The Treeclimber Returns

I OGGERS for the Simpson Timbber Co. have taken a leaf from the history book in an effort to conserve redwood timber.

Years ago, the derring do of the highclimber made him king of the woods. Like a telephone lineman on a grand scale, he scurried up trees as nimbly as a squirrel. His mission was to cut the top out of trees and rig them with cables for use as spar poles to pull logs from where they lay to the loading point.

With the advent in recent years of portable steel spars, the highcli:nber has faded into history.

Story at a Glance

Fearless tree climbers are reviving an old skill the result is increased redwood supply due to less damage to the trees during the harvesting phase.

But he's making a comeback in the redwoods as a key figure in a program of tree "pulling," which helps protect the environment and avoid wasting a valuable resource.

generation for the highclimbing fratemity wfiich had been on its way to obsolescence.

0verview (lower photo) lof lthelorderly lpattern of trees on a side harvested by pulling. There is a safety benefit here because logs aligned uphill are les likely to roll than those which are free-felled. Another advantage in tree pulling is that les timber is damaged when it is yarded uphill.

Almost all trees lean somewhat. In big old growth timber, this forces loggers to cut trees so they fall generally in the direction of the lean. On steep hillsides this causes problems. Breakage of valuable trees is much greater because they fall farther and across one another. They also can end up at the bottom of the hill in a stream.

Simpson has gotten around these problems in recent years by utilizing the technique of tree pulling. Here's how it works. A logger climbs part way up the tree and fastens a steel cable. The other end is attached to a

(Please tum to page47 ) l/l/ -

-H.ot. Wooa Pr"r"rrri.g Corporation

P.O. Box L28 Elmira. Ca.95625

(707) 448-8429

Dick facksor o fim Murphy

Inventory Products

Sill Stock

Posts

Poles

Fencing Materials

Decking Materials

Mobile Home Pads

THE SECOND THING YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED IS THAT THE LADY HAS OUR NEW WOLMANIZED@ PRE-STAINED*

WOOD PRODUCTS .

DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST

P.W.P. IS GIVING AWAY ONE (1) T-SHIRT WITH EACH TRUCK LOAD ORDER OF OUR REGULAR WOLMANIZED@ LUMBER PRODUCTS. TWO (2) T-SHIRTS WILL BE GIVEN WITH EACH TRIAL ORDER OF PRE-STAINED," LUMBER.

THIBD ANNUAI Southern California Grading Seminar, held earlier this summer at Simpson Building Supply Co., Cerritos, Ca., drew several hundred for instruction on a variety of wood products. (l) Bob McBride, in charge of this year's seminar, Jack Berutich, Gordon Beach. (2) Standing room only for this talk on boards. (3) Dennis

Richardson explaining the intricacies of cedar. (4) Mike Buford, Dennis Heet.

(5) Wally Wolf, Tina Warren, Michele Alexander, Pete Parrella. {6) Timber talk.

(7) Jerry Kiser, Kris Jenks, Tom Lonzo, Dick Voelzke. (8) Manuel Padilla, Joe Schwallie. Gene Parker. (9) Craig Kincaid,

Ted Gilbert. (10) "Stub" Scheer, Larry Kennington, Glen Birdsong. (11) Ken Coleman, Greg Myles. (12) Dianne 0wens, Ray McKendrick, Pedey Fisher. (13) Jim Keefer, Rodger Morris, Pete Koch, Ralph Cardwell. (14) Betty and Bus Leland, Anne Murray.