The Logger's VOICE - Spring 2018

Jeff’s Catering, Brewer

From the President

By Scott Madden

Well it is hard to believe it has been two years since I had the pleasure to become President of PLC. It has had its share of highs and lows. As you can tell by my articles, I’m not much of a writer. Logging has had a terrible few years. I believe we hit bottom earlier this year and are starting to see the industry rebound with the announcement of many new projects – Robbin’s Lumber’s biomass project; Linkletter’s biomass project up and running; ReEnergy looking for proposals for businesses to locate next to their plants; Pleasant River Lumber expanding capacity at the spruce mills; exporting of hemlock logs making some headway; a possible new laminated beam market coming to Millinocket; a possible Old Town Mill restart project; Verso’s announcement of one machine coming back on line; Sappi and Woodland Pulp projects complete and demand for product holding.

It seems like we were getting used to hearing only bad news. Now it’s nice to hear good news! PLC has continued to grow its membership even with the tough times over the past two years. I believe it is because our members see the strength in standing together and being proactive instead of reactive. Having the presence of PLC Executive Director Dana Doran in Augusta I believe has had a huge impact. I think he has taken our concerns to the legislators and state officials and put a realistic background on many topics. I know when I talk to many of our Representatives and Senators they had no idea previously how some of these things big or small impacted us. PLC needs to be held accountable anytime we ask for help and hold our Representatives accountable to do what is right for all of Maine citizens at the same time. I believe this industry’s rebound is going to come from within the industry this time, not from outside groups looking to make profits and move on when things get tough. We have many accomplishments to be proud of over the last two years, but one of the top ones in my opinion is the Master Logger program.

Master Logger was started in Maine by the PLC around 2000. It is now being used in 20 States and 3 countries. As of September 1, 2017, it was accepted by MEMIC (and previously to that by Acadia) for a lower rate worker’s comp class code. That is recognition that Master Loggers are committed to safety and overall have lower risk.

Now as of January 2018, Master Logger has come back to our Maine-based group in collaboration with the American Loggers Council to play a major role in setting the standards for all Master Loggers across the country. Maine will take the lead role in branding the Master Logger program across the country and getting quality loggers recognized for the work they do.

Another project that we got off the ground after many hurdles was our new Mechanized Logging Operations Program to train new operators for mechanized equipment. As you know, this was with the help of Milton Cat, Nortrax/ John Deere; the Maine Community College System, the Maine Legislature, Maine Senate President Mike Thibodeau, former Speaker of the House Mark Eves, state officials, and other industry partners. We ran our first class and all graduates had jobs the day they finished. As of this week it is my understanding we have a budget passed and funding for the second class with a list of over 40 applications for 12 positions. I couldn’t be more excited about the interest in our profession especially as the economy is starting to improve for our industry. Hopefully this is just the beginning of our training efforts. Maybe a Log Truck Driver Training Program could be on the agenda. Perhaps some of our truck driver contractors will approach us with some trucks to use to help get it started? If you are interested you can contact Dana Doran at (207) 441-3621 or Donald Burr at (207) 356-1541.

As my term comes to an end, I have a greater appreciation for those who previously held the President’s position and Board Member positions. These positions require many hours of service and never seem to come at an opportune time. If you have never served on the Board of Directors or come to Augusta to support one of our bills, I urge you to do so. It always makes a difference when our legislators hear from you directly. Speaking from personal experience, it is not exactly what I call a good time. Sometimes it is just a matter of having a larger number of people in the group. It is easy to sit back and enjoy the benefits after we have them. Anyway, the message is we need any help you can give us.

As spring is fast approaching, we have our annual Spring Safety Training classes. If you haven’t attended one please do so. Our goal is to have a 100% attendance record.

In closing – thank you for the privilege of representing such a hard-working, honest, and respected group of people. Don’t forget our annual meeting. Bring your checkbook and let’s have fun raising money for the kids!

Log On, Scott

Paul N. Foulkes Inc. of Williamsburg Township, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in December 2017. Paul N. Foulkes has a professional staff of six. For more information contact Larry Foulkes at (207) 965-3451 or email foulkeslarry@yahoo.com.

Seavey Forest Products Inc. of North Yarmouth, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in December 2017. Seavey Forest Products Inc. has a professional staff of two. For more information contact Todd Seavey at (207) 3294084 or email seaveyforestproducts@gmail.com.

H&S Construction of Whiting, ME joined the PLC as a new Forest Contractor in March of 2018. H&S has a professional staff of two. For more information, contact Peter Hall at (207) 259-7766 or email indianlake121365@gmail.com.

Matt McGary Logging of Linneus, ME joined the PLC as a new Forest Contractor in March of 2018. Matt McGary Logging has a professional staff of five. For more information, contact Matt McGary at (207) 521-1418 or email matt.mark.mcgary@gmail.com.

Katahdin Cedar Log Homes of Oakfield, ME joined the PLC as a Supporting Member in February of 2018. Katahdin Cedar is a family owned and operated business founded in 1973. Through innovative and sustainable manufacturing methods Katahdin leverages its resources across three product categories: custom-manufactured log homes, manufactured cedar fence components, and small garden products. Katahdin Cedar Log Homes and Katahdin Cedar Fence represent the largest cedar log home producer and cedar fence manufacturer in the U.S. For more information, contact David Gordon at (207) 694-0031 or dgordon@katahdincedarloghomes.com.

Omnitracs LLC of Boston, MA joined the PLC as a

Supporting Member in February of 2018. Omnitracs LLC is the global pioneer of innovative software and SaaS fleet management solutions serving the transportation sector. Omnitracs has taken care of customers in Maine for over 20 years, as well as over 7,500 customers nationwide. Omnitracs offers the largest portfolio of fleet software solutions in the industry ranging from HOS, IFTA, Performance Management, and On-Board Technology such as ELD’s & Fleet Cameras. The company has been servicing customers in Maine since 1997, and many of those relationships continue today. Customers truly enjoy a diverse approach to adopting technology. For more information contact Joshua Kelly at (781) 424-2076 or JKELLY@omnitracs.com.

Robbins Lumber Company of Searsmont joined the PLC as a Supporting Member in February of 2018. Robbins Lumber is a five-generation ISO-9002 certified family owned company established in 1881. The company owns and manages over 29,000 acres of forest. Milling operations are located on a 40-acre site that will include an 8.5 MW cogeneration plant, 700,000 board foot kilns, a computerized sawmill, planing mills, a cut up shop and more than 100,000 square foot warehouse. The company specializes in producing top quality Eastern White Pine products. For more information, contact Jim Robbins at (207) 322-3162 or jarobbins@rlco.com.

get real. get Maine! joined the PLC as a new Supporting Member in March of 2018. This Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry nonprofit promotions program connects consumers and wholesale buyers to Maine's great foods and agricultural products, and in 2017 expanded its brand to forest products. The program can help "local wood equals local good" efforts of the logging industry and assist with locating new markets and buyers for Maine wood. For more information, contact Tonya Perkins at (207) 297-3491 or email Tonya.K.Perkins@maine.gov.

2018 Meeting Schedule

Professional Logging Contractors of Maine and Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands

Executive Board and Full Board

May 4, 2018: Annual Meeting, Jeff’s Catering, Brewer

June 21, 2018: Executive Board, PLC Office, Augusta

August 16, 2018: Executive Board, HO Bouchard/Comstock, Hampden

September 13, 2018: Full Board, Augusta, TBD

November 8, 2018: Executive Board, PLC Office, Augusta

December 13, 2018: Full Board, Bangor TBD

Executive Director

If We Don’t Tell Our Story, Who Will?

By Dana Doran

In the 1980’s, the farming community in the United States was going through a crisis. Grain, corn and dairy markets were being decimated by foreign competition and a movement started to save the family farm.

I was 12 years old when Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on the land.

Since that time, farmers in the United States are still challenged, but they created a movement of outreach and assistance in states and at the federal level that has essentially done everything it can do to protect American agriculture. Farmers are viewed as heroes rather than as has-beens. Farmers are also looked at as the fabric of the rural economy and the backbone of American society.

With all of that said, the reality is that farmers who work the land to produce two of three keys to life - food and clothing (the third being shelter), throughout America do contribute more pollution to our air, water and land than most industries throughout the United States. I’m not saying this because I want to offend farmers or to call them out, because that is not my intent. But, there is a tendency to not focus on this component of what farmers do and focus on the positives and contributions that farmers provide every

day to rural America. The image of farmers is strong and getting stronger by the day because they have banded together as one to shape their image and their agenda.

As all of you know, loggers are not viewed as farmers even though they harvest a crop every day and take great care to conserve their surroundings and their environment for future generations.

Loggers also represent the fabric of rural areas of this country, especially in Maine. There are tremendous similarities and far fewer differences between loggers and farmers, but farmers are generally seen as heroes and loggers are seen merely as necessary.

Is this an image problem? In many respects it is, but I suspect it goes much deeper than that.

For loggers, the same type of decimation that farmers faced in 1985 and for the last thirty years, is happening today. Today, just as crop markets went south for farmers in 1985, fiber markets have been decimated in Maine as a result of foreign competition. The internet and electronic communication has reduced the consumption of certain paper products by at least 50%. The industry has also gone from conventional to mechanical and the rate of pay has not kept up with the cost of operations. As a result, loggers are barely hanging on, but are continually asked to do more for less.

From

Just like farmers in 1985, loggers must take responsibility for their situation and do everything they can to improve: 1) their image, 2) the respect they receive for work they do, 3) recognition of their professionalism, and 4) implore upon policy makers to reduce barriers and do all they can to create incentives for local, state and regional consumption of wood products. If farmers can organize a thirty-year plus regime of support for their industry, why can’t loggers do the same thing?

In the position that I have, I am reminded often how little understanding there is for the plight of loggers among our elected officials. As I write this article, I am returning from the annual American Loggers Council trip to Washington, D.C. For the fourth straight year, PLC Board Member Andy Irish and I have traveled to the nation’s capital to discuss our issues and educate the staff of our Congressional delegation on what impacts your businesses have and why their actions are so important.

It is on this very trip that I am also reminded how critical this type of work is to this industry and how critical it is for the PLC to be in Washington, D.C. and at the state house in Augusta.

Congressional staffers and the majority of our state legislators know very little about logging and trucking. It’s not that they don’t want to know, but in many respects, it is quite simply that they do not live and work in this industry and unless someone takes the time to spoon-feed them over and over again, they are not going to make our issues a priority. In the end, we must assume that our elected representatives

know very little and that no one else is traveling to Augusta or to Washington, D.C. to fight for loggers and truckers. Put simply, if we don’t tell our story, then no one will. While in Washington, D.C., Andy and I had the opportunity to thank our delegation for their votes on tax reform this past December. In the case of Senator Collins and Congressman Poliquin, their votes made a real difference and helped small businesses like yours succeed in the future. In the case of Senator King and Congresswoman Pingree, we let them know that they need to understand how important the reduction in the corporate tax was to small businesses. And even though they didn’t vote for this legislation, we encouraged them to be sure to keep small businesses in mind for the future. When in doubt ask and find out what we think of legislation like this before making a final decision.

Also while we were in D.C., we addressed the following issues: The Youth in Logging Careers Act, which allows kids of contractors, ages 16 and 17, to operate mechanized equipment legally; biomass equality amongst federal agencies, an issue we have lobbied for the last four years, (which passed ironically in the omnibus appropriations bill thanks to our entire delegation) while we were in D.C.; protection of wood markets in Maine; the National Monument and the Federal Excise Tax on transportation items. The staff from each office was very interested to learn of our issues and is working hard to help find solutions. That said, if we didn’t bring these issues to their attention, no one else would.

Our Story Continued Page 13

BROOKS - It’s a bitterly cold January day near sundown, and two foresters are part of a group of landowners, foresters, and loggers who have just toured a site where Balanced Forestry owner Brian Bell has been harvesting wood. They watch as Brian climbs into his Ponsse dual harwarder and fires it up to finish the tour with a demonstration of the machine’s capabilities.

“From my cursory look around he did a really good job,” says the first forester. “I wouldn’t worry about him making a mistake.”

“Yeah, he does,” says the second. “No, I don’t worry about him at all.”

The Balanced Forestry logo includes evergreen trees and the company name - not unusual for a logging company in Maine - but below that Brian has added the words, “Thoughtful Logging and Land Management.”

Balanced and Thoughtful are the key words, because if you spend any amount of time with Brian in the woods, you’ll find out he carefully considers everything he does and thinks about how it will affect the land and the future forest, and this accounts for some of the praise he drew from the foresters.

Time to think is something you get quite a bit of when you’re spending long hours alone in the woods as a one-man logging operation. The harwarder - a combination harvester and forwarder - is ideal equipment for someone in that situation, and it is the only logging equipment Brian owns other than a chainsaw. Brian’s father occasionally helps him on a job, but other than that, he is on his own. In many ways, this simplicity has turned out to be an advantage during the recent tough years in Maine’s logging industry, when mills were closing and markets getting tough.

“Cut-to-length allows you to adapt pretty well and being a one man show I can chase markets that are too tricky for a larger company,” Brian said. “I look at bigger operations and I don’t even know how they have enough bravery to undertake a lot of what they do. Me being small I haven’t felt the problems as badly and I have probably been able to mitigate it a little more. I certainly don’t want to be cavalier about it, but I do think the industry is reaching a new equilibrium for those who were able to weather the storm, in logging you adapt or disappear.”

Now 35, Brian grew up in Edmunds in a family with generations of farming and logging experience. In high

Balanced Forestry

school, he’d often be running a cable skidder for the family during Christmas vacations. He grew up seeing the good and the bad in the industry and liked it enough to continue logging after high school. By 2012, when he decided to go out on his own and establish Balanced Forestry, he had no illusions about what he was getting into. “I think it probably makes me a little more cautious than I otherwise would be,” Brian said. goes and how it can go has made me very leery of getting too far into something. I love it, so that’s the other part want to do or change something that takes the fun out of it.

Logging has never been easy or simple, but for all the benefits new technology has brought to the industry, any experienced logger using machines as sophisticated as Brian harwarder will tell you they bring their own challenges in terms of maintenance and the learning curve for operators. At these times, Brian’s sense of humor

helps.

A week after the harvest tour, Brian had been working in the cold since well before dawn to fix a track on the machine. By the time the sun was climbing into the sky he was ready to start harvesting, but the head on the machine refused to work. Tinkering for a while with connections he eventually realized that after blowing a hose the last time he was cutting he’d manually shut the head off until he could replace it. That prompted a laugh and the observation that the solution to a problem is often the simplest thing. With the head turned back on, he finally rolled into the woods and started efficiently dropping and processing trees while praising the capabilities of the processing head. s really spectacular. The fact that it consistently performs is really amazing to me, just the engineering and design,” Brian said. At that moment, the chain fell off the saw and he began to laugh hard. “Holy mackerel, what was I

Balanced Forestry

Continued Page 12

Balanced Forestry Continued from Page 11

just saying? There are those days...”

Despite the unavoidable breakdowns in the world of mechanized logging, Brian has great praise for the harwarder and for Ponsse and the support they provide to him in the field anytime he has an issue or problem. The occasional tough days and breakdowns don’t diminish his love of logging either.

“It is fun, I will admit,” Brian said. “I like all aspects of logging, even ‘mechanicking’ though it gets you down when you’re fixing something and you know you should be making piles of something.”

Balanced Forestry had established itself in Downeast Maine by the time Brian and his wife decided to move their family to Montville a year and a half ago, and setting up in a new location brought many challenges, from finding new clients to locating trucking services.

The Bells also work harvesting blueberries for Wyman’s in the summer, and have two blueberry harvesters and hire four employees for the work. It is a lot to manage, but Wyman’s is a great company to work for. Still, logging seems relaxing after blueberry season, Brian said.

Brian is naturally optimistic, and he sees huge potential for the Maine logging industry if only the industry and technology can develop to take advantage of new markets and potential uses for Maine wood fiber ranging from new composite building materials to liquid fuels. There’s also plenty that can be done with the technology already available. When a truckload of wood chips passes by, Brian sees the energy to heat and power a home for a month. When he shops, he sees plastic bags and wonders why they aren’t paper. As he changes the chain on the processor head he wonders why it comes in a plastic bag now instead of a cardboard box like it used to. When he was younger, he traveled to Finland where wood is deeply ingrained in every aspect of the economy and thought then

as he still does today, if they can do it there with a more limited forest resource than Maine has, why can’t we do it here?

It was partly with such questions in mind that Brian joined the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine in late 2016, because he knew the organization was working hard for the future of the industry. The legislative support, representation, and information PLC provides is great, and the networking opportunities it offers with other loggers and logging industry-related businesses has been very valuable as he has worked to reestablish his business in a new area, he said.

At this point Brian is very happy with where his company is, but he believes the time may soon be right to expand, possibly by hiring an employee who could work both on the logging and blueberry sides of his business. A second processor could be a smart addition so Balanced Forestry could cut at full capacity at all times while the harwarder could switch to forwarding as needed. Another hand would also be helpful, and while he’s very careful in the woods, it would also be safer to have someone else around on a job site.

“It seems like the industry pushes you to get bigger, you see something and say I need that capability so you buy something to get that capability and then you need to pay for it so you go and get more machinery to cut more, and you keep getting bigger,” Brian said. “I’ve resisted doing that, but now I think I’d like to expand, so the short answer is - I do see room for growth without jeopardizing things or rocking the boat too much.”

Brian also believes the logging industry is very important to the future of Maine, and he wants to do what he can to contribute to that future.

“If I can be so bold as to say I’m doing good forestry, well I guess I want to be able to do more good forestry,” Brian said.

Brian Bell leading harvest walk in Brooks, ME.

Our Story

In the end, we have to remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint, so our continued dedication to education on these issues is absolutely critical.

As I return to Maine, this theme of education, awareness and attention is also just as important. Building empathy and understanding for the plight of loggers and truckers is not going to happen without the PLC.

The next three to four weeks in Augusta are critical to the future of our industry and great examples of how policy impacts logging and trucking. In a time of economic hardships, creating stability and removing hurdles are just what all of you need.

An example of this is that in 2017, the LePage Administration took away the unemployment work search waiver (6 weeks) for the first time since its inception in 1983. That move was a real blow for our industry and a real slap in the face because layoffs are due to government regulation and no fault of any contractor in our membership.

We found out in mid-February that the Governor has denied the six-week work search waiver for unemployment claimants for the second straight year. This is extremely disappointing since the Governor has not only been a proponent of regulatory stability for his first six years in office, but he also told us on two separate occasions over the past six months that the waiver would be restored in time for mud season.

As a result of pulling the rug out from under us just as mud season is kicking in, the PLC and the Associated General Contractors have been working with the legislature to make the six-week work search waiver permanent and take away discretion from any current or future administration. The bill, LD 700, passed out of the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee (LCRED) on a unanimous vote in early March and it is expected to hit the floor of the Senate and House in the coming weeks. The committee even put an emergency preamble on it to make the bill law as soon as it passes the full legislature in early April which is vital for all of our members who have been forced to lay off their employees due to no fault of the their own. Mud season is staring us in the face and the waiver should not be seen as corporate welfare as has been stated by the LePage administration in a recent memo to the LCRED Committee. The legislature realizes this and so should the Governor. This example from the current legislative session is

exactly why the advocacy of the PLC is so important. Simply put, there is no else in Augusta fighting for logging and trucking businesses besides the PLC and its membership. Without an organization whose mission is solely focused upon the needs of companies like yours, the current plight of loggers would be very different in my opinion.

For those who have been following our legislative activity this session and the sessions of the recent past, I’m sure that you have noticed some common themes. Our efforts have been focused on wood energy market stabilization and growth, unemployment, tax reduction, contractor protections, transportation regulatory mitigation and road infrastructure improvement. All of these things would not go forward or be protected unless the PLC was at the table.

Which brings me back to where I started.

Timber harvesting and trucking does not just have an image problem, it also has a perception problem. It’s easy for someone to say they don’t like logging because they don’t understand it. It’s also easy for someone to say they don’t like logging because one bad apple has spoiled the bushel.

With that said, it’s also easy for a contractor to say that their voice will not make a difference and they shouldn’t even try because their perception is that no one person can make a difference. This is the same narrow view that the same person on the other side of the debate has and unless we are willing to speak, they are not going to listen.

Do you remember those farmers back in 1985 that started a revolution in this country because their businesses were at risk and they saw no other way? They banded together to prove how important they were to the fabric of rural America and today there is legislation in Congress consistently called the “Farm Bill” and there are farm exemptions here and farm exemptions there which are in place to help the farmers survive.

Well, I think it’s time for loggers to band together and realize not only the importance of their voice but the conviction in their heart. Non-loggers will bleed sawdust too if we give them a chance and learn that two of three keys of life - food, shelter and clothing - are directly attributable to timber harvesting. However, they won’t know it unless we tell them.

Loggers are farmers too, just with bigger crops and longer rotations. Here’s to loggers in 2018, because if we don’t tell our story, who will?

SKOWHEGAN - Richard Carrier Trucking (RCT) Inc. is proof that with hard work, honesty, and good business sense, one man can build a large and successful company starting with nothing but the values provided by his upbringing and a drive to succeed.

Richard Alain Carrier, born in Canada in 1952, started his working career in the northern Maine woods, cutting timber while working with his father and brother. Richard quickly earned the respect of others with his strong work ethic and honesty, and that never changed when he went into business for himself.

In 1974, Richard purchased his first tractor and trailer for $40,350, a Western Star, and this was the beginning of Richard Carrier Trucking, in Jackman. Four years later he would purchase a second tractor, beginning the growth of a fleet of RCT trucks that today numbers 72.

In 1987, the growing RCT moved its headquarters to Skowhegan, ME where it remains today. Richard purchased four acres of land there, built a modest two bay garage, and personally oversaw the operations of his handful of trucks. Working seven days a week from his small office in the garage, Richard steadily increased his holdings, both in land and tractors. Within ten years. RCT grew from four trucks to over fifty. His four acres, have today grown to over 45 paved acres. The twobay garage has been expanded twice to six bays. Other additions include a corporate office, warehouse, truck scales and an on-site dumper and storage to meet customer needs. There are currently 82 employees on the payroll at

While the trucking side of his business was growing in the 1980s, Richard also began diversifying his holdings. Over the years, on his own and with partners including his brother, Jack, Richard has expanded into a range of forest related businesses and holdings in the U.S. and Canada. Today these include:

· Carrier Timberland

· Farmington Chipping

· Milo Chip LLC

· R.J. Chipping

· HHP Inc. (lumber, pallets, and wood chips)

· Milan Lumber

· P.R. Russell (bulk and packaged mulch)

· LCC and TJF (delivery transportation)

While the combined Carrier businesses have grown far beyond that first Western Star tractor, trucking remains central to the operations. Every business added has been built with the knowledge that it will need trucking, and this has proven to be a very wise business move as Richard gained steady business for RCT and his later trucking companies in Canada, as well as reliable trucking capacity for the mills.

Today the wood and wood products hauled by RCT trucks are often cut on Carrier timberlands and/or processed at Carrier mills. This and the expansion of yards and facilities for stockpiling wood and wood products provides more stability to all the operations, enabling them to better weather the ups and

RCT.

Early days: Richard Carrier and RCT Western Star.

downs of markets. As a business model, what Richard Carrier has built is hard to beat.

And RCT is not done growing yet.

“We’re definitely planning on getting bigger.” Jimmy Carrier, RCT Company Coordinator, said. “It depends on the market conditions and what transpires in the future, but we’re gonna grow. How fast depends on everything around us, but we are gonna grow.”

RCT hauls mostly wood products these days as well as recycled materials including demolition debris. While the company has more ability to withstand market pressures than most trucking companies thanks to the Carrier mills, those mills and RCT are still affected by the ups and downs of the markets and that can be challenging. Regulations in trucking are also a challenge, and the shortage of truck drivers is something RCT has to deal with just like every other trucking company in America right now.

The public does not generally understand trucking or how critical it is in a nation where most goods now move on the highways, and this is also a challenge.

Staying on top of regulations, safety, and technology are important to success in the trucking industry today, and RCT sets the bar high in each of those areas.

Mandates to transition to Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) from paper logbooks have not been

universally popular in trucking, but Jimmy said RCT welcomes it because it will level the playing field and make all companies meet the same standards.

Safety is a top concern at RCT. It’s not only the right thing to do for the safety of employees, but it is critical in a world where you can bet in any accident involving a tractor trailer and another vehicle, the tractor trailer will get the blame whether it deserves it or not.

“Safety is the number one goal,” Jimmy said. “We emphasize safety as much as we can, safety in the workplace, safety on the road, if we see or hear something we bring in the drivers and talk to them and try to figure out what’s going on, try to get to the bottom of the problem and resolve it.”

RCT has a full-time safety officer, Kris McKenna, and RCT provides all drivers with a comprehensive overview of safety standards, cash incentives for safe driving, and weekly auditing of driver’s logs and hours of service each week to ensure federal and state compliance of each driver.

RCT joined the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) as a Forest Contractor to support the loggers who are the base of the forest products industry which generates most of RCT’s business, and because PLC is fighting for that industry and educating the public about its importance, including trucking. Milo Chip is also a PLC member, an Affiliated Contractor.

Carrier Continued Page 16

The company’s patriotism on display: The RCT “Tribute Trucks.”

Carrier Continued from Page 15

“PLC is strong on the forest industry and if there is a market crunch they are right on top of it to help,” Jimmy said. “There’s a lot of educating that needs to be done because the public does not realize how important trucking is - they see trucks or they see loggers they think it’s always a bad thing, they it’s done and how it’s done, and PLC I think is good for that.”

Today, 44 years after that first Western Star with the Richard Carrier Trucking name on the side began

Trucking Industry News...

Team Safe Trucking training modules now available...

TEAM Safe Trucking’s safe driver education Module 1 was briefly reviewed on FRA’s November 16 webinar, “What is Going on With

Log Trucking Insurance.” Individuals may create an account and complete the Module online; those wishing to facilitate a group training effort may contact TEAM Safe Trucking Executive Director Jeremiah O’Donovan (jeremiah.odonovan@specialtymarketmanagers.com) or TEAM Safe Trucking Education Committee Chair Mike Macedo (mike.macedo@ipaper.com) for instructions. Additional modules are now being added!

ATA calling for improved infrastructure funding

…

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is pulling out all the stops in an effort to get the government to invest in upgraded infrastructure in the United States.

The association launched Road to a Better Future, a website and initiative to highlight the costs to the public of traffic congestion and road disrepair in the U.S.

“Our goal is to educate decision makers and the public about the hidden costs of the status quo,” said ATA president and CEO Chris Spear. “If we’re to secure a better future for our country and this economy, then we can no longer put off necessary improvements to our national network of roads and bridges.”

The campaign comes amid debate from the U.S. government about how to fund upgrades to roads and bridges. While increased or additional road tolls and gas taxes have

England and Canada, and with both Richard and the values

RCT Office in Skowhegan, Maine.

been suggested by lawmakers as a way to pay for the necessary changes, the ATA suggested another route.

The ATA’s plan would see a fund called the Build America Fund established to generate $340 billion over 10 years to pay for repairs and upgrades. Instead of a gas tax, the proposed fund would rely on a fuel user fee, which the ATA says would fund the repairs without adding to the U.S. deficit.

The Road to a Better Future website features a video and other materials to educate the public on the costs they face because of tied up traffic.

The site says Americans lose an average of 42 hours each, or the equivalent of $1500 of lost wages, every year sitting in congested traffic.

“What seems to get lost in the debate about highway funding is that there is a cost to doing nothing, too,” said David Congdon, co-chair of ATA’s Infrastructure Task Force.

“The irony here is that the cost of doing nothing is actually much higher than what is actually required to fix our roads and bridges.”

The website can be viewed by at roadtoabetterfuture.com.

FMCSA ELD Updates…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced additional steps to address the unique needs of the country’s agriculture industries and provided further guidance to assist in the effective implementation of the Congressionally-mandated electronic logging device (ELD) rule without impeding commerce or safety.

The Agency is announcing an additional 90-day temporary waiver from the ELD rule for agriculture related transportation. Additionally, during this time period, FMCSA will publish final guidance on both the agricultural 150 airmile hours-of-service exemption and personal conveyance. FMCSA will continue its outreach to provide assistance to the agricultural industry and community regarding the ELD rule.

“We continue to see strong compliance rates across the country that improve weekly, but we are mindful of the

unique work our agriculture community does and will use the following 90 days to ensure we publish more helpful guidance that all operators will benefit from,” said FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez.

Since December 2017, roadside compliance with the hours-of-service record-keeping requirements, including the ELD rule, has been steadily increasing, with roadside compliance reaching a high of 96% in the most recent available data. There are over 330 separate selfcertified devices listed on the registration list.

Beginning April 1, 2018 full enforcement of the ELD rule begins. Carriers subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that do not have an ELD when required will be placed out-of-service. The driver will remain out-of-service for 10 hours in accordance with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) criteria. At that point, to facilitate compliance, the driver will be allowed to travel to the next scheduled stop and should not be dispatched again without an ELD. If the driver is dispatched again without an ELD, the motor carrier will be subject to further enforcement action.

The Agency is committed to continuing the ongoing dialogue on these issues.

The waiver and guidance will be published in the Federal Register.

For more information on ELDs please visit: www.fmcsa.dot.gov/eld

WEBSTER, MA - Barry Equipment Co., Inc. is a family owned and operated heavy equipment dealership that was established in 1985, and in the years since, it has grown into a major supplier for logging contractors across New England and New York.

In Maine, as it has elsewhere, Barry Equipment has established a reputation among its customers for fast and reliable service, quality equipment, great inventory, and valuable expertise.

“We have a hands-on, family owned business that understands the industry, and that makes a difference,”

said Mike Conway, who handles sales for Barry in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. “One of the biggest assets we have is longstanding employees.”

Barry Equipment was started by Tom Barry, a Northeastern University graduate and civil engineer. Tom and his wife, Trish, continue to run the company today, and their son, Joe is operations manager.

Barry Equipment has 22 employees.

After expanding over the years, most recently with additions four years ago, Barry Equipment today operates from a state of the art, 15,000 square foot facility located in Webster, Massachusetts just north of the Connecticut

border on the shores of Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. That’s not a typo you just read, that’s its name - the longest place name in America - and while some call it Lake Webster to save time, the

excavator is broken, but you can’t work on it until midnight tonight, we’d say okay, we’ll be there.”

Barry Equipment joined the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) to support the loggers who are so important to its business, and they appreciate the loggers not just as customers, but as people.

“These are honest, hardworking families,” Mike said. “It’s impotent to support the industry, we’re in the industry so we’re here to support it.”

serves the logging, biomass, construction, and recycling industries.

Barry Equipment sells both new and used equipment and maintains a rental fleet of current model excavators and loaders. The company also offers full service on-site repair capabilities with an impressive fleet of field service trucks equipped with the most technically advanced diagnostic tools available today. Service technicians for the company undergo comprehensive training and complete all OEM required certification. The extensive inventory in Barry Equipment’s parts department provides faster parts availability to customers, minimizing delays and downtime.

Fast, reliable service is key to keeping customers in business, which in turn keeps Barry Equipment in business.

“We have no time clocks.” Mike said. “If someone called right now and said my chipper is down or my

That support has been strong. Barry Equipment is a major sponsor for the PLC in support of events and drives the organization undertakes, including sponsoring all lunches for PLC Safety Trainings. The company is doing very well these days. Demand for equipment is strong, and the only thing holding it back seems to be lack of skilled operators.

“I could sell five excavators right now if I had five operators to go along with them,” Mike said.

“Everybody’s labor short, but we’re good, we’ve been fortunate.”

Barry Equipment looks forward to continuing that success and continuing to work with Maine loggers for a long time to come.

To learn more about the company and what it offers, call Mike Conway at (508)

Opposite: Barry Equipment facilities in Webster, MA.

Below top: Custom trucks with attachments for logging are a Barry specialty.

Below bottom: Barry Equipment tractor retrieving a Clark skidder from a job site in 2017. The skidder was sold by Barry Equipment in 1985, the year the company started.

The PLC of Maine 23rd Annual Meeting

23rd Annual PLC Annual Meeting May 4th, Brewer Jeff’s Catering

*Take advantage of our 23rd ANNUAL MEETING sponsorship levels and opportunities!

Again, this year we provide sponsorship opportunities that have the flexibility to fit any budget. We can work with you to find a sponsorship level that best suits your needs. Contact Jessica at 207-688-8195 or email jessica@maineloggers.com to learn more.

Please join us for our 23rd Annual Meeting to learn and network with other professional loggers as we look toward the future.

The Morning Session is only for PLC Contractor Members

During this time, we will: Conduct a general membership meeting, hold Board elections, review our legislative agenda and Acadia Insurance will let us know how the dividend program performed in 2017. Gubernatorial Candidate Forum meet your candidates. We will also host the 2018 Gubernatorial Candidates for a forum on issues in our industry.

During our Luncheon, which is open to all PLC Contractor Members, Supporting Members and invited guests, we will hear from Mark Turner, current President of the American Loggers Council about the health of Logging nationwide and Mr. Turner will also talk about logging in Oregon.

Dinner Guests Join us for a buffet dinner and the honor of meeting several of the many children helped by the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), Warren, Noah and a few more wonderful children! Without local CMN Hospitals and donations many Maine children and their families would need to travel nearly eight hours round trip for each appointment. This is just one of the reasons we support such a great program. Meet the people that our fundraising is impacting and feel the difference that we are making.

In 2017 the PLC of Maine raised over $115,000 to support local Maine children

After lunch we will have a tour of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at EMHS all are invited. The PLC has done great things for Eastern Maine Healthcare through Log A Load and it is important to see what we have built. We reconvene at 4:00 pm for our social hour and time to preview the Log A Load Auction items, open to all PLC Contractor Members, Supporting Members and invited guests.

To help the Children’s Miracle Network raise money, our Log A Load Auction will be kicked off by an EMHS Miracle Child. Can we exceed the $44,000 we raised in 2017?

Dinner will include a welcome and remarks from PLC President, Scott Madden and passing of the gavel to our new President, Jim Nicols. Followed by our annual awards presentation.

Creating Real Miracles by Raising Funds for our Local Hospitals

Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals have raised more than $5 billion for 170 children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada. The PLC of Maine and Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) Foundation have raised over $1,007,000 since 1996 for children in Maine. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Some are battling cancer, some are suffering from a traumatic injury, and others require constant care because they were born too early, or with a genetic disease.

Morning Session

PLC Contractor Members Only

7:30 AM Registration (Coffee & Continental Breakfast)

8:00 AM Full Board and General Membership

Meeting, Board Elections, Legislative Update and Acadia Dividend Program Update.

10:00 AM Gubernatorial Candidate Forum: Republicans

11:00 AM Gubernatorial Candidate Forum: Democrats

Afternoon Session

PLC Contractor Members, Supporting Members & Invited Guests

12:30 PM Lunch Buffet

Luncheon Speaker: Mark Turner– ALC President & President, Turner Logging

2:00-4:00 PM Tour of NICU EMHS, Drive yourself, parking available at EMHS, meet in the Main Lobby by the gift store at 2:15 pm.

Highlights

Gubernatorial Candidate Forum

ALC President, Mark Turner

Tour of the EMHS NICU Champion Children

LogALoadAuction

PLCAnnualAwards

Children’s Miracle Network Auction

*Donate items for the hospitals of EMHS. Go to: maineloggers.com/log-a-load-donation/ to learn more!

Haven’t registered yet? Go to: maineloggers.com/23-rd-annual-meeting2018/ and register today!

Evening session

PLC Contractor Members, Supporting Members, Invited Guests

4:00 PM Social Hour Auction Items Preview

5:00 PM Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Child & Log A Load for Kids, Auction for CMN & EMHS Special Guest Auctioneer Scott Hanington

6:00 PM Dinner Buffet

6:45 PM PLC President’s Welcome

7:00 PM Passing of the Gavel

7:30 PM Awards Presentation: Master Logger Supporter’s Award, PLC Logger of the Year, Acadia Insurance Safety Award, PLC Impact Award, PLC Community Service Award, Supporting Member Award & PLC President’s Award

2018 Safety Training

Presented by:

2018 Safety Training: 7:30 AM—3:30 PM

Safety training is designed for all company employees and employees may attend one or both spring trainings.

Topics: Fire Prevention & Suppression Hands-on | Wellness 101 | Overhead Power Line Safety

DEP Spill Kit /Clean-up | Life Flight Triage | Cost of a Claim?

Training locations:

1S. Friday, March 30th Denmark John Khiel III Logging & Chipping, Inc.

2S. Friday, April 6th Rumford Nicols Bros., Inc.

3S. Friday, April 13th Waltham Elliott Jordan & Son, Inc.

4S. Friday, April 20th Passadumkeag Madden Timberlands, Inc.

5S. Monday , April 23rd Lincoln Treeline, Inc.

6S. Friday, April 27th Jackman Jackman Lumber Garage

7S. Thursday, May 10th New Canada Voisine Bros., Inc.

8S. Friday, May 11th Millinocket Gerald Pelletier, Inc.

9S. Friday, May 18th Athens Linkletter & Sons, Inc.

2018 Fleet Training: 7:30 AM—3:30 PM

Fleet Training is a new offering by the PLC of Maine for 2018. It is specifically designed for drivers, mechanics and loader operators. Employees may attend one or both spring trainings.

Topics: Troop-K: Truck Inspections, Load Securement, ELD | Welding, Grinding & Gas Safety

Proper PPE | Defensive Truck Driving

Safe Tire Inflation & Mounting | Walking & Working around Equipment/Trailers

Training locations:

10F. Monday, May 21st Porter William A. Day Jr. & Sons Logging, Inc.

11F. Friday, June 1st Skowhegan Richard Carrier Trucking, Inc.

12F. Thursday, June 7th Fort Kent TNT Road Company, Inc.

13F. Friday, June 8th Lincoln W.T. Gardner, Inc.

Training qualifies for Master Logger Standards or CLP re-certification credit. Field verification & fee to CLP still required. Register at maineloggers.com/safety/

Ted Clark, CLCS, Loss Control Consultant, Acadia Insurance Seasonal Maintenance Plans

While typically an extremely productive season, winter presents a significant amount of challenges when it comes to maintaining machinery in its optimal condition. The conditions will lead to more frequent maintenance issues from increased wear and tear. In addition, adhering to preventative maintenance schedules can be challenging due to the cold and ice. Cleaning, which generally takes place at a relatively high frequency during the summer months, also falls off due to the challenges and limitations associated with the winter weather. The maintenance issues, coupled with the challenges to keep machinery clean, are a recipe for disaster when it comes to protecting your machinery from fire loss.

Over the last few months I have noticed a significant uptick in recommendations generated to address the buildup of oil and debris inside machinery. When preventative maintenance on a machine begins to fall behind, we start to see small oil and fuel leaks become more prevalent. This allows for the buildup of oil soaked debris and thus increases the potential for ignition and ultimately, fire loss. Since 2010, the PLC has had over $7 million in fire losses on equipment. Nearly 75% of those losses took place during the winter months of December through March.

The best way to reduce the likelihood of a fire loss on machinery in the winter is to work with your mechanic staff, supervisors, and operators to develop a winter maintenance plan that specifically addresses the increased hazards as well as increased wear and tear on machine components. Due to the challenges of cleaning, preventative maintenance becomes even more critical in the winter to reduce the chance of fluid leaks or burst lines. The plan you develop should require frequent inspections of wear items such as hydraulic lines, gaskets, etc. requiring them to be replaced as soon as they reach a predetermined threshold in order to avoid partial or complete failure. If a fluid leak is noticed, it should be remediated immediately, rather than waiting for it to worsen.

A maintenance plan should also address the process and frequency for cleaning machinery in the winter.

Generally, pressure washing would be considered standard following a significant fluid leak or hydraulic line bursting. During the winter however, this may not be practical due to cold temperatures. Because pressure washing may not be possible in the winter, it is critical to develop a plan to remove fluids following a leak or spill. This plan may include using spill pads to “mop up” fluids, removing debris daily, or bringing the machine back to your garage for washing.

It is important to mention fire suppression which serves as an important backup if a fire still ignites. Sure, fire suppression is an effective means to suppress a fire, but with limited fire retardant agent, it is challenging for a suppression system to effectively extinguish the large, rapidly spreading fire that often accompanies oil and debris build up. Frequent cleaning and maintenance of machinery will increase the chance of a suppression system working effectively in a fire event.

Breakdowns and machine fires cause countless hours and days of down time, losing your company untold profits. Winter, presenting different and increased hazards than summertime, demands a maintenance and cleaning policy that accounts for these challenges. Developing a winter maintenance and cleaning program that specifically addresses these hazards, and working with your employees to maintain this level of maintenance, will help you remain more productive and, in turn, more profitable in the long run.

Acadia is pleased to share this material for the benefit of its customers. Please note, however, that nothing herein should be construed as either legal advice or the provision of professional consulting services. This material is for informational purposes only, and while reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this information, no warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness. Recipients of this material must utilize their own individual professional judgment in implementing sound risk management practices and procedures.

✓ 2017 class a success ✓ Promotional video launched ✓ 2018 recruiting underway

The Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) has launched a promotional video charting the success of the new Mechanized Logging Operations Program as recruitment for its next class - scheduled to begin June 25 in Presque Isle - ramps up.

Maine’s first postsecondary training program for operators of mechanized logging equipment is currently recruiting students as well as instructors for this summer’s class and utilizing the new video to show potential recruits the opportunities and the future available in the industry.

practices. With aerial footage, action seen from inside the cabs of mechanized equipment, and unscripted interviews, the video provides an unparalleled and honest look at an exciting industry and program. It has already been viewed more than 11,000 times on social media platforms.

“

12-week session

Beginning June 25, 2018

Shot at the first active class site near Medway as well as at business locations including Pleasant River Lumber’s Dover Foxcroft dimension mill and Treeline Inc. facilities in Chester, the video combines interviews with students, instructors, industry representatives, wood consumers, and logging contractors with footage of students harvesting wood and training in maintenance, safety, and forest health

Monday-Friday 8 hour training days

In Presque Isle , Maine

(On-campus room and board available) Learn more at www.nmcc.edu/industry-customized-training/ mechanized-forest-operations/

We realized early in our efforts to develop the program that young people today are more likely to develop an interest in a program like this by seeing it,” Dana Doran, Executive Director of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC), said. “Mechanized logging is an exciting industry that lends itself well to video and we are certain that interest in the program will be strong among potential students who view this video on social media platforms, websites, and in presentations.”

The video also highlights the history of logging in Maine, the importance of forest health and environmental stewardship to the profession, and the opportunities for advancement and good

We Support Maine Loggers

-paying careers for young men and women interested in mechanized logging.

The video was developed thanks to support from Farm Credit East. It is available on the PLC YouTube site and higher quality versions may be requested from PLC by emailing jonathan@maineloggers.com.

The PLC is encouraging high schools, career centers, and other organizations with connections to potential students to share the video.

Expectations for the upcoming class are high; graduates of the first class in the summer of 2017 were in such demand that all had received job offers from logging contractors even before they completed the program.

“We and the many other partners who made this program possible could not be happier with the results achieved in the first class, and we are confident that students in the second class this summer will be just as successful,” Doran said. “The demand for graduates is high, the industry is rebounding, and the future for mechanized logging operators in our state is a bright one.”

The Mechanized Logging Operations Program was created thanks to a partnership between three Maine community colleges, the PLC, and industry partners including Milton CAT and Nortrax.

While Maine’s logging industry has seen some contraction in recent years due to the loss of pulp and paper mills, the demand for skilled operators of the feller bunchers, harvesters, grapple skidders, forwarders, delimbers, and other mechanized logging equipment that now harvests more than 95 percent of all timber in Maine is strong. Many current operators are reaching retirement age and the steep costs of training new operators is driving up demand and wages.

The Mechanized Logging Operations Program gives students a broad overview of the most common mechanical systems found in modern timber harvesting equipment, and an understanding of the variables of timber growth, tree species, and markets. It also includes a strong emphasis on safety.

The hands-on experience students gain operating

Mechanized Continued Page 26

The promotional video for the program launched Jan. 10.

Mechanized Continued from Page 2516

sophisticated mechanized logging equipment for weeks in the woods is something unavailable anywhere else in Maine and neighboring states.

PLC partnered with the Maine Community College System and industry to create the program. It was jointly developed by the PLC and Northern Maine Community College (NMCC), Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC), and Washington County Community College (WCCC) with generous support from Milton CAT/CAT Forest Products, Nortrax Inc./John Deere, and other industry partners.

The program would not have been possible without the support of Maine’s lawmakers, who made funding

available for it through the ‘Put ME to Work Program’ to support creation of new job training programs at Maine’s community colleges. The program enjoyed bipartisan support, with former Maine Speaker of the House Mark W. Eves (D-North Berwick) and Senate President Michael Thibodeau (R-Winterport) speaking at the press conference where it was announced in late 2015.

Other important support for the program came from Acadia Insurance, Labonville Inc, Katahdin Fire Company, Eldon Pelletier, Steve Hanington, and Madden Timberlands Inc.

More information on the program is available online at www.nmcc.edu.

Legislative Breakfast March 15

The PLC held its 2018 Legislative Breakfast March 15 at the Senator Inn in Augusta, with a great turnout by both members and legislators despite snow-covered roads. The breakfast was a chance for legislators to join logging contractors from around Maine to hear firsthand about the challenges and opportunities facing the state’s logging industry including wood energy markets, mud season unemployment issues, biomass, and the Mechanized Logging Operations Program.

Thanks to everyone who was able to make it to the breakfast. We look forwarding to working together with legislators on issues facing our industry.

get real. get Maine!

What is the get real. get Maine! program about? How did it start?

This Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry promotions program connects consumers and wholesale buyers to Maine’s great foods and agricultural products.

The program was started around 2000 and is a way for farms, forest and food producers to promote their products as being from Maine and primarily grown, made, or processed in Maine.

How has it helped other Maine businesses?

The program has helped to identify Maine producers in retail, wholesale and direct to consumer’s environments in order to connect the end user/consumer/purchaser with local producers.

What are the plans for the program to work with the logging community?

In 2017, the brand grew to focus on forest products, recognizing the connections to current producers and the shared industry systems. As a result, the brand now represents forest products that the Maine logging industry supports.

What can loggers do to help get real. get Maine!?

They can support the program by using the logo to showcase the connections to Maine and help the forest community to know the brand represents this diverse industry. This can benefit the logging industry’s “local wood equals local good” efforts to gain positive image and trust for the industry.

Who can loggers contact to get started?

Tonya Perkins at the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry. 207-2973491, Tonya.K.Perkins@maine.gov

How to be a part of it?

Log on and register at www.getrealmaine.com or contact the department for help and information. Registering gives you the ability to use the brand and logo in promotions and be included in a free searchable online listing at www.getrealmaine.com.

What resources are available to support the program?

Logo materials, advertising, outreach support, and more.

As We See It February 2018

“Ensuring Loggers have a seat at the table”

By Danny Dructor

The U.S. forest products industry is very broad with diverse and sometimes conflicting interests. The American Loggers Council was formed in 1994 when it was clear our nation’s professional timber harvesters needed a strong, consistent presence in order to impact issues on a national level. ALC is billed as the “National Voice for Professional Loggers.” We are loggers working for loggers, because if don’t we don’t stand up and speak out, nobody else will.

Twenty-four years later ALC continues to grow, and we are stronger than ever. Just as importantly policymakers are taking notice and recognizing our organization as an important source of information regarding many issues, including forest management, transportation and economic health in rural America. This was clear when ALC was invited to a special meeting in December with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke in Washington D.C.

I attended this meeting along with Associated Oregon Loggers Executive Vice President (and ALC Policy Committee Chair) Jim Geisinger. The meeting was organized as an inter-agency “listening session” on wildfires along with other federal, congressional, and state stakeholders. The Secretaries sought our input as the Trump Administration seeks to change the way federally-owned forests are managed.

Also attending the meeting was House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (UT) and Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR). Both were instrumental in writing and passing the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017 (HR 2936), comprehensive legislation to increase active forest management on federal lands and reduce the risks of catastrophic wildfires. Congressman Westerman, the only forester in the U.S. Congress, also helped include language from ALC's Future Logging Careers Act into HR 2936 that was approved by the U.S. House in October.

The listening session centered around fixing the wildfire funding problems, possible improvements to wildfire management, innovative ways to detect and suppress wildfires, and ways to improve cooperation between industry, state, and federal authorities. It's clear this administration is prepared to take action to improve the management of federal forest lands, and promote timber harvesting and thinning to reduce the risks of catastrophic wildfires.

As a forest owner himself, Agriculture Secretary Perdue has a strong interest in improving the U.S. Forest Service under the USDA. His new Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Tony Tooke, is already working hard to improve the agency’s operations. Tooke has convened other key personnel within the Forest Service to find ways to develop and implement timber sales and forest health projects more quickly. The agency faster.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke in particular has a very strong understanding of our industry and way of life. Zinke was born and raised in Montana’s Flathead Valley and witnessed all the social, economic and environmental problems that occurred after timber harvests on federal lands declined dramatically. As a Congressman, Zinke sponsored legislation to reduce catastrophic wildfire risks through active forest management. As Secretary, Zinke has invested much of his own political capital restoring multiple-use management to federal lands under his department, including reviewing national monuments that were unilaterally established by presidents under the Antiquities Act.

During the meeting, and in conversations afterwards, Jim and I shared the loggers’ perspective on these important issues. We stressed the importance of protecting and strengthening the private-sector forest products infrastructure that is vital to the federal government’s mission to restoring federally-owned forests. Without loggers, and without viable logging businesses, the feds will never be able to treat the 100 million acres that are at some risk of catastrophic wildfires.

The Secretaries took note of this perspective, and we have been invited to participate in additional conversations about how the federal government can work better with loggers and the rest of the industry to improve forest health and support American manufacturing.

In Washington DC, decisions are made by those who show up, and ALC will continue to show up so that loggers have a seat at the table as the federal government considers issues and legislation that affect us. But just as importantly, it is essential that all loggers participate in the process in some form, whether it’s being active in state logging associations or responding to action alerts. We must stand up and speak out for all loggers, because nobody else

By Mark Turner

Has anyone else noticed that some environmental types seem so dead set against logging, that they would rather burn up our national forests then allow any kind of logging to take place? Their tendency is to spin the facts, in order to make the public think that logging is always bad.

Out here in Oregon, last year, we had another record year of forest fires. You would think that everyone would recognize the importance of not burning up our forests, for a whole host of reasons. Not these environmentalists, though. Their first claim is that it’s all because of climate change. Now I’m not here to make any claims about the validity or invalidity of climate change. All I know is that our National Forests are burning up. However, that is not true of our well managed private forest lands. In fact, about the same amount of fires started on private land as on Federal land. However, over 95% of the acres burned were on federal land. If it was all due to climate change, wouldn’t just as many private acres burn as public?

My contention is that it is all about how the forests are managed. Our private forests are generally healthy and productive. While our public forests are generally unmanaged, unhealthy and unproductive.

Our environmentalist friends don’t seem to be concerned by this, however. In fact, there is at least one well known “scientist” that has been touting the importance of fires to the ecology. While I’m sure that there is some validity to that statement, as long as the fires are on a small scale. However, when the fires get to the scale that we have seen in recent years, the negatives far outweigh the positives.

And how about all the emissions that these fires produce? Here in Oregon there is a big push to reduce our carbon emissions. A new gas tax here and a diesel tax there. Plus proposals for carbon taxes. However, they don’t seem to care that the small savings in carbon emissions these schemes will produce, are minuscule compared to the carbon emissions from our forest fires. If we could keep our forests from burning, we would not only reduce the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere, as long as these forests are healthy, we will be taking carbon out of the atmosphere.

The next issue is the erosion that these large fires cause. Most of these large fires occur on steep and sometimes unstable slopes. Many of us in the timber industry were wondering what the environmentalist’s response would be when the heavy rains came this fall and the hillsides started washing away? You can only imagine how surprised I was to hear a Forest Service employee explaining, over the radio, that “there was much needed turbidity and a lot of large woody debris going into the streams in the burned areas”. Then went on to explain that “it would be really good for the fish”.

To say that I was flabbergasted, would be an understatement! Particularly since we are not allowed to put any turbidity into any streams, from our logging operations.

In fact, a few years ago, there was a lawsuit claiming that turbidity from a logging operation should be considered pollution. In my book, turbidity is turbidity. If it is considered pollution when it comes from a logging operation, it should also be considered pollution, when it comes from a burned area. Or in fact from anywhere. And finally, what about all of the habitat loss? Many of you may remember all of the loggers that were put out of business, when the spotted owl was listed? Well, it turns out that the biggest threat to the spotted owls aren’t loggers. They are Barred owls and forest fires. It turns out, recent data has shown that spotted owl habitat is especially susceptible to large forest fires. In fact, Spotted Owl habitat burns hotter and more completely than most other areas.

I think it’s time for a much more frank and honest discussion about these issues. For my part, I think we would be much better off to actively manage these forests. Making them more fire resistant and utilizing the extra materials for lumber and biofuels, rather than sending them up in smoke.

Mark Turner is the President of the American Loggers Council. Mark and his brother Greg operates Turner Logging out of Banks, Ore. Mark is an active leader with the Associated Oregon Loggers.

As We See It March 2018

“Public deserves an honest debate over logging and wildfires”

As We See It April 2018

“Working TogetherAre We?”

By Danny Dructor

If you have been following the legislative efforts of the American Loggers Council for very long, you will already know that we have been working to try and get state legal weight tolerances on the Federal Interstate Highway System for way too long now. After all, the project began in 1997 and here we are 21 years later with the same result, nothing has changed yet.

Last year the Forest Resources Association came on board and for the past twelve months, both of our organizations have worked on the issue, seeking support up on the Hill in Washington, DC. We have both heard the same story, the railroads don’t support this.

There are two ways to get things done in D.C., one way is to throw money at an issue and the other is to form relationships with those that represent you. We prefer the 2nd path of creating relationships for two main reasons; 1) We don’t have funding to throw at issues, and 2) when you create relationships, there is a true understanding of the issue and we are not simply attempting to buy influence.

At a recent Team Safe Trucking meeting in South Carolina, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of individuals who represent insurance carriers insuring log trucks. I pleaded with them to get on board with us to help us get this legislation passed. If there is one thing I know for certain, their lobbying power in Washington is just as powerful, if not more so, than that of the railroads.

What came out of that discussion was a real eyeopener for me, and one that I feel we should all think about when asking for another person’s help. I was told that the reason that the insurance lobby was still hesitant in supporting our proposal was because we still haven’t proven that we can clean up our act on the highways, and allowing trucks to drive 70-75 miles per hour on the Interstate was a real concern to them.

Because all of this took place under the context of a Team Safe Trucking meeting, and because we were discussing driver training for both new and veteran log haulers, it dawned on me that what they are concerned about is correct. Until we can voluntarily show that we are willing to make the effort to create a safer environment for our drivers and the motoring public, we will be hard pressed to gain support for this issue outside of our own industry.

The first training module is in place and you can go online at www.teamsafetrucking.org to not only register for the training, but also print out certificates of completion once you have completed the course. There is a module for drivers and a module for owner-operators, and the best part is there is no charge for the course, but a donation to the group would certainly be helpful and assist them in keeping things current and being able to develop future courses and printable materials.

We have always taken great pride in the fact that

we do not go to Washington, DC looking for a handout. Our issues are generally fashioned around the concept of “just allow us to do our jobs” without further burdensome regulation. What we haven’t thought about is the repercussions that “our” proposals might have on others that are allied to this industry. If we can’t voluntarily improve our safety and decrease the incident rates with our current drivers and freight system, how can we expect others to work with us to support legislation that could end up costing them? Let’s all really begin to work together. Volunteering a little bit of time to educate and train ourselves to create a safer environment just might get us what we need; the ability to haul our already state legal weights on the safer, more efficient Federal Interstate Highway System. We will remain committed to this effort.

Danny Dructor is the Executive Vice President for the American Loggers Council with offices near Hemphill, Texas.

National Master Logger Certification Program Committee formed and Program Coordinator hired

The organization tasked by the American Logger’s Council (ALC) with revitalizing and promoting Master Logger Certification© has formed a national committee to guide the effort and hired a program coordinator to administer it.

The first Master Logger program, Northeast Master Logger Certification, was created in 2001 by the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) as the first in the world point-of-harvest certification program, offering third party independent certification of logging companies’ harvesting practices. In 2003, PLC created The Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands (TCNF) to administer the program with the broader goal of “enhancing the health of working forest ecosystems through exceptional accountability” throughout the Northern Forest region.

In 2004, the ALC adopted the program as a national model. Since that point, 18 states have approved templates for implementation of the program, with several currently implementing it. In August of 2017, the ALC decided to launch a national effort to promote the program and appointed the TCNF to lead it.

The TCNF began the effort in January and has now formed a committee with representatives from the logging industry from 17 states. Members of the committee so far include: Myles Anderson, California; Perry Sawyer, Connecticut; Richard Schwab, Florida; John Lane, Georgia; Dennis Aucoin, Louisiana; Andy Irish, Maine; Brian Tetrault, Massachusetts; Brian Nelson, Michigan; Mike Hill, Minnesota; Shannon Jarvis, Missouri; Rocky Bunnell, New Hampshire; Paul Mitchell Jr., New York; Bruce Zuber, Oregon; Robert Thurber, Rhode Island; Crad Jaynes, South Carolina; Sam Lincoln, Vermont; Ed Bryant, Washington.

In late February, the Trust hired Jennifer Hartsig of J Piper Consulting, LLC in New York to coordinate the effort and provide administrative support and implement nationwide technical support, expansion, branding, standardization and outreach.

Hartsig specializes in working with rural, natural resource dependent organizations, businesses and municipalities to help design, fund and manage projects. After gaining more than two decades of experience in public and private sector program coordination, she formed her own consulting company in 2010. Since 2012, she has been working directly with loggers and other forest industry stakeholders in New York State as the Coordinator for New York Logger Training, Inc., and project consultant with

Empire State Forest Products Association. Jennifer lives with her husband, Forestry Consultant Steve Bick, two daughters and soon to be University of Maine graduate son, in Okara Lakes, in the western Adirondack Mountains of New York.

“I am thrilled to be joining the team to promote Master Logger certification across the U.S. on behalf of the ALC,” Hartsig said.

TCNF Executive Director Ted Wright said that the pieces are now in place for the next steps of the effort to begin.

“With our committee members and a program coordinator with Jennifer’s credentials onboard we are ready to begin the serious work of promoting the Master Logger program nationwide,” Wright, said. “We are confident that the time is right and the industry ready for what the Master Logger program can offer not only to individual loggers, but to the industry as a whole. Raising the bar in logging is what Master Logger is all about, and that is a win-win scenario for our forests, our industry, and our economy.”

Master Logger is a rigorous certification which can only be earned by loggers who are harvesting professionally and responsibly, and adhering to the highest standards of conduct. Independent thirdparty verification is key to the program.

The ALC’s national Master Logger Certification© program template is built on seven areas of responsibility that meet the performance standards of the program, but allow each state participant to tailor their program based on existing state regulations and forest practices acts.

While the program may be generally unknown to the public, landowners in areas of the country where Master Logger programs exist are increasingly seeking Master Loggers for harvests on their property, and many end-users of wood are also seeking its assurances that the wood they are buying is being harvested sustainably and responsibly.

Members of the ALC voted in August 2017 to move forward with a proposal submitted by the TCNF and the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) to revitalize and promote the program.

The decision to have the TCNF lead the effort was a practical one given the program’s origins.

For more information on the Master Logger Program contact Ted Wright at (207) 532-8721 or executivedirector@tcnef.org.