TimberWest - March/April 2022

March/April 2022

REVOLUTION IN THE FOREST

CLT a “Go To” Building Material

RED TAIL FORESTRY CLEARS THE WAY

Hood River, OR

HOMETOWN LOGGER

2021 Eastern Oregon Operator of The Year

FAMILY LOGGING TRADITION

Zender & McNielly

2022 OLC RECAP

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MULCHER

MULCHER

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LARGE MATERIAL

GROUND ENGAGEMENT

LOW FLOW

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COMING SOON

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GENERATION of diamond

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ON THE COVER Morning view from the Zender & McNielly landing.

March/April 2022 Vol. 47 No. 03-04

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Family Logging Tradition Continues

Family Logging Tradition Continues in Whatcom County

Zender & McNielly Logging - The Zender name is well-established in the northwest corner of Washington State since 1890 when German immigrant Peter Zender homesteaded in the Bellingham area.

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A Coming Revolution in The Forest Products Industry

Expect Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) to become a viable “go to” building material, even for “skyscraper” sized projects, in a relatively short time.

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Red Tail Forestry Clears the Way

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Hometown Logger Rewarded for Innovative Management

Overgrown brush and dense invasive trees crowded their woods, making once well-worn paths unwalkable, increasing the chance of forest fires, and cutting off younger generations from land their parents and grandparents grew up on.

When a roadless stand of timber must be harvested and transported across a fish bearing stream, one’s first thought might be to build a bridge. That was Tony Hauth’s first thought too, but the solution he came up with, earned him the title of 2021 Eastern Oregon Operator of the Year.

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Firebreak Column

30

Face to Face at the Loggin’ Show

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Guest Column

Revolution in the Forest Products Industry

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6 Red Tail Forestry Clears the Way

Watch Out! Here Comes the Money!

Family and friends kicked off the 84th Annual Oregon Logging Conference with great expectation following two years of in-person restrictions and mask mandates as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nick Smith weighs in: Russian Invasion Should Renew Effort to Increase Western Lumber Production.

DEPARTMENTS Page 4.....................................................................In the News Page 14.............................................................Machinery Row Page 20........................................................ Association News Page 36............................................................... New Prodcuts Page 37....................................................... Calendar of Events Page 37.................................. Subscription/Advertiser’s Index

Hometown Logger Rewarded

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TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

16 3

public and private land. The 2022 funding will target 19 different projects across Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

“What we’re talking about here are treatments like seeding and shrub planting, invasive weed control, timber salvage, wildlife water development repair, and other forest restoration and habitat stewardship methods,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “The targeted areas are important for elk and other wildlife, especially critical big game winter range, corridors, movement pathways, and connectivity with nearby landscapes.”

RMEF dollars for the project are a combination of funding from its project advisory committees combined with significant contributions from RMEF’s Torstenson Family Endowment. Founded more than 37 years ago and fueled by hunters, RMEF maintains more than 225,000 members and has conserved nearly 8.4 million acres for elk and other wildlife.

Tax Tips for Forest Landowners

Tax Tips for Forest Landowners is now available for download from the USDA Forest Service website. The publication offers several insights and answers to frequently asked questions as landowners prepare their 2021 taxes.

The guide was created to explain tax rules that landowners often overlook. Four years after the 2017 tax overhaul, landowners and tax advisors are still confused about how to classify certain expenses, property taxes, and casualty losses. For example, if a landowner profits from a timber sale, that income can be reported as a capital gain rather than other income. This allows the proceeds to be taxed at zero to 15% as opposed to a rate of 10% to 37%.

For many timber owners, the income qualifies as capital gains, but many owners are not aware of these provisions. Landowners might find deductions for hunting leases, reforestation practices, expenses associated with managing habitat, or even income from an eco-tourism business. Having access to this information should help landowners save tax dollars.

The most important thing to note is that land should be managed like a business.

Having a separate bank account, a forest management plan, and forest professionals to help manage your land can help create opportunities for tax savings.

Forest Service scientists are co-authors on a study that found the 30% increase in ponderosa pine mortality during a drought was mostly caused by faster western pine beetle development.

Using this information, the research team was able to predict that each one-degree Celsius increase in temperature could be responsible for an almost 40% increase in the number of trees killed. This study highlights the need for future models to consider the influence of climate on tree stress and beetle populations.

Ranks of USFS Wildland Firefighters in California Drops 20%

Federal agencies that employ wildland firefighters have struggled to fill the ranks in the last few years, especially in 2020 and 2021 in California. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that after multiple years of 5,000 firefighters working for the U.S. Forest Service in California, the number dropped from 5,000 in 2019 to 3,956 in 2021, more than a 20 percent decline.

The five federal agencies that have significant wildland fire programs have a total of 15,000 positions related to fire. However, the number of vacancies has been growing due to difficulty in hiring, combined with experienced firefighters leaving the organization for better pay and working conditions.

Legislation pending before Congress— the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act (H.R. 5631)—could make a difference. It would address many of the issues wildland firefighters and their partners face, including raising firefighter pay, creating a wildland firefighter job series, providing health care and mental health services to temporary and permanent wildland firefighters, housing stipends, and other improvements.

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Warming Climate Drives Bark Beetle Activity

Bark beetles fulfill an important ecological role by killing old or sick trees and making room for young vigorous trees to grow. However, this dynamic has been disrupted in part by a warming climate, which has stressed trees and created an abundance of sick and dying trees on the landscape.

RMEF Donates One Million Dollars

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) announced it has committed more than $1 million to landscape-scale efforts to help restore thousands of acres of public and private forestland, meadows, and other landscapes charred by recent wildfires.

RMEF will review proposals for projects focused on large-landscape restoration across Editor: Diane Mettler, diane@forestnet.com Managing Editor: Lindsay Mohlere, lmohlere@forestnet.com Copy Editor: Beth Szyperski

CEO / Advertising Sales: Anthony Robinson – arobinson@forestnet.com Phone: (778) 991-3500

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Associate Publisher/Advertising Sales: Hannah Rayment – hannah@forestnet.com Phone: (604) 990-9970 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Publisher & Production Manager: Sheila Ringdahl – sringdahl@forestnet.com

Contributing Editors: Jan Jackson, Mike Kucharski, Jack Petree, Nick Smith, Rick Steadman ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Send both OLD and NEW Circulation information to: TimberWest Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 610, Edmonds, WA 98020 Fax: (425) 771-3623 • subscribetw@forestnet.com

Corporate Office Information: Phone: (425) 778-3388 • Fax: (425) 771-3623 timberwest@forestnet.com • www.forestnet.com TImberWest Publications, LLC P.O. Box 610 (300 Admiral Way, Suite 105) Edmonds, WA 98020-0610

Digital Marketing: Anthony Robinson arobinson@forestnet.com

PUBLISHER’S EDITORIAL STATEMENT: TimberWest reports on the logging and lumber segment of the forest industry in the Western United States with emphasis on the states of AK, WA, OR, ID, MT and CA, providing current information on timber harvesting techniques, sawmill operations, news, legislation, events, people and products pertinent to this market.

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TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

ContractorProfile

Family Logging Tradition Continues in Whatcom County Zender and Mcnielly Logging

By Rick Stedman

T

he Zender name is well-es-

tablished in the northwest corner of Washington State since 1890 when German immigrant Peter Zender homesteaded in the Bellingham area.

The surname Zender has long been associated with the logging industry. Over the years, numerous family members worked in logging in a variety of jobs and under various Zender-named companies. At one point back in the 1980s, nearly 70 cousins with the last name of Zender worked in the Bellingham area logging industry.

Jordan Zender continues that trend. In

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July 2021, he and his partner Darryl Mcnielly assumed ownership of Zender Brothers & Wilburn Logging (ZBW), a family-owned and operated logging business since 1984.

“Peter was my great-great-grandfather who got this whole Zender family thing going when he moved into the Kendall area of Whatcom County,” says Jordan. “His logging, though, was restricted to clearing his homestead enough so he could use the land for farming.”

Jordan shares that it was his greatgrandfather Jacob, one of Peter’s sons, born in 1896 in Whatcom County, who actually began logging in the early 1920s. Jacob sired 11 children, nine of them boys. When the

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

boys grew up, they all became owners of Zee Brothers Logging. “They logged from 1948 to 2001,” says Jordan. “Many relatives in the area logged for them including my dad, one of his brothers, and multiple cousins including my previous bosses.”

Same Name, Different Company

Jordan’s previous bosses (cousins) got their business going in 1984. At that time, Greg Zender, Jeff Zender, Scott Zender, Brad Zender, and their brother-in-law Marty Wilburn established Zender Brothers & Wilburn Logging. It wasn’t until years later that Jordan joined the team.

Jordan has been with the company for

ContractorProfile

Darryl Mcnielly Jr. chaser/owner.

the last decade, learning all the nuances of the logging business. “I was 19 when I first started working in logging,” he says.

“I worked more than 10 years at Zender Brothers & Wilburn Logging, and during that time I learned a great deal about the business. During that decade of on-the-job training, Jordan not only became a skilled logger, he also knew he wanted to go into business for himself. “My eventual partner Darryl Mcnielly and I talked many times about forming a business, and kicked around lots of ideas,” he says.

Darryl is no stranger to the logging industry either. “I appreciated the small company atmosphere where the employer actually takes time to get to know you, and know about your family, like ZBW.” He adds, “I’ve worked for big logging outfits, and I felt a little lost working there. There was no connection at all, I was just a number.”

At 37 years old, Darryl has been a logger for the last 18 years. He comes from a family of loggers as well. “My dad was a logger for 41 years, and my two uncles both worked for more than four decades in the logging industry.” Like Jordan, logging is in his DNA. Darryl and Jordan’s similarities also include appreciating the family-type atmosphere in the work environment. Both men worked several years together at Zender Brothers & Wilburn Logging. That camaraderie on the job was part of their team’s

make up. It also served as the foundation for their eventual partnership.

Business Planning

During their time working together, Darryl and Jordan spent many hours discussing various aspects of owning their own business. “We’d talk about what it would take for us to actually own a logging business,” says Jordan.

Then, like magic, early into 2021, the owners of Zender Brothers & Wilburn Logging began floating the idea of retirement. Jordan’s cousins, who had owned the company for 37 years, planned to simply close the business and sell the equipment.

When Jordan and Darryl heard that news, they went into overdrive with their business planning efforts. It wasn’t like they were starting from scratch, for their ideas and interests had been churning for several years.

“From that point on, we started looking at every aspect of the business, talked with professionals about financing and other aspects of taking over and running the business,” says Jordan. “At first, there was a lot we didn’t know, but we quickly became knowledgeable about a lot of different areas, and eventually, everything came together. Darryl and I took over the business of Zender Brothers & Wilburn Logging on July 20, 2021.”

Of that experience, Darryl shares, “At first, it was overwhelming the amount of TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

Jordan Zender, hooktender/owner. information and topics we had to come up to speed on. We talked with the current crew members about staying on and working with us, and some of the companies that had been working with the previous owners. Eventually, we pulled everything together.” Darryl says that even though there were lots of responsibilities and new things to learn about business ownership, the entire process from start to finish took only around six weeks.

Part of any good logging operation is the right equipment. They purchased a Skagit (continued on page 8) 7

ContractorProfile Great Team

(continued from page 7) BU-94 and a Madill 071, as well as two Kobelco shovels and a Kobelco processor with Log Max head. They also have three carriages — an Eagle, a Bowman, and a Danebo gravity carriage.

“We’re currently using the Skagit, doing a lot of high lead down hilling and bullet logging with the Danebo,” says Darryl.

The business operated under the name Zender Brothers and Wilburn Logging through the end of 2021, but January 1, 2022, they officially became Zender and Mcnielly Logging Corp.

Along with becoming a business owner, there are new obligations that go along with the title. “I used to be very hands on as a logger, but now I have other responsibilities,” says Jordan. “In addition to training new employees and ensuring everything runs smoothly, there are lots of other responsibilities like paperwork and the business end of things,” he shares. “The days don’t end at five anymore!”

As a new owner, Jordan says he appreciates having the latitude to make business decisions about his company right on the spot.

“Both Darryl and I grew up in the logging industry, and we have pretty good business instincts,” he adds.

If you count the owners, there are only seven employees at Zender and Mcnielly Logging Corp., and Darryl says, “What I really like about our current small staff is that we are a bunch of young, go-getters who love what we do. And we’re a tight-knit group.

Also, everyone is kind of a Jack-of-all-trades.

We can each operate all our machines and equipment, like the shovel and yarders.”

The small but amazing team includes yarder operator Paul Zender — son of Brad Zender; rigger Kolby Williams — he, too, is a Zender by birth; main rigger Bryce Fleming, who started working for ZBW about a year ago and stayed on when the business changed hands; shovel operator Bubba Blockley, who also comes from a big logging family in the area; and Ben Watts, who runs the processor and is very efficient on the machine.

Summarizing the family perspective, Jordan says, “We have one of my cousins rubbing the yarder, another cousin rigging, and me hook tending. I guess it’s still kind of a family outfit!”

Both partners readily agree that it’s a good thing!

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TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

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IndustryFocus

A Coming Revolution in the Forest Products Industry

By Jack Petree

A

rchitects, structural engineers, and other construction industry professionals, along with environmental activists, are expecting cross-laminated timber (CLT) to become a viable “go to” building material in the near future—even for skyscraper-sized projects. If even moderate projections come to pass, the impacts on the forest products industry are likely to be revolutionary, equally impacting product sourcing, harvest availability and techniques, milling, the industry workforce, and the secondary processing of wood as the demand for lumber soars.

Think of CLT as a new kind of plywood; engineered panels are created by layering boards (often, but not always, 2x6) in alternating directions with everything bonded using structural adhesives. The result is a panel, pre-engineered for the particular application it is destined for in a building. CLT is lightweight, yet strong enough to replace concrete or steel throughout much of the structure. It is a scenario much studied in the academic community and seen as an important way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the future.

Environmental Activists and CLT

Thoughtful and influential environmentalists are increasingly championing CLT because the panels can be processed from the small logs typically removed from a forest to reduce catastrophic wildfires. Material from fuel reduction treatments and/or thinning projects for forest health was previously underutilized, usually with the subsequent return to the atmosphere of the carbon contained in the fiber. Today, that material can be profitably processed into CLT. One environmentalist voice among many is Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. According to Franz, “Mass timber complements the Department of Natural Resources forest health work in central and eastern Washington, which will produce byproducts like small-diameter trees that can be used to make CLT and create jobs in rural, timber-dependent communities. When we remove diseased and dying trees, we allow healthy, strong trees to thrive, and we create a vital building material. CLT is less expensive and more environmentally friendly than steel and concrete, making it ideal for building affordable housing in our urban areas.”

Harvests Aimed at Forest Health Will Increase

Landowners, public and private alike, acknowledge the need for more fuel reduction and thinning treatments to help combat the 10

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

IndustryFocus

catastrophic levels of fire seen in recent years.

Despite that, only a fraction of the necessary forest treatment has been addressed, at least in part because of the expense involved.

Growth in the markets for CLT and the subsequent ability to realize a profit from previously unsalable fiber will help remedy that problem. Craig Rawlings, president and CEO of the Forest Business Network, publisher of the 2021 International Mass Timber Report, and a nationally recognized expert on the forest products industry, has noted, “The mass timber movement has the potential of giving forestland managers a new market for the small-diameter and underutilized timber now overcrowding our forests.”

Accompanying the increased demand, the industry will likely see formerly unavailable

lands become available for harvest. One example is the Washington DNR Good Neighbor agreement with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), authorized in the 2014 Federal Farm Bill. In a joint introduction of the agreement with USFS, Franz pointed out that fire, disease, and other forest-destroying events know no boundary saying, “The social, economic, and environmental issues tied to public lands go far beyond their boundaries. This agreement is an important tool that brings these issues together and makes problem-solving through collaboration possible. We can get farther by working together than apart.”

Expanding CLT Production

Based in Colville, Washington, Vaagen Timber LLC is one of the West’s six

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

manufacturing companies emphasizing mass timber. Russ Vaagen, founder and CEO of Vaagen Timber, recently participated in a Pacific Forest Foundation (PFF) podcast.

Regarding the future, Vaagen commented, “We started this [podcast] by talking about challenges and opportunities and excitement, and I think that these challenges are all opportunities.

“We’re going to need more forest products, not less. I think we need creative ways to go unlock that, because one of the things we know is we’ve got more trees than we’ve ever had. We’ve got a forest that really needs treatment, especially in the Intermountain West. We’ve got states that have almost no sawmill infrastructure at all, no logging (continued on page 12)

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(continued from page 11)

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infrastructure at all, yet they have vast forests that are dying of insects and disease. They’re burning up, and people are asking for answers. I think that mass timber could help us create some of those answers, while at the same time building markets and building values for those that are managing forests…”

According to Rawlings’ Mass Timber Report, fifteen plants capable of CLT production have been built in North America since the product began to emerge as a viable building approach. Six of those plants are in the U.S. West—two each in Washington and Oregon, one in Montana, and one in Arizona. According to the report, total production capacity in North America (using nominal sizing) is about 1.3 billion board feet.

Manufacturing plants focusing on mass timber are expensive propositions. The Katerra plant in Spokane, Washington, reportedly cost about $150 million and employs in excess of 100 people.

Industry projections are that the number of buildings constructed with CLT will continue to double each year for perhaps decades, so while building a new manufacturing plant dedicated to CLT is not to be taken lightly, the future of the industry sector seems strong.

Expanded demand is likely to significantly benefit harvesting contractors and equipment manufacturers as well. More timber equals more jobs, and regarding equipment, Rawlings comments, “Without question, in order to thin out those overstocked forests, high-tech harvesting equipment will be essential in keeping the costs down.”

More harvests—including more targeted harvests—and more demand may mean some contractors will want to look at future equipment mixes that are especially suited to treating a variety of forests for health and resilience.

By way of example, Kenneth Swanstrom has worked the area around Kalispell, Montana, for 46 years. Ken’s Skookum Timber Company offers the full gamut of harvesting services with a special focus on thinning for forest health and resilience. Speaking to equipment, Ken says, “Here in arid, high-elevation Northern Montana, you have to be prepared for all types of timber and spots to work.”

To assure that preparedness, Ken utilizes the 2021 TimberPro 745D with a 24” Quadco saw head, a 2015 John Deere 2154D with a Waratah 622C processing head, a 2013 John Deere 748H grapple skidder, and a 2007 Cat 320C log loader, which (in Ken’s words) are “the four main machines that go every day.”

Supporting that equipment mix, Skookum maintains two graders, three dozers, another Cat 320 loader, two older Timbcos that see occasional use, and a spare JD 648 skidder, on top of a miscellany of associated equipment.

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CLT is a place where the forest products industry and the environmental industry come together in relative comfort. The environmental industry sees CLT, a substitute for steel and concrete, as a way to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere by sequestering emissions for a hundred years or more while reducing the enormous emissions created by wildfires. The forest products industry is the tool needed to accomplish the huge task of addressing climate change effectively.

In the future, CLT may be viewed by historians as one of the most significant contributions to society the forest products industry, working hand-in-hand with the environmental industry, achieved during the past hundred years or more.

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

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Niklas Lefévre New Sales and Marketing Director for Rottne Industri AB

Niklas Lefévre has been appointed Sales and Marketing Director for Rottne Industri AB. Lefévre previously worked in a similar role at Elme Spreader, and he brings almost 20 years of experience in the engineering industry with him to this new position.

Rottne Industri is facing an exciting future, including the construction of a machine hall and an investment in two new cutting-edge bed milling machines. The long-term goal is to produce 300 forestry machines annually. “Rottne Industri is an interesting company with large ambitions, and it has now embarked on an exciting journey of change and improvement, both nationally and globally. The company has initiated a major process, and I am genuinely looking forward to being part of this journey,” said Niklas Lefévre.

Rottne Industri AB is a family-owned company and one of the leading manufacturers of forestry machinery. For 67 years, the company has developed forestry machines for modern forestry and currently offers a complete range of harvester and forwarder machines, for everything from thinning to final cutting. About half of the production is exported. www.rottne.com

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Manufacturers Discontinue Exports to Russia

Due to Russia’s invasion of the sovereign state of Ukraine, and the resulting catastrophic loss of life, Tigercat made the decision February 25 to suspend all product shipments to Russia. This includes all whole goods and spare parts.

Tigercat regrets that dealer partners and end users in Russia that are involved in peaceful endeavors, and have no part in this devastating conflict, may suffer adverse effects as a result of this decision. Currently, there is no timeline or visibility as to when shipments to Russia will resume.

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

Similarily, Ponsse Plc has temporarily discontinued all export operations to Russia and Belarus for Ponsse forest machines and spare parts. Additionally, the Ponsse Group’s Russian subsidiary OOO Ponsse will temporarily discontinue its local spare parts and service operations. Sales in Russia and Belarus account for about 20 percent of the company’s net sales, calculated from the 2021 financial statements.

Komatsu Forest has temporarily suspended shipments to Russia as well.

TW

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EquipmentProfile

RED TAIL FORESTRY Clears the Way

By Mike Kucharski

L

and is so much more than simply terrain and topography. For a couple in the Columbia River Gorge, their 9.75acre parcel was where they had grown up, raised their family, and created memories over the last 60 years. But overgrown brush and dense invasive trees crowded their woods, making once well-worn paths unwalkable, increasing the chance of forest fires, and cutting off younger generations from land their parents and grandparents grew up on.

When Kurt Patterson and Andrew Hubbell of Red Tail Forestry Works were contacted by the property owners’ children, they recognized the importance of the job before them. Having served in the Navy and Marines respectively, Patterson and Hubbell were used to stepping up and doing what is needed.

To offer best-in-class forest management and fire prevention to the underserved historic community in the Columbia River Gorge, the team turned to new technology.

They utilized an ASV RT-120F fitted with a Fecon Bull Hog BH85SS forestry mulcher and a Takeuchi TB260 excavator combined with a Fecon FMX36 mulcher to reduce overgrown brush, remove invasive species, and preserve the land for current and future generations.

A Better View with Precision Mapping

A Takeuchi TB260 excavator paired with a Fecon FMX36 mulcher makes short work of overgrown brush.

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TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

Just as red-tailed hawks view the forests and fields from above, Patterson and Hubbell named their business Red Tail Forestry to “give that kind of bird’s eye before and after view looking down at properties.” For years, precision mapping has been utilized for utilities construction and agriculture planning.

By applying this same technology to forestry, operators can better see, plan, and navigate dense terrain. Patterson says precision mapping “allows us to go in and visualize the terrain that we’re getting ourselves into before we even put machines on the ground. We can build out a project plan to address hazards on the property or specific areas that need to

EquipmentProfile

have different types of work addressed before local municipal website and see some images of their land. We’re working on basically a we even put mulchers there.”

Using precision mapping, they can easily side tool to be able to overlay the satellite spot and plan around riparian areas, property imagery with our own imagery of before and after for a much more detailed view of their lines, and more.

“We go above and beyond to avoid ripar- property.” ian areas, and precision mapping certainly helps with that,” commented Patterson. Taking Back Overgrown Land “Sensitive and fragile ecosystems exist in The Columbia Gorge clients had purthose areas. We are mindful of everything chased their rectangular northern-Oregon that depends on the many life-sustaining parcel in the 1960s. Over time, nature crept benefits that come from those areas, and it in, overtaking the land. Thick, overgrown is critical that we leave them without any brush prevented the property owners from indication that we were ever there working.” walking the very woods they had once Advanced mappingfinancial technology also roamed freely. unchecked growth As a member-owned, co-operative, we are on Years your of side. provides property owners with additional of vine maple, Oregon plum, We are a safe place to deposit your money, where it is federally insuredfirs, and unadinformation about their land withrate, detailed dressed run rampant over the and earns a competitive dividend regardless of vegetation what thehad economy overlays of areas that are no longer accessible property. In addition to making the land difis doing. Consider referring a friend to the credit union. or easily visible. Hubbell notes that these ficult to access, dry sticks, downed tree limbs, maps have been a welcomed experience for and other forest debris sat like a tinderbox, his customers. “Most of the customers know ready to ignite should wildfires spread to they can go to Google Earth or go to the their vicinity.

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To protect the homeowners’ existing structures, the team focused on clearing the 4.5 acres surrounding the main home in their first pass, using their ASV RT-120F dedicated forestry skid-steer compact track loader with Fecon Bull Hog BH85SS forestry mulcher. As they surveyed the stringy Oregon plum, fir saplings, and downed trees, they relied on precision mapping to navigate their trail easily and safely.

With additional aerial overviews to help guide their way, they utilized the powerful Takeuchi to easily maneuver across the terrain. “We would use that excavator with that Towtem brush grapple or forestry grapple to direct the hazard tree through the heavier adjacent limbs of a healthy fir. You would tip over a hazard tree that weighs next to nothing with no crown. That excavator provided a safe felling direction and the ability to (continued on page 18)

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TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

17

EquipmentProfile (continued from page 17) An ASV with a Fecon Bull Hog head easily breaks down larger pieces into manageable sections

generate more momentum to fall safely away from everything we had going on,” Hubbell said.

Once on the ground, the trees were mulched by the ASV and the larger Bull Hog mulching head, working the chips into the ground. “With Fecon and the combo of machines, we were able to take these hazard trees out much more safely. Without them, there would be a much higher risk to the operator on the ground,” Patterson said.

The Red Tail team also built a firebreak surrounding the housing structures for additional protection of the home.

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Clearing and cutting trees can be very risky for the team on the ground. The Red Tail Forestry Works team started by clearing hazard trees using their Takeuchi TB260 with a Bull Hog FMX36 mulcher. The split ring rotor design reduces the weight of the forestry mulching attachment, making it easier to traverse the dense forest. Meanwhile the bite-limiting design provides heavy-duty cutting power capable of clearing difficultto-reach trees and brush without drawing down the RPM. Utilizing a Towtem Model 40 forestry grapple, Red Tail overturned and uprooted hazardous trees, clearing the way for the ASV and mulching attachments to grind down the wood. Once on the ground, the trees were maneuvered and broken down with the ASV and Fecon Bull Hog head. By quickly and effectively breaking down larger pieces into manageable sections, the Bull Hog mulcher’s FGT rotor and double carbide teeth attachment handled the normally dangerous job of operators on the ground cutting through dead logs. Patterson notes, “The carbides on that dedicated Bull Hog were making good progress through existing stumps that were rotten in place, and trees that had been on the ground for 10 or more years.” After running over large pieces with the Fecon Bull Hog head, they mulched those pieces of material, clearing the way for manageable and walkable paths.

One particular challenge was dealing with a lot of vegetation on a fence line. An orchard adjacent to the property had an 8-foot elk fence with a hot wire on top, leaving no room for errors, like mistakenly dropping a tree on the woven wire. The team also had to contend with old choker cables left in the forest, which could cause a spark or fire if run over. Sitting high in the ASV, they were able to maneuver easily, avoiding such traps. When the front of their attachment accidentally encountered two buried metal links, the durable, heavy-duty Fecon design saved the day.

Creating Space for Future Generations

Due to wildfire conditions in the area, the Red Tail Forestry Works team was limited to six hours a day of cutting and mulching overgrown brush, downed limbs, dead branches, and debris, yet after only one week, the property was transformed. For the first time in years, the owners were able to walk their land again, while the younger generations enjoyed the beauty of the terrain for the very first time.

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TW TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

IDL Launches Wildland Firefighter Online Training

The Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho (ALC) supports a new training opportunity launched by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL).

The online fire training portal for loggers, industrial forestland owners, and foresters provides access to training resources that will qualify them to safely fight fires on their own land within areas where IDL provides fire protection. The portal connects these forestry professionals with traditional in-person or virtual classes and free self-directed online learning. With proper training, owners and operators of heavy equipment can become eligible to contract for work suppressing fire on other lands protected by IDL. This adds to the firefighting capacity of IDL while also benefitting local economies.

“This partnership with industry is more

important than ever as wildfires have become more frequent and more severe,” said ALC Executive Director Shawn Keough. “Our logging contractors and crews are usually close by and can provide initial attack before others can even arrive, thus putting out fires or keeping them small and controlled.

They also have the skills and equipment to continue working on containing a fire." www.idl.idaho.gov

AgForestry Leadership Program Accepting Applications for Class 44

The Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation, which oversees the AgForestry Leadership Program, is looking for potential candidates—the key or up-and-coming decision-makers from the farming, forestry, fishing, and natural resource fields—for its upcoming Class 44.

Now in its 45th year, the AgForestry

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Olympic Logging Conference

After a two-year hiatus, the Olympic Logging Conference is excited to be holding its 75th anniversary at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia, April 27-29, 2022. In addition to the normal happenings—great speakers, social events, and golf—there will also be a trip to Butchart Gardens, historical displays, and a movie featuring the organization’s long and successful past.

Don’t miss out. Visit www.olympicloggingconference.com to register online.

Pacific Logging Congress

The Pacific Logging Congress (PLC) will be distributing thousands of dollars in scholarships this year through its foundation, the Pacific Forest Foundation (PFF).

These scholarships will be awarded to students who are studying for forestry-related careers, either in degree programs or at technical colleges.

The applications can be completed online at www.pacificforestfoundation.org, and the final day of submission is May 1, 2022.

If you or someone you know could benefit from a PFF scholarship, you are invited to apply. Good luck!

Hite Named New American Forest Foundation President/CEO

The American Forest Foundation (AFF) announced the selection of Rita Hite as President and CEO. Hite, who officially took office January 1, 2022, is the first woman in the organization’s more than 40year history to hold its top position. AFF is a national conservation organization that works to make a meaningful conservation impact through the empowerment of family forest owners.

For more than 20 years, Hite has shaped strategy, programs, and policies that have unlocked billions of dollars in support for family forest stewardship. Hite will work to focus and ultimately expand AFF’s efforts in an inclusive and equitable way to address the most pressing conservation challenges facing our nation today: combating climate change, mitigating catastrophic wildfires, and improving wildlife habitat.

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Leadership Program has graduated more than 1,000 leaders in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Leaders who help advance their industries through understanding, education, and empowerment. Leaders who understand and navigate issues in the public policy arena.

Applications for Class 44 will be accepted until April 30, 2022. The first seminar is set to start in October at Washington State University. To learn more, visit agforestry.org.

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

ContractorProfile

HOMETOWN LOGGER

Rewarded for Innovative Management

By Jan Jackson

W

Tony Hauth, Owner/Operator of H Timber Consulting LLC, center, holds his 2021 Eastern Oregon Operator of the Year Award presented on his logging site due to Covid-19. Left is Archie (Bud) Gieger, crew member and to the right is private timber consultant Jeff Maben,.

22

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

hen a roadless stand of

timber must be harvested and transported across a fish-bearing stream, one’s first thought might be to build a bridge. That was Tony Hauth’s first thought too, but he didn’t like the time and money it would take to build it. The innovative solution he came up with earned him the title of 2021 Eastern Oregon Operator of the Year.

The Operator of the Year Award recognizes forest operators who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act. “Anyone can nominate someone,” said Jim Gerbach, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Public Affairs Specialist.

“It could be a landowner, a fellow harvester, or someone who’s admired someone’s work.”

The nominator completes a form, documenting their reason for the nomination and submits the form to the regional forest practices committees. The committees review the nominations and select the winner.

Born and raised in Burns (where he still lives), Tony Hauth owns and operates H Timber Contracting LLC., taking on jobs for landowners on Oregon’s east side. It was a logging job in John Day that required the extra effort that turned out to be innovative.

ContractorProfile Preparing Douglas fir using the Link- Belt 240LX with a Waratah 622 processor head.

Passing logs over Tony Hauth’s award winning temporary log-laden streamprotective=culvert with the Link Belt 224LX with the Waratah 622 processor head.

Hauth’s Winning Innovation

“We had the logs on one side of the creek and the mill on the other, with no roads or any way to cross the stream without disturbing it,” Tony explained. “Fortunately, I keep a culvert on hand for times I might need a creek crossing, and we obviously had logs on hand. I ended up putting in a temporary culvert and cribbed it up with logs so when it took the weight, the culvert didn’t get smashed. We put the big processor, the whole tree processor, and the piled-up brush on the timber side of the creek and as they limbed the trees they passed the logs over to me in my log loader on the other side. I decked the logs along the road, loaded the trucks when they came in, and then went back to grabbing and decking. When we finished, we pulled the culvert, put the logs that we used on the crossing on a log truck, and sent them to the mill as well.”

Logging the Eastside

Tony believes that if you take care of the land, it will take care of you. He operates with a small crew, and his collection of equipment includes a Cat 525 rubber-tired grapple skidder, a Cat D5 high track with a grapple on the back, a 95,000-pound LinkBelt Processor, and a John Deere log loader.

Tony says his crew is a timber faller, a process operator, and a skidder operator— and Tony, himself. “Besides doing whatever is needed, I mostly cut, load, and build roads. I’m on the jobsite during the week, I have a bookkeeper that does payroll and all, and I do the rest of my paperwork on the weekends.”

They often work miles from the stands of Douglas fir and pine that Tony manages

for his clients. Tony noted that his crew lives in Burns; however, in addition to working jobs as close as John Day, they will work in more distant locations such as Baker City, the Wallowa Mountains, or Spray. “When we can’t drive to work every day, we live at the logging site in our individual camping trailers.”

Industry Changes and Challenges

Tony grew up with a dad who spent his life working as a saw filer for the Edward Heinz Mill in Burns (which switched hands to Snow Mountain Pine), working in Alaska for a little bit, and returning to Louisiana Pacific’s mill until it closed. Tony, however, started logging right out of high school while he waited to go to welding school. He welds as a logger, but he liked logging so much, he never made it to welding school.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes since I started,” Tony said. “When I was a kid, you had to

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

look both ways before crossing the street in Burns or you risked getting run over by a log truck. By 1996, though, when I was 18 or 19 and had graduated from high school, there was hardly anything going on. We had a couple of little jobs here and there, but if you saw a log truck come through town, you had a good idea the driver was lost.”

After working on the landing as a knot bumper and cutting timber for a few years, Tony started his business in 2003. He started with contract timber cutting jobs, eventually bought a skidder, and continued to add equipment.

“I think my favorite part of the job is still cutting timber. Every tree is different, and there’s a spot they need to go so you don’t tear up the other trees in case it falls on them. And of course, you don’t want to break the tree by having it hit any stumps (continued on page 24)

23

ContractorProfile

H Timber Contracting crew loading Douglas fir for a client just out of Service Creek, north of Spray Oregon. (continued from page 23) or rocks. It adds a challenge to my working day and makes it seem shorter than it would otherwise.”

Tony explains that for bigger timber, he’ll hire two to three hand cutters, and when working in small timber, he will use a contractor with a feller buncher. “When things slow down, I’ll do all the hand cutting.”

Above and Beyond the Call

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, ODF came to Tony’s logging site to present him with his award. Asked if he was surprised to win Operator of the Year, he said

he was and added he had a lot of people to thank—including his crew.

“We always try to do a real good job on all of our jobs just so it doesn’t get a bad name,” Tony said. “Besides, when you do a good job for one landowner, he tells his friends.” In addition to his crew, Tony acknowledges the contributions of their main forester, Kirk Ausland, and their private timber consultant Jeff Maben, who finds jobs, marks trees, and runs lines. “Between them and my crew, we got it done.”

Getting the job done can be challenging.

The company harvests fir, pine, and juniper, but they also help clients with insect infestation as well as fire suppression. “One of the biggest challenges is when you get one

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Tony points out that the work doesn’t happen year-round. “We get about 10 months of work a year, sometimes more if we’re lucky. It starts getting muddy over here in March and April, and it’s just not feasible to spend all the money rocking the roads,” he noted, adding, “That’s the time of year the catfish and sturgeon start calling, and it’s pretty sure you’ll find me fishing.”

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FireColumn

WATCH OUT!

Here Comes the Money!

By Lindsay R. Mohlere

A

lot has been happening on the federal level since President Biden signed the new infrastructure legislation. Among other things, the administration and Forest Service have been lauding the “pivot” in strategy to reduce wildfire risk on more than 20 million acres of national forests in the West.

Called the Protecting Communities and Improving Resilience in America’s Forests Act, the legislation is promoted as a paradigm shift in forest management.

The plan calls for a 10-year, $50 billion strategy that will double the ability of 26

the Forest Service to reduce fuel loads by pruning and thinning out trees and other vegetation, as well as using controlled burns to reduce flammable material that serves as kindling for mega fires and destruction.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said a combination of tree thinning and prescribed fire will make the forests healthier in the long run while reducing the threat to public safety. The work will begin this year.

The plan will focus on key fireshed areas of 250,000 acres at risk of large-scale fires in the West where out-of-control blazes have destroyed entire neighborhoods and, as fire intensity has increased, entire communities.

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

It looks like the devastation and tragedies of the 2021 fire season served as a wake-up call to those who wield the power. Huge chunks of money are now breaking loose from the federal piggybank and finding the way to the states.

The question is, will this pivot make a difference?

In 2003, the Bush administration set forth the Healthy Forest Initiative, which was touted as the grand solution to helping the forests. It tanked because the Mr. Magoo legal beagles slammed the act and torched the most important elements of the legislation with lawsuits.

Even now, with the new paradigm getting

FireColumn ready to throw money around like baseballs in a batting cage, wrinkles are starting to appear.

The billions are welcomed, but will it change the culture of the Forest Service and quiet the truckloads of litigation-happy activist groups to allow the money to be spent wisely?

Mmmmmm. Good question. Only time will tell.

Fires Burn into the National Forest

A surprising notification showed up in the in-box the other day that bears passing along.

Research led by Oregon State University shows that fires are more likely to burn their way into national forests than out of them.

Challenging the common belief that most destructive wildfires start on public land before spreading to private land and communities, the study demonstrated that human ignitions on private land drive crossboundary wildfires.

Researchers looked at 22,000 fires and found that those wildfires crossing jurisdictional boundaries are primarily caused by people on private property. With the dramatic expansion of the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), it’s a no-brainer that ignitions caused by human and energy infrastructure would be the dominant cause of fire. Human development in and around wildlands expanded by 41 percent between 1990 and 2010, making the WUI the fastest growing land-use type in the U.S. Increased development has resulted in both more risk and more loss.

The study states: “Our findings do not support the assertion that a majority of the most destructive fires spread from USFSmanaged wildlands to communities. Broadscale statistical modeling of cross-boundary ignitions and area burned provided evidence that human development patterns are strongly associated with cross-boundary fire activity.”

Check out the study at www.nature.com/ articles/s41598-022-06002-3.

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Alliance 643 is great with bogie tracks!

News from the Fireline

Grayback Forestry of Grants Pass was the big winner along with seven other wildland firefighting outfits that were awarded U.S. Forest Service contracts over the next five years valued at more than half a billion dollars.

Grayback scored the largest share of the five-year deal at $180 million, while the remaining seven companies split the awards with $60 million going to Pacific Oasis of Ashland, and $40 million landing

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(continued on page 28) TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

27

FireColumn (continued from page 27) at Diamond Fire of Sutherlin. The remaining $360 million will be divided among firefighting outfits in Redmond, Salem, Philomath, Merrill, and Independence.

The contracts will help the firefighting teams keep up to date on the tools, training, and support needed to keep them safe and equipped.

Support Tim’s Act

In an effort to support and secure one of the many promises made by the new infrastructure bill (increased pay), the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act (H.R. 5631) is finding its way through the hallowed halls. Sponsored

by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Rep. Kim Schrier (D-OR), Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), and other western representatives, the bill will secure funding for a sustainable workforce.

Named after Wyoming smokejumper Tim Hart who died fighting fire last summer, the bill will fill the gaps left by the infrastructure bill. Last action on the bill was in November when it was referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

Don’t let this bill fall through the cracks

or get buried in committee. Support a living wage for federal wildland firefighters. Write your congressmen today.

The Battle for RDA

The River Democracy Act (RDA), a new piece of legislation proposed by Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, is currently making its way through Congress and stirring up a dogfight two years after the bill began a public nomination and compromise process in 2020.

Needless to say, the bill’s proponents have a lot to growl about.

RDA would add an additional 4700 miles of Oregon’s streams to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968.

In 2020, Senators Wyden and Merkley began a public nomination process to build consensus. More than 2,500 Oregonians participated in a statewide public effort and nominated 15,000 miles of streams along federal lands to be included in the act.

The act would require comprehensive land-use management practices to protect streams, reduce catastrophic wildfire risks, and protect endangered species and native species that are culturally significant to tribes.

The whole process took two years, and the RDA team thought they had hit a homerun for adding the acreage to the act.

However, no such luck. A number of rural county commissioners and the timber lobby, while late to the table, bit down on the proposal expressing concern that the RDA would increase logging and grazing restrictions and do more harm than good when it comes to wildfire prevention.

In a January 11 speech to Congress, Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz summed it up.

“If passed, this bill would label some 4,700 miles of Oregon rivers, creeks, and streams as ‘Wild and Scenic,’ although a more appropriate phrase would be: ‘just waiting to be burned and ruined.’”

Appears the battle lines have been drawn and the gauntlet thrown. Standby for the usual rumble from the usual suspects but be ready to run for cover.

That’s a wrap.

Talk back at twfirecolumn @gmail.com.

Stay safe out there.

(Source: USDA, Wildland Firefighter, OPB, Wildfire Today, WSJ, Daily Yonder, USFS)

TW

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TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

ConferenceReview

Face to Face at the Loggin’ Show

F

amily and friends kicked off

the 84th Annual Oregon Logging Conference with great expectations following two years of in-person restrictions and mask mandates as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the theme Family, Friends & Forestry 2.0, the “loggin’ show” was back in action. “After the last two years, the best thing about this year is getting back together and gathering in person,” said OLC 2021/2022 President Scott Melcher. “It’s one of the strengths we have—competing against each other one day, and the next we’re sitting down talking and sharing ideas.”

Keynote speaker Blake Manley underscored the Family, Friends & Forestry theme while sharing his insight and success in encouraging young men and women to consider careers in the logging industries.

Manley was also the speaker at the annual Desserts for Dreams luncheon where OLC First Lady Wendi Melcher awarded the Sweet Home High School Forestry Club more than $10,000 raised by the event.

Most attendees would agree the last couple of years have been challenging, but being together and seeing the faces of friends again and enjoying the camaraderie helped restore the traditions of the OLC, as echoed by the rousing chatter and laughter at the nightly Sawdust Bowl.

The spirit of the festivities was easily showcased by the generosity exhibited at the Oregon Logging Conference Auction 30

held Thursday and Friday, which raised over $28,000 for scholarships and other educational endeavors. The Talk About Trees auction conducted during the sold-out Oregon Women in Timber (OWIT) Dinner collected proceeds of $117,000 from the 450 attendees. The proceeds will benefit OWIT’s Talk About Trees forest education program.

The Business of the Conference

Conference Manager Rikki Wellman said there was more equipment on display outdoors this year compared to previous years. And while paid registration was down

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

slightly, there was no dip in attendance with many industry professionals and members of the public participating in the OLC. “The Oregon Logging Conference is packed with unique opportunities for forestry and natural resource professionals to network and learn more about their trades,” Wellman said.

As in previous years, seminars and panel discussions drilled down on topics of current interest, earning Professional Logger Credits for many who attended. (continued on page 32)

TOGETHER AGAIN

OLOFSFORS INC. IS APPOINTED AS HULTDINS NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTOR

Effective January 1, 2022 – Olofsfors Inc. became the distributor for Hultdins products in the North American market. Indexator rotators also became part of the distribution.

Since 1995, Hultdins and Olofsfors have a long history of working together in North America and in several other markets around the world. Both Hultdins and Olofsfors Inc. are in Brantford, Ontario so this has been a smooth and exciting transition for the companies.

www.olofsfors.com www.hultdins.com (519) 754-2190 info@olofsfors.com

ConferenceReview

(continued from page 30)

OLC Favorite Competitions Back in Action

The OLC hosted the 4th Annual Future Forestry Workers Career Day for high school students from 20 Oregon schools.

More than 450 students took advantage of the opportunity to interact with industry professionals as they learned about careers and trades in the timber business.

The day was capped off with a high school logging and forestry skills competition in activities including cable splicing, choker setting, crosscut and single buck sawing, compass and pacing, tool identification, log scaling, and axe throwing.

The Waldport High School Forestry Club took 1st, 3rd and 4th places, and Philomath High School took 2nd place in the competition.

You will recognize the name of this year’s winner of the popular Log Loader Competition. Zane Bryant of Bryant Logging has placed first in this event numerous times over the years, and with his time of 2:57:09, this year was no exception. Justin Jackola of Rice Logging earned

second place with 3:34:16, and third place went to Bryan Chipps of Green Diamond Resource Company with a time of 3:42:17.)

Tristan Lulay of Scio was the winner of the Guess the Load of Logs Net Scale contest.

85th Annual Oregon Logging Conference

The dates are set for the 85th Annual Oregon Logging Conference. Plan to attend the OLC February 23-25, 2023, at the Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds in Eugene, Oregon.

For more information, contact Rikki Wellman, OLC Manager, (541) 954-2477 or Mary Bullwinkel, Media/Communications Coordinator, (707) 601-6533.

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Hilltop Aerial

The Oregon Logging Conference is widely known for its extensive, state-ofthe-art equipment displays. Here are a few new pieces of equipment that debuted in the Northwest at this year’s OLC show.

Hilltop Aerial manufactures two product models: the Hexacopter Drone and the Quadcopter Drone. These heavy lift drones can carry or pull a payload, spray, and seed. With a hover time of 30 minutes, the Hexacopter can pull a 5000-foot layout, and the Quadcopter drone can pull a 3000-foot layout. Water-resistant and weather-resistant, the drones feature a return-to-home program, autonomous flying, low-battery warning levels, wide GPS range, and a payload release system. www.HILLTOPAERIAL.com

Bridgestone IntelliTire

MOBICAT

New to the Show

Developed by Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, IntelliTire is a robust tire pressure

The MOBICAT MC 110i EVO2 is a compact, versatile jaw crusher with a wide range of applications as a compact primary crusher and is extremely flexible in transport and use. Featuring a compact design and transport height of 11’2’’, the machine is easy to move and set up. The powerful drive concept easily masters changing application conditions from stone to recycling. The plant can be operated with a variety of control and overload systems and is extremely powerful and efficient.

Pewag Forestry Tracks

pewag takes traction to an entirely new level of performance. The all new pewag bluetrack is specifically made for extreme applications. Increasing the resilience of lighter forestry machines with effortless operation on wet or rock ground, bluetracks feature an innovative mounting of the forged starwave profile studs, ensuring optimum grip. (continued on page 34) 32

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

unreserVed tiMed eQuipMent auctions Major realignMent for lydell group inc BIDDING OPENS: 9 AM juN 11

DRAYTON VALLEY, AB

BIDS START CLOSING: 9 AM juN 14

2013 Kenworth T800 Tri-Drive Sleeper Heavy Haul Truck Tractor

2012 Kenworth T800 Tri-Drive Day Cab Self Loading Log Truck W/ Vanguard 1028X Picker

2017 Caterpillar 330FL Excavator

2012 Tigercat 845C Feller Buncher

2012 Tigercat 480 Mulcher

2018 John Deere 2556G LC Log Loader

2016 Tigercat 630E Skidder

2018 Caterpillar D6T LGP Crawler Dozer

2015 Caterpillar D6N LGP Crawler Dozer

coMplete dispersal for Westbound logging BIDDING OPENS: 9 AM juN 25

WILDWOOD & FOX CREEK, AB

2015 Tigercat 870C Feller Buncher

2010 Tigercat H855C Processor

teamauctions.com

BIDS START CLOSING: 9 AM juN 28

2001 Kenworth T800 T/A Day Cab Winch Truck

403-793-1269

ConferenceReview

(continued from page 32)

Quadco

The Quadco M-32 Prototype tips the scales at 1700lbs. with a 32” cut and is designed for small 9 to 15-ton excavator applications. The new model is capable of mulching vegetation into fine material and features a built-in grapple with a 40-degree range of motion, left and right.

Rebel X25

Manufactured by Axis Forestry, the Rebel X25 is designed with powerful builtins based on requests from hundreds of logging contractors. This large wood processor features 360-degree rotation, 36” identical saws, dual tilt and delimb cylinders, smart hose routing, and an independent measuring arm.

Raptor 300

The Raptor 300 is called the chameleon of the mulching carriers because of its customization possibilities. The modular

34

design, coupled with various options, allows multiple configurations. The undercarriagedelta tracks offer improved robustness and better off-road ability while protecting the vehicle from barriers like stumps and rocks.

Available with a PTO drive or a powerbelt drive, the Raptor 300 is all about hard work.

Ragnar Tech PowerGrab Series

A crane mounted, self-powered and remote-controlled log grappler with a bar saw that can cut up to 24-36 inches in diameter and be maneuvered onto a tree, make a cut, and then lift and safely lower the removed section to the ground. Available with options like high-voltage insulating linkage, man basket, and rotation control.

TIREBOSS

The TIREBOSSS Tire Pressure Control system allows the operator to safely deflate the tires when working off-road at slower speeds or with an empty load. This provides a huge tire life and truck ride benefit with significant savings to the truck owner.

TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

TIREBOSS is sold and supported throughout the U.S. and Canada.

G&R Forestry Track Systems

G&R Forestry Track Systems are well suited for Northwest conditions on soft slopes, steep ground, low coastal areas, and swampy logging conditions. The tracks’ articulated rollerframes create an easier ride over obstacles compared to track machines with a single rollerframe on each side. Track systems are custom ordered for machine and job application.

Timbermax

The Timbermax T20 traction-winch package consists of the winch unit, hydraulic components, and the iWinch Control System. The T20 is compact with a built-in spooling device, making it compatible with a wide range of carriers. The winch features a 19-22 ton pull, 7/8-inch rope, and 1180 feet of capacity.

TW

Doosan Expands Wheel Loader Line

Doosan Infracore North America has introduced three additional models to its -7 Series wheel loaders in the United States and Canada. These new 200 size class machines include many of the same features as the larger models and are now available at Doosan dealerships.

Similar to the -7 Series wheel loaders that were launched in spring 2021, the next-generation Doosan wheel loaders offer redesigned cabs with first-class comfort features, increased bucket capacities, and new fuel-saving technologies.

The three new models — DL2007, DL220-7, and DL250-7 — are smaller than the models launched last year. With standard bucket capacities between 2.6 and 3.3 cubic yards, all three new models are available with a high-lift option for additional dump height and reach.

“We’re excited to offer a -7 Series iteration of our popular 200 size class wheel

Tigercat’s 810 Swing Yarder Tigercat has built its first model for cable logging operations. The new Tigercat 180 swing yarder is purpose-built from the ground up. It combines the speed and stability of conventional yarders with the mobility and simpler controls of excavator-based yarders. The result is a powerful and versatile yarding machine for extreme terrain logging applications.

The 409 hp carrier was carefully designed with a component layout, hydraulic system, 36

loaders in North America,” says Aaron Kleingartner, product and dealer marketing manager, Doosan Infracore North America.

“These are among our most popular wheel loader models because of their versatility.

It’s quite common for customers with these machines to purchase a hydraulic quick coupler for fast and easy attachment changes.” na.doosanequipment.com

Barko Pro Kits Now Available

Barko Hydraulics, a leading developer, manufacturer, and distributor of innovative heavy equipment solutions for the forestry, vegetation management, and material handling industries, is pleased to be making routine maintenance easier for Barko operators with custom-created Pro Kits. Each kit contains the parts and products needed for routine maintenance on Barko machines.

Regular maintenance is the key to exceptional performance, and Barko Service Schedules outline the routine maintenance required every 400 hours for Tier 3 machines and every 500 hours for Tier 4 machines.

Taking a proactive approach puts operators in control of equipment performance and will keep machines running at optimal levels while helping prolong service life. Barko Pro Kits make it exceptionally easy. www.barko.com drivetrain, and boom system optimized for yarding. The result is high line pull, excellent stability, and efficient operation.

Designed to achieve exceptional stability, the 180 can achieve high line pull without the use of guylines in most operating conditions. The purpose-built undercarriage has a reinforced pedestal and carbody with an extended blade for added stability. The blade mounts are tied directly into the carbody for added strength.

The machine can be quickly moved to the next set-up by simply lifting the blade.

In operating situations where additional stability is required, such as extremely long yarding distances or low deflection conditions, a simple static guyline can be quickly set up. The machine still retains the ability to swing with this guyline attached. The purpose-built winches are driven with efficient dedicated closed loop hydraulic circuits for smooth operation and infinitely variable speed control.

The closed loop circuits provide energy recapture when lowering the load for increased efficiency. Intuitive joystick controls, along with many programmable features, reduce operator training time and increase production. www.tigercat.com TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

Fecon Introduces Narrower BLACKHAWK BK6218 for Precision Mulching

Fecon introduced the BK6218 forestry mulcher with all the features of the BLACKHAWK mulcher, but in a narrower frame. Ideal for precision mulching, this narrower, more agile version shreds standing vegetation and processes material on the ground.

Utilizing shear bars and knife tools, the BK6218 creates a consistent chip size the first pass. The 18-inch diameter rotor spools up quickly, minimizing wait times, and the cutting chamber is designed to process material going forward or back dragging, without leaving unprocessed material. Ideal for skid steer and compact tracked loaders with hydraulic flows of 30 to 45gpm, this new mulcher model features 24 knife tools and has a 62” cutting width.

The compact body design allows increased visibility, while the narrower width improves handling and agility. Because the BK6218 efficiently channels material through its cutting cycle, there is minimal draw on the engine, resulting in significantly improved fuel efficiency. The BK628 is an excellent tool for clearing brush and vegetation, shredding material in woodland urban interface zones, clearing rights-of-way, lot clearing/clean-up, site preparation, and more. www.fecon.com

Ponsse Launches the NextGeneration Harvester Head

A powerful feed, firm grip, and solid yet agile frame are characteristics of the new Ponsse H8 harvester head. Active Speed, a new available feature, contributes to the superior performance of the H8. Active Speed, allows the harvester head’s operating speed to be adjusted based on the tree species and stem diameter, which makes working with the H8 harvester head smooth and productive, no matter what the tree diameter is.

The H8 can be mounted on the Ergo and

the Bear—the strongest harvesters in the Ponsse product range. The saw box area is even wider, making the H8 harvester head an excellent choice for trees with a high butt diameter.

A powerful feed, combined with a geometry that firmly supports larger stems on feed rollers, guarantees high productivity and fuel

economy. The automatic features of the Opti control system, developed and built by Ponsse, control the feed speed and saw movement, according to the tree diameter, which ensures fast and precise sawing. www.ponsse.com

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Irish e-comm business is ready to be harvested

A

s one of Ireland’s largest forest-

ry e-commerce stores, Irish Forestry Products (IFP) provides a cornucopia of products to its Irish customers which are sourced from markets across Europe, Asia and North America.

After 12 years in business, the owners of this family-operated company are looking to retire, which presents an ample opportunity to pick up a well-oiled online venture within the EU market. IFP specializes in the online sale of both own-brand and leading brands of forestry and gardening supplies across Ireland.

The enviable client base comprises a number of long-standing relationships with several state bodies, local authorities

and forestry SMEs, benefiting from high client retention rates and consistently positive feedback. In addition, a vast supplier network is on hand with the potential to triple the current number of products available. With the knock-on effect of the pandemic, the company’s sales revenue has grown by over 180 per cent, while retaining a gross profit margin of 41 percent, the owners say.

The business is easily relocatable.

Offers are invited.

Contact paul@irishforestryproducts.ie for more information.

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37

GuestColumnist

Russian Invasion Should Renew Effort to Increase Western Lumber Production

By Nick Smith

R

ussia’s invasion of Ukraine

has resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis, with thousands of casualties and millions of refugees. It has also generated economic shockwaves that are disrupting the global economy and contributing to inflation. In the weeks after the invasion, prices for a wide range of commodities spiked, including wood products.

The forest sector is one of many industries that have chosen to end business relationships with Russia. International human rights and environmental groups have also called for a complete boycott of timber and wood products from Russia and its accomplice Belarus. While the United States will not directly engage in this conflict, the invasion should encourage Americans to consider where their consumer products come from—in this case, wood products.

Americans consume up to 179 billion board feet per year and use about 1.75 pounds of wood every day. While Canada will continue to be an important partner in meeting America’s needs, the public would be surprised to learn how many of our wood products are imported from faraway places.

American consumers may not know that in recent years, more of the finished wood products they have been buying come from Russia. According to U.S. Census Bureau Trade Data, the U.S. imported approximately 400 MMBF of forest products from Russia in 2021—an increase of 104% over 2020 imports.

By decreasing global supply, the invasion is already resulting in higher lumber prices, at least in the short term. Simultaneously there is immense political pressure to address rising inflation that is squeezing American pocketbooks and reducing our ability to provide affordable housing and rebuild our infrastructure. To provide relief, perhaps it is time for policymakers to support increasing domestic production.

As lumber demand and costs continue to grow, the western United States is well positioned to provide more wood products to meet America’s needs. When it comes to softwood lumber, domestic producers have only been capable of meeting roughly 70% of U.S. demand over the past 30 years. At the same time, many western wood manufacturers are running below capacity due

38

to a lack of reliable timber supplies. In the Pacific Northwest, the situation will worsen because log supplies are expected to decrease in the coming years.

According to the Beck Group’s Steve Courtney, policy changes will reduce the annual harvest in Western Oregon and Washington by more than 575 million board feet, or about nine percent of the combined harvest in both states. Many of these log supply reductions will occur on private timberlands in Oregon, due to the historic 2020 Labor Day Fires that alone will reduce harvest by more than seven billion board feet in the next forty years.

Log supply will be further reduced as a result of the Private Forest Accord, a negotiated agreement by environmental groups and some of the state’s largest forest products companies to increase regulations under the Forest Practices Act. When harvest reductions from state-managed lands are included, Courtney estimates that annual harvest in Oregon will likely fall by more than 490 million board feet—per year—over the next forty years, costing 5,390 jobs associated with seven mills.

To summarize, as America imports more lumber from places like Russia, domestic production continues to lag especially as western wood products manufacturers struggle to secure raw material. To encourage domestic production and provide relief from rising lumber costs, it is more important than ever for federally managed lands to contribute to the western wood basket.

For much of the 20th Century, federal forests—especially national forests—served as the nation’s wood basket to support the nation’s economy, provided affordable lumber to meet domestic housing needs, and provided a robust network of forest roads for logging, firefighting, and recreation. These forests also provided a source of incredible wealth and prosperity for many of our communities. However, due to more than 30 TimberWest Magazine — March/April 2022 — www.forestnet.com

years of non-management, federal timber harvests have declined while the number of acres burned by catastrophic wildfire has increased.

Federal policymakers from both parties recognize the need to actively manage our western federal lands to reduce wildfire risks.

The Biden Administration is preparing to spend billions of dollars on a new strategy to thin millions of acres of National Forest System lands. Increasing forest management treatments and timber harvests on overstocked and fire-prone federal forests would help the U.S. Forest Service achieve its mission and better enable domestic wood manufacturers and rural workers to meet the needs of Americans for essential wood products.

Thinning federal forests and providing more timber would not only support our economy, it would also provide climate benefits. Improving forest health through active management can help reduce carbon emissions from severe wildfires and maximize the ability of our forests to sequester and store carbon.

By purchasing wood products that are made here at home, rather than Russia, we are also decreasing our carbon and environmental footprint because we are not importing wood products from faraway places that don’t share our environmental standards and modern forest practices.

While certain niche wood products would be harder to substitute with domestic species, these markets could be developed in the U.S. with new investments in technology. These investments would occur if manufacturers can secure a reliable supply of raw material.

Producing more wood products for domestic use is also consistent with President Biden’s “Buy American” initiative to support American manufacturing and workers. As the administration and members of Congress seek to tighten Russian sanctions, but mitigate the pain on American consumers, there is an opportunity to reduce wildfire risks on western federal lands while providing affordable lumber, supporting our forest sector workers, and addressing climate change.

Nick Smith is Executive Director of Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities and provides public affairs services to the American Forest Resource Council in Portland, Oregon.

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AT YOUR SERVICE

Ponsse North America Inc.

90712 Huntley Ct, Coburg, OR 97408 (541) 343-6926

For over a quarter century, Ponsse has been setting the standard for reliability and preformance in the forests of North America.

Our promise of being “a logger’s best friend” is a deep-rooted mission that makes us the most trusted and reliable partner in the industry.

Our customers know that if a machine goes down, Ponsse steps up to get their operation back up and running. From field service and in-shop service, to parts and technical support, the Ponsse team is here to clear the path to a prosperous and profitable business.

A logger’s best friend www.ponsse.com

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With the superior quality of Tigercat equipment backed by first-class service and support, your job is bound for success.

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