SOUTHEASTERN SCENE a-,"*

association news in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana' Mississippi, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia.

Virginia Building Materirl Association is launching its fall seminar schedule this month with an advertising and promotion seminar from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the Manassas Holiday lnn, Manassas. lt will be repeated on Oct. 7 at the Holiday Inn Airport, Richmond, and Oct. 8 at the Holiday Inn Portsmouth-Waterfront, Portsmouth. Don Belt, vice president of sales, American Hardware Co., will instruct all three sessions.

A residential framing lumber estimating seminar stressing basic estimating will be held Nov. 2-4 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Charlottesville. Bill Darling will be the instructor.

A P&P speed estimating seminar, an advance seminar flor those who have successfully completed the basic estimating seminar, is scheduled for Nov. 5 and

6, also in Charlottesville with Darling in charge.

A three day Armstrong retail management seminar will be held Jan. l2-14 in Charlottesville. Jim Pence will teach a managing for financial results seminar on Feb. 10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Charlottesville.

More than 225 dealers, associates, friends and families participated in the summer management conference, in Virginia Beach, Aug. l3-16.

Louisiene Building Meteriel Deelers's summer conference in Destin, Fl., was attended by 100 people. A variety of business and social events were well received at the July 23-26 meeting.

I\ESPITE horror stories in the l/national press about future shortages of hardwoods, a timber study of 12 southern states shows sufficient hardwood inventories here for years to come.

Projections arrived at by the U.S. Forest Service with the use of advance computer modeling techniques indicate that the southern forest products industry can maintain its economic position and expand both its domestic and international markets. Economic and biological considerations as well as other varying factors were weighed by the agency to reach a base-case timber inventory projection.

The industry's belief that southern forests are among the best in the world was confirmed. Hardwoods have increased 53% since 1952 despite major increases in harvest levels.

Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma were included in the study which began in 1984. Hardwood growth per acre in these areas has increased substantially since 1952, although the study indicates a 190/o decrease by the year 2000 to be followed by a gradual recovery.

These decreases are not unexpected given projected declines in hardwood acreage due to urban expansion and the conversion oflow quality hardwood sites to pine production. By the year 2030, hardwood acreage is anticipated to have decreased by 18.5 million acres including mixed stands.

However, an assessment of the southern timber situation study by the American Forest Council, Washington, D.C., concludes that with the continuation of current forest management trends, no region-wide timber supply problems for the south are seen. Supplies are expected to remain adequate although some localized shortages may occur, particularly for quality hardwood sawtimber. The hardwood dealer can expect the south to meet future wood demands at reasonable prices. The southern forest products industry is expected to remain strong and to increase its competitive position in world markets.