EDITIORIAL

The Gomeback Gontinues

It's encouraging to see industry moving away from a purely defensive posture of only responding to environmentalists' attacks. Two recent developments show our team can effectively go on the offensive, block preservationist initiatives and correct public misconceptions.

A number of associations within the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association are distributing "Lumber Grows On Trees," a booklet developed by Northwestern Lumber Association nurnager Gary Smith. Its 20 pages set out industry positions on clearcutting, the Endangered Species Act, the greenhouse effect" lobbying, log exports, old growth, recycling, reforestation, substitutes for wood and "beiow cost" timber sales.

Retailers don't manage the forest, but they're the players on the front line getting customers' questions on controversial subjects. Questions range from polite to harsh and hostile. Anyone connected with wood products should get this booklet to help in responding intelligently to these kinds of questions. Just contract your local lumber association.

Research about public attitudes on wood's environmental qualities has recently been done by

DAVID CUTLER editor- publisher

the producers group, the Western Wood Producfs Association, assisted by NLBMDA, the retail organization. It indicates users of wood products are increasingly concerned about their product selection decisions and the subsequent effects of those decisions on tle environment. Wisely, WWPA immediately set in motion a progran to counterattack misconceptions and tell of wood's envirorunental benefi ts.

"This program is unique," said Bob Petow, director of marketing for WWPA. "It represents the first time the industry has emphasized the environmentrIly positive benefits of wood products to persons in the marketplace. For the most puut, forest industry programs have focused on 'forest resource management' and have primarily targeted the legislative process. This program complements those efforts by targeting product users and those who influence material selection decisions." Included will be scientific studies showing wood's demonstrable superiority over steel, plastic and aluminum in specific applications.

We cheer the efforts of these fwo organizations and urge others to join the game. It looks like, finally, our tezxn is beginning to score.