HARDWOOD MATTERS

By DALLIN BROOKS, Executive Director

Ihope that you had a happy Thanksgiving. As a kid, my parents made us go around the table saying what we were thankful for each year. I hated it, not because I was ungrateful but because it seemed forced and contrite, and we were all grateful for the same things. For that reason, I never make my kids do it. We talk about what we are thankful for, but it is a conversation, not a listing of things. I let them decide if they want to add to the conversation— unfortunately, most of the time, they do not.

As I age, I see the error in letting them sit passively in the gratitude conversation instead of strongly encouraging them to make a list. They just silently agree with the common things but never express them. When you express it, you benefit, the others around you benefit, and God appreciates it. The same is true for hardwood promotion.

We can let the Real American Hardwood Coalition do all the promotion and the sharing about how critical wood is to our society, its cultures, history, and progression. We can let other members pay for and build on the things we have in common, but if we miss an opportunity to tell our unique story, to show our gratitude for what wood is, the foundation for life on earth. I can’t say it enough; the world owes wood a debt of gratitude. It owes wood manufacturers appreciation for the quality of life that they enjoy.

So, let’s not just sit around and listen to the conversation of others. Let’s list the things we do and appreciate about hardwoods. We need to talk about wood constantly at home, school, work, church, shopping, or elsewhere. Every person on the planet is impacted by someone using hardwoods every day, either in transportation and shipping or in appearance and functionality.

I can tell you this, while the National Hardwood Lumber Association gives 5% of membership dues to the Real American Hardwood Coalition, it is not enough. Money alone will not solve our problems if we don’t tell our own stories. We need to use social media and daily conversations to tell people how much hardwood matters to them.

We all know that people don’t recognize all the impacts wood has on them. So, what are we going to do about it? I encourage you to donate to the Real American Hardwood Coalition and share with someone the benefit hardwood has on their life. Here is an easy way to do that. Take a picture of the wood around you - at home, school, work, while running errands or playing, and at church. Preferably photos with people in them. Then share them on social media, text them to friends or send the pictures to the NHLA account info@nhla.com so we can share them. Tell your story to the wood industry, your kids, your friends, your fellowman, and the rest of the world. Have a conversation about how hardwoods make things more beautiful, transport things, and build our society, and give them your common list of reasons to be grateful for hardwoods. Common ground builds common gratitude.

Dallin Brooks NHLA Executive Director | dallin@nhla.com

P.S. If you like, use the hashtag #Hardwoodmatters because it does, and so do you. Anything you do to tell the hardwood story is appreciated. Thanks for letting me get up on my soapbox.

Accolades

Welcome New Members

(August-October 2022)

Active U1 Members

B & D Sawmill LLC, Glenwood, IA

Buchan Sawmill, Inc., New Haven, IN

PJ Lumber Company LLC, Prichard, AL

Walnut Acres Sawmill, Rockville, IN

Woodgrain Millwork Inc., Independence, VA

Active U2 Members

York Legacy Mill, Burkesville, KY

Associate Members

Koppers, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA

Somerset Hardwood Flooring-Eagle Plant, Somerset, KY

Sustaining Members

Aiken Controls, Lenoir, NC

Biobiowood Pte Ltd, Singapore

Greenbridge, Mentor, OH

The Lilly Company, Memphis, TN

Manitoulin Global Forwarding, Mississauga, ON

Real Performance Machinery, Independence, VA

Milestone Members

Congratulations to these companies who are celebrating significant milestone anniversaries with NHLA.

5 Years

BILLSBY LUMBER COMPANY

Active U1 | October 2017

CARBOTECH

Sustaining | October 2017

COBBLE CREEK LUMBER LLC

Active U1 | October 2017

ELK VALLEY HARDWOODS

Active U2 | December 2017

HUNT FOREST PRODUCTS LLC

Active U2 | October 2017

JONES LUMBER, LLC

Active U1 | November 2017

LUCIDYNE TECHNLOGIES

Sustaining | October 2017

PA FOREST PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION Research | November 2017

10 YEARS

GREENTREE HARDWOODS LLC

Active U1 | October 2012

20 YEARS

DRY RUN LUMBER CO.

Active U1 | December 2002

GAGNON LUMBER INC.

Active U1 | October 2002

GRANITE VALLEY FOREST PRODUCTS - WELTER

Active U4 | November 2002

25 YEARS

AJD FOREST PRODUCTS

Active U1 | November 1997

SCIERIE ARBOTEK INC. Active U1 | November 1997

50 YEARS

ROBERT S. COLEMAN

LUMBER CO., INC.

Active U2 | December 1972

Nhla Educational Webinars

Visit www.NHLA.com to find our online learning portal. In this area, you will find and access live online courses and webinar replays.

Webinar replays are FREE to NHLA Members. Non-members can view for a fee.