Issuu

HAZARD HARVESTING

Suulutaaq Inc.

ELECTRIC LOGGING TRUCKS

in the PNW

TELLING THE TIMBER STORY

Marks Lumber Clancy, Montana

CAL FIRE

The story of their Success

ON THE COVER Photo of Suulutaaq doing some helicopter logging to remove fire burned trees.

November/December 2021 Vol. 46 No. 11-12

Hazard Harvesting in the Ashes

Will the PNW Soon Have Electric Logging Trucks?

Hazard Harvesting in the Ashes

Suulutaaq Inc. is the prime contractor for hazardous tree removal operations in three of the fire areas in Oregon.

What will it take to see electric logging trucks in the U.S.? University (OSU) professors John Sessions and Kevin Lyons provide us with some answers.

Telling the Timber Story

CAL FIRE – The Story of Their Success

It Did and It Didn’t

Marks Lumber is not only a 75-year-old Specialty forest products company, but also an advocate for the industry. CAL FIRE has approximately 9,000 employees during the fire season, helping them protect more than 31 million acres of privately owned wildlands. Results of the 2021 Lumberjack World Championships.

Wildfire Column

Guest Column

Electric Logging Trucks in the PNW

An ounce of prevention might work. Carbon Credits — a cause for concern, an opportunity, or both?

DEPARTMENTS

Page 4..........................................................In the News Page 22..................................................Machinery Row Page 30............................................. Association News Page 36....................................................New Products Page 37............................................ Calendar of Events Page 37....................... Subscription/Advertiser’s Index

CAL FIRE — The Story of Their Success

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

6 Telling the Timber Story

16 3

Washington State to Preserve, Reseed Two Million Acres by 2040

MyNorthwest reported that against a backdrop of severe fires, the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is looking to make a substantial investment in the state’s forests, pledging to preserve or restore 2 million acres of trees by 2040. The purpose of the Keeping Washington Green project is to develop and preserve infrastructure that will allow the state to hold onto its forests and tree canopy, rural and urban. That includes funding and strategy to avoid deforestation, nursery development, and a number of technological investments to preserve and reseed the state’s forests. “One million acres will require growing and planting 400 million trees,” Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said in a press conference November 30. “That means going from producing 8.5 million seedlings every year to 20 million.”

Secure Rural Schools Payments Assured for Three More Years

The Association of O&C Counties (AOCC) praised the hard work of Senator Ron Wyden in connection with the Secure Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act (SRS). SRS was reauthorized as part of the $1.2 trillion 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Biden. “The SRS provisions in the much larger infrastructure bill originated in the Senate with great bipartisan support, and Senator Wyden was the lead sponsor. Senator Wyden made sure that SRS was included in the infrastructure bill and that it stayed Editor: Diane Mettler, diane@forestnet.com Copy Editor: Beth Szyperski Contributing Editors: Ken Boness, Jan Jackson, Dawn Killough, Lindsay Mohlere, Jack Petree, Andrea Watts ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– CEO / Advertising Sales: Anthony Robinson – arobinson@forestnet.com Sales Contact Information: Phone: (778) 991-3500

there throughout the difficult congressional negotiations. Without his efforts, SRS would have been sidelined, and counties and schools would have come up short,” said Commissioner Tim Freeman of Douglas County, AOCC’s President. More than 700 counties in 40 states rely on SRS funding to pay for vital county services.

U.S. Doubles Tariffs on Canadian Softwood Lumber and Contractors Expect Higher Prices

In November, the Biden administration’s U.S. Commerce Department followed through with anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber producers, placing tariffs of 17.99 percent on their imports, reported the Engineering News-Record. “These unjustified duties harm Canadian communities, businesses, and workers,” said Mary Ng, Canada’s minister of international trade, in a sharply worded statement. “They are also a tax on U.S. consumers, raising the costs of housing, renovations, and rentals at a time when housing affordability is already a significant concern for many.” However, U.S. lumber producers welcomed the stiffer penalties on what they have alleged for more than a decade was unfair competition due to government subsidies by Canada to its mills and producers. “The U.S. Lumber Coalition strongly urges the administration to continue full trade law enforcement,” said Jason Brochu, chairman of the U.S. Lumber Coalition and co-president of Pleasant River Lumber Co. “More U.S. lumber being produced in America to meet domestic demand is a direct result of the enforcement. A level playing field is critical for the continued investment and growth of the domestic lumber industry

and its hundreds of thousands of workers and thousands of communities across the United States.”

Sierra Pacific Acquires Seneca Sawmill and Its Four Oregon Plants

October 1, 2021, Sierra Pacific (SPI) completed the acquisition of Oregon-based Seneca Sawmill, bringing together two of the Pacific Northwest’s largest forest product businesses. Founded in 1953, Seneca Sawmill operates a 175,000-acre tree farm, four Oregon sawmills, and a biomass plant. Its combined output is approximately 650 million board feet of lumber annually. Sierra Pacific owns and manages more than 2.1 million acres of timberland in California and Washington. It also manufactures millwork, windows, and renewable energy. “Aaron Jones and Red Emmerson are both icons of the wood products industry. They were also friends and had a deep mutual respect for each other as industry leaders,” said Seneca CEO Todd Payne in reference to the founders of the respective companies. When the acquisition was announced in August, Payne said, “This proposed transfer makes so much sense given the companies provide complementary products and have shared family values and company culture.” SPI appreciates the opportunity to continue the legacy started by Aaron Jones and carried on by the Jones sisters. SPI President George Emmerson said, “The combined company brings together an outstanding team of people that will leverage our shared expertise in sustainable forest management and innovation in manufacturing, working together to provide quality lumber and wood products to the marketplace.”

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Advertising created by TimberWest Publications, LLC is the sole property of TimberWest Publications, LLC and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher. 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. TIMBERWEST (USPS #024858) is published bi-monthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec) by TimberWest Publications, LLC, 300 Admiral Way, Suite 105, Edmonds, WA, 98020. Periodicals postage paid at Edmonds, WA and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. Subscription rates to qualified subscribers are Free and all non-qualified subscriptions in U.S. are $22 per year payable in advance. Canada $35 (U.S.). Other $60 (U.S.). Single copies paid in advance $4. Company affiliation, title, date and signature must appear on subscription forms. Publisher reserves the right to refuse non-industry subscriptions and advertising. All other advertising is accepted at the discretion of the publisher. Publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher. Back issues, if available, $4 each. Directory and Calendar issue $10 each. Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #40740074. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to P.O. Box 86670 Stn. Main, North Vancouver, BC V7L 4L2 Printed in Canada at Horseshoe Press Inc. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to TimberWest, P.O. Box 610, Edmonds, WA, 98020-0610

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

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ContractorProfile

Hazard Harvesting in the Ashes By Jan Jackson

n response to the September 2020 wildfires — one of Oregon’s most devastating disasters in recorded history — the Oregon State legislature created a Debris Management Task Force made up of the Oregon Departments of Transportation (ODOT), Environmental Quality, and Emergency Management and charged them with the enormous task of safely and efficiently removing hazard trees, ash, and debris from the wildfires. The fires, which burned more than one million acres across the state, destroyed more than 4,000 homes and businesses, and claimed the lives of nine Oregonians, also left more than 100,000 hazard trees dead and dying along the steep slopes and cliffs of three fire-ravaged Western Oregon highways. Because of the urgency of protecting passengers in the more than 100,000 cars that travel daily along the steep hillsides of these highways, ODOT had contracting mechanisms in place and was accepting bids for hazard tree removal three months later. The projects are being financed 75% by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and 25 percent by the State of Oregon.

Stepping into Action

Alaska-based general contractor Suulutaaq Inc., which has had an office in Oregon since 2017, is the prime contractor for tree removal operations in three of the fire areas: the Beachie Creek/Lionshead Fire along OR-22 in the Santiam Canyon, 6

the Riverside Fire along OR-224 along the Clackamas River, and the Holiday Farm Fire along OR-126 in the McKenzie Valley. Originally contracted for hazard tree operations only in the Holiday Farm Fire corridor, by summer Suulutaaq received a contract change order to complete work in the other two fire areas. Directing the Suulutaaq teams is Project Manager Joel Zeni, a native Oregonian who was born and raised in the McKenzie Valley. A five-year veteran with Suulutaaq’s Oregon operation in Eugene, Joel holds forestry engineering and civil engineering degrees from Oregon State University (OSU). “Yeah, it’s crazy, and it’s a lot of work to do in a short time, but it’s definitely solving a safety issue because the trees were literally falling on the road,” Joel said. “There are over 83 miles of highway that needed to be cleared of hazards on the three projects. So many agencies working together on this kind of project has never been done on this scale before in Oregon,” he added. “It all started for me when Jeff Brink (Brink’s Land Improvement, Pleasant Hill, Oregon) and I qualified on a bid we put together for the McKenzie Pass project. Because ODOT liked the job we were doing there, they asked us to take over the contract on the other two corridors. We started the McKenzie Pass job in December of 2020 and the Estacada/Detroit Highway and Santiam Pass jobs in July.”

Creating a Plan

To determine which trees need to be removed (based on whether they are dead or will be in the next three to five years), the

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

ContractorProfile state contracts with independent arborists. At no charge to the landowner, the trees are cut into merchantable lengths and stacked on their property. The property owner may reuse them, sell them, or mill them. If the owner doesn’t want them, ODOT removes them at no charge. When the project needs machines and/ or operators that Suulutaaq can’t supply, they employ local logging companies and equipment dealers to provide it. Currently in use are drones to gather information, helicopters with grapple saws for logging on the steep bluffs, log loaders, processors, feller bunchers, excavators with grapples, and long reach material handlers that grab brush and logs that are far away from the road. In addition, there are track-mounted chippers, dump trucks, horizontal grinders to chip the slash, a snow blower that blows the chips back into the forest, and a hydro seeder to spray native mulch onto the hillsides. Foglio Logging Inc. of Florence, Oregon, is one of the companies that supplies both equipment and operators for the project. Trent Foglio says the company has four guys, three log loaders, and a truck driver currently working on the project. “I also have three tracked machines, a lowboy trailer, and a log loader that’s on a rubber [tracked] carrier where it doesn’t tear up the blacktop when I need to move it from job site to job site. The company is very safety conscious and very well organized. A big part of that is having everything set up where everybody’s not waiting on another guy. Everyone has a handheld radio so they can communicate with you while you’re in the machine working. You stay in very good communication with everybody.” Trent discusses one of the challenges of the highway jobs. “One of the big problems with all three projects is we’ve got 10 minutes to work, and then we have to let traffic go through. After the coast is clear, you go out, clear the highway, get the tree out of there, get it down in the ditch line in a safe place to process it, and get the lane back open to let the traffic through.”

Keeping It Safe

When Suulutaaq’s Joel Zeni needed guidance in the area of safety, he reached out to his former OSU professor/mentor, Jeffrey Wimer, president of Wimer Safety Consultation Inc. and respected forestry safety expert. A past president of Oregon Logging Conference and the Pacific Logging Congress, Jeff has been involved with logging his entire career and was manager of the OSU student logging training program since 2003. “In addition to my teaching at OSU, I originally agreed to work a couple of days a

Suulutaaq uses a wide variety of equipment, including (top to bottom) Tigercat, Morbark chipper, Volvo and Komatsu PC290LL. week on the projects,” Jeff said. When Joel asked him to come on full time, he decided to retire from OSU early. During the first six months, Jeff says he was responsible for safety on the whole project. Now he leads teams working on the Highway 22 closures. “I think the one

key for being successful with this is that the vast number of people Joel has hired have logging backgrounds. Handling of the logs is probably the hardest part. Construction companies might have the equipment but

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

(continued on page 8) 7

ContractorProfile (continued from page 7) without the experience, they wouldn’t know how to get up on slopes and deal with the logs. I would say its 80 percent logging and 20 percent construction.” Jeff added, “I watched Joel when he was a student of mine – he was just going to skyrocket. I could see it. He oversees the entire Oregon division; they have confidence in him and let him run it. That said, I still think it’s the loggers that make it work. If it weren’t for the loggers, it would be a disaster.”

Taking on a Challenge

Projecting that the McKenzie OR-126 and the Estacada/Detroit OR-224 projects will be completed by the end of the year, with the Santiam Highway OR-22 continuing into 2022, Joel weighed in on the overall project thus far. “I already knew how to fall trees, do traffic control, and I had people who knew how to climb, but what I didn’t know when we started was how to do all of that in a disaster,” Joel said. “Working with FEMA’s rules and regulations and dealing with all of their monitors who are watching over what we’re doing every day to make sure that we’re doing it the right way, has been a steep learning curve.” Joe says there was extensive communication between everyone involved including legislators, agencies, residents, and the landowners whose property was damaged by the fires. “However, because there are so many moving parts and pieces to the project, we had some environmental groups pretty upset because they believed ODOT was not being transparent.” Joel solved that issue by having conversations with those who were concerned about the level of logging. “I brought them out and showed them different sites and asked them to tell me if we should leave this or that tree and take the chance that someone will get killed — or do we remove them? When they understood what was happening on a bigger scale than what you can see from the road, they were very understanding.” In the matter of safety, there were a couple of instances where a branch hit a power line, but the teams have put in nearly 80,000 man-hours and the only projectrelated injury was when a cutter strained his back. “I agree with Jeff that a big secret of our success has been the loggers, but I also credit the flaggers, the climbers, the dump trucks, the excavators, and everybody else that is making this work,” Joel said. “Without teamwork, we couldn’t do it.”

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

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TruckingSpotlight

Will the PNW Soon Have Electric Logging Trucks? By Andrea Watts

n a press release on March 31, 2021, British Columbia-based Mosaic announced their partnership with EcoWest Driven to use Tesla electric semi-trucks on a trial basis, an arrangement billed as the world’s first. “We are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2035, and electrifying our log

hauling fleet is a significant step in that direction,” said Jeff Zweig, president and CEO of Mosaic Forest Management. “BC is a global centre [sic] of excellence in forestry, and we are proud to work with our local partner, EcoWest Driven, on this important project.” What will it take to see electric logging trucks in the U.S.? In 2018, Oregon State University (OSU) professors John Sessions and Kevin Lyons published Harvesting Elevation Potential from Mountain Forests, in the International Journal of Forest Engineering (https://tinyurl.com/295brjp5). Their paper explored the feasibility of using electric logging trucks on a British Columbia haul route that connects the southwest slopes of Blanshard Peak to a sort yard at the junction of the Stave and Fraser rivers. To explore the real-world application of their research for contractors, following is an interview with Lyons and Sessions edited for length and clarity.

When did you take notice that electric trucks could be an option for the logging industry?

Tesla semitruck image gallery Tesla Gallery | Tesla Canada 10

Sessions: Tesla had proposed the release of their heavy truck, what we call a Class 8 truck, in 2017. We started to look at its application in forestry in the Northwest. If electric trucks are going to work anywhere, they have a good chance of working in the mountainous region of the Northwest. The trucks go up the hill empty and once loaded, come down the hill; we can regenerate some of the energy that’s used in braking the vehicle back into the battery for use to go back up the hill. We also have low electricity rates through hydroelectric power, which is renewable.

Was Tesla the first company to explore the use of electric trucks? What about Peterbilt or Mack?

Sessions: Tesla started in passenger vehicles to replace conventional gasoline engine motor vehicles, and then they saw an opening for heavy trucks. But there are other competitors using other options. Tesla uses a battery to store the energy, while the competing powertrains, some which predate Tesla, are evaluating hydrogen fuel cells to provide the electricity. Kenworth offers a shorter distance battery powered electric Class 8 truck now. Volvo Group, including Mack, has been developing a fuel cell model. Lyons: Mack at one point was developing a battery-driven drivetrain. Their idea was to run a separate high-efficient diesel turbine that would run continuously and power the battery. This application was applicable for the no-emissions zones around some of the larger ports down in California. The driver would shut off the turbine when going through the no-emissions zone and run off the battery, and then fire up the turbine when the vehicle is out of the zone to continue charging.

For your research paper, how did you develop the hypothetical scenario to model?

Lyons: We picked a haul route on the south coast of British Columbia from the forest to the sort yard. It was about the advantage of having this mass at a higher elevation and zone at a lower elevation and how that affected the size of the battery. We

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

(continued on page 12)

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TruckingSpotlight

There’s noticeable differences between diesel and electric logging trucks when looking under their hoods. On paper, these differences may result in lower maintenance costs. (continued from page 10) also looked at if haul routes didn’t have as big of elevation gain or if there were a longer highway haul.

How could you extrapolate this hypothetical situation to a useful business model for a contractor?

Sessions: Let’s start with the ideal model. For example, there’s a mining operation in Switzerland where an off-highway dump truck goes up empty and comes down the hill loaded. It never gets any external recharge; all it needs is enough energy to initially get the truck up the hill once. Coming down the hill, the truck regenerates enough energy to go back up the hill. You might say it is a perpetual motion machine. Other situations require some amount of external energy input due to the haul route. A logging truck going up the hill without a load weighs about 25,000-30,000 pounds. When the truck comes down the hill loaded, it’s somewhere between 80,000 and 85,000 pounds. The downhill trip allows you to capture potential energy and convert it into electric energy to store in the battery. However, since not all of the haul route is in the mountains, some external energy input is needed. For the haul route profile that we used in the paper, a driver could probably save about 35-40 percent of the amount of charge required if the driver was unable to recapture that energy coming down the hill. To recycle the energy, the downward slope gradient has to be larger than about 2 or 3 percent to overcome rolling resistance and air resistance.

What are considerations for recharging?

Sessions: If you want to recharge once a day, you are going to need a larger battery than if you want to recharge twice per day. These batteries are heavy; to last all day a battery could weigh as much as six tons, which displaces part of the log load you could be 12

carrying, even after the weight savings from eliminating the diesel engine, transmission, and fuel tanks. Batteries are not cheap. A battery sized to run all day could cost in excess of $60,000$80,000. If you only need a battery half that size, it would be $30,000-$40,000. The tradeoff is the smaller the battery, the less it’s going to cost, plus the less weight is going to be subtracted from your payload, but you are going to recharge more often. That’s where hydrogen fuel cells are a competing model. They can be fueled in about the same time as a diesel truck, they don’t have a heavy battery, and they can go a longer distance. The downside is that hydrogen is expensive, and it currently comes from natural gas.

How much does it currently cost to purchase an electric truck?

Sessions: We don’t know what the agreement is between Tesla and Mosaic. All I can say is what Elon Musk said when he was pitching the Tesla Semi that it was in the $200,000 range, including the battery. He wasn’t specific about the size of the battery, but I think it was a battery capable of providing about 600 kilowatt hours. It could be used for logging, depending on the situation, but you might need a larger battery or charge more than once per day.

Would switching to electric make forestry even more sustainable since the carbon emissions from transportation would be further reduced?

Sessions: Running on renewable power in the Northwest and being able to regenerate energy would reduce carbon emissions, but there are other factors for electric log trucks. First, they are easier to drive, because there’s no transmission so a driver doesn’t shift (although the Kenworth electric truck has a two-gear transmission). There’s the thought that they’re going to help attract a younger labor force. Electric logging trucks have the potential

of lower maintenance costs — the electric motor has one moving part. If we look at the electric motors in other sectors, the maintenance cost seems to be 30-40 percent lower than an internal combustion powertrain. And you avoid buying diesel, diesel exhaust fluid, and oil changes. Lyons: Maybe the question for a company looking at switching to electric logging trucks is, ‘Why am I doing this?’ Is it purely because of costs? Is there a social aspect? Is it regulated? The reason why Mack developed the high-efficient diesel turbine was because of regulations around the no-emissions port zone. I don’t know what the end motivator is going to be in forestry, but the “why” is going to play a big role in the business model. Sessions: When people talk about some of the cost and social aspects of an electric logging truck, a diesel truck in our region is using about 15,000 gallons of diesel a year. If diesel goes to $3.50 a gallon, that’s more than $50,000 per year, and the electricity would only be, depending upon where you live, about $20,000. The savings to the environment depends. Here in the mountainous Northwest it’s more clear because the electricity comes from hydropower, and we have regeneration possibilities, but if you get electricity burning coal or natural gas, and you are in flat terrain, it’s not as clear.

What would it take for a contractor in the Pacific Northwest to pilot the use of an electric logging truck?

Lyons: What makes somebody jump? Well, you have the example of Mosaic that’s a pretty big company. They’ve got some routes that might actually work. They’re partnering with Tesla, and socially it works with them. Another model is purely cost driven. If the cost savings of switching to electric were a game changer, then companies would have to switch or become uncompetitive. Consider the example of switching from

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

(continued on page 14)

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TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

TruckingSpotlight (continued from page 12) dozers and line shovels for building roads to hydraulic excavators. Forestry is full of innovators and sometimes an individual will get an idea (for example an electric log truck), and they’ll just decide they’re going to try it. Sessions: In general, it’s the larger companies, whether they’re trucking companies or firms, who buy new trucks. Another consideration is the price of electricity. The cost of electricity in Washington and Oregon is quite low, at the commercial level, compared to California. Electricity here is one third the cost in California, so if you ask is an electric vehicle going to make it in California, well there’d have to be a social or regulatory reason because the cost model will be tougher. Which brings us to another point. Generally, the business model is that you’re going to need a high-voltage, high-amp charger to be able to charge in a short time; we’re not talking about charging a vehicle like this in your garage. Mosaic is teaming up with a provider in BC that is providing charging stations. A switch to battery electric is going to take infrastructure, whether that infrastructure is built at a sort yard or at a mill, and it may cost several hundred thousand dollars.

The simplest case is playing with the battery. Taking the next step, maybe it’s the hybrid truck that Mack originally produced, or it could be using hydrogen fuel cells. Integration is a good thing to point at, but we might not change the integration part of the problem so the solution might have to adapt. Sessions: The Northwest has several advantages. We have low cost, renewable electric power and we also have this elevation potential in forestry. It’s really a very interesting story.

To develop the infrastructure, will all industry players need to be part of the discussion and solution?

Lyons: That depends on the solution that’s picked. Some of these models don’t require the same integration. They can run independently, but some do require a high degree of integration. Mosaic has sort yards and forests. Some places in Oregon won’t have that same integration. Maybe that changes the model of the electric truck in the end.

In Washington and Oregon, the availability of electricity provided by hydroelectric power makes switching over to electric logging trucks a cost-effective option compared to the use of diesel trucks.

When it comes to selecting the appropriate battery, there will be a number of considerations, including length of haul route, charging time and availability, and cost. 14

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

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MillProfile

Telling the Timber Story Marks Lumber of Clancy, Montana

Owner Steve Marks

By Jan Jackson

The Workings of a Specialty Mill

t first glance, Marks Lumber

of Clancy, Montana, is a 75-yearold specialty forest products company that produces and sells quality Douglas fir timbers, rough-sawn boards, circle-sawn flooring, and natural wood siding. Look a little closer, however, and you see a team of people actively telling the story of how active forest management is making Montana a better place to live. Steve Marks, owner/operator of Marks Lumber, is frustrated with the bad publicity he sees being heaped on the timber industry. “I’ll admit I’m not a scientist, and I only have a 12-year education, but I’ve been on the ranch and in the woods my entire 62 years,” Steve says. “I know that what we do makes for healthy forests, and healthy communities are the result. We have to do a better job of telling that story. We’ve got to keep pounding on that, educating people about why that’s good.”

As a specialty mill, Marks Lumber’s primary market is made up of homeowners, contractors, and developers who are interested in quality products for homes and commercial buildings. The mill uses only inland Douglas fir, which grows slower than coastal Douglas fir, creating tighter growth rings and stronger boards. Though the Marks Ranch grows Douglas fir on the property, they don’t have much of it. Consequently, Marks Lumber buys about two million board feet of logs a year from other foresters and loggers. “We used to saw some lodgepole pine, but when the beetles came through here in 2008, we just elected to quit and went to strictly Douglas fir,” says Steve. “These boards have a beautiful mix of reds from the heartwood and golden yellows from the sapwood, and they are just crazy popular. I don’t necessarily like sawing boards because you create so much more sawdust, but for us, that’s where (continued on page 18)

Above left to right: The sawmill is equipped with a rebuilt Ukiah combination edger, a rebuilt Irvington-Moore trimmer, and a Norsman. Below left to right: Grinding with a 866 Rotochopper. Moving wood with the company's Deere.

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

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MillProfile (continued from page 16) the market is right now. I am able to buy logs because of my relationships with people, and because our reputation is good, we’ve had pretty good luck keeping our yard full.” The sawmill is equipped with a rebuilt Ukiah combination edger, a rebuilt Irvington-Moore trimmer, and a Norsman fabric building for sawdust containment. Steve says that most of their lumber stays inland, but some is shipped out to customers in Oregon, California, and Colorado who are seeking “that Mountain Modern look.” Marks Lumber is more than the sawmill. “We have a small logging operation that employs four people (counting the truck driver), with one or two extras in the summer when we can find them,” he adds. Out in the woods, Steve says the company utilizes a TIMBCO 445 with a Waratah danglehead processor, a John Deere 748 G III, and a Komatsu 238 quick-coupled to a Log Max 7000 dangle head or a Rotobec fixed grapple for road construction and other woods related work. “It is just a typical mechanical operation with feller bunchers, grapple skidders, and a clam bucket to untangle the downed timber, but it works well for the byproduct part of our business.” One of those byproducts is the company’s firewood business, which Steve says “is just nuts. Natural gas is so cheap right now, but people still want wood. We ship it all over. It goes down into Southeast Idaho — a lot of it stays in Montana — but we’ll haul it a couple hundred miles one way. I think we sold about 450 truckloads of firewood last year.”

Storyteller

The urge to tell the industry’s story began forming three years ago when Steve got

involved in a program that works to improve forest health, reduce threats from destructive wildfires, and create more jobs and local economic benefits. The program, called the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA), is part of Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), whose revenues come from Montana’s oil and gas, state-owned land, and grazing, mining, and timber. Initial funding of the GNA program was provided by the Montana DNRC, Montana timber industry, business and conservation partners, the United States Forest Service (USFS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Only two short years after it was launched, the program is selfsustaining. One year ago, Steve took an even bigger plunge and redirected his company’s advertising dollars to telling the story himself. Operations manager Jeremy Glatz, who joined the Marks Lumber team in 2013, pointed out that the program didn’t really come about overnight. In 2014, he said, they began discussing the role of the timber products industry in Montana, “and how important it was to differentiate some of our products from synthetic products and petroleum-based products, specifically over time. We felt that because we had a direct-toconsumer marketing capacity, it was really our responsibility to do some of this type of education because some of our bigger mills don’t have any direct-to-consumer marketing capabilities.” Jeremy explains that their work toward the goal involved changing marketing companies and agencies, and hiring “gig-type writers,” yet they were not getting the results they were after. “By 2018, we really started making it a priority and eventually just kind of got to the point where we decided we had the budget to bring our own writer in-house.” Steve reiterates how important that was to their mission. “The first big change I made was hiring our inhouse writer, and it was one of the best business decisions that I’ve ever made. We were doing these blogs, and none of us really loved doing it, so it just wasn’t resulting in anything we were really proud of. We knew we wanted to expand our presence and increase brand recognition, but if we were going to do it right, we needed to find someone who could do it right.” That someone turned out to be creative writer Julia Clary. Although changing public perception is not easy, being able to communicate is essential. “It’s just tough out there because we are all up against the for-profit enterprises that package themselves as altruistic. Now we can outsource some of the product types of content, tell our story, and it comes out great,” says Jeremy.

Sample of logs (top) used for items like this entryway truss (below) created with Marks Lumber’s circle-sawn timbers.

Getting Involved

Steve’s advice for those who want to tell the timber products pro-management story is to get organized and be involved in your state associations. “These woods are where we love to work,” says Steve. “There are millions of people that have no idea what we do. The guy at the meat counter has that same problem, too, because so many people think meat comes from the store. It’s the same thing with a 2X4. It’s got to come out of a tree. It is simple as that. We’ve got thousands and thousands of acres of dead wood on the ground emitting carbon like crazy when a well-managed forest would be sequestering it. That doesn’t make sense. We’ve just got to do a better job of telling our story and getting involved in the media outlets, including social media. As much as I hate social media, we can use it.” Steve sums up, “A lot of these small business folks have the same opportunities I have, but they just haven’t elected to go down that path. It’s not a quick return on your dollar, but it dang sure helps, and it is part of our responsibility as stewards of the forests.”

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

FireProtection

CAL FIRE –

The Story of Their Success

By Dawn Killough

he California Department

of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is often lauded for their effective and successful operations. The past few fire seasons have been particularly busy for the department. In 2020, there were 8,278 wildfires tracked in California. As of mid-September 2021, there have been 7,566, burning over 2.3 million acres. CAL FIRE relies heavily on local contractors and the timber industry to help them fight these wildfires and meet their stated mission: to serve and safeguard the people and protect the property and resources of California. Every year it contracts with timber companies and equipment providers to get the manpower and machine power

needed to fight an ever-increasing battle with Mother Nature.

Manpower

CAL FIRE has approximately 9,000 employees during the fire season, helping them protect more than 31 million acres of privately owned wildlands. Over 6,000 of those employees are permanent. They are an allrisk department, which means they respond to all sorts of incidents, not just wildfires. “We augment our staffing during the dry months of the year, which is getting longer and longer each year, with about 2,600 seasonal employees,” says Kurt McCray, Unit Chief for CAL FIRE’s Humboldt-Del Norte Unit. “Employees include firefighters, fire apparatus engineers, fire captains, chief officers, heavy equipment operators,

and forestry staff.” In late August, at least 80 percent of those employees were engaged on active fire operations throughout the state, and with their contractors they were working at capacity. When the season gets going, CAL FIRE relies heavily on their team from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOC). “Inmates help form fire crews alongside our seasonal firefighters and staff our fire engines,” says McCray. “It’s a voluntary program within the DOC where inmates volunteer to be on fire crews. They are then sent to formal firefighter training at a DOC facility, then they are assigned to CAL FIRE conservation camps throughout the state.” The conservation camps are run yearround with CAL FIRE crews. Personnel

FireProtection from both departments work at the same facility, where they are provided with continuing training, as well as a variety of other projects during the off-season. Both CAL FIRE and DOC take pride in the program, which has led some inmates to careers with CAL FIRE once they have completed their sentences. CAL FIRE also partners with Shasta Community College to provide students hands-on experience working with logging equipment and learning about forest management. The program, known as Fire Academy, certifies students with the basic firefighting training as required by the U.S. Forest Service and California Department of Forestry. Returning Veterans; Enlisting Their Skills (R.V.E.T.S.) is a recent CAL FIRE service program that assists veterans with integration and transition into service with the Department. They have partnered with CalVet, Cal Guard, and the U.S. Armed Services to provide employment and educational opportunities for veterans who have served, as well as those who continue to serve.

Machine Power

CAL FIRE uses its own fleet of equipment to fulfill its mission of attacking and containing fires when they start. The fleet includes bulldozers, fixed-wing aircraft for air traffic control, and air tankers that deliver fire retardant. In fact, it has the largest firefighting aviation fleet in the nation, even larger than the federal government’s. When fires grow beyond their capacity, or the number of ignitions exceeds CAL FIRE’s capacity, they rely on private industry to assist them. “The timber industry fills a void where the employees of those companies have the experience and the knowledge to help us attain our goal,” says McCray. “We hire bulldozers, masticators, feller bunchers, excavators, water trucks, and road graders to help us continue those operations.” CAL FIRE also relies on contracted

COMMON PURPOSE IN UNCOMMON TIMES

fixed-wing and helicopter air services to support their efforts. These aircraft drop water and fire retardant in an effort to manage and control wildfires. The California National Guard is also involved in similar missions in cooperation with CAL FIRE and its contractors.

Contractors

Each year in advance of fire season, CAL FIRE establishes contracts with equipment suppliers and contractors. The contracts include the types of equipment for hire, the designated contact people, and the predetermined rates that are set by the State of California. Everything is ready to go administratively prior to the onset of fires. That way, when they have an emergency need, they simply contact the appropriate contractor or supplier. Contractors are able to respond quickly because their equipment is already on standby. CAL FIRE also relies on timber contractors to help with secondary fire lines distanced from the burning fires. McCray says, “We will hire feller bunchers, masticators, and excavators to help develop those other lines. Those specialized forestry pieces of equipment don’t cause as much damage as when we simply bulldoze fire lines into place.”

Prevention

95 percent of wildfires in California are

caused by humans. By late August 2021, CAL FIRE had made 88 arson-related arrests. The department is investing lots of time and money into educating the public about the dangers of forest fires and how they affect our environment and those caught in its path. The State of California has also dedicated more than a billion dollars for forest health and resiliency to prevent the impacts of the wildfires. CAL FIRE relies on the timber industry with projects such as forest thinning, fuel reduction, and utilizing some of that byproduct to benefit society in other ways, for instance biomass or small-diameter log processing and manufacturing. It also employs various fire prevention techniques, such as prescribed fire, defensible space inspections, emergency evacuation planning, fire prevention education, fire hazard severity mapping, and fire-related law enforcement activities. “The investment in our employees and the continued training must be increased because of the scale and size of fires we’re experiencing as well as the increase and the distribution of the population in California, which has now reached 40 million people,” says McCray. If the regional drought continues in the future, and the number and size of fires increases, CAL FIRE will need to lean heavily on its resources to protect property and life.

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TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

TIMBERSPORTS Champion

When Jason Lentz from Diana, West Virginia, won the Stihl TIMBERSPORTS U.S. Championship this past July, he earned a place in the elite World Championship event that took place October 2 in Munich, Germany. In dramatic fashion, Lentz won the Individual World Championship, making him the first American since 2005 to capture the title. USA’s Lentz edged out Canada’s Marcel Dupuis and the Czech Republic’s Martin Komárek on an evening that saw several personal bests and a new world record, as the most elite logger sports athletes from around the globe competed for the title. The livestream of the full World Championships competition can be viewed on YouTube.

OTR International Acquires Hoosier Wheel

Falcon Sets Record

It was a big milestone — the sale of the 150th Falcon WinchAssist machine. It took DC Equipment, the New Zealand-based manufacturer of the Falcon Winch-Assist, only seven years to reach that milestone, and the company reports demand is currently at an all-time high. The shift to mechanized tree falling on steep slopes has accelerated around the world ever since the technology and safety of the innovative practice was proven in New Zealand. “I can’t believe we’ve hit Winch-Assist number 150. It just seems like yesterday we were building our first one,” says DC Equipment founder/owner Dale Ewers, who also runs a successful logging company.

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OTR International announced the acquisition of Hoosier Wheel. Hoosier Wheel, located in Evansville, Indiana, is a manufacturer of standard and custom wheel assemblies for off-the-road applications, including lawn and garden, agriculture, and material handling. The company offers a complete line of pneumatic and semi-pneumatic wheels, including both steel and plastic construction, and a diverse offering of tire treads and sizes. The acquisition enhances OTR’s current portfolio of innovative, off-the-road mobility solutions supplied to well-known OEMs and the aftermarket, covering more than 1,700 tire models and 300 distinct tread patterns, plus a wide range of rims and wheels.

Con-Vey Launches New Website

Con-Vey is excited to announce that they launched a new website, www.con-vey.com, in November in collaboration with another local Roseburg company: Anvil Northwest. This nine-month project was started with the intent to update the company’s look and promote their services. “Often, as a business, our website is the first impression we give potential customers, so it was important to us that we show off our brand and what we do here at Con-Vey,” said Marketing Coordinator Evie Hango, who led the project. Hango also shared, “We want our customers to know that we value quality, innovation, and modern processes. This new website will act as a visual representation of those goals that we continually strive to exceed.”

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USNR and Wood Fiber Group announced their merger in a transaction that will create a global, comprehensive supplier of the equipment, technology, and essential tooling used in modern wood processing facilities. USNR is an industry-leading global supplier of sawmill and plywood mill machinery, aftermarket parts, and technical and engineering services. Wood Fiber Group is the largest supplier of cutting tools, filing room equipment, and critical consumable products to the wood products industry, serving the North American market. This merger will create a single company with unmatched product range, capable of delivering complete solutions from project conception, to building/installing processing lines and supplying the spare parts, technical services, ancillary equipment, and customengineered cutting tools that customers rely on to operate their mills at peak performance. TW

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

LumberjackCompetition

It Did and It Didn’t

2021 Lumberjack World Championships

By Ken Boness Above: LaVoie displays the form that carried her to the top. Right: Andrea Card (l) pulls wood as Denise Ott (MN) (r) prepares to take her turn. Below: Note the technique. Nate Hodges’ head: motionless. The axe head: not so much.

mong the events that were canceled because of COVID-19 was the 2020 Lumberjack World Championships. This competition is normally held annually in midsummer in Hayward, Wisconsin. Hayward was unusually quiet last year. With restrictions on every facet of life, this normally bustling community didn’t experience the usual influx of tourists nor lumberjack competitors in 2020. As 2021 progressed, some restrictions eased and plans for the 61st Lumberjack World Championships resumed. The hope was that the event would bring a sense of normalcy for competitors and spectators alike. It did. And it didn’t. The sun wasn’t always normal, for example, as it appeared red at times thanks to the smoke drifting in from Canadian wildfires and occasionally was of sufficient density to allow identification of its scent. That smoke was apparently the only known foreigner present. In past years, the field of competitors would be swelled by foreign lumberjacks and jills. With certain borders closed, the competition this year did not include the usual entrants from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the Czech Republic. Although their absence was noticed, those who were on hand attacked logs and poles with the usual fervor. The entrants included competitors from Washington, Idaho, and California. And they made their presence known.

The headliner among the group of five from western states certainly was Erin LaVoie. Since 2014, the lady from Spokane had earned the Tony Wise All-Around Women’s Championship in every evennumbered year until the cancelled 2020 event. The All-Around crown had previously been worn in uninterrupted fashion by Nancy Zalewski (WI) for years. Her reign ended when Ms. LaVoie placed it on her own head in 2014. The following year, Lindsay Daun (IL) claimed it, only to be bested by LaVoie in 2016. Zalewski took it back in 2017 — a record tenth win. Once again (in 2018), when the World Championships were held in an even-numbered year, it was LaVoie who was awarded the coveted title and trophy. True to form, LaVoie watched someone else – Martha King (PA) – take the top spot in odd-numbered 2019. And then the pattern was broken when COVID-19 prevented anyone from assuming the title in 2020; an even-numbered year which would seem to have been Erin’s turn. Could she pull it off in an odd-numbered year? Superstition runs deep with some athletes, but apparently not with the Washingtonian. As in years past – even and odd – the former champion brought her A-game. Always quiet and focused, Erin LaVoie explodes at the commencement of action. While a crosscut seems to be her favored weapon of choice, LaVoie is well-versed in the operation of an axe. In the final rounds she placed 2nd in Women’s Underhand Chop, 1st in Women’s Single Buck, and 1st in Jill & Jill with partner Kate Witkowski (WI). Additionally,

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

LumberjackCompetition one of those competitors whose quiet smile is replaced by a look of intense fury when the chopping or sawing gets underway. Out of 60 male competitors at the Lumberjack World Championships, Hodges finished 5th all-around — and that puts him ahead of many formidable sawyers and axe men. To place that high, one has to compete in multiple events and consistently perform above the crowd. Hodges took 2nd in Hot Saw, only 4/100ths behind the winner. Elsewhere he posted finishes of 3rd (Springboard Chop), 6th (Underhand Chop), 8th (Single

LaVoie captained the 2nd place relay team. Any competitor in any sport entering four events and finishing no lower than 2nd certainly deserves to be crowned the all-around champion. The two other western ladies competing were Andrea Card (Santa Rosa, CA) and Brenda Boyko (Viola, Idaho). Card finished 6th in the overall standings with four of the five ladies ahead of her having held the allaround title in previous years. Tough sledding, indeed. Andrea did well in the underhand chop, finishing 3rd behind King and LaVoie, respectively. Nor is the lady a slouch with a crosscut as she and partner Denise Ott (MN) took 3rd, dropping out of the bottom of the log just 7/100ths of a second behind the team ahead of them. Andrea also placed 8th with fellow-Californian Nate Hodges in the Jack & Jill Crosscut competition. Boyko competed in all of the women’s chopping and sawing events, including the Jack & Jill Double Buck with husband Derek Pouchnik. That event was Brenda and Derek’s best showing but, alas, the pair from Idaho finished about two seconds out of the money. Like his lady, Pouchnik also entered multiple events. Derek and partner Mel Lentz (WV), took top honors in Masters Double Buck — an event reserved for competitors fifty and older — posting a time of 15.85 seconds in cutting through 20 inches of eastern white pine. Derek also competed in the other 50+ event: Masters Underhand Chop. A handicap event, Pouchnik started forty seconds back. Saving his best for last, Derek turned in his best time in Saturday night’s championship round. That’s the good news. The bad news: So did everyone else. Pouchnik’s Saturday time of 1:11.87 would have won both of the preliminary rounds. As it was he finished fifth with a respectable time. Another man with respectable times was Nate Hodges (North Fork, CA). Hodges is

Buck, Men’s Double Buck, and Jack & Jill as aforementioned with Andrea Card), and 9th (Standing Block Chop). All in all, the 61st Lumberjack World Championships delivered as promised. The competition was keen, and the companionship – among competitors and spectators alike – had long been desired and was thoroughly appreciated. The opportunity for jills and jacks to revisit a pre-pandemic favorite athletic lumberjack event wasn’t wasted. The 62nd edition won’t be either.

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TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

FireColumn

An Ounce of Prevention Might Work By Lindsay Mohlere

O 26

n November 5, the National

Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reported that 48,735 wildfires had torched more than 6.5 million acres so far this year. It’s a hair short of the average year-to-date of 51,028 fires burning 6.97 million acres. Currently, roughly 800 personnel are still deployed on 11 large fires across the U.S., and five of these fires are uncontained. Alaska, Arizona, and California still have active fires raging. For the most part, the cause of these fires will never be determined. Yeah, sure, there’s

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

FireColumn going to be speculation and a lot of guessing, but you’ve got to chalk up a bunch of them to lightning strikes, faulty catalytic converters, sparks from railroad trains, downed power lines, the oft pitched cigarette into road shoulder grass, and a slew of other dumb human actions.

PHOS-CHEK FORTIFY

Recently, the forest service gave the green light to a new fire retardant gel that just might make a difference in prevention. Perimeter Solutions, the maker of PHOS-CHEK long-term fire retardant, has added PHOS-CHEK FORTIFY to its inventory of products, noting that it is “the only highly-durable fire retardant that has been approved by the USDA/Forest Service for preventative application on U.S. federal lands.” PHOS-CHEK FORTIFY is a slightly sticky chemical compound gel intended to coat areas prone to ignition – such as vegetation around utility poles, railroad tracks, highway shoulders, and such – and render them nonflammable. If a flare-up runs into PHOS-CHEK® FORTIFY ®, the fire will smolder and die in puffs of smoke. The new product is the little brother of PHOS-CHEK, the market dominating fire retardant usually seen as a red dusty cloud dropped by tanker aircraft attacking wildfires from low altitude. Unlike PHOS-CHEK or other retardant dropped from aircraft, this one is a neutral color and is sprayed on the ground as a preventive measure. It is designed to stay glued to vegetation from the first application in the run-up to fire season through the most dangerous months, and it can withstand one to two inches of rain as well as high winds. A case in point is the Reagan Ranch in Santa Barbara, California. The owners of the ranch, the Young Americans Foundation, took a proactive approach to protecting the property from wildfire earlier in 2021 when they treated the 688-acre ranch with the new product provided by Perimeter Solutions at no charge. It’s lucky they did. The ranch was right in the cross hairs of the Alisal Fire that ignited in early October and raged across 17,000 acres before containment in November. PHOS-CHEK FORTIFY is credited for part of the solution that saved the Reagan Ranch from damage. It seems reasonable to hope that some of the money earmarked for the forest service in the new infrastructure bill will go toward funding the application of PHOS-CHEK FORTIFY in areas where wildfire is likely. An ounce of prevention makes sense and… will save dollars.

The Devil in the Details

The new infrastructure law gives the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior more than $2 billion to expand their activities, such as prescribed burning and other prevention techniques, along with boosting recruitment and retention of wildfire fighting personnel. The law says federal agencies have to treat roughly 10 million acres near towns and drinking water sources to reduce fuels. The law also includes funding to convert 1,000 seasonal wildland firefighters to fulltime status and give every federal firefighter a pay raise. However, there are a few wrinkles that need to be ironed out. As of now, the law’s funding is good for only five or six years. So it’s going to be a hurry-up offense to tackle 10 million acres. It also states that federal officials will increase base salaries for firefighters located

“within a specific geographic area in which it is difficult to recruit or retain a federal wildland firefighter.” To address the wrinkles, a bipartisan group of western U.S. lawmakers is sponsoring the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act. The act would make some of the infrastructure law’s provisions for wildland firefighters permanent. It would raise base pay across the board and allow for housing stipends, retirement benefits for temp employees, and also mandate one week of mental health leave for personnel every year. In addition, it would create a national Federal Wildland Firefighter Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Database to track chronic disease. The new benefits, modifications, and changes to shore up the ranks of our

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

(continued on page 28) 27

FireColumn (continued from page 27) frontline first responders would be money well spent. But with a national labor shortage, jobs are easy to find, and many in the firefighting establishment are bolting for better pay. Hemorrhaging is a word often used to describe what’s happening to the wildland firefighting ranks. The feds need to get on the gas and implement the changes immediately. Not enough and a little too late just ain’t gonna cut it anymore.

Loggers Save Mitchell Monument from Bootleg Fire

Here’s a “Shout Out” to Ray Driscoll’s Wood River Logging of Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Melsness Logging out of Bly, Oregon, for their efforts in saving the Mitchell Monument while fighting the Bootleg Fire in July 2021. Located in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, the Mitchell Monument commemorates the only American casualties in the continental United States that resulted from enemy action during World War II. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and honors six people who were killed by a Japanese balloon bomb May 5, 1945. When the fire started moving in the

direction of the monument, the forest service asked Driscoll to move in to help save it from being overrun by the fire. Melsness had started to prep, but the forest service had pulled them out the previous day. Driscoll went in with a skidder to remove what had been done by Melsness. He then went back in with a feller buncher and took out a patch of reprod on the opposite side of the road from the monument as the fire was coming at it.

Their efforts, along with air support and excellent work by hand crews, did the job, and the monument remained unscathed. Nice work guys. That’s a wrap. Talk back at twfirecolumn @gmail.com. Stay safe out there. (Source: USDA, Government Executive Newsletter, Bloomberg, Wildfire Today, WSJ, NBC) TW

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

WORLD'S #1 SAW CHAIN™

Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference Seeks Executive Director

Blake Manley Selected as Keynote Speaker for OLC

Fourth generation logger. Forestry and Natural Resources teacher at Sweet Home High School. Creator of “Manley Jobs,” the career video series that is getting our younger generation interested in logging and other natural resource careers. That is the description of Blake Manley, who will be the keynote speaker at the 84th Annual Oregon Logging Conference (OLC), February 24-26, 2022. Manley’s selection “fits to a T” the OLC theme of Family, Friends and Forestry 2.0. Manley’s family has a history in logging. In fact, this is his dad’s 50th year in the logging industry. Manley also has a very special connection with his students and has been bridging the gap between industry and schools throughout Oregon. With his creative ability to reach out to youth, he has been successfully encouraging students to pursue logging careers, which is spawning the next generation of natural resources workers. “Forestry has given so much to me, that to not give back, I feel like I am robbing society, and there’s not that many people doing this,” Manley said. For more information, visit www.oregonloggingconference.com.

The Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference (SCLC), a California nonprofit corporation engaged in servicing the logging and construction industry, is seeking an Executive Director. The goals and activities of the SCLC include an annual conference to enable manufacturers and dealers to display and demonstrate equipment, tools, and supplies relating to forest management. The annual conference includes sponsoring social events; providing an opportunity for the exchange of ideas among members in the fields of forest management and associated fields; promoting the art, practice, and standards of good logging and good forestry; encouraging and aiding in the training and proficiency of young people who are interested in logging, forestry, and related fields; and fostering a better understanding of the Forest Products Industry by the public. The Executive Director acts as the key management leader of the Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference and will report to the SCLC President while working at the direction of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. For more information, visit the SCLC website, www.sclcexpo.com.

Intermountain Logging Conference Set for April

Industry conferences are starting to get back on track after a rough couple of years. This includes the Intermountain Logging Conference, whose organizers are excited to be holding the 82nd annual conference April 6-8, 2022, at the Mirabeau Park Hotel & Convention Center. Expect an outdoor equipment display in addition to a wide variety of indoor exhibitors and exceptional speakers. Online registration will be opening soon at www.intermountainlogging.org.

Pacific Logging Congress Raises the Bar

The Pacific Logging Congress (PLC) held its annual congress November 7-11 in Palm Springs. It was a unique event, with a host of engaging speakers (both live and virtual). Just a couple of highlights were Aaron Witt of Buildwitt who was excited to go back and “tell their story” and not be intimidated by social media, and Tony Spilde who explained how their workforce at Knife River had embraced change, which was a win/win for everyone.

The biggest highlight, however, was the Pacific Forest Foundation (PFF) auction. On the final evening, Ritchie Brothers helped the PLC raise a record amount for its foundation — more than $89,000. These funds will be used to create scholarships for future industry professionals, as well as help the PFF continue their educational program. Mark your calendars. The next congress will be held in Scottsdale, Arizona, November 6-10, 2022.

TW 30

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

INTELLIGENCE AND TOUGHNESS IN THE SAME HEAD THE PONSSE H10 PROCESSING HEAD offers PONSSE quality and productivity to a new size class. The PONSSE H10 is designed and built for heavy-duty processing work in tough conditions.Robust structure, strong grip and powerful feeding guarantee high efficiency and reliability. With a flexible and widely adjustable Opti system, you are always in full control of your operations. The PONSSE H10 is available also with a top saw for processing curvy trees with multiple branches and for maximizing raw material use.

PONSSE NORTH AMERICA INC. 90712 Huntley Ct Eugene, OR 97408 Office: 541-343-6926

OREGON LOGGING CONFERENCE

OREGON LOGGING CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Blake Manley, fourth-generation logger and forestry and natural resources teacher at Sweet Home High School, will be the keynote speaker at the 84th Annual Oregon Logging Conference. Manley will address the OLC on Thursday, February 24, 2022. Manley is also the Chair of the Oregon Natural Resources Educators Association and creator of “Manley Jobs,” the career videos getting the younger generation interested in logging and other natural resources careers. The career video series has been earning Manley a lot of media attention recently, including a story in September on the FOX News program FOX and Friends and an interview with Lars Larson, as well as Oregon newspapers and radio stations across the country. Manley is extremely proud of his background as a logger and working in the family business, Manley Brothers Logging, based in Cove, OR. His father Kevin Manley has been a logger for 50 years, learning the business from his grandfather, logging in northern California. Manley’s logging career, interest in teaching and connection with students have gone hand in hand since he graduated from Cove High School. After working elsewhere in forest products related jobs for a few years, Manley returned to his hometown and was a logger in the family business, while coaching high school sports and then as Athletic Director at Cove High School. Manley epitomizes the 84th Annual OLC theme of Family, Friends and Forestry 2.0. It is that combination that has led to Manley’s success when encouraging students to pursue careers in logging, forestry, and other natural resource fields. He uses communication channels, such as YouTube, which the younger generation can relate to. Based on his family history in logging, his special connection with his students and his bridging the gap between industry and schools throughout Oregon, Manley fits to a T, the OLC theme. He has been successfully encouraging students to pursue logging careers and has a creative ability to reach out to all youth who will be the next generation of natural resources workers. 32

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

OREGON LOGGING CONFERENCE

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84th OREGON LOGGING CONFERENCE HOSTS STUDENTS AT THE ANNUAL EVENT Future Forestry Worker Career Day for Elementary School Tours at OLC 4th and 5th grade High School Students Plans are proceeding for an in-person, hands-on educational day for high school students at the Oregon Logging Conference. Sponsored by the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation the 4th Annual Future Forestry Workers Career Day is planned for Friday, February 25, 2022. Participating students will learn about several specific logging and forestry topics, including forestry / reforestation, firefighting, heavy equipment, welding, and diesel mechanics. High School students will also talk one-on-one with industry professionals, take a guided tour of state-of-the-art equipment on display at the OLC, and observe the high school logging skills competition. More than 2000 high school students have attended the past three career events at the Oregon Logging Conference, also learning about current job opportunities and the skills required to get work in these well-paying jobs.

students will learn about Oregon forests during a field trip to the Oregon Logging Conference (OLC) on Thursday, February 24, 2022. Approximately 250 students are expected. There will be a three-prong focus for the student groups. First is an introduction to careers in the woods, presented by Talk About Trees educators, where students learn about the many jobs available in the forest. Second the students break into small groups and meet professional foresters and learn about some of the tools of the trade, like how to age a tree with an increment borer. Third is a tour of the equipment on display at the OLC, where students will see state-of-the-art machines and learn how they are used in logging operations. These elementary school tours are sponsored by OLC, Oregon Women in Timber, and Forests Toady and Forever.

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

OREGON LOGGING CONFERENCE

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TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

OREGON LOGGING CONFERENCE

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TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

Ergodyne Launches New Skullerz Safety Helmets

Ergodyne announced the launch of the Skullerz Safety Helmets with built-in Mips technology to protect workers from dangerously overlooked angled impacts. Available in Class C and Class E, the new safety helmets are integrated with the company’s Mips Elevate — a low-friction layer that slides multi-directionally to redirect rotational energy that otherwise could be transferred to the head upon falling or impact. The integration fills a protection gap left by traditional hard hats that were designed to provide protection from direct impacts only. “Over 18,000 workers suffered traumatic brain injuries in 2019,” explained Tim Gallant, Ergodyne product director. “By adding Mips technology to our best-selling Skullerz Safety Helmets, we are taking a step to help reduce the risk of brain jarring and tearing that can ultimately lead to lifelong brain damage.” www.ergodyne.com

Tigercat Innovations

Tigercat released 822E series feller bunchers and harvesters with the latest features and upgrades. A redesigned engine enclosure provides improved roof access for clearing debris. A boom slider also reduces debris buildup in hard-to-reach areas. The clamshell style enclosure and drop-down side platform allow easy access to all sides of the engine, valves, and daily service points. The updated E-series cab includes a new parallel action air ride seat with integrated

heating and cooling. The reclining seat is fully adjustable with seat angle and seat extension adjustment. The wider seat cushion and lumbar support provide operator comfort all day long. Tigercat Simulators In March 2021, Tigercat partnered with CM Labs Simulations to develop a series of simulators that will replicate the functionality and behavior of Tigercat log forwarders and wheel harvesters. The wheel harvester simulator is the first to be completed. Tigercat simulators are equipped with three screens, a motions platform, and all the associated Tigercat machine control software and hardware. The simulator’s software communicates directly with the Tigercat machine control software so the controls are identical to the actual machine. Any adjustments that can be made on the machine can be made on the simulator, which in addition to developing an operator’s motor skills will also teach them the effects of the many machine adjustments available on the equipment. Tigercat simulators are equipped with an actual operator’s seat, including all control pods, the machine’s computer control system, and the harvesting head control system on the harvester simulator. The transition for new operators from virtual to actual is almost seamless. www.tigercat.com

system. All operator-specific functions can be fine-tuned to achieve the sensitivity and speed each individual operator prefers. Chassis and suspensions were designed to maneuver through even the most rugged forests when fully loaded. Komatsu Comfort Bogie axles with a high portal offset and V-shaped frames provide high ground clearance. www.komatsu.com

Fecon Introduces Wider Mulcher for Standard Flow Skid Steers

Fecon introduces the RK6015, a new, wider, standard flow mulcher head that is ideal for use with most standard skid steer loaders, Avant-type wheel loaders, and other carriers that are able to provide 17-27 gpm of hydraulic flow, have enclosed cabs that can be properly protected with the appropriate polycarbonate guarding, and have the ability to carry the 1465-pound attachment.

Komatsu 931XC 8WD Harvester and 855-3 Forwarder

Komatsu now offers two new machines, the 931XC-3 8WD harvester and the 855-3 forwarder. The 931XC-3 (eXtreme Conditions) harvester is designed for extreme conditions from smarter thinning to heavy-duty final felling and is exceptionally maneuverable in most types of forests and terrain. With an effective mix of power, torque, and fuel economy, the harvester’s system has been optimized for low working speeds, including a broad powerband and high torque backup for challenging operations. The 8WD unique double Komatsu Comfort Bogie drive system follows the terrain more closely than other 8WD machines with a fixed rear-axle design, greatly reducing rear ground pressure. The powerful parallel crane promotes enhanced production with a single control lever movement that extends the boom/arm on a parallel path. The threepump hydraulic system enables simultaneous slewing, feeding, and maneuvering. With the 855-3 forwarder, operators can monitor and control everything from engine and crane to the transmission and service ladders with the state-of-the-art MaxiXT

This new brush cutting tool allows those with standard flow skid steers up to 75 HP to expand their capabilities and enter the brush cutting arena without a large capital expenditure. A bite-limiting split ring rotor holds 26 knife or carbide-type cutting tools and has a 60-inch working width. Operating at 2400 rpm, it can easily shred brush and small trees up to 5 inches in diameter. The new mulcher head is easily handled by the carrier, yet stout enough to provide a long service life. Overall width is approximately 71 inches with a cutting width of 60 inches. The overall height is 47 inches and the depth is 33 inches. www.Fecon.com

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

Industry news At your FIngertIps There is a lot happening in the news today, and it’s hard to keep abreast of it all. TimberWest magazine has taken steps help readers stay current on breaking industry. We offer: daily stories

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CALENDAR JANUARY 11-13 Associated California Loggers Annual Meeting, Reno NV 916-441-7940 www.californialoggers.com

FEBRUARY 2-4 Forestry Forum Annual Meetings Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-883-4488 www.forestersforum.com

JANUARY 12-14 Truck Loggers Association Annual Convention, Vancouver, BC 604-684-4291 www.tla.ca

FEBRUARY 9-11 Western Forestry Contractors' Assoc. Conference & Expo, Virtual 604-736-8660 wfca.ca

JANUARY 13 Council on Forest Engineering Westerm Meeting, Lebanon, OR 503-226-4562 www.westernforestry.org

FEBRUARY 10-12 Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference, Anderson, CA 530-222-1290 www.sierracascadeexpo.com

JANUARY 14-18 Western Pallet Association Annual Meeting, Rancho Mirage, CA 360-335-0208 www.westernpallet.org

FEBRUARY 15-17 GLOBE Capital 2021, Toronto, ON 604-695-5000 www.globeseries.com

JANUARY 20 Mapping the Course: Timberlands, Forest Products & Fiber Issues, Vancouver, WA 503-226-4562 westernforestry.org

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FEBRUARY 24-26 Oregon Logging Conference Eugene, OR 541-686-9191 www.oregonlogging conference.com

AD INDEX COMPANY PG# AGRI-COVER..................................................................14 AIR BURNERS.................................................................9 BANDIT......................................................................... 15 CASCADE TRADER........................................................28 FALCON FORESTRY EQUIP. / MODERN MACH..............23 GEM CHAIN BAR...........................................................22 JOHN DEERE..................................................................5 JORAL / LOGGINGENCODERS.COM.............................30 KOMATSU AMERICA..................................................... 13 LBX / TRIAD MACHINERY / BEJAC................................ 19 MORBARK.....................................................................38 OREGON BLOUNT.........................................................29 PIERCE PACIFIC............................................................. 11 PONSSE........................................................................ 31 QUADCO GROUP............................................................2 SENNEBOGEN...............................................................17 TIGERCAT / TRIAD MACHINERY / BEJAC......................40 WCLA CREDIT UNION................................................... 21 YOKOHAMA OFF ROAD TIRES/ ALLIANCE....................25 CALENDAR JANUARY..........................................KOMATSU AMERICA FEBRUARY.................................................. CATERPILLAR MARCH..............DC EQUIPMENT/ MODERN MACHINERY APRIL...........................LBX / TRIAD MACHINERY / BEJAC MAY...................................................... QUADCO GROUP JUNE.....................................................................BANDIT JULY...........................................................SENNEBOGEN AUGUST........................................................... MORBARK SEPTEMBER..................................................SOUTHSTAR OCTOBER............TIMBERPRO / DDI EQUIPMENT / BEJAC NOVEMBER..........................................................PONSSE DECEMBER........................................................LOG MAX

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

GuestColumnist

Carbon Credits — A Cause for Concern, an Opportunity, or Both? By Jack Petree

“B

ig Investor Eyes Carbon-

Offset Land,” was a headline in the October 13, 2021, issue of the Wall Street Journal, reporting on a proposed $500 million dollar partnership between two entities proposing to purchase something in the range of 1 million acres of forest land in North America and remove those lands from potential timber harvest in favor of harvesting “carbon credits.” The credits are to then be offered for sale to companies as diverse as Microsoft and British Petroleum — companies seeking to “negate” or “reduce” their carbon footprints through the bookkeeping exercise involved in mitigating carbon emission releases to the atmosphere in one place by reducing carbon emissions in another place. The carbon-offset business, as it grows in coming years, will result in significant financial impacts, positive and/or negative, on all facets of the forest products industry. Landowners, harvesting contractors, equipment manufacturers, mill owners, and others, including the end users of the forest originated product, will be affected. Industry participants with an eye to the future would do well to pay attention to the issues involved in carbon-offset markets. Their participation in just beginning discussions will likely have considerable influence on the shape of the industry’s future for decades to come.

Current State of Credits

Early in 2021, Washington State followed California in passing legislation aimed at requiring large emitters of greenhouse gasses to engage in finding ways to reduce those emissions to specified “cap” levels over time. For the right amount of money, companies (at least for the present) can buy their way out of exactly meeting the assigned reduction targets. Washington’s version is called “cap and invest.” What that term means exactly is yet to be seen. Rulemaking on the Washington version is just beginning with the first public meeting/ briefing held November 2021. California’s rule making has been a work in progress. A cascade of similar legislation is expected in coming years as other states, including most western states, join the parade. 38

Carbon Credits or Carbon Offsets

The crux of the issues regarding carbon legislation, and its importance for the forest products industry, is a concept called Carbon Credits or Carbon Offsets. Trees are famously able to capture carbon from the atmosphere and store (sequester) that carbon for much of the life of the tree. When a tree is harvested, its career as a carbon sequestration entity obviously ends. The amount of carbon the tree would have sequestered each year had that tree not been harvested can be calculated. The value of that additional sequestration is recognized in what amounts to a virtual currency in the form of Carbon Credits — registered and numbered units, each representing one metric ton of carbon. Simplistic characterizations are always open to question, but put simply, a company emitting carbon as part of its operation and unable to meet the maximum allowable number assigned by the state can buy carbon credits in lieu of a reduction in emissions by an amount equal to the carbon emissions reduction represented by the credits purchased. It’s easy to understand why investors and greenhouse gas emitters are so eager to purchase timbered land, pull it from the potential harvest inventory, and harvest carbon credits.

The Forest Products Point of View

For the forest products industry the issues are manifold. For example, the rush to remove ever increasing amounts of forestland from potential harvest probably means rising stumpage prices on an ever decreasing supply of timber, resulting in the consequent passing of those higher costs through the supply chain all the way to the consumer. Decreasing supplies of harvestable timber also means

reduced opportunities for harvesting contractors, equipment suppliers, and so on. Less obvious impacts may be even more profound in their effect. Just one example among many? Absent carefully designed rules governing carbon credits, the health of many forests may be threatened. Oregon’s 2021 Bootleg Fire destroyed 400,000 acres, some set aside to produce carbon credits. Had those acres been properly treated to reduce the potential for catastrophic fire would those carbon credits have gone up in smoke? Would those acres ever have been properly treated with the restrictions required to obtain carbon credits in place on them? November’s World Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, can be seen as the kick-off to a new era in “combatting” climate change. The forests of North America, because of their importance in sequestering carbon, will be the focus of intense interest as rules and regulations governing the production and acquisition of carbon credits are developed in coming years. The potential for severe damage to the forest products industry, as well as the potential for significant opportunity, exists as those rules are adopted and put into place. It behooves industry professionals to learn everything possible about how climate change regulations can achieve the goals set out for them while also causing the least harm and the greatest benefit to the industry possible. Then participate — and participate some more — in helping to shape that legislation. Jack Petree is a public policy consultant an owner of Tradeworld Communications.

TimberWest Magazine — November/December 2021 — www.forestnet.com

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