 1890 was not merely economic and social. It encouraged fires, erosion, and floods that drew national attention to the region and sparked legislation authorizing most of the eastern National Forests. In terms of both investment and impact, logging operations in the mountains actually occurred in two phases. The first, roughly from 1880
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to 1900, was characterized by low investment ‘selective cutting’ and a spatial separation between timbering operations and milling. The second phase, beginning around 1900, peaking in 1909, and lasting into the 1920s, involved a higher level of investment, heavy cutting, and the construction of rail lines and mills throughout the forests. It was with the latter stage that environmental damage became acute. In the early days, only the largest and highest quality trees were cut: cherry, ash, walnut, oak, and yellow poplar—some of the latter often as large as 25 feet in circumference. Although it is difficult to imagine today, trees were felled that were larger in diameter than an average man stands. Some portable sawmills were brought into the mountains in the earlier years, but logs from these enormous trees were usually transported to a mill, some miles distant, by horse, oxen, or water. Typically, log splash dams were built on the shallow mountain streams so that many logs could be moved at one time. Logs were rolled into the lakes formed behind the dams, and with a buildup from rain or melting snow, the dams were opened to let the logs cascade down the mountains. From wider places on the river, as many as 120 logs at a time were lashed together to form rafts, which were piloted downriver to the mills. Elbert Herald reminisced about this kind of logging for the compilers of Our Appalachia. As a boy, Herald logged with his father in Leslie County, Ky., between 1922 and 1930. His experiences are typical of the small local lumbering operations that went on before, during, and after the big timber boom. “I was 11 years old when I moved to Leslie County. It was a very isolated country up there, mind you. In 1922 there was not one foot of highway, not one foot of railroad. My father looked around and saw there was plenty of hard work to get done, and we went to work cutting logs. “Walnut and white oak at that time were best. We would get $35 a thousand for that, but when it come down to beech and smaller grades, we done well to get $25 a thousand. “We cut roads through the hills and hauled our logs down to the riverbanks with oxen and horses. When we got the logs to the river we would raft them together and buyers would come along buying. If it was real big logs—anywhere from 24 to 28 inches in diameter— we would take about 65 logs. If they were smaller logs—anywhere from 18 to 22 inches—we’d take 75 or 80 on a raft, which would amount to anywhere from 8 ➤ 30
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26 ➤ to 10 thousand board feet, depending on the length of the logs.” Although logging was hard work and timber prices were not high, Herald explained that it was the only way to make money at that time. The market for farm crops was dismal. Although this kind of logging was careless and destructive, its environmental impact was minor compared to the intense logging of the boom period. Small local lumber operations cut trees very selec-
tively, according to size, quality, and proximity to a stream. Relatively few men were engaged in lumbering at first, and the visible effects of milling were scattered and removed from the source of supply. It had been estimated that even in 1900 most of the area was wooded and at least 10% of the Southern Appalachian region remained in virgin timber. Before that year, however, distinct changes began. Out-of-state and foreign investors began pur-
chasing large tracts of mountain land, and rail lines were built into previously inaccessible valleys. With railroads, mills could be located close to the source of supply; trees had to be transported only short distances, and finished lumber could be carried to the market. One of the most impressive railroad projects was that of the Little River Lumber Co. Chartered in 1901, the Little River Railroad was a standard-gauge line from Maryville, Tenn., at the southwestern corner of
the Great Smokies, to the mill at Townsend, then running 18 miles up the gorge of the Little River to the base of the timber operations. The rail construction greatly increased the ease and scale of operations. By 1905, the mill was cutting about 60MBF of wood per day. This area is now well inside the national park, not far from U.S. Route 441. Other methods, too, were devised to further large-scale tree removal. Among them were inclined railways controlled by yarding machines, and overhead cable systems, both used with considerable success. To facilitate log transportation, larger flumes and splash dams were built. A concrete splash dam built across the Big Sandy River in Dickenson County, Va., was probably the largest. Completed in 1909, it was about 360 feet high and 240 feet across, with five flumes, each 40 feet wide, through which the pentup logs tumbled. The dam enabled the Yellow Poplar Lumber Co. to get logs to Cattletsburg, Ky. in record time. Within 10 years, the merchantable hardwood timber supply of the Big Sandy Basin had been virtually exhausted.
Wasteful Cutting Throughout the region, as the scale of logging increased, size selectivity in cutting declined. The depletion of the forests was revealed by the rapidly changing cutting standards as culling became the rule rather than the exception. In 1885 few logs under 30 in. diameter were cut. Ten years later the usual cutting was 24 in. By 1900 the average limit had dropped to 21 in. By 1905 lumberman were taking chestnut and oak only 15 in. on the stump. As well, there was a shift in the species of trees harvested. As the best cherry, ash, and oak were depleted, the demand for hemlock and spruce grew. Both were used for pulpwood in the manufacture of paper products, and during World War I spruce was used to build the first fighter airplanes. Chestnut, which the leather goods industry had used profitably for its byproduct, tannin, came into increasing demand when a process was developed by Omega Carr to manufacture pulp from chestnut chips, once the tannin was removed. The Champion Paper and Fibre Co. mill in Canton, NC became a major producer of pulp from chestnut—until this source disappeared after the chestnut blight reached the area in 1920. Throughout the logging boom, trees were harvested with little regard for other resources or future timber supplies. Young growth was damaged and smaller 30
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Stearns Left Its Mark In Kentucky, Tennessee
fields.” In fact, the old Sterns company store is still intact and is home to various shops and attractions. By 1899 agents for the company of Justus S. Stearns, a prominent MichiIn its heyday in the 1920s Stearns Coal & Lumber Co. controlled more gan lumberman, had negotiated large purchases of land, including 30,000 than 200 square miles of land. Among its railroad, sawmill and multiple coal acres in Scott, Pickett, and Fentress counties, camps, the company employed more than 2,200. Tenn., and Wayne County, Ky. Stearns Coal and Stearns’ company employed local residents Lumber Co. was formed in 1902 and soon and established a bond of mutual respect that began producing lumber and mining coal. made it relatively immune from the labor Stearns founded the town of Stearns, Ky. to strife that characterized much of the mining support his extensive timber, lumber and minindustry during the ’20s and ’30s. Stearns ing interests. The town’s web site today proCoal and Lumber Co. was the oldest continuclaims the settlement as “one of the best preous mining operation in Kentucky when the SLT served ‘company’ towns of the Kentucky coal Old store building now houses shops and other attractions. company sold out in 1975. limbs and brush were left to ignite untended in dry spells, destroying the humus and remaining ground cover, preventing absorption of rain and snow. In areas of heavy logging, particularly on steep slopes, the soil became leached and erosion was often severe. It is difficult, if not impossible, to assess the amount or lasting effects of this damage. Even at its peak, the timber industry left large sections of remote mountain forests little touched. Parts of the Great Smokies, and much of far southwestern North Carolina (later the Nantahala National Forest) remained in virgin timber. However, in more accessible mountain regions—southern Union, Fannin, and Rabun counties in Georgia; northeastern Tennessee; near Mt. Mitchell and Asheville, NC— whole mountainsides were cut over and burned, hillsides were eroded, and dried-up autumn streams became raging rivers in the spring. Such conditions came to national attention shortly after the turn of the century. In 1900 two federal agencies conducted a field investigation of the Southern Appalachian region. The survey results, sent to Congress by President Theodore Roosevelt two years later, decried the widespread damage, and attributed the land conditions to poor farming practices, repeated fires, and destructive lumbering: “In these operations there has naturally been no thought for the future. Trees have been cut so as to fall along the line of least resistance regardless of what they crush. Their tops and branches, instead of being piled in such way and burned at such time as would do the least harm, are left scattered among the adjacent growth to burn when driest, and thus destroy or injure everything within reach. The home and permanent interests of the lumberman are generally in another state or region, and his interests in these mountains begins and ends with the hope of profit.” Such conditions supported the survey report’s conclusion that a federal forest reserve in the Southern Appalachians was the only way SLT to stop the continuing losses.
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Priestly Comeback
Boss Dog
A parish priest, headed for New Orleans, is stopped for speeding. The state trooper smells alcohol on the priest’s breath and spots an empty wine bottle on the floorboard of the car. He says, “Sir, have you been drinking?” “Just water,” says the priest. The trooper responds, “Then why do I smell wine?” The priest looks at the bottle and exclaims, “My goodness. He’s done it again!”
Why I Like Retirement
It’s widely known that veteran Alabama logger Ezell Castleberry is slowing down, even perhaps anticipating retirement. One of Ezell’s pet boxers recently picked up on his slower gait and more relaxed daily routine and challenged him for the choice seat in Castleberry Logging’s office.
Q. How many days in a week? A. Six Saturdays, one Sunday Q. When is a retiree’s bedtime? A. Three hours after they fall asleep in the recliner. Q. How many retirees to change a light bulb? A. Only one, but it might take all day. Q. What’s the biggest gripe of retirees? A. There is not enough time to get everything done. Q. Why don’t retirees mind being called seniors? A. The term comes with a 10% discount. Q. Among retirees, what is considered formal attire? A. Tied shoes. Q. Why do retirees count pennies? A. They are the only ones who have the time. Q. What is the common term for someone who enjoys work and refuses to retire? A. Nuts! Q. Why are retirees so slow to clean out the basement, attic or garage? A. They know that as soon as they do, one of their adult kids will want to store stuff there. Q. What do retirees call a long lunch? A. Normal. Q. What is the best way to describe retirement? A. The never-ending coffee break. Q. What’s the biggest advantage of going back to school as a retiree? A. If you cut classes, no one calls your parents. Q. What do you do all week? A. Monday through Friday, nothing. Saturday and Sunday, I rest.
One Word Essay: ‘Beauty’
A couple had two little mischievous boys, ages 8 and 10. They were always getting into trouble, and their parents knew that if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons would get the blame. The boys’ mother heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The clergymen agreed and asked to see them individually. The mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the clergyman in the afternoon. The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, “Where is God?” They boy’s mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open. The clergyman repeated the question, “Where is God?” ●
Ponder, Ponder Aspire to inspire before you expire. My wife and I had words, but I didn’t get to use mine. Frustration is trying to find your glasses without your glasses. Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting. The irony of life is that, by the time you’re old enough to know your way around, you’re not going anywhere. God made man before woman so as to give him time to think of an answer for her first question. I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one. Every morning is the dawn of a new error.
Men Are Deep Thinkers What deep thinkers men are! I mowed the lawn today, and after doing so I sat down and had a cold beer. The day was really quite beautiful, and the drink facilitated some deep thinking. My wife walked by and asked me what I was doing and I said “nothing.” The reason I said that instead of saying “just thinking” is because she would have said “about what?” At that point I would have had to explain that men are deep thinkers about various topics, which would have led to other questions. Finally I thought about an age-old question: Is giving birth more painful than getting kicked in the groin? Women always maintain that giving birth is far more painful than a guy getting kicked in the groin. Well, after another beer, and some heavy deductive thinking, I have come up with the answer to that question. Getting kicked in the family jewels is more painful than having a baby. Here is the reason for my conclusion. A year or so after giving birth, a woman will often say, “It might be nice to have another child.” On the other hand, you never hear a guy say, “You know, I think I’d like another kick in the groin.”
All In A Day’s Work
Trouble Makers
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Again, the frightened boy made no attempt to answer. So, the clergyman raised his voice some more and shook his finger in the boy’s face and bellowed, “Where is God?!” The boy screamed and bolted from the room. He ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. Later, when his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, “What happened?” The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied: “We are in real big trouble this time! God is missing, and they think we did it!”
Still Celebrating The just-ended winter was a wet one in many parts of the South, as evidenced by this mud-trapped feller-buncher. Even its dual sandals up front didn’t help. Thanks to Tigercat’s Ben Twiddy for sending this photo. Subscribers are encouraged to send photos of equipment situations, unusual scenes or incidents linked to the challenges of logging and log trucking. E-mail high quality images to dk@hattonbrown.com.
Husband takes his wife to a club. There’s a guy on the dance floor living it large—break dancing, moon walking, back flipping, buying drinks for people, the works. Wife turns to her husband and says, “See that guy? About 25 years ago he proposed to me and I turned him down.” Husband responds: “Looks like he’s still celebrating!”
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INDUSTRY NEWS ROUNDUP As We See It—Living Reality By Myles Anderson ave you ever
H thought what it would be like to wake up one morning to the reality of having lost your job, lost all the infrastructure that once Anderson supported your job and wonder how your community and your family would survive? Fast forward to the reality of today, the living wage jobs are long gone and your community is dependent on government aid rather than the vibrant economy that once flourished there. Rural families living adjacent to national forests, where once a thriving industry harvested and manufactured renewable resources, have been forced into living this reality for the last 15 years. The forest that was once managed to minimize fuel loads, create jobs and provide revenue for local communities is now an overstocked and
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tinder dry fuel source or worse, a sea of blackened snags. This government aid on which communities have come to rely is known as the Secure Rural School Act (SRS), which supports communities and is meant to substitute for all the jobs that were lost as a result of the federal government’s decision to stop managing the lands surrounding these communities. Historically, these rural communities received a portion of the receipts from Forest Service timber sales and more importantly the jobs and lifestyle that went along with living in a vibrant community. SRS is critical for many rural communities. This act funds over 775 rural counties and 4,400 schools. It was first passed in 2000 and since then every year these counties have come to rely on this funding for their very existence. The sad truth is there is no certainty associated with the funding. Each year families in these communities wait on Congress to decide whether or not their basic needs will
be funded through a bill or resolution. Usually these funds are held hostage by one party or another because of unrelated issues. A common sense approach to this issue would be to put this effort into restoring the economic viability of these communities through increased forest management. Perhaps this is too simplistic an approach to solving this problem, however, I believe that a majority of people in this country are beginning to realize our federally owned forests are in a state of declining health. Most are very supportive of green fire breaks, removing the dead and dying trees and managing the fuel load. Our federal forests could and should be managed in a sustainable way, creating jobs and strong communities rather than waiting for the inevitable fire. The best measure of the cost of these catastrophic fires is in air quality impacts, destruction of critical habitat, deterioration of water quality and numerous animal welfare (habitat) issues. According to the USDA regarding the forest service, “Our mission, as set forth by law, is to achieve
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quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to meet the diverse needs of people.” I propose this question: do you feel the national forests and in turn our rural communities are in a better position environmentally and socially now than 20 years ago when the agency was actually managing our forests? There is a difference between conservation and preservation, and the fact that managed timberland has many benefits both environmentally and socially should not be overlooked when describing the difference. Many ideas are floating around Washington on how best to facilitate a new direction within the USDA. Perhaps it will require legislation that charts a new course, or a change in leadership to get the agency back on track, or even a return to common sense that places management back into the hands of the professionals who are trained to manage forests, not the liberal courtrooms with their own agendas who opt to side with radical environmental organizations who con-
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tinue to thrive off of the settlements and awards offered through the Equal Access to Justice Act. What is important is that Washington hears from constituents on how important it is to utilize our natural resources for both environmental and social benefits. I for one would like to go to work each day and support my family in an industry that relies on a renewable resource, rather than reliving the nightmare of congressional consent every year. When deciding what should benefit from federal forests I would ask that human beings be a prime consideration. Anderson is president of the American Loggers Council and he and his father Mike own and operate Anderson Logging, Inc., Fort Bragg, Calif. The ALC is a nonprofit 501(c) (6) corporation representing professional timber harvesters across the U,S. Visit americanloggers.org or phone 409-625-0206.
RoyOMartin Sells Rocky Creek Sawmill RoyOMartin has sold its southern yellow pine sawmill in Mexia, Ala. to Georgia-Pacific. The facility employs 110. Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed. The Rocky Creek sawmill was constructed in 2001 and acquired by RoyOMartin in 2006. The operation produces dimension lumber, studs, squares/timbers and barn timbers. “Rocky Creek has been an important part of the RoyOMartin family since 2006, and we are confident that Georgia-Pacific will continue to advance the capabilities of that operation,” states Jonathan
Martin, chairman and CEO of Martin Companies, L.L.C. “I want to express my sincere thanks to the talented people we have had the pleasure of working with in Alabama, and we wish them the very best in their new opportunity with GP.”
NC Site Secured For Mid-Atlantic Expo The site for the third biennial Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo, set for September 18-19, has been secured. Located five miles west of Smithfield, NC, the pine tract abuts farmland, which will be temporarily taken out of production to allow for the exposition. The owner is Olivia Holden, a major landowner in the area. According to Jack Swanner, executive director of the Carolina Loggers Assn., which is sponsoring the show along with the NC Forestry Assn. and Hatton-Brown Publishers, an exhibitor guide is now in the works and sites are available for selection.Visit malbexpo.com for updated information or contact Swanner at 828-421-8444.
cluded discussions on major issues such as the Youth Careers in Logging Act, truck weight reform, comprehensive Forest Service timber management reform, and fire suppression funding on federal lands. ALC members were briefed on these four issues by ALC staff and heard a presentation from Frank Gladics pertaining to possible reform of the USFS Small Business Administration (SBA) setaside program for timber sales. Visits included a face-to-face with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to discuss the merits of his Flame Act Amendment that has been introduced in the Senate. It would help eliminate the practice of “fire-borrowing” by the Forest Service,
which takes dollars from other budget line items to cover catastrophic fire events and does not leave the agency the funds it needs to perform land management activities that would help alleviate the occurrence of catastrophic fires. Other issues discussed included the reintroduction of the Right to Haul Act, which would allow state legal weight tolerances to travel on interstate highways, and the Youth Careers in Logging Act, which has been reintroduced in both the House and Senate as HR 1215 and S 694, respectively. In addition to legislative visits, members gathered at a Friday afternoon briefing to hear presentations from Rep. Tom McClintock (R-
ALC Members Lobby Congress, Air Issues More than 60 members of the American Loggers Council met in Washington March 18-21 in a coordinated effort to present issues important to the timber harvesting industry to lawmakers. Caterpillar Forest Products, John Deere, Forestry Mutual Insurance and the Southern Loggers Cooperative also sent representatives to the gathering. Scores of Capitol Hill visits in-
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CA), who chairs the important House Resources Committee Subcommittee on Public Lands and the Environment. Other presenters included Bryan Rice, Forest Service Director of Land Management, and Bill Imbergamo, Director of the Federal Forest Resource Coalition. Both Caitlin Rayman, Director of the Office of Freight Management and Operations with the Federal Highway Weight Administration, and Luke Loy, Senior Engineer for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration’s Vehicle and Roadside Operations Div., were on hand to discuss the latest CSA issues and the long-awaited comprehensive truck size and weight study that should be released later this spring. Discussions concluded with Candace Schnoor from John Deere giving insight into the economic outlook for the forestry sector in coming years, and Kevin Thieneman, President of Caterpillar Forest Products, challenging ALC to work with partners to improve the image of
logging and its ability to attract and retain new workers.
Burroughs Retires, Succeeded By Schmidt Chip Burroughs, Caterpillar Territory Manager for the Mid-Atlantic Region, has retired, effective April 1. Burroughs served for more than 34 years in the forestry equipment community, primarily with Prentice, CTR and Caterpillar, and his career
spanned a broad range of duties. Justin Schmidt assumes the position being vacated by Burroughs. Schmidt is currently the Caterpillar product specialist for Forestry Work Tools. He has more than eight years of experience in the forestry industry.
James River Equip. Expands Again In NC With the acquisition of RW Moore Equipment Co. in January, James River Equipment has expanded into eastern North Carolina and now operates John Deere construction and forestry outlets at 36 locations in Virginia and the Carolinas. It first expanded into western NC in 2001. Founded in 1928 and today based in Ashland, Va., James River now deploys 100 service trucks in its territory. In addition to multiple John Deere lines, it sells and services products made by Morbark, Finn and Atlas Copco, among others. RW Moore Equipment was founded in 1962 and grew to include six locations. In 2010 its annual sales volume was approximately $73 million.
Tigercat Increases Support In Southeast Tigercat announced two personnel additions for the Southeastern U.S. Based in Gaston, SC, Drew Beery has joined the Tigercat product support team and will focus on providing after-sales technical and commercial support. Beery has been in the diesel engine repair business his entire career. Based in Sunbury, NC, Aaron Piper will focus on providing after-sales technical and commercial support. Piper has worked in the construction and forestry industry for 17 years.
Logging Careers Act Introduced In House At the behest of the American Loggers Council and others, Cong. Raul Labrador (R-ID) in early March introduced HR1215, the Future Logging Careers Act in the U.S. House. The bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act so that 16- and 17-year-old children of family-owned mechanized timber harvesting businesses could legally begin working in those businesses. The amendment would only apply to children who would be working under the direct supervision of a parent or by a person 38
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designated by a parent in a logging or mechanized operation owned or operated by such parent or person. The bill excludes the use of chain saws for felling and processing and cable skidders for skidding. Members of the American Loggers Council support H.R. 1215 and “urge members of Congress to support the legislation to ensure the long-term health of the logging industry and support the entrance of youth into this vital economic sector.”
Dorsey Trailer Expands Production Capacity Drax Gears Up for U.S. Pellet Production UK-based electricity producer Drax reports it has two wood pellet mills in the Southern U.S. moving into production mode. Drax says its Amite BioEnergy wood pellet plant in Gloster, Miss. has produced pellets as it builds toward its 450,000 tons annual production capacity. Meanwhile the Drax Morehouse BioEnergy wood pellet plant near Bastrop, La., shown here, is commissioning its log line. Both operations are expected to reach full production by the end of the summer. Drax is also putting into operation a port facility, Baton Rouge Transit in the Port of Greater Baton Rouge (La.), with first shipment expected in the second quarter. Drax has been converting its power plant operations in England to predominantly biomass-fueled (imported wood pellet feedstock) electricity generation, having already converted two coal burner units to biomass fuel, with a third one planned for conversion. Drax states that biomass now accounts for 30% of its generation capacity. Drax also states it is considering investments in a third U.S. Gulf pellet plant; in Eastern U.S. wood pellet operations; and in carbon capture and storage applications. The company says 2014 was a challenging year with significant regulatory headwinds and major deteroriation in commodity markets.
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Dorsey Trailer, Elba, Ala., has opened a 55,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility dedicated to platform trailer production. The addition, less than a mile from Dorsey headquarters, expands Dorsey’s footprint to 850,000 sq. ft. Dorsey President Trey Gary says high sales volume led to the expansion. “Our customers rely on us to provide a quality product in a timely manner. The production capacity added from this new facility will help us meet market demand and satisfy our customer’s needs.” Visit DorseyTrailer.net.
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AT THE MARGINS What Can Technology Do For You? By Tom Trone, John Deere Forestry There is no denying that technology is changing the way business is done. Every year, technology solutions are becoming more affordable and more powerful, which in turn is streamlining business, driving productivity and reducing costs. The logging industry is no exception. At John Deere, we have seen farmers (precision farming) and construction contractors (using telematics and machine controls to optimize machines and jobsite operations) embrace technology. In order to not only survive, but thrive, loggers must be ready and willing to follow suit. For some loggers, the current wave of technology such as telematics, machine control and cut block mapping may be overwhelming. I see a lot of resistance to the newness or a perceived complexity in applying it to their current business models. Others feel they have made their way just fine without technology, and it should be best left for the next generation to figure out. In some ways, they are right. Cutting a tree is a pretty straightforward thing. However, to cut a tree efficiently, to do it in high volume and at a lower cost than their competitors on a regular basis, is a particular challenge, and that’s where the value of technology comes forward. Technology can help drive higher production at lower cost. “The way we’ve always done it” mentality has to go away. Technology is not going away. Technology
alone is not going to separate the loggers that survive; those who embrace it will be more successful. In this column, instead of exploring “the how,” I want to further explore “the why,” or the benefits of embracing technology. Loggers need to understand that the technology used on logging jobsites and forestry equipment, and the data that comes from it, is power— power to plan, make decisions and solve problems in a more efficient way. Just ask Lee Davis, Vice President of IndusTREE Logging in Wetumpka, Ala., one of the Southeast’s premiere providers of sustainable forestry and timberland services. IndusTREE’s eight timber harvesting crews have the capability to efficiently perform all types of logging operations in any terrain, handling large or small timber, in wet or dry conditions, citing technology as a driver of success. “Technology gives us the tools and information to make better decisions,” he says. “It gives us the ability to react quickly to changes in weather or market conditions, matching machines and operators to the right site for more efficiency and productivity. It also takes some of the guesswork out of the equation for our guys in the field.” For IndusTREE, technology is ingrained in their business, and although it is large in scale, Davis is a firm believer that logging operations of any size can benefit from implementing technology into their
business. “In logging, the small margins make a big difference,” asserts Davis. “Anything and everything you can monitor to assist and increase productivity equals savings, and I don’t know who wouldn’t want that.” For loggers who are hesitant to embrace the technology resources available to them, start with the basics. Forget about the technology, and think about the business problems you’d like to solve. What do you think would make you a more profitable, successful logger? Some common themes I hear revolve around production, cost and people: “I need to produce more timber at a lower cost.” “I can’t find reliable people to work for me.” “My competitors are stealing my guys.” “I’m having trouble attracting and retaining young workers.” These are all valid concerns, and here are some basic solutions to consider as a start: Machine Operation—Did you know if you have telematics and sensors on your machines, it can help you monitor and control fuel costs, downtime and machine utilization? Telematics systems can be a powerful business tool for increasing productivity. From nearly any location, you can see when and where your machines are working, how many cycles they are completing, and how much time operators spend out of the cab. This data lets you manage your production more efficiently. As important as it is to monitor machines while they are working, it can be just as important while they
are not working. Telematics systems offer features like geo-fences and curfews to prevent machines from running during off-hours or even being stolen. You can even use information provided by telematics to manage costs and revenues. Variables like distance into the woods, the number of machines required, fuel use and more are available to help you calculate costs and negotiate fair prices. Operator Training—You can tell a lot about a machine by monitoring its activity, but sometimes you can learn something about its operator, too. One of the key benefits of a telematics system is that it provides you with a unique tool for managing and training operators. By monitoring nearly all aspects of a machine’s operation—fuel use, idle time, location and more—you can evaluate how your operators are using machines and compare them to one another. This can offer insight on how to train operators to be more productive and reduce costs. You can also use this technology to cut down on how long operators idle their machines or make sure they are starting on time and working in the proper areas. When you can’t be on site all the time, telematics systems can be a useful tool. Machine Health—When a fellerbuncher or a skidder stops operating, that’s lost productivity and lost revenue. Today’s telematics systems help you avoid costly downtime and unscheduled repairs. At the basic level, telematics systems can monitor all the crucial systems and components of a machine, including fuel use, oil temperature, and hydraulics. This lets you see how all of your machines are running, so you can provide maintenance instructions to your operators and technicians. Finally, telematics systems make it easy for you and your equipment dealer to keep accurate, complete maintenance records and documentation, which can extend the machine life and increase resale or trade-in value. These are just some of the simple, tangible ways technology can help you change how you do business, how you operate your equipment and how you manage your SLT people. Trone is Director of John Deere’s North American forestry business and is responsible for all sales and marketing activities as well as product development. Over his career, he has owned and operated several businesses. He is also a lecturer at the University of Illinois where he has taught the subjects of entrepreneurship, business strategy, organizational development and leadership.
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MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY travel speed and motor efficiency. The compact 610E skidder leads its class in agility, durability and performance. It is ideal in tight spaces, soft soil conditions and selective logging applications. The ergonomic turnaround equipped cab provides the operator with comfort and clear sightlines. High performance, responsive control, excellent service access and painless maintenance routines make Tigercat skidders a top choice among skilled operators. Visit tigercat.com.
Small Skidder Class
Forestry Machine Tigercat has released the 610E skidder, its latest Tier 4 equipped offering. The 610E is designed to exceed expectations in the North American small skidder size class. Tigercat’s Tier 4 solution can be packaged into a physically smaller engine enclosure, which provided the 610E design team with some flexibility to develop a machine layout that optimizes operator sightlines, while factoring in access to service points, machine balance, overall size and weight. The 610E comes standard equipped with Tigercat’s exclusive EHS drive system. EHS is capable of providing exceptional tractive effort as well as high top speed. This is accomplished with advanced computer logic and the ability to take one of the drive motors offline when high tractive effort is not required. In this case all pump flow is directed to one hydraulic motor, increasing both
The Link-Belt 4040 TL Forestry Machine is now available for the U.S. and Canada, with an option for high-wide or high-narrow undercarriages to meet transport requirements. Models can be equipped with live-heel or Butt-N-Top attachments for log-loading applications. Designed specifically for the 4040 TL, both
side- and rear-entry Oregon OSHA/ROPS/WCB certified forestry cabs are available from the factory with sky roof and escape hatch. This new 40 Series model features an advanced, electronically-controlled Isuzu engine that meets Final Tier 4 requirements, with up to 18% improved fuel economy than previous models. In addition, there is no diesel particulate filter (DPF) maintenance constraint. The cab offers operator ergonomics, comfort and visibility. The SCM air-suspension, heated seat provides exceptional lumbar support and reclines at a 65° angle for a relaxed environment during breaks. Arm rests move proportionally with the console, which means that the distance and angle between joysticks and operator remains the same,no matter how the seat is adjusted. With a large, 7" LED color monitor to interface with the machine, an operator can easily navigate a full menu of user-friendly controls to take full command of the machine and attachments. The 4040 TL is equipped with the RemoteCARE GPS-enabled telematics system, enabling 24/7 remote monitoring and security. RemoteCARE tracks routine and major service intervals, as well as current machine health. Visit lbx.br.com. All product development news releases are provided by the manufacturer/supplier and all statements/claims are attributable to the manufacturer/supplier.
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TRUCKS & EQUIPMENT FOR SALE BY OWNER Phone: 205-695-6314; Mobile: 205-712-0671
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TRUCKS $28,000 – 1999 Peterbilt#842, Model 379, 470 Detroit Engine, 18 speed Transmis, 46k Rear-ends, Air-ride, 1,000,783 miles l $18,000 – 1996 Peterbilt#576, Model 379, 430 Detroit Engine, 8 speed LL Transmis, 46k Rear-ends, CharmSusp, 1,135,754 mi l $24,000 – 1999 Western Star #685- Model 4964FX..3406Cat Eng,475 HP, 10 Sp. Transmiss. 46k Rear-ends,CharmSusp. 1,008,836 mi l $18,000 – Dump Truck....1995 Ford , Model LT9000, Cat Diesel Engine, 8 Low/low transmission l $5,500 – Crew Truck. 1999 Ford F-450, 7.3 Diesel Engine l $6,500 – Service Truck. 1996 International Model 4700 with Flatbed & Boxes, Diesel Eng, 358k mi l $14,000 – Service Truck. 1995 International , Model 4700 w/ Utility Bed & Crane, Diesel Eng, 238k mi l
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HEAVY EQUIPMENT $50,000 – Bulldozer. 1999 Caterpillar Model D6MXL, 4,349 hours l $30,000 – Bulldozer. 1996 John Deere Model 850C l $55,000 – Motor Grader. Caterpillar Model 12G, SN#61M12309 l
$110,000 – 2008TigerCat Fellerbuncher, Model 724-D w/ TigerCat DW5600 Head, 8,109 Hrs, 28Lx26 tires l $30,000 – John Deere Model 748G Skidder SN#896, Dual Function, 9,680 hours l $35,000 – John Deere Model 748G-2 Skidder SN#653, Dual Function, 6,278 hours l $115,000 – 2011 John Deere Log Loader, Model 437-D with CSI 264 Delimber l $12,000 – Log Trailer (1) O.T. 40 ft. log trailer , AirLift axles, Single Point Suspension l $10,000 each – Log Trailers (total of 4 for sale) Pitts 40 ft. log trailers (Ultra-light) Air-Lift Axles, Single Point l $10,000 – Platform/Weighing Scales: Maxi-Load Model V-600 13094
FOR SALE 2008 John Deere 848H Skidder, 35.5 tires.........................$95,000
870-223-1940 13080
WANTED TO BUY
Cat 518 & Cat 518C skidders in TX, LA area Call Kent 936-699-4700 r_kentjones@yahoo.com
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l
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LOGGING EQUIPMENT
Watch videos of some of our machines on YouTube
2011 Tigercat 720E Feller Buncher— New disc, Cummins Tier III engine - Rebuilt June 2014, New Hyd pump Dec. 2014, New Pump drive gear box Jan 2014, 28L tires, IN SHOP NOW......................................$CALL
2011 John Deere 748H Log Skid- 2010 CAT 563 Feller Buncher— der—SWEDA axles, Dual arch, Grap- Joystick steering, 28L tires, 22" head, ple, Winch, Cab with air, 35.5L32 tires, 6300 hours ........................$105,000 4632 hours ......................$165,000
6288
2005 Hydro-Ax 670—New Engine, New 2009 Prentice 2384—CSI Delimber, 2005 Hydro-Ax 670—Just In Hydrostat Pump & Rotor (both done by Suttle Just IN: Ready Soon ...................................Call for price Equipment in 2014), Very good 34s, Just In, ...............................Call for price Done soon............................Call for price
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2005 John Deere 648GIII—Recent 2004 Tigercat 230B—CSI delimber, 2006 John Deere 648GIII—Recent engine, Very good 30.5 tires, Woods Just in......................Call for price engine (2014), Recent hydraulic Ready.................................$59,500 pump, New center pins, 30.5 tires, Direct drive ......................$75,000
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SERVING THE LOGGING INDUSTRY FOR 20 YEARS. WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY.
email: tim.cavalierhose@yahoo.com
8309
Tim Alligood Days or Nights: 1-252-341-9891
IF YOU NEED To buy or sell forestry, construction, utility or truck equipment, or if you just need an appraisal, contact me, Johnny Pynes with JM Wood Auction. Over 25 years experience.
Day 334-312-4136 Night 334-271-1475 or Email: johnwpynes@knology.net
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HOSE, FITTINGS & CRIMPERS
1995 Morbark 22RXL whole tree chipper, live deck replaced on rear, Cummins K600 engine, Morlift 1000 loader, cab with joysticks.................$139,500
FOR SALE
• 2013 John Deere 648H skidder, 2200 hrs., SWEDA axles, excellent condition......$170,000 • 2013 John Deere 643K cutter, only 1700 hrs .........................................................$175,000
1996 CAT D5 III w/6-way blade, 3226 2006 Tigercat 635C Bogie skidder, dual 2011 John Deere 903K track feller hrs., new tracks, rails & sprockets, tires front and rear, engine has been buncher, 3690 hours, F22 340 degrees hang on root rake...................$33,500 replaced.................................$90,000 rotator on sawhead, 36" undercarriage ............................................$285,000
• 2007 437C log loader with CSI delimber and 4400 ground saw, approx. 8000 hrs....$50,000
912-281-7318 2541
OWNERS HAVE OVER 30 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE!
N We can save you money on Saw Teeth. Hundreds of satisfied ACC OW EP customers. Rebuilt Exchange or New. We specialize in rebuild- CRE TING DIT ing Koehring 2000, Hurricana, Hydro Ax split teeth and all CARDS
EUREKA SAW TOOTH CO., INC.
7180
other brands. Call Jimmy or Niel Mitchell. Quantity Discounts!
2013 Tigercat 234 w/CSI264 delimber, Set of Firestone 76x50.00B32, Flotation mounted on Big John Kodial delimber trailer; 23 degrees, 48.6” tires, 44” rim width, rim Cummins Tier 4 engine, no DEF fluid, 4053 log grapple, saw hookup, in service 1/2014; patterw ith 18 lug wheels, set at warranty .............................$Call for details ....................................................$14,500
Call or email: Charles Woolard
252-946-9264 office • 252-945-0942 cell Washington, NC Email: easterneq@earthlink.net Complete listings of equipment at www.eebinc.com
4433
4275 Moores Ferry Rd. • Skippers, Virginia 23879 PH./FAX (day) 1-434-634-9836 or Night/Weekends • 1-434-634-9185
2005 Tigercat 822 with 5702 with 110 degrees rotator, new engine, 36' tri-rail undercarriage and both final drives replaced...............................$185,000
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EUREKA! EUREKA! EUREKA!
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TRUCKS
2001 PETERBILT 379—C12 Cat 430HP, 10 speed, 3.90 Ratio, 206" Wheelbase, 40K Rears, 3 Stage Jake Brake.........................................$39,500
2005 KENWORTH W900L—C-15 Acert Cat Engine; 3:35 Ratio; 13 Speed Fuller; 60 inch Stand Up Aeromax sleeper ......................................$45,900
FELLER BUNCHERS
LOG SKIDDERS
2013 PRENTICE 2670—CAT Power, SH-56B Sawhead, New 28Lx26 Tires, 4364 Hours, Clean Tight Tractor .............................................$159,500
2010 DEERE 643K—FD22 Sawhead, New 28Lx26 Tires, 7348 Hours, Tight, Clean .......................................$109,500
2009 PRENTICE 2670—With Quadco CP22 Sawhead; 67 x 34 x 25 Tires; Hours: 8,186; S/N: PB19763 ..$109,500
KNUCKLEBOOM
2006 CAT 525C—Single Arch, with 67 x 34 x 25 Tires; Hours: 9,910; S/N: 00192 ..................................................$64,500
2005 TIGERCAT 620C—30.5 x 32 Tires; Hours: 9,744; S/N: 6200610 ..................................................$74,500
TRAILERS
NEW MCLENDON LOG TRAILERS— 4 Bunk - 6 Bunk In Stock .......................Call for Specs and Prices
3191
2010 DEERE 437D—CSI 264 Delimber; Pitts Trailer; New Turn Table— Dealer Installed; 7860 hours ................................................$115,000
2013 TIGERCAT 620D—Dual Arch; 30.5x32 tires; Turn around seat; Tight, s/n: 620616; Hours: 3,065 .........$219,500
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FINAN C AVAILA ING BLE
www.equipmentandparts.com
5569
Office : 903-238-8700 • Shane Fuller : 903-235-1147 Jason Bruner: 903-452-5290
SKIDDERS 2011 Deere 648H Skidder STK# LU633154; 7,988 hrs $115,000
2011 Timberjack 648H Skidder STK# LU634487; 8,268 hrs $104,000
2010 Prentice 2864 Mulcher STK# LU119808; 4,545 hrs $185,000
2011 Deere 437D Knuckleboom Loader STK# LU207921; 7,009 hrs $139,500
FELLER BUNCHERS
2011 Deere 643K Feller Buncher STK# LU635166; 4,718 hrs $145,000
2012 Deere 437D Knuckleboom Loader STK# LU211145; 6,238 hrs $159,000
2009 Deere 643J Feller Buncher STK# LU625144; 6,581 hrs $68,500
2010 Deere 643K Feller Buncher STK# LU630321; 6,248 hrs $105,000
2012 Deere 843K Feller Buncher STK# LU641270; 6,554 hrs $110,000
2012 John Deere 648H Dual Arch Skidder – 5,200 hours, 2 New, 2 very good – 30.5 x tires, Cab with air, Winch, Ready to work!.........................$155,000
2012 John Deere 748H Dual Arch Skidder – 4,400 hours, good 44 x 32 flotation tires, Cab with air, Winch, Ready to work!.........................$169,500
2013 Cat 563C – 3,900 hours, SC-57 Center post saw head, Cab with air, 39,5x32 tires, C7.1 Acert engine, Ready to work!....................................$175,000
2012 Cat 573C – 5,200 hours, SC-57 Center post saw head, Cab with air, 28L tires, C7.1 Acert engine, Ready to work! .................................................$155,000
MULCHERS 2012 Cat 535C Dual Arch Skidder – 5,500 hours, 2 New , 2 very good - 35.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Winch, Ready to work! .......................................$159,500
2014 Barko 930 Mulcher – 900 hours, Powertrain warranty, 305 HP Cummins engine, FAE 300U Mulching Head, 28L tires. Rent to own WAC. ..........$305,000
2012 Cat 535C Dual Arch Skidder – 5,800 hours, 3 New, 1 very good - 35.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Winch. Ready to work! ........................................$159,500 2008 Barko 930 Mulcher - 3,900 hours, FAE 300U Smooth Drum Mulching Head, 305 hp cummins engine, 28L tires, Cab with air. Ready to work! Rent to own with approved credit....$169,500
2009 Cat 525C - 7,000 hours, 30.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Winch. Ready to work! ..........................................$89,500
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Visa and Mastercard accepted
2011 Prentice 2470 Mulcher – “NEW” FAE smooth drum mulching head, “NEW” high pressure pump / hoses, Cab with air, 28L tires. Rent to own W.A.C .....$195,000
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SKIDDERS
SCREEN
JOHN DEERE 848G (001179), 2006, 10156 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5DOPPSTADT SM720 (W096212 Cat 517 (05WW00419), 2004, 32, Double Arch Grapple, Blade 7877 Hrs, Cab, AC, Esco Grapple ........................................$60,000 1781D07286), 2009, 2450 Hrs, 7’ 20’’ Drum w/ 3/4 ‘’ Punch Plate, ......................................$167,500 435/50r19.5 .................$250,000 Cat 525C (052501555), 2012, 5929 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5-32, S Blade, Grapple ...............$173,000
KNUCKLEBOOM LOADERS
Cat 525C (052501357), 2011, Cat 579B (00PR65175), 2011, 5113 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5-32, Dual 3306 Hrs, Cab, AC, Kodiak Trailer, Arch Grapple, Blade .......$175,000 Grapple, Delimber ..........$215,000 Cat 535C (053500517), 2011, Cat 559B DS (00PR65341), 2012, 7628 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5-32, Dou- 5967 Hrs, Cab, AC, Pitts Trailer, ble Arch Grapple, Blade..$150,000 CTR Delimber, Grapple..........CALL CAT 545C (054500304), ID# 538450, 2006, 9482 Hours, Cab, AC, 35.5-32, Dual Arch Grapple, Winch ............................$122,500
JOHN DEERE 437C (TO437CX162354), 2008, 12645 Hrs, Cab, AC, Evans Trailer, Grapple, Delimber, Slasher ......$75,000
HYDRO-AX 470 (HA18515), 2003, 8916 Hrs, Cab, AC, 28L-26, High Capacity 20’’ Saw ............$35,000 PRENTICE 2470 (PB19355), 2007, 11275 Hrs, Cab, AC, SH50 Saw ......................................$110,000
WHEEL FELLER BUNCHERS
PRENTICE 410E (PR60851), 2005, 4400 Hrs, Cab, Evans Trailer, GrapCat 573C (0RJT00256),2012, ple, Delimber, Double V Heel 2788 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5L-32, ........................................$22,500 SH56B Saw ...................$208,500 PRENTICE CRX625 (P52786), HYDRO-AX 2570 (PB19613), 1995, 22000 Hrs, Cab, Prentice 2008, 9826 Hrs, Cab, 28L-26, Grapple ................................CALL SH50 Saw........................$89,500 HYDRO-AX 321 (7121), 1998, TIGERCAT 726 (7260852),1997, 10000 Hrs, Cab, AC, 24.5-32 Tires 10000 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5-32, 22’’ W/Chains, 20’’ Sawhead ..$33,500 Sawhead .........................$39,000
TIDEWATER EQUIPMENT CO. MAC • 910-610-7029
Call or visit our website: www.tidewaterequip.com SKIDDERS 2011 CAT 563 ....................................$104,500 2001 Deere 648GIII .............................$40,625 2008 Deere 648H.................................$85,500 2010 Deere 648H.................................$84,000 2011 Deere 648H...............................$130,000 2005 Deere 748GIII .............................$57,000 2008 Deere 748H.................................$82,500 2007 Tigercat 610C.............................$65,800 2005 Tigercat 620C.............................$66,000 2012 Tigercat 620D...........................$180,000 2013 Tigercat 620D...........................$190,000 2004 Tigercat 630C...........................$100,000 2005 Tigercat 630C.............................$65,000 2012 Tigercat 630D...........................$210,170 2013 Tigercat 630D...........................$245,000
FELLER BUNCHERS 2009 Deere 643J .................................$85,000 2011 Deere 643K...............................$168,300 2007 Prentice 2384 .............................$75,000 2007 Prentice 2470 .............................$54,000
2008 Prentice 2470 .............................$81,250 2008 Prentice 2570 .............................$95,000 2002 Tigercat 718 ...............................$36,900 2006 Tigercat 718 ...............................$65,000 1998 Tigercat 720B .............................$22,500 2007 Tigercat 720E ...........................$100,000 2010 Tigercat 720E ...........................$145,690 2005 Tigercat 724D.............................$85,200 2007 Tigercat 724E .............................$93,000 1995 Tigercat 726 ...............................$25,000 2004 Timberking TK360......................$58,000
LOG LOADERS 2008 Barko 495ML..............................$70,000 2006 Prentice 280 ...............................$40,000 2002 Tigercat 230B .............................$50,000 2008 Tigercat 234 ...............................$87,500 2010 Tigercat 234 .............................$109,500 2011 Tigercat 234 .............................$132,500 2010 Tigercat 234CS ........................$125,000 2003 Tigercat 240B .............................$35,000 2006 Tigercat 240B .............................$52,500 2005 Tigercat 250 ...............................$60,000
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT 1997 MORBARK 22.............................$60,000 2009 MORBARK 40/36 NCL DRUM CHIPPER ........................................$243,750 2010 MORBARK 4600XL ..................$349,500 2011 MORBARK 40/36 NCL DRUM CHIPPER ........................................$225,000
MISCELLANEOUS Assortment of tires and rims for Deere/Tigercat CTR 314 and 400 Delimbers ............$1,000 to ..........................................................$18,000 Tigercat Shears and Saws ...............$2,500 to ..........................................................$20,000 Please come see us at our new parts locations: – Waycross, GA (912) 282-9284 – Statesboro, GA (912) 601-9924 – Elizabethtown, NC (910) 876-7058
View our web site for over 200 listings with newly reduced prices and pictures 2687
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EQUIPMENT FINANCING • Preferred Good Credit Plans • Rough Credit Plans (turned down, tax liens, bankruptcies)
2013 Dynamic CH885 with 300 hours, Cummins QSK 19L Tier 3 Diesel with 800hp, 28" whole tree capacity......$395,000
906-353-4831 13051
• Purchases • Refinance • Start-up Business • Loans Against Your Existing Equipment for QUICK CASH! 2-Hour Approvals! Low Monthly Payments Little or No Down Payments
15 Years In Business CALL NOW
985-875-7373 7393
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Ask For L.T. DEALERS WELCOME
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Skidder Falls Into Collapsing Culvert Void BACKGROUND: On a clear, dry, summer day in the South, an equipment operator was moving a skidder from one end of an old, abandoned woodyard to another. The terrain was flat, and the skidder operator was following an existing, old road. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The 55-year-old skidder operator had been employed in the logging business for approximately 35 years, and he was considered fully trained for the job. It is not known whether he was wearing a seatbelt. UNSAFE CONDITIONS: The old road on the woodyard had not been used for approximately 10 years. The skidder operator failed
to inspect the road, and he did not look at the culvert that was underneath one section of the road, so he did not notice that the culvert had rusted. The bands connecting the culvert sections were completely rusted through. Additionally, the soil around the culvert had washed out and left a void under the road.
five feet down into a hole made by the collapsed section.
INJURY: Fortunately, the skidder operator was not injured, and the machine was not damaged significantly. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: Inspect old culverts and roads prior to use. If a section of a road is unsafe and will not be repaired immediately, block it off, close it, and otherwise mark it with barriers, so that no one can be injured. (This road has now been closed, with a fence and barriers placed on each side.) Ensure that all equipment operators always wear seat belts when the machine is moving. Supplied by Forest Resources Assn.
ACCIDENT: When the skidder moved over the rusted culvert, the soil collapsed, and the front end of the skidder dropped approximately
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ADVERTISER American Logger’s Council American Truck Parts Bandit Industries Carter Enterprises Carter Machinery Cat Forestry Cleanfix Reversible Fans Cooper Forestry Equipment John Deere Forestry Doggett Machinery Service Equipment & Parts Firestone Agricultural Tires Flint Equipment Forestry First Forestry Mutual Insurance G & S Equipment Harmon Dennis Bradshaw Hawkins & Rawlinson Hydraulic & Pneumatic Services InWoodsExpo Ironmart Kaufman Trailers Mike Ledkins Insurance Agency LMI-Tennessee Magnolia Trailers Manac Maxi-Load Scale Systems Moore Logging Supply Morbark Nokian Tyres Oakley Equipment Ozark Machinery Peterson Pacific Pitts Trailers Prentice Puckett Machinery Quadco Equipment Quality Equipment & Parts River Ridge Equipment S E C O Parts & Equipment Stribling Equipment Tidewater Equipment Tigercat Industries Trelan Manufacturing VPG Onboard Weighing Vulcan On-Board Scales W & W Truck & Tractor Waratah Forestry Attachments Wood Supply Research Institute
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COMING EVENTS April 15-17—Virginia Forestry Assn. Summit, Boar’s Head Inn, Charlottesville, Va. Call 804-278-8733; visit vaforestry.org. 27-29—Forest Resources Assn. annual meeting, Sheraton Nashville Downtown, Nashville, Tenn. Call 202-296-3937; visit forestresources.org.
June 5-6—Southeastern Wood Producers Assn. annual meeting, Renaissance at the World Golf Village, St. Augustine, Fla. Call 800-468-3571; visit swpa.ag. 10-12—Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 504-443-4464; visit sfpaexpo.com. 18-20—InWoodsExpo 2015, Hot Springs, Ark. Call 501-224-2232; visit arkloggers.com.
July 19-22—Council on Forest Engineering annual meeting, Lexington, Ky. Call 304-206-1884; visit cofe.org. 26-28—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Summer Conference, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va. Call 336-8858315; visit appalachianwood.org.
31-August 2—Georgia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island, Ga. Call 478-992-8110; visit gfagrow.org.
August 25-27—Florida Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Wyndham Bay Point Golf Resort & Spa, Panama City Beach, Fla. Call 850-2225646; visit floridaforest.org. 25-27—Louisiana Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Golden Nugget Resort and Casino, Lake Charles, La. Call 318-443-2558; visit laforestry.com.
September 13-15—Alabama Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Perdido Beach Resort, Orange Beach, Ala. Call 334-265-8733; visit alaforestry.org. 18-19—Kentucky Wood Expo, Masterson Station Park, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-695-3979; visit kfia.org. 18-19—Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo, Selma/Smithfield, NC. Call 919-271-9050; visit midatlantic-logging-biomassexpo.com. 24-26—American Loggers Council annual meeting, Red Lion Hotel, Eureka, Calif. Call 409-625-0206; visit americanloggers.org.
ADLINK is a free service for advertisers and readers. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.
October 6-8—Arkansas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Arlington Hotel, Hot Springs, Ark. Call 501-3742441; visit arkforests.org. 7-9—North Carolina Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Marriot Resort Spa at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach, SC. Call 800-231-7723; visit ncforestry.org. 7-9—National Hardwood Lumber Assn. Annual Convention & Exhibit Showcase, Omni Hotel, Nashville, Tenn. Call 901-377-1818; visit nhla.com.
November 6-7—Sawdust and Splinters, Shirard Gray Estates, Magnolia, Miss. Call 601-876-9635; email contact@sdsfest.com; visit sdsfest.com. Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
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