Forest Products 2018

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

A BRIEF HISTORY OF NATIONAL FOREST PRODUCTS WEEK 2018 marks the 58th anniversary of National Forest Products Week. This annual observance dates back to September 13, 1960, according to the Forest History Society. On that day, Congress passed a joint resolution providing for the establishment of an annual National Forest Products Week to be held each year on the week beginning with the third Sunday in October.

President Eisenhower signed the first proclamation two days later, calling on the people of the United States “to observe the week beginning October 16, 1960, as National Forest Products Weeks, with activities and ceremonies designed to focus attention on the importance of our forests and forest products to the Nation’s economy and welfare.”

Upon signing the proclamation, Eisenhower was presented with a commemorative clock made from 10 different species of American wood. The full proclamation reads:

National Forest Products Week Legislation PUBLIC LAW 86-753; 74 STAT.898 [S. J. RES. 209] Joint resolution providing for the establishment of an annual National Forest Products Week.

WHEREAS our country and its people have always found constant strength, individual peace and personal pride in the bounty of our forest and timber land; and WHEREAS from the beginning of our Nation’s founding, the forest and its products have provided a core of living and freedom touching and inspiring each citizen with majestic beauty and practical use; and WHEREAS as our only renewable resource, wood offers the availability and abundance to satisfy the Nation’s ever growing demands and through modern forestry we can be assured of a continuous supply of timber for the future; and WHEREAS the first settlers gained foothold in the new world and carved for themselves and their descendants a free nation and built homes, schools and churches using the forests as an ever plentiful source of material; and WHEREAS this early building is now multiplied a thousandfold in these great United States and the importance of our forest lands has developed with equal vigor through wise management constant replanting and growth of this vital resource, and today our forests provide thousands of products - lumber, paper, building materials, chemicals, furniture and cloth - all dedicated to improving the lives of our people; and WHEREAS in order to reemphasize to each citizen in the United States the importance and heritage of our vast forest resources which are inseparably tied to our present and our future: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That: The seven-day period beginning on the third Sunday of October in each year is hereby designated as National Forest Products Week, and the President is requested to issue annually a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe such week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Approved September 13, 1960.

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

MFPC HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING, ISSUES AWARDS COURTESY MAINE FOREST PRODUCTS COUNCIL

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aine’s four gubernatorial candidates—Republican Shawn Moody, Democrat Janet Mills, and Independents Terry Hayes and Alan Caron—spoke about forest products issues, including the Tree Growth Tax, workforce development, and research and development for new wood-based products, at the Maine Forest Product Council’s 58th Annual Meeting on Sept. 17.

“Access to the gubernatorial candidates was very much appreciated by the members,” said Executive Director Patrick Strauch. “Our industry has a lot at stake in picking the right leader because we can offer the next administration an opportunity to capitalize on our ability to grow the economy in rural parts of Maine

if we make the right decisions.”

More than 100 people enjoyed the two-day event at Sebasco Harbor resort, which included awards for outstanding contributions to Maine’s forest products industry and presentations on: • The unified paper industry’s effort to slow the decline in paper consumption by Mary Anne Hansan, president of the Paper and Packaging Board, who spoke about the “How Life Unfolds” campaign. Since 2015, about $20 million annually has been spent to reach a target audience of 38 million Americans and, according to Cornell economist Harry Kaiser, the marketing campaign has contributed nearly 500,000

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short tons a year to paper-based packaging consumption from 2015 to 2017.

How St. Croix Tissue has revitalized Woodland Pulp, by Marco L’Italien, vice president of International Grand Investment Corp and owner of the Woodland mill.

FOR/Maine update from Steve Schley, chair, Executive Committee; Sarah Curran, FOR/Maine program director; and Charlotte Mace, executive director, Biobased Maine; about the progress of the roadmap and about promising companies that have been identified as part of the Maine Technology Institute process.

Continues on Page 6

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

MFPC annual meeting, Patrick Strauch, far right.

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

Continued from Page 4 MFPC also announced its annual awards for the best of 2018, including: • Mark Doty of Madison, retired, Weyerhaeuser, the Albert D. Nutting Award, “in recognition of his innovative and effective leadership; his exceptional communication skills; his strong commitment to sustainable forestry and conservation and his unwavering advocacy for the forest products industry not only in Maine, but also in New Hampshire and Vermont.”

• Sarah Medina of Dixmont, Seven Islands, Abby Holman Public Service Award, “in recognition of her lifelong commitment to Maine’s natural environment and those that enjoy it, with particular focus on her work with North Maine Woods, IF&W’s Sportsman/ Landowner relations program, Maine Snowmobilers Association, Maine Sporting Camp owners Association, Maine’s UT land use planning, the Allagash Wilderness

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Waterway, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, and her leadership at UMaine.”

Ken Laustsen of Oakland, retired biometrician, Maine Forest Service, President’s Award, “in recognition of his public service to the forest products industry as state biometrician, as well as his unique ability to make a complicated subject easily understood. His advocacy for better forestry communications went far beyond ensuring that facts and figures were correct. He helped people evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information so that they could make better decisions.”

Vern Labbe of Frenchville, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, Outstanding Forester, “in recognition of 44 years of exceptional service in implementing sustainable forest management for the people of Maine on the Bureau of Public Lands.”

Robert Linkletter, Maine Woods Pellets, Athens, Outstanding Manufacturer, “in recognition of

outstanding innovations and investments to merge technologies for the efficient production of wood pellets and electrical power.”

• Jim Nicols, Nicols Brothers, Mexico, Outstanding Logger, “in recognition of exemplary on-theground performance, longstanding commitment to the well-being of their employees, the community and Maine’s logging profession.”

• Brian Souers, Treeline Inc., Lincoln, Outstanding Trucking, “in recognition of outstanding forest products trucking through tireless pursuits of innovation, loaded miles and a commitment to quality service.”

“It’s always rewarding to me to see the wide variety of our membership and to know that no matter how competitive we may all be in the marketplace,” Strauch said, “when we come together as the Maine Forest Products Council, we all understand the power of seeking common ground in advancing our forest economy.”

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

MFPC award winners, from left, Brian Souers, Mark Doty, Jim Nicols, Vern Labbe, Ken Laustsen, Sarah Medina, Robert Linkletter.

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

CHANGING OUR IMAGE WITH PERFORMANCEBASED CERTIFICATION

BY TED WRIGHT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRUST TO CONSERVE NORTHEAST FORESTLANDS

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oggers are a proud group of hardworking individuals, and nothing makes a careful and conscientious logger cringe more than seeing sloppy work, hearing stories of landowners being cheated or being treated with skepticism by people inside and outside the industry. Those loggers know that this damages their reputation just as much as it does the reputation of the logger that is responsible.

Logging is not the only profession that has good caring professionals along with bad apples that can ruin the bushel. Physicians, attorneys, electricians, mechanics, plumbers and many others all have ways to distinguish the good from the bad.

There was a time when physicians could simply go to medical school and then go into practice. There was no performance assessment for the specialty they chose to practice. Bad physicians were getting into practice and were making people sick or making critical mistakes that made people fear seeking the help of a physician. In the early 1900’s the

majority of physicians knew they needed a profession-led certification to move forward and crack down on those within the profession that were not holding up their end of the bargain. Through the creation of board certification, they were able to remove the bad actors but also improve their image.

This was not done through training programs. It was done by board certification. It was undertaken for many reasons, but improving image, distinguishing excellent practices and driving continuous improvement were all part of it.

The analogy of physicians can be directly related to the logging profession. Logging contractors that invest millions of dollars and run clean businesses are lumped into the same group as loggers who are only there for a short term or as long as they can hack it. Today a person can simply buy a chainsaw and a skidder, take a training class and then they are considered a “qualified” logger.

Many of these “loggers” do harm to

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

the industry because they have a short-term window of operations, but the damage they can do to the industry is long term. We cannot continue to operate this way. The time has come for a performancebased certification to truly separate the loggers that care, are invested heavily and want to see a future of responsible forest management.

There have been many people who are skeptical of Master Logger because they believe it will somehow inhibit their business, add cost and cause harm, when in fact its purpose is to recognize those of you who are doing things right and separate you from those who don’t.

Training alone is a great equalizer when it comes to responsible and irresponsible logging contractors.

Anyone can attend a training and be recognized for that. It is not enough.

What matters is what happens in the woods.

Our industry simply can’t move forward because everyone is “trained.” Training programs have improved safety and opened up new ideas, but they also cost valuable time if they are taken simply to meet a required mandate. The logging profession cannot be judged on attendance at training programs alone. Better to judge the profession on performance standards that drive continuous improvement.

I think what has been lost over the last twenty years is the understanding of the terms “qualified” and “certified.” This has confused those working in the industry as well as the general public. As a result, these terms are commingled and used without understanding, allowing those who have attended a training program to call themselves certified even though this doesn’t meet the definition of the term.

For context, I think it’s extremely important to differentiate between first party (company), second party (qualified), and third party (certified) assessments. First-party assessment is a conformity assessment performed by the individual that provides the service, where the first party can establish, “I am good.”

Second-party assessment is a conformity assessment performed

by an organization (e.g., a trainer or instructor) that has an interest in the service provided—“We are good”—otherwise known as “qualified.” Third-party assessment is a conformity assessment that requires an entirely independent party to provide the conformity assessment: “They are good.” Third party is the only assessment that can be called certification.

I offer the following table for you to compare and contrast the differences and uses of Logger Training Program (qualified) vs. Master Logger (certified).

Training has been important and will be important for growth for ourselves and our employees, but it should not be the deciding factor in measuring a logger’s commitment to the industry.

Many of you have years of experience, serious investments in machines, employees and your local communities. These successes that you have worked so hard to achieve can be undermined and minimized by a recognition system that is mandated by others, and that’s not fair.

Performance-based certification recognizes your good work and commitment to the logging profession and is that recognition that will lead to an image of our professionalism that we all desire.

I hope this article mobilizes conscientious logging contractors towards voluntary logger certification. We need all of you on board going above and beyond to help weed the bad out from the good. The industry and our profession will be better because of it.

For more information on the Master Logger Program contact Ted Wright at (207) 532-8721 or executivedirector@tcnef.org.

LOGGER TRAINING PROGRAM

LOGGER TRAINING CERTIFICATION©

What is it?

An educational process.

An assessment process.

Who is it for?

For both newcomers and experienced professionals.

Typically requires some amount of professional experience.

Who provides the oversight?

Content provided by a variety of organizations, institutions or other providers with subject matter knowledge.

Awarded by a third party, standard-setting organization with subject matter knowledge.

What does it consist of?

May be a single course or a series of classes with content relevant to the audience.

A well-defined initial assessment process with set components for renewal.

What does it indicate?

Indicates attendance at a program

Indicates mastery and level of competency as measured against a defined set of benchmarks

Expert Validation?

Content varies widely.

Benchmarks are set through standardized, industry-wide process that results in demonstration of required knowledge and skills.

How is it verified?

Documented by attendance

Awarded by a third party, standard-setting organization after a process of evaluation

Why?

Usually part of a mandated industry requirement or compliance standard.

May have additional opportunities for voluntary professional development.

Voluntary process, not tied to an industry mandate. Typically led by the profession itself.

What is the upkeep?

May be part of a one-time-only requirement or may require renewal at prescribed intervals.

Has ongoing requirements to maintain; holder must demonstrate the continued achievement of benchmark standards

Results

Results in a certificate of attendance or compliance.

Results in a designation only available to companies who have successfully demonstrated achievement of third-party verified standards.

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

WADSWORTH WOODLANDS OFFERS WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE, EXPERTISE COURTESY WADSWORTH WOODLANDS, INC.

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adsworth Woodlands, Inc., is a multigenerational, family-owned business that has been in operation for 23 years and has over 45 years of forestry experience.

Our foremost objective is to help landowners achieve their goals of natural resource management through land management plans and responsible harvests of wood products, ensuring the greatest return on their forestland investment, forest health, and creation of wildlife habitats. Our foresters are licensed in Maine and New

Hampshire. We pride ourselves in being able to offer our landowners a wide range of experience, knowledge, and technology. We are always evolving and incorporating new techniques, but we are steadfast in remaining stewards of the forest.

We offer all the timber harvesting, forestry consulting and land management services you need to successfully manage your woodlot and grow your timber investment. Our foresters have spent many years in the woods and they put their

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

expertise to work for you whether you want your woodlot inspected, a land management plan, or cruising and assessing your timber potential. We have always been committed to harvesting timber in an environmentallyfriendly manner. We specialize in selective tree cutting and lot clearing, ensuring you receive the best return from your timber and from future harvests.

We proudly serve small and large landowners and have written land management plans for over 75,000 acres of private land as well as for Land & Conservation Trusts in Maine and New Hampshire. We continuously meet with new and established clients to discuss forest management activities. These activities range from examining a woodlot for harvest, locating boundary lines, creating tree growth and tree farm management plans, formulating timber value/volume, and beyond.

Our foresters enjoy being in the woods,

but it is our clients that bring us much joy.

The foundation of our company is to create and maintain strong, lasting relationships with both our clients and the lumber mills.

We feel that strong relationships go hand in hand with good forestry practices, and we are committed to serving the individual forestry needs of our clients and their woodlands. As professional foresters, our mission is to provide landowners with a wide array of economical forestry services and bring our expertise and experience to responsibly work with your woodland.

We strive to always do our best in satisfying our client’s objectives, and in return we can feel good about our accomplishments. We believe that good forestry practices begin with good landowner relationships, and that longterm sustainability is achieved through responsible resource management.

A well-managed, sustainable woodlot is good for you and even better for the forests!

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

PLC HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING COURTESY PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE

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he Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine held its 23rd Annual Meeting May 4 with awards presented to businesses, individuals, and legislators from across Maine for their outstanding contributions to the logging industry.

The event also raised a record $46,311 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in Maine, topping the previous record of $44,000 set in 2017.

The meeting was held at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer and included a morning meeting of the members; luncheon with the president of the American Logger’s Council, Mark Turner, as speaker; and an afternoon tour of the Neonatal Intensive Care Clinic at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor which has been supported by PLC donations through the Log A Load

for Kids program. The annual PLC Auction for Log A Load followed the tour, then the annual PLC Dinner and Awards Ceremony.

“Our Annual Meeting is a time to reflect, a time to celebrate and a time to plan for the future,” PLC Executive Director Dana Doran said. “The PLC has made important strides on behalf of loggers, forest contractors, and forest truckers and stands ready to continue its work on behalf of the industry for years to come. Our members should be proud of what they have accomplished this year, and especially proud of what was accomplished here for the children tonight.”

The Annual Meeting is one of the PLC’s major fundraisers for the Log A Load for Kids Foundation to benefit Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals.

PLC members are well known for their generosity in supporting charitable causes benefiting children, and are strong supporters of the Log A Load For Kids annual campaign which encourages loggers and others in the forest products community to donate the value of one load of logs, or any amount, to local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. Log A Load For Kids is a national leader in CMN fundraising.

The PLC and the Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) Foundation have raised more than $1 million since 1996 for children in Maine. Donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. EMHS is a CMN hospital.

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

The meeting concluded with award presentations. Awards were presented to the following individuals and organizations:

PLC Logger of the Year Award: Chaplin Logging Inc. of Naples.

PLC Impact Awards: Maine State Senator Thomas Saviello of Wilton.

PLC Community Service Award: Katahdin Fire Company of Old Town.

Acadia Insurance Safety Award: Treeline Inc. of Chester.

PLC Supporting Member Award: Farm Credit East.

PLC President’s Award: Robert Linkletter of Athens and Brian Souers of Lincoln.

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

WORKING TOGETHER FOR FOREST HEALTH: SAPPI FORESTRY COURTESY OF SAPPI

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appi’s Forestry Program provides a team of experienced and licensed forest professionals who can develop and execute a forest management plan to help landowners achieve their woodlot ownership objectives.

They can also answer questions for you: Why are the needles on my tree brown?

What type of oak tree is this? How do I improve the health of my forest stand? How can I promote wildlife?

If your property is enrolled in the State’s Tree Growth Program, we can ensure that it meets the program requirements. If you are looking to conduct a harvest, we are well versed in the state regulatory process associated with harvesting forestland and work directly with some of the best logging contractors in the state.

Many woodlot owners are concerned

about the health of their forest. A wellmanaged forest can provide food and cover for songbirds, deer, and other species while generating income and providing recreational opportunities. Our team of forest professionals can provide you with information and advise you on the many forest management tools which can help ensure that your woodlot remains healthy and productive for future generations.

Our program offers a variety of forestry services to help Maine’s small woodlot owners. Whether you are seeking forest management advice, need to develop a forest plan, or are looking to conduct a harvest, give us a call.

Why Choose Sappi Forestry?

1) Trust. A landowner needs to know their

forester is working to meet the landowner’s interests and objectives. They want someone they trust to develop a plan for their woodlot, see that the plan is implemented, and ensure that it meets their expectations. They know that Sappi is here for the long-term, and appreciate the program’s reputation for fairness, honesty, and trust.

2) Forest Health. Landowners care about the long-term health and aesthetics of their forest and the benefits that a healthy forest brings to wildlife and water quality.

They want any improvements done on their land today to result in a healthier forest in 10, 20, or 40 years. Sappi shares these goals.

3) Fair Return. Working with a Sappi forester, the landowner knows that they will receive a fair price and timely payment for any wood harvested from their woodlot, that

someone is keeping accurate track of all wood sent to a mill, and that wood is being sourced where it will fetch the highest return for the landowner.

4) Markets. Sappi is the largest buyer of hardwood pulp in Maine and offers a ready market with no “middle man” for any wood sold to the Somerset mill. Sappi has a dedicated forester who is responsible for marketing all the logs and veneer.

5) Value and Service. Sappi offers many forestry services at no charge to the landowner. For example, Sappi will update or develop a State of Maine Tree Growth management plan free of charge for anyone who works with their program.

There are many reasons for a landowner to utilize the Sappi forestry team in their next forestry project. Call today to learn more.

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

HANCOCK LUMBER WELCOMES BUTCH BARBERI TO THE LOG PROCUREMENT TEAM! COURTESY OF HANCOCK LUMBER

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utch Barberi joined Hancock lumber this July as the new Log Procurement Forester for the Pittsfield sawmill.

With nearly 30 years of experience in the forest products industry, Butch previously worked in fiber procurement for a hardwood sawmill and with large paper mills in Vermont and Maine.

He has held positions in forest operations, pulp procurement, and forest product sales and marketing for several international paper companies in Maine. He began his career purchasing hardwood saw logs for a privatelyheld hardwood mill in Vermont.

A University of Maine graduate, Butch received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry and Timber Utilization with a minor in Botany. While there, he served as a research assistant in a large agroforestry research project in Haiti. He later received a Certificate of Postgraduate Studies in Business Administration from UMaine. Butch and his wife reside just outside of Bangor where they raised two children who currently are pursuing their college education in Maine.

Please join us in welcoming Butch to Team Hancock. Butch will be traveling throughout the territory making introductions and connecting with logging contractors throughout the state.

Hancock Lumber is thrilled to have Butch and his wealth of experience on our log procurement team.

We are actively purchasing white pine logs from Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. If you are a landowner with over 10 acres of land with access and clearance from structures and power lines, please contact one of Hancock Lumber’s log buyers today!

Forest stewards since 1848, Hancock Lumber works closely with logging contractors to develop partnerships that preserve healthy forest management practice and help secure product procurement to our mills. Hancock Lumber’s secret to success starts in the log yards. Top quality raw material is the key ingredient to Hancock Lumber’s local, national, and international reputation for premium pine products. From the forest to the log yard, through the sawmill and into the final end-use application, Hancock

respects and protects the eastern white pine value stream.

Hancock’s commitment to stewardship starts in the forest.

Visit our website for state-specific forestry resources, log specifications, and direct contact to a Hancock log buyer in your territory.

Hancock Lumber Company is a sixth-generation, familyowned business operating a timberland company, a sawmill division, and a network of retail lumberyards, home design showrooms, and a truss manufacturing facility. Led by their 540 employees, Hancock has five times been selected as a “Best Place to Work in Maine” and was recognized as the 2017 national ProSales “Dealer of the Year.” Four of their locations have received OSHA’s highest safety certification, earning SHARP certifications at their Casco, Bethel, and Pittsfield sawmills and Bridgton lumberyard. Deeply embedded in Hancock’s culture is stewardship, and we firmly believe in giving back and leaving things in better shape than when we assumed responsibility for them.

To learn more, visit www.HancockLumber.com.

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

GRADUATES COMPLETE MECHANIZED LOGGING OPERATIONS PROGRAM 12-week certificate program holds graduation ceremony at class harvest site

COURTESY PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE

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raduates of Maine’s only post-secondary training program for operators of mechanized logging equipment were recognized Friday, Sept. 14, at a ceremony held in the woods southeast of Ashland where they have spent weeks harvesting timber using sophisticated state-of-the-art machines like those they will encounter in the logging industry.

The Mechanized Logging Operations Program (MLOP) was launched last summer thanks to a partnership between three Maine community colleges, the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine, and industry partners including Milton CAT and Nortrax/John Deere. This is the second class to complete the program.

Friends and family members of the students joined

logging contractors, representatives of the community colleges, state lawmakers, and industry sponsors to share a proud day with the students who completed its rigorous requirements.

“We could not be prouder today to see these newlytrained forest technicians enter our industry,” Jim Nicols, the president of the PLC, said in his remarks.

“Each one of you has a great opportunity to enter this industry at just the right time. There are great things on the horizon for this industry and with the training you have received here, you will always have a job.”

Students completing the program included Evan Burgay of Caribou, Deric Buswell of Rumford, Jack Houtz of Stillwater, Logan Johnson of Presque Isle, Parrish Lovely of Westfield, Ralph Nichols of Wallagrass,

Ben Shaw of Pittston, and William Shufelt of Gray.

Houtz, who addressed the crowd on behalf of the students, said the opportunities and experiences they had to operate multimillion dollar machines in the woods for weeks were unprecedented, and credited Milton CAT and Nortrax/John Deere for stepping up to give them access to the equipment that made the handson learning possible.

He also thanked the instructors, organizations and individuals who contributed so much time and effort to the success of the program.

“This was a wonderful opportunity that would not have occurred without a lot of people,” Houtz said, adding to his fellow graduates, “I hope you guys are as excited as I am. Stay safe, I hope to see you in the woods.”

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

While the logging industry has seen some contraction in recent years due to the loss of pulp and paper mills, the demand for skilled operators of the feller bunchers, harvesters, grapple skidders, forwarders, delimbers, and other mechanized logging equipment that now harvests more than 90 percent of all timber in Maine is strong. Many current operators are reaching retirement age and the steep costs of training new operators is driving up demand and wages.

The hands-on experience that students gained operating equipment for weeks in the woods is something unavailable anywhere else in Maine and neighboring states.

The new program is working in tandem with the state’s current vocational training system and is expected to draw many of its students from within the logging industry itself as well as from Maine’s four high school vocational logging programs. For the first time, logging operators are being trained similarly to other advanced trade occupations with a high school and postsecondary approach.

Approximately 95 percent of logging in Maine now relies on mechanized equipment including feller bunchers and harvesters, delimbers, grapple

skidders, and forwarders. It generally takes at least a year of training and experience before an operator becomes skilled enough to run this equipment safely and efficiently. The cost for companies to train these operators themselves is approximately $100,000 each.

It was for this reason that the PLC partnered with the Maine Community College System and industry to create the program. It was jointly developed by the PLC and Northern Maine Community College (NMCC), Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC), and Washington County Community College (WCCC) with generous support from Milton CAT/CAT Forest Products, Nortrax Inc./John Deere, and other industry partners. The Maine Legislature also provided strong bipartisan support for the program.

Donors recognized also included Prentiss and Carlisle, United Insurance in Fort Kent, Labonville Inc., Katahdin Fire Co. and ProPac. “Without the donors and their support, there is no way this program could have gotten off the ground,” Nicols said.

More information on the program is available online at www.nmcc.edu/industry-customizedtraining/mechanized-forest-operations.

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

PLC OF MAINE RAISES $72,000 FOR MAINE KIDS COURTESY PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF MAINE

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he Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine raised $72,000 at the 22nd Annual Log A Load for Maine Kids Golf Tournament Friday, Sept. 21 at JATO Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Maine.

The tournament, which benefits Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals in Maine, is the PLC’s largest annual fundraiser for charity.

Combined with a record $46,311 raised at the PLC’s annual meeting in May, the tournament’s success means PLC has raised more than $118,000 for CMN hospitals and the families they serve in 2018.

“The generosity of the PLC’s members, friends, and supporters who attend this event never ceases to amaze me,” PLC Executive Director Dana Doran said. “This group reaches

deep each year for these families and continues to devote an incredible amount of time, effort, and resources to the Log A Load cause.”

The PLC and the Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) Foundation have raised more than $1 million since 1996 for children in Maine.

Donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. EMHS is a CMN hospital.

Last year’s tournament raised $71,547.

Tickets to the 2018 tournament sold out.

Forty teams competed in the event. A highlight of the Log A Load Auction held at the end of the day was bidding for an official New England Patriots football signed by Patriots quarterback

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

Tom Brady and donated by PLC Supporting Member Cross Insurance to benefit Log A Load.

Presenting sponsors for the event included American Forest Management, Nortrax/John Deere, BBC Land, LLC, and Cross Insurance. PLC also wants to thank the more than 40 other companies that sponsored and/or donated to the tournament for their exceptional generosity.

The South Carolina Forestry Association started the Log A Load for Kids program in 1988. Originally, the concept was for loggers, wood-supplying businesses, and other industry supporters in various states including Maine to donate the value of a load of logs to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Nationally, Log A Load for Kids is a leader in CMN Hospitals’ fundraising, raising more than $2 million annually through golf tournaments, fishing events, dinners, truckloads of log donations and other events.

For more information, please visit www.logaload.org.

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

HANINGTON BROTHERS CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF LOGGING AND FAMILY

BY ERIC KINGSLEY, FRA NORTHEAST REGION COORDINATOR

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n 1958, Hollis Hanington Jr. started Hanington Brothers, heading into the woods with horses to cut and skid timber.

In the 60 years since, the company has grown and evolved into one of Maine’s leading logging companies, with 36 full-time employees involved in harvesting, chipping, trucking and land management.

In those six decades, Hanington Brothers Inc. has kept at the forefront of technology changes. The firm was one of the first in the region to purchase a skidder, and through the years has moved from hand cutting to mechanized harvesting.

Those years have also seen huge changes in the markets that Hanington Brothers supplies, a change that has accelerated in the past few years.

Located in the shadow of Maine’s Mount Katahdin, Hanington Brothers started supplying Great Northern Paper’s mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket. Today those mills, as well as every other paper mill in Maine’s Penobscot River Valley, are closed. In order to remain at the forefront of the industry, Hanington Brothers has invested and diversified, and today provides tree-length wood to pulp mills, logs to lumber mills and chips for biomass electricity plants. The company has also grown to offer road building and land management services.

As the name implies, Hanington Brothers is a family business. Company President Steve is the son of the founder, and at one point all four of his siblings worked for the company. Today, his sister Sharon is the office manager, wife Teresa handles accounts payables, son Eric oversees all maintenance and inspections of equipment and trucks,

daughter-in-law Krista does clerical work, and nephew Alex Hanington operates a chipper and log loader. Steve’s brotherin-law worked for the company until his retirement last year, and his daughter’s partner Peter is a harvesting subcontractor.

The company prides itself on maintaining a culture of safety and was one of the first to embrace logger training programs over two decades ago. All employees are CPR/ First Aid trained, and four employees have Advanced First Aid training.

As seen throughout the logging workforce, Hanington Brothers questions where the next generation of timber harvesting professionals will come from. Many of the company’s employees have been with the firm for over forty years, and has six employees above traditional retirement age.

The average age of their current workforce is 54.

In addition to their logging activities, Hanington Brothers is a timberland owner, with 24,000 acres in Maine. All of these lands are actively managed, and public access for recreational use is allowed. The company issues permits for bear hunting guides to operate on their property and allow permitted fir tip harvesting for wreath making.

As it looks to the next sixty years of success, Hanington Brothers knows that the future will bring changes, just as the last sixty years have. By giving careful attention to maintaining a productive and safe workforce while being a leader in adopting new equipment and techniques, Hanington Brothers is confident in their future.

This article republished with permission of the Forest Resources Association.

BDN FILE PHOTO

Steve Hanington of Reed Plantation is the owner of Macwahoc-based Hanington Bros. Inc., a logging contractor that operates primarily in Aroostook, Penobscot, and Washington counties.

FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018

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FOREST PRODUCTS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • October 26, 2018