Logger's Voice Winter 2026 FINAL

VOLUME 20 ISSUE 1 - WINTER 2026

A Quarterly Publication of the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast

Executive Director Article

Ten Years of MLOFT

Supporting Member

COMMUNITY

MECHANIZED LOGGING

ANDERSON EQUIPMENT

COMMON INTERESTS, COMMON PASSIONS AND COMMON GOALS Page 8

OPERATIONS & FOREST TRUCKING PROGRAM Page 16

QUALITY PRODUCTS WITH QUALITY SUPPORT Page 24

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chuck Ames, President SDR Logging, Inc. • Sebec, ME

On the cover: Tory Porter, a 2020 graduate of the Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program (MLOFT), operating a Ponsse Scorpion King on a harvest in Glenwood Plantation, ME in early December.

The MLOFT program will begin its 10th year of classes in the summer of 2026. Read more on Page 16.

Duane Jordan, 1st Vice President Elliott Jordan & Son, Inc. • Waltham, ME

THE LOGGER’S

Kurt Babineau, 2nd Vice President Babineau Trucking & Logging • West Enfield, ME

VOICE

Andy Irish, Treasurer Irish Family Logging • Peru, ME

Marc Greaney, Secretary Western Maine Timberlands, Inc. • Fryeburg, ME William Cole, Past President Trees LTD • Sidney, ME

Aaron Adams GCA Logging, Inc. • Avon, ME

Jack Bell Long View Forest Inc. • Hartland, VT

A quarterly publication of: Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast

Joe Cushman Maine Custom Woodlands • Durham, ME Brent Day William A. Day & Sons • Porter, ME

Thomas Douglass Thomas Logging & Forestry • Guilford, ME

Steve Hanington Hanington Brothers, Inc. • Macwahoc Plt., ME Dakota Harvey D. Harvey Timber Harvesting • Rutland, VT

108 Sewall St. • P.O. Box 1036 • Augusta, ME 04330 (207) 688-8195 • www.plcloggers.org Editor Jon Humphrey • jon@plcloggers.org

Jon Hinds Hinds Selective Wood Harvesting • Wayne, ME

Randy Kimball Kimball & Sons Logging & Trucking • Poland, ME

Sam Lincoln Lincoln Farm Timber Harvesting • Randolph Center, VT Molly London W.W. London Woodlot Manag. Co. • Milo, ME Tony Madden A.W. Madden, Inc. • Milford, ME

Jim Nicols Nicols Bros. Logging, Inc. • Mexico, ME

Marty Pelletier SYL-VER Logging, Inc. • St. John Plt., ME Cedric Pepin Pepin Lumber Inc. • Coburn Gore, ME Ron Ridley L & A Ridley, Inc. • Jay, ME

Gary Voisine Voisine Brothers, Inc. • New Canada, ME © 2026 Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC) All material (“content”) is protected by copyright under U.S. Copyright laws and is the property of the PLC THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2025 or the party credited as the provider of the content.

Advertising Jessica Clark • jessica@plcloggers.org

Also Inside 4 5 6 8 16 24 28 30 36 38 42

Upcoming Events From the President New Members Executive Director's Report 10 Years of MLOFT Anderson Equipment Company SLoCAMP Update Safety Section Maine Forest Rangers Maine Forest Service Congressional Delegation Updates

Upcoming EVENTS RSVP is required for all PLC events

26 FEB

PLC Legislative Breakfast & Board Meeting 7:00 AM - 1 PM Governor Hill Mansion, Augusta ME

26 MAR

PLC Annual Safety and Fleet Trainings begin 13 locations Maine and Vermont

1-2 M AY

Northeastern Logger's Expo Champlain Valley Exposition Essex Junction, VT

7-8 M AY

PLC Annual Membership Meeting Samoset Resort Rockport, ME

28 AUG

PLC Southern Maine Log A Load Golf Tournament Kezar Lake Country Club Lovell, ME

10 SEP

PLC Board Meeting & MLOFT Visit 8:30 AM -1 PM KVCC Alfond Campus (Farm Area) Hinckley, ME

18 SEP 4

*PLC's Regional Economic Impact Study will be released!

PLC Northern Maine Log A Load Golf Tournament JATO Highlands Golf Course Lincoln, ME THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

FROM THE

H

President

ello everyone and welcome to winter. By the time you read this, Christmas will be in the rearview mirror, and I hope you all enjoyed a good holiday with your families and were able to end the year on a positive note.

You don’t need me to tell you that 2025 will be remembered as one of the toughest years many loggers in our industry can recall. For most, it has been a year more about surviving than anything else. Weak low-grade markets, mill shutdowns and slowdowns and quotas, high prices on equipment and parts and insurance, and the list of challenges goes on and on.

We can only hope 2026 will be a better year and that the many logging companies that are on the edge can hang on until things improve. If you are doing well right now, consider yourself lucky. Many are not.

Given the year we had, it is perfectly understandable to be discouraged, but I want to give you something positive to think about, and that is the strength of our logging community. I saw this firsthand in December when we held our board meeting in White River Junction, Vermont and followed it up with a logger appreciation event that evening

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

By Chuck Ames

open to current and prospective members of the PLC. Whether the markets are good or bad, you all know there is no end to the work that you all have to do daily to keep operating, and with the mood in the industry so poor right now and this event happening on a cold winter day with good frozen ground to work on you might think attendance would be poor. Instead, it was packed with loggers from Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire all laughing, having a good time and talking about logging.

This tells me something. The problem is not us. Loggers are resilient, hardworking and committed to the future of the industry.

Together we are strong, and as the PLC has expanded to other states, it too is getting stronger even though the industry is hurting.

All we need and all we ask for is a fighting chance, and we will do the rest.

As we head into 2026, I hope we get that chance. Stay safe out there, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our PLC events this year including our annual meeting on May 7th and 8th at the Samoset in Rockport, Maine.

-Chuck Ames

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WELCOME NEW PLC MEMBERS! NEW CONTRACTOR MEMBERS

Day Brothers Inc. Otisfield, ME Coover Logging Inc. Brownville, ME Fortin Forest Products China, ME Organic Solutions LLC York, ME TM Logging & Chipping LLC Denmark, ME Whitaker & Son Logging LLC Stockbridge, VT

NEW SUPPORTING MEMBERS The Lyme Timber Company

Founded in 1976, The Lyme Timber Company is a private timberland investment management company that focuses on forest-related investments in the US and Canada.

The Company’s current portfolio includes approximately 1.3 million acres of third party certified working forest in New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Alongside its conservation and forestry strategies, the Company seeks to improve job quality, safety, and competitiveness in the forest products supply chain through investments in locally-managed sawmills, logging businesses, and log distribution yards.

(603) 643-3300 | www.lymetimber.com jhourdequin@lymetimber.com

King Consulting LLC

King Consulting LLC HR services are designed to help organizations navigate the complexities of people management with confidence and clarity.

From aligning HR strategy with business goals to fostering employee engagement and ensuring compliance, together we can implement practical, results-driven solutions tailored to your unique needs. Whether you require ongoing support or fractional leadership, King Consulting LLC expertise empowers your organization to build strong teams, reduce risk, and achieve lasting success.

(207) 323-8428 | www.king-consultingllc.com sarah@king-consultingllc.com

Paul N. Foulkes, Inc.

Individual Supporting Member, Brownville, ME

NOT A MEMBER BUT INTERESTED IN JOINING THE PLC? CONTACT JESSICA@PLCLOGGERS.ORG 6

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

SAVE THE DATE OR LAL MAYBE? A big thank you to the members who have already attended one of our member appreciation nights. It means a lot to share a meal, swap stories, and hear what’s on your mind. These evenings are about more than food and drinks — they’re about connection. We look forward to seeing many more of you at the upcoming events as we continue to thank you for being part of the PLC and talk together about how we can keep this industry strong.

To find the event you would like to attend, visit plcloggers.org/events and RSVP

COMMUNITY

By Dana Doran, Executive Director

JL Rich Timber Harvesting forwarder at work in Glenwood Plantation, ME in December.

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THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

A

s we turn the page on 2025 and l ook forward to 2026, it would be

easy to focus on the last three months of inconsistent markets at a time that the weather has finally cooperated. Rather than focus on the challenges, I would like to start the year with something positive and not dwell on what’s in the rearview mirror. My last article in October had a bit of that so I would like to turn the page as we start a new trip around the sun.

Living in the present is often a struggle between what has already happened and trying to predict what is ahead of us. That said, the present should also be a covergence of recognition and experience as we have much to be thankful for and history to tap into.

As most of our membership knows, it’s easy to reflect on what’s already happened rather than what’s to come.

The past provides memories that we can celebrate or complain about because its part of our lived experience. While we hope to use the past to predict the future, what is often forgotten is what lies between. Living in the moment can often be forgotten as we struggle to reconcile what has happened in the past while planning for the future.

Rather than look back or attempt to predict the future, I would rather celebrate something that’s all around us that can provide perspective and move us forward.

Not to be hypocritical by looking to the past for a moment, but as the membership knows, the PLC as an organization has changed a bit in the last two years. This context will set the stage for my focus on the now in the rest of my article.

In the fall of 2023, the PLC’s name changed from PLC of Maine to PLC of the Northeast and its geographic territory expanded from one state to the potential of seven.

In 2023, there were 210 contractor members only from the state of Maine. Since then, vast changes have occurred in the membership, with retirement and additions from Maine and we have also added new members from other states. Today, we have 250 total, with 215 from Maine, 27 from Vermont, one from

New Hampshire and seven from New York.

As the westward expansion has moved forward, we did hear from some that they were concerned about what this might do to the organization. Would it erode the impact that the PLC has always had for its membership in Maine? Would the PLC be weakened rather than strengthened?

While this concern was legitimate, I would ask the membership if it has come to fruition.

If it has, please let me know as we want to be sure that our base has not been eroded or weakened in any way. Conversely, I would ask our new members if they are receiving what they signed up for. Is there value in what they receive from the organization and is the value exceeding the cost?

I would argue that the expansion has done what it was intended to do; provide a singular voice for those that work directly between the stump and the mill, regardless of boundary, state, point of delivery or type of operation.

I would also say that the PLC in 2026 is stronger than it was in 1995, 2005, 2023 or 2025. The organization works on behalf of its members and evolves to respond to their needs. It also diversifies and grows to ensure it is moving forward and never backward. Complacncy is not its DNA and it is emblematic of who it works for. Loggers know that growth and change is necessary to ensure success and the PLC is no different.

In the last quarter of 2025, the PLC held events for its current and prospective members in three different states. Three in Maine, two in New York and one in Vermont.

At each event, there was tremendous diversity of those in attendance. Members that have been with the organization since 1995, that joined in the last year, the last five years or in the last 20. We also had prospective members that hadn’t heard about the PLC until the last year.

The diversity of the group was quite revealing. Some were full service logging contractors, some owned trucks, some had chipping operations, some only owned one piece of equipment. We also had multigenerational businesses to first generation businesses with some in their 20’s, some in Continued page 10

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

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Russell Riendeau & Sons Inc. feller buncher harvesting in Barnet, VT in November. their 70’s and all points in between.

If there is one thing I can say about our membership, there is nothing normal or consistent about their operations other than the love of what they do. Our members love to cut wood, love the outdoors and love the satisfaction that is brought from running a successful business that is grounded in tradition.

This is the present that guides each member that cannot be taken for granted. This is the present that every contractor has in common that should be 10

celebrated every day.

At each event, the community spirit and love that makes logging what it is was apparent in a multiude of ways.

In Maine, it was old friends getting together to share information on what was happening not only in the area around them but the state and region.

It was the opportunity to not only commiserate, but see that there were so many experiencing the same situation. As a result, ideas could be floated, questions could be asked and experience could be THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

shared. The value was in the network, especially when times were tough.

In Vermont, it was similar, but it was also the energy in the room that was created when so many could see the value and pride that is generated with an organization that works on their behalf in ways that many didn’t think was possible. The PLC has done a lot in Vermont in just two years and many are starting to recognize that.

In New York, while the PLC is just starting to gain a toe hold, it was recongition that commonality THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

and shared experience are a strength and not a threat. Many made the comment that they have competed against each other for so long that it was always about keeping their guard up rather than lowering it to see what could be learned. Until the events where there was an opportunity to sit in the same room, not for competition, but for shared experience. They truly didn’t know how much value could be gained by joining together to fight the fight and sharing information rather than standing apart. Loggers are competitors, but they Continued page 12 11

Irish Family Logging harvest in Magalloway Township, ME in November.

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THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

are also human and their strength lies in standing together rather than standing apart.

As we move forward in 2026 and reconcile the past while trying to predict the future, be sure that none of you lose sight of the present. The present in this business is knowing that the PLC has created a community of common interests and shared experiences, common passions and common goals. It is this community which when joined together can do almost anything it puts its mind to. But when put at odds or pushed apart, will weaken at its core.

The community that has been created by loggers is sometimes taken for granted or not seen for what it is. However, it is the community in the present that can do more than most have ever realized.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

While we can’t understate what has happened with markets and your businesses in the last few months or the last few years, the past will not propel us to a better future. Just know that there is someone else in your town, your county, your state or this region that is experiencing the same thing. Use that network to your advantage and grab the present by the horns so that the past doesn’t act as your light post for the future. The PLC is proud to represent you and you should be proud of being part of an organization that stands together, rather than apart.

Have a great 2026, stay safe out there and stay in touch. ~

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Governor Hill Mansion in Augusta, Maine A PLC Board Meeting will follow the Breakfast ALL PLC Members invited! *PLC's Regional Economic Impact Study will be released at this event!

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THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

PLC Contractor Appreciation Events 2025

This fall and early winter the PLC hosted Contractor Appreciation Events in Maine, Vermont, and New York for loggers across the region. These events were a chance to say thank you to our current PLC members and to present the benefits of the PLC to prospective members, many of whom have since reached out for further information. Thank you to the members and guests who joined us at these events and to all who worked to make them a success! Thank you also to our members who provided feedback on how we can better support your business. This is allowing us to work on ways to better serve you as we go forward.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

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MLOFT 2017-2026 Graduates look back as program prepares for its 10th year

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THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Above: Members of the first Mechanized Logging Operations Program class in 2017, from left to right, Samuel Shook, Patrick Eastman, William Mazariego, Ben Tuttle, Cody Dennison, and Jason Durant.

Below and opposite front, Cody Dennison operating a processor for Irish Family Logging of Peru, Maine in Magalloway Township, Maine in late fall . Cody has worked for the PLC Member and Master Logger Certified® Company since graduating from the program.

Continued page 18 THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

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I

Wyatt Ryder, a 2021 graduate of the MLOFT program, operating a Hood crane in October in Palermo in his job with New England Forest Products.

n early 2017, Cody Dennison of Leeds, ME. was working as a mechanic after two years studying diesel hydraulics at a community college. He knew very little about the logging industry, but he was looking for opportunities and while at the college had heard about a new training program for logging machine operators that was starting that year.

Cody applied to the program, then called the Mechanized Logging Operations Program (MLOP). He was accepted into the first class and began three months of intense instruction during the summer of 2017 that included many hours of hands-on training in a variety of logging equipment that set the program apart from anything else available in the Northeast.

“I didn’t know my tree species, I didn’t know anything about logging equipment, I mean I was a diesel mechanic, so I knew my way around equipment, but I had never really run anything, so luckily these guys were able to give me a shot,” Cody said.

The program wasn’t easy, but Cody stuck with it and along the way learned he really liked running equipment and working in the woods. By the time he graduated along with five others who completed that first class, he had found his career.

Like many others who have gone through the program (now known as the Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking (MLOFT) Program after the addition of Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training in 2023) Cody had job offers even before he graduated. He took a job with Irish Family Logging of Peru, ME. and has been with the Master Logger Certified® company and member of the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC)

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ever since.

Today, nearly a decade later, Cody is married with one child and living in Temple, ME. He has logged thousands of hours in logging equipment, from limbers to processors, and he credits the training program for getting him started in a career that he still loves to this day.

“I learned quite a bit, I definitely did, and I probably wouldn’t be doing this now if I hadn’t taken that program, I’d probably still be turning wrenches,” Cody said during a break from processing trees on a job in Magalloway Township in late October. “This year I’ll be 30, and I still really like it in the woods, I like seeing all kinds of different views, different places, it’s still the right place for me.” ~ MLOP, which later became the MLOFT Program, was first conceived in 2015 by the PLC. Then, as now, demand for operators of logging equipment exceeded supply, and the cost of training new operators was becoming too high for companies to handle themselves.

To address that situation, the PLC rallied support from industry, legislative, and educational partners. In late 2015, plans to create the certificate program were announced in a press conference held at Gerald Pelletier, Inc. on the Golden Road in Millinocket.

The program was 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 and CAT Forest Products. It also drew bipartisan support from Maine legislators, and eventually from the state’s Put ME to Work grant funding as well.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

By 2017, all the pieces were in place to launch the pilot program, starting with a small group of students. By October of that year, both the coordinators of the program and the students had learned a lot, and thanks to strong publicity and word of mouth, MLOP was off and running and already drawing applications for its next year.

There were six graduates from that first year: Samuel Shook, Patrick Eastman, William Mazariego, Ben Tuttle, Cody Dennison, and Jason Durant. Five of those graduates are still working in the woods a decade later, four of them running equipment.

“It is a high success rate, and we have seen that continue in the years since,” Donald Burr, coordinator of the program since it began, said, “we never expected everyone who goes through the program to be equipment operators for their entire career, but when you look at how many are still working as operators and then add in how many have gone into logging-related work, whether that is driving pulp trucks or supporting woods operations in other ways, there is no doubt the program has had a positive impact on the logging industry and in many ways exceeded expectations.”

Since 2017, 116 students have been accepted into the program and 95 have graduated. The MLOFT program has remained in contact with most graduates to track their success. Of the 85 the program has been able to track, 43 percent are still employed directly in logging and 71 percent are using the skills they learned in the program, working in logging-related fields. ~ One of the many strengths of the MLOFT Program that sets it apart from any other training opportunity in the region THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

is the variety of logging equipment students are exposed to.

Those machines include feller bunchers, harvesters, limbers, skidders, forwarders, cranes, slashers, center mounts and – since 2023 when the program was expanded to 20 weeks in order to provide training to prepare students to take the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) exam - logging trucks.

This exposure not only better prepares students for the variety of opportunities in the industry and makes them more valuable to employers but also gives students a better idea of what machines they prefer to run.

Wyatt Ryder, who graduated from the program in 2021, spent many hours operating a Hood crane in his days as a student and liked it. He took a job straight out of the program running a similar crane for Poulin, a Canadian company, at their log yard in Richmond, ME. Wyatt continued that job when Poulin sold the yard to New England Forest Products and now spends the majority of his time working at their yards in Richmond, Palermo, and West Paris.

“I did like the crane when I was in the program, I liked everything though, I liked the processor and the harvester quite a bit too,” Wyatt said. “I’m having fun doing this for now, I like that you get to talk to a bunch of different loggers from everywhere going to the different yards, and I’m mostly working by myself here in the yards and I like that, but someday I think I’d like to move over to working in the woods.”

Wyatt feels the training he received in the program will open doors for him if he eventually makes that move, and that it definitely helped him not only secure the job running crane but gave him experience and knowledge that shortened the time it took for him to become proficient at it. He has Continued page 20

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seen others enter the workplace without those advantages cost and immediate earning potential has contributed to the and face a much steeper learning curve. program’s high success rate.

“It’s a lot harder training a guy that’s never run crane “If you consider that a student can come into the program before,” Wyatt said. “I probably would not be doing this if with no prior experience in logging and graduate 20 weeks I had not gone through the program, I wouldn’t have even later with no debt and job offers that will give them an known this was a job.” immediate start in a good paying career, it is easy to see why ~ there is significant interest in the program,” Dana Doran, Over the years, the MLOFT Program has benefited from Executive Director of the PLC, said. “MLOFT has a thorough strong support from an ever-growing list of industry sponsors screening process for applicants that includes active logging and partners that includes big international manufacturers contractors interviewing applicants and excellent instructor like Milton CAT (CAT and Weiler) and United Construction support accounts for the high number of students who make and Forestry (John Deere) as well as more regional partners it through the program and go on to achieve success in the like ProPac and Davco. industry.”

Manufacturers recognized early on that without more ~ operators entering logging, the industry would be unable Tory Porter is one of those graduates who, like Cody and to sustain operations Wyatt, has achieved as current operators success in the industry reached retirement age since graduating from or left the profession the program. for jobs in other heavy Tory was a junior at equipment industries.

United Technologies Milton CAT Forestry Center-Region 4 in Sales Manager Peter Bangor, ME. when Collins was there in Donald Burr came to 2015 when the program the school to talk about was first announced, the program. He liked and he remains a what he heard but strong advocate for the had mostly forgotten program today, as do about the program Chris Milton of Milton when Donald returned CAT and Pat Weiler of during his senior Above and opposite: Tory Porter, a 2020 graduate of the Mechanized Weiler Forestry. year and sold him on Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program, operating a Ponsse “As an equipment Scorpion King in early December in Glenwood Plantation, Maine in early applying for MLOFT. dealer we feel it’s Tory was accepted December. important to train the and although he had no next generation of workers and train them the right way on previous experience in logging equipment at all, immediately this new equipment that we are selling to the contactors,” knew he had made the right choice.

Peter said. “I think that’s an important goal and one that “I sat in a skidder that first day and it was just like this is everyone should be involved with moving forward.” where I belong, in a piece of equipment, it was just that fast,” “The way I look at it is every trainee coming out of the Tory recalled. program is one piece of equipment or one truck that is But it was the processors – that year two John Deeres working that wouldn’t be working if we hadn’t supported with Waratah heads - that he spent every minute he could in, the program, he added. “We feel strongly as a dealer that loving processing from the very beginning. we need to support the industry, and by supporting MLOFT Tory made it through the program and had job offers even we feel we’ve potentially trained 60-70 operators or drivers before graduation. He graduated on a Friday and went to who are now working in the industry, and that is a pretty eye- work the next Monday with White Oak Inc. a PLC Member opening number.” and Master Logger Certified® company in St. Francis, ME. The MLOFT Program has also consistently been supported Like all graduates of the MLOFT Program, Tory had

by Maine’s congressional delegation and won federal grant learned a lot by the time he graduated, but soon realized funding that – combined with generous support from local there was a lot more to learn. He was fortunate to have White partners including the Bill and Joan Alfond family and Oak’s owner, Mike Nadeau, as a mentor for three years Skowhegan Savings Bank – has enabled MLOFT to offer before he moved to a different company, and that guidance free tuition and low-cost housing to qualified students and is something he still appreciates to this day. keep expenses for students low. This combination of low “He’s a really good guy, and I quickly realized I had a lot 20

Continued page 22 THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

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more to learn and really started applying myself after that,” Tory said. “Mike liked to say, ‘we’re not making joystick holders here were making operators,’ and he pushed me to get better, his words were, ‘grab life by the horns and make it happen, because nobody’s going to do it but you.’”

Tory moved around after White Oak running processors for other contractors and this year took a job with PLC Member J.L. Rich Timber Harvesting, LLC of Wallagrass and is very happy at the company. He is running a Ponsse Scorpion King processor every day and loving it and just hit five years in his career in October.

“I love it, every day, you really can’t ask for better, my boss Josh works hard to make life easy for me and has a great group of guys,” Tory said. “I get in my cab and put my crocs on and I cut, nobody bothers me, I know what needs to happen, I know what the machine needs to look like, I know what the job needs to looks like, so nobody bothers me and I just do what needs to be done.”

Mike Nadeau told him when he began that to make logging a career his blood would have to turn to sawdust. Sometimes he feels like that’s what’s happened, Tory said.

“I really can’t imagine myself doing anything else, at this point it’s just so entrenched into me as a person,” Tory said.

Tory knows people say his generation can’t get ahead and has few opportunities to do so, but he doesn’t believe that because he’s seen firsthand that hard work and the right attitude and training can take you a long way. He credits the MLOFT program for the life he has now. He’s doing a job he loves, he’s married, he’s driving a new company truck, he just bought a house, and he’s only 23 years old.

“The program was wildly beneficial to me, I would never be where I am now if it wasn’t for the program, that’s absolutely true,” Tory said. “I feel as though I’m ahead of a lot of my generation and I’ve got a lot better job than a lot of my generation ever will because of the program, and I’m very grateful for that.” ~ In 2026 the MLOFT Program will begin its 10th year of classes. Applicants are already lining up to be considered for the program and equipment and instructors are being

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secured to begin another season of training in early summer at the harvest site on the Alfond Campus of Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) in Hinckley, ME where the program has been based for the past 3 years.

In 2026 the program will be administered by KVCC after nine years of NMCC handling the job. Details on scholarships and other funding support for students are now being finalized.

When the program began, the PLC was a Maine-only organization and only Maine students were accepted. Since the PLC expanded in 2023 to the entire Northeast MLOFT has also opened up to a wider applicant pool and graduates now include students from other states. As its reach expands support for students is also expanding. The Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative will provide assistance to students from Vermont that apply and are accepted, with details of that being announced soon.

As MLOFT enters its 10th year, the underlying need for the program has never been greater. Logging operators and forest truckers continue to retire or move out of the industry at rates that leave contractors scrambling to replace them. At the same time, the industry continues to grapple with public perception that logging is no longer a viable career choice for young people and has no future.

While it is true the logging industry is evolving, the track record of MLOFT students securing good paying jobs tells a different story for skilled operators.

“The simple fact is that as long as demand for logging operators and truck drivers exceeds supply, the relatively few workers who have these skills and experience will have no problem finding jobs in the logging industry,” Dana Doran said. “MLOFT is the fastest and most effective pathway into that career available anywhere in our region, enabling a person with no experience running equipment to get started in logging with a solid foundation on which they can build a future and become highly proficient. The program has a bright future, and so do its graduates, and that is not going to change.” ~

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

MLOFT 2025 Graduation

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raduates of the Northeast’s only college training program for operators of mechanized logging and forest trucking equipment were recognized Nov. 6 at the site where they spent months harvesting and moving timber using sophisticated machines like those they will encounter in the logging industry.

Family members, friends, and many supporters of the 20week Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program (MLOFT) joined students at the afternoon event at the Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) Alfond Campus in central Maine.

The graduates included: Brian Snider, Jackman, ME; Owen Northrup, Anson, ME; Wesley Pipes, Patten, ME; Cedric Chase, Monmouth, ME; Kyle Casey, Yarmouth, ME; Stormy Gillan, Hancock, ME; Shane Scribner, Lisbon, ME; Brenda Medcoff, Jay, ME; Noah Crummett, Windsor, ME; Tyler Turner, Jay, ME; Mark Kirch, Cortland, ME; Zachary Pelletier, New Gloucester, ME; Tavish Campbell, Starks, ME; Colby Farnsworth, Orono, ME; and Riley Snowden, Abbot, ME. Chuck Ames, President of the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC), attended the event along with many PLC Members and thanked the many supporters and partners that have made the program possible, including Milton CAT, United Construction and Forestry, DAVCO, Pro Pac, the Bill and Joan Alfond family, Skowhegan Savings Bank, Northern Maine Community College (NMCC), KVCC, and Maine’s congressional delegation.

Ames congratulated the students on completing the challenging program and on their decision to join the logging and forest trucking industry, where demand is high for workers as older workers reach retirement age.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Students and instructors of the 2025 MLOFT Class at graduation on November 6 at Kennebec Valley Community College in Hinckley, Maine.

“This is a difficult program, and you students should be proud of this achievement,” Ames said. “Our industry needs new blood and new ideas, and we are glad that you have chosen to be part of its future.”

The unique program was created in 2017 by three Maine community colleges, the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (now the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast), and industry partners. Dozens of graduates of the program currently work in the industry, and demand for additional logging and forest trucking operators in Maine is high and projected to remain so for the foreseeable future.

The students spent this summer and early fall harvesting timber at an active job site in the woods on the KVCC Alfond Campus Farm, gaining hands-on timber harvesting experience and benefiting from the guidance of veteran logging instructors for an educational experience that is unmatched by any other timber harvesting and hauling training program in Maine and neighboring states. Students also received hands-on experience operating commercial trucks, loading log trailers, and gaining knowledge critical to forest trucking. This year’s class is the third to have the opportunity to earn a CDL-A permit and receive preparation for the state driving exam.

The MLOFT program has been administered by NMCC since its inception, and in 2026 that role will pass to KVCC. It includes a strong emphasis on safety as well as giving students an understanding of the variables of timber growth, tree species, and markets.

The project is funded entirely by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

Recruiting for the 2026 class is now beginning. Learn more at plcloggers.org/plc-resources/equipment-operator-training/ 23

ANDERSON EQUIPMENT Quality Products with Quality Support

A

nderson Equipment was founded in Pennsylvania in 1935 by business partners H.W. Anderson and C.K. Burson. Used and rebuilt construction equipment made up a large part of the firm's inventory in the late 1930's, but the company soon branched into new construction and mining equipment lines and built a strong reputation for quality and service.

Anderson Equipment expanded over the following decades both in product lines and in locations, and Anderson’s third generation of family ownership continued this commitment to growing the company with the acquisition of R.C. Hazelton of New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine in November 2009 and The Oliver Stores of Maine and New Hampshire in December 2012.

These acquisitions brought established logging equipment brands including Timbco/TimberPro and Komatsu into the company’s inventory and began Anderson’s strong relationship with the logging industry.

That relationship has only deepened since Komatsu purchased Timberpro in 2019 after the passing of Pat Crawford, founder of both Timbco and Timberpro.

John Scales is the General Manager of Forestry for Anderson. He worked for 23 years for International Paper and has spent the last 26 years in the forest equipment business. He was one of the principals for The Oliver

Stores when they were acquired by Anderson, so he saw the company’s move into sales and service of logging equipment firsthand and believes Anderson - which just celebrated its 90th year in business - is fully committed to the logging market despite recent difficult times for the industry.

“Anderson takes the position that the forest products industry, although it has its ups and downs, is still an important part of our business,” John said. “For a lot of our sales and service staff that’s all they’ve ever done is work on forestry equipment and sell forestry equipment, so we have good relationships with the loggers and a lot of expertise to help them achieve their goals.”

Many of the brands now available at Anderson locations have a long history in the New England market and are popular with contractors of the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of the Northeast.

“The Timbco brand was of course very popular in New England, and we sold a lot of machines, and many customers can relate to it, as well as the Komatsu feller buncher and other Komatsu products,” John said. “Today TimberPro is under the roof of Komatsu and TimberPro basically makes tree-length equipment, and that includes feller bunchers, and they’re in the process of making a grapple skidder, they are making large log loaders, and we expect to see smaller log loaders in the not-too-distant Continued page 26

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THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Opposite: Brandon Harper of GCA Logging Inc. operating a Timberpro TL745 with Logmax 7000XT head. Above, Don Cole of Trees Ltd. operating a Komatsu 911.5.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

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future that you’d see used for loading, slashing, and truck mount log loaders.”

Additionally, Komatsu has a cut-to-length division based in Umea Sweden which includes wheeled forwarders and processors and processing heads. Komatsu also owns Log Max, Quadco, and Southstar. In addition, Anderson is an exclusive Rotobec log loader dealer in New England and a dealer of Deloupe log trailers.

With such a wide range of products the company is always offering new and improved machines and attachments. One of the latest to become popular is the Logmax 7000 XTDS disc saw fixed mount processor, and there are always other products in the pipeline, John said.

The company today has a strong footprint across the upper eastern United States, with 19 full-service locations across Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Those locations include Bangor and Gorham, ME., Lancaster and Manchester, NH., Montpelier, VT., and another seven locations in New York including Albany, Syracuse, and Watertown.

pillars”, construction, mining, and forestry, John said.

“Their machines are well engineered, very efficient, they understand hydraulics and they do a very good job designing and manufacturing forestry equipment, so I’m very confident that they’re in it for the long haul, and there is leadership committed to forestry at a very high level within the Komatsu organization.”

Anderson’s customers include many members of the PLC, including Joey Guimond of J. Guimond Logging, Inc. and Ryan Ouellette of R. Ouellette & Son Logging Inc. Joey placed first in the Komatsu Forwarder Contest Championship in Escanaba, Michigan on Sept. 6, beating more than 20 other competitors in the challenging and fastpaced contest. Ryan placed ninth just missing, by only a few seconds, the top eight qualifiers who moved on to compete in the final round.

The contest is part of the Great Lakes Logging & Heavy Equipment Expo, held September 4–6 this year. Guimond won the 2025 championship by showcasing operator skill through tasks like loading logs, dragging them through

The company currently has 67 service technicians in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, and is always looking to hire more, John said.

“We hover around 300+ total employees in the company,” John said. “I think it’s important to say we have a remote service tech in Fort Kent Maine as well who works out of the Bangor branch, and we’re fortunate we have a Komatsu factory sales and service reps in Maine and they both live within a 30 mile radius of Bangor. We also have a Quadco Logmax rep so I like to think that we can handle factory issues in a timely fashion, I don’t think there’s any other dealer around that has factory support as close as we do here in New England. We like to offer a quality product with quality support, and we feel like we have top quality people to help achieve that.”

Komatsu is the second largest manufacturer of heavy equipment in the world, giving it extensive resources and know-how to apply to machine design and innovation, including logging machines. The company is well-known for its engineering and is committed to what it calls its “three

a hoop, and precise log placement. The event highlights Komatsu equipment and Ouellete and Guimond qualified to compete in it after Ouellette placed first and Guimond placed second in the Komatsu loader competition at the Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo in Bangor, ME in May. The top two winners in the Northeast qualified to compete at the Championship Competition in Escanaba, Michigan.

John was there for both competitions and enjoyed watching Joey put the forwarder through the course for the win in front of an audience that was mainly from the Great Lakes region.

“And Joey doesn’t even run the forwarder he runs a buncher most of the time,” John said. “You had the locals and then there were five or six of us including Ryan rooting Joey on against the locals, so it was a lot of fun.”

Anderson became a Preferred Supporting Member of the PLC in 2013 and has been a strong supporter of the organization and its causes including Log A Load for Kids ever since. The company is proud to regularly sponsor PLC’s events and to see PLC expand into other states where

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THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Anderson Equipment Company Locations

Maine Gorham/Portland Bangor New Hampshire Manchester Lancaster Vermont East Montpelier

New York Tonawanda/Buffalo Henrietta/Rochester Syracuse Latham/Albany Watertown Endicott Allegany/Olean Pennsylvania Bridgeville/Pittsburgh Clearfield Shippenville/Clarion Somerset West Virginia Charleston Bridgeport Mount Hope/Beckley

Anderson has customers and locations, John said.

“PLC is basically made up in my opinion of the premier logging community in the Northeast, and I’m happy to see the expansion,” John said. “I know some of the members that are in Vermont and some of the members in New York as well.”

For John and many others at Anderson, members of the region’s logging industry are more than just customers, they make up a community they care about and are also a part of.

“This turns into a passion rather than just a job,” John said.

“We like being out in the woods, we like to help, we know our equipment costs a lot of money and we don’t have control of that but we like to be a solutions minded organization, so if you want to discuss transitioning from tree-length to cutto-length or from cut-to-length to tree-length, we’d like to be your consultant. Sure, we’d like to sell you the equipment, but we want to help you as a logger come up with a solution that is a good business move for you.”

It is no secret that the logging industry in the Northeast is struggling right now, but John said after 50 years in his THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Brent Martin District Manager, Komatsu 207-270-0602 brent.martin@global.komatsu

career watching the industry go through good times and bad he expects that with a wood fiber resource as vast as the Northeast’s, new markets will develop to take advantage of it and the logging industry will rebound.

“My glass is half full, I’m pretty confident that we’ll all survive this even though there’s another rough patch right now,” John said, “And just like Komatsu, Anderson is in this for the long haul, we're not going anywhere.”

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GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR LOGGERS WORKING IN VERMONT

T

$700,000 in SLoCAMP Grant Funding

he SLoCAMP (Supporting Loggers to Comply with Acceptable Management Practices) Grant Program is now accepting applications. This program offers significant cost share benefits for logging contractors working on harvest sites in Vermont. Eligible practices include road hardening, skid trail improvements, and stream crossings.

Applying is quick and straightforward — once you have your materials ready, the online application takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Reviews begin within 2 business days of receiving your submission, so you can move forward without delay.

Update as of December 17th: • 31 applications received for $400k • 57% of funds awarded • $300k in funding available for future applicants

The PLC has created tools to guide loggers through the SLoCAMP grant program and help them determine if it’s a good fit for their operation.

To learn more visit plcloggers.org/slocamp or scan the QR code below.

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THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

WINTER DRIVING:

SNOW, ICE, AND COLD CHALLENGE DRIVERS AND EQUIPMENT

By Connor Shaw, Loss Control Representative with Acadia Insurance (a WR Berkley Company)

W

inter driving presents some of the most dangerous conditions for logging crews, and it’s a risk that often gets overlooked. Snow and ice reduce traction, increase stopping distances during turns or sudden maneuvers can make steering unpredictable. Black ice, which is nearly invisible, can turn a routine trip into a skid in seconds. Drivers should slow down, increase following distances, and clear all snow and ice from windshields, mirrors, lights, and steps before departure. Chains should be used when required, and crews must be trained on proper installation.

Logging roads are often narrow and winding, and snow can conceal ruts, stumps, soft shoulders, and frost heaves, so extra caution is essential. Wildlife also tends to move closer to roads in winter, creating additional hazards. Drivers should always adjust speed for conditions, not the clock, and anticipate hazards before they happen. Heavy loads mean longer stopping distances, so maintaining control is critical.

These factors also make constant radio communication critical as one missed call out can lead to more severe consequences. While hunting season is winding down it is still important to maintain an appropriate speed to be able to avoid the public using the same roads as you.

Cold weather doesn’t just affect the road—it impacts equipment too. Hydraulic systems, brakes, and tires need extra attention because a breakdown in freezing conditions can quickly become a safety emergency. Batteries should be fully charged, tires properly inflated, and emergency kits stocked with blankets, food, and water Seatbelt use remains the simplest and most effective way to prevent serious injury or death in a crash. While not perfect, seatbelts reduce fatalities by up to 60%, and proper use can cut moderate injuries by 65%. If you had a chance to improve your odds of survival by 60%, wouldn’t you take it? Winter driving demands respect, and safety doesn’t stop at the jobsite. Share these reminders with your crews and reinforce that every driver is responsible for their vehicle and the people around them. A few proactive steps - slowing down, staying alert, and buckling up - can make all the difference when the temperature drops. ~

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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.

About the author: Connor Shaw, a proud Maine native, has spent years building a reputation as a trusted risk consultant across a wide range of industries. From construction and manufacturing to logging, he’s developed a sharp eye for identifying risk and helping businesses safeguard what matters most.

With deep roots in the state and a strong appreciation for the role forestry plays in the regional economy, Connor is excited to bring his skills to logging operations throughout Maine and New England. His approach is hands-on and collaborative, shaped by years of working closely with contractors and business owners. He understands the unique demands of the logging industry—from remote worksites and heavy equipment to seasonal pressures and environmental challenges.

Outside of work, Connor enjoys the outdoors as much as the professionals he serves. He spends his free time hunting, fishing, and making memories with his wife and children in the woods and waters of his home state.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

HOLIDAY STRESS

AND SELF CARE FOR LOGGERS

By Tori Tracy, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine Community Engagement Manager

H

ave you ever wondered what happened to the idea of Happy Holidays? When the season was about finding the biggest turkey, cutting the perfect Christmas tree, hunting for the right gift for your kids or the most important person in your life? When homemade decorations filled the house, and family gathered around the elders to soak up stories from the “old days?”

As loggers, you already have plenty of stress on the job, and unfortunately today, for many of us, the holidays feel less like a celebration and more like another stressful event on the calendar. We spend hundreds on the “best” fake tree, even more on the latest phones and tablets for the kids, and search endlessly for something special for someone who already seems to have everything. In the chaos, it’s easy to forget to slow down, breathe in the scent of evergreens (or turkey), and simply enjoy the season.

I’m not here to judge how anyone spends their holidays or their money. Instead, I want to share a few thoughts that might help ease some of the stress and maybe bring a little good tidings and cheer—cheesy, I know, but true.

As adults, we often forget the small things that used to make the holidays magical. For me, it was always going out to get a real tree. So every year, I make sure to do that one simple thing that brought me joy as a kid, still brings me joy as an adult, and now brings me joy as a mother. Sometimes I go with family; sometimes I go alone when I need a moment to tap out and breathe. Is that selfish? Absolutely not. It’s never selfish to do something that fills your cup.

Maybe your “thing” is making a wreath, gathering evergreen branches in the woods with your partner, crafting ornaments, reading a favorite story to your grandkids, or making homemade eggnog. Maybe it isn’t holiday-related at all - maybe it’s taking a quiet walk, enjoying a favorite cup of tea, tinkering on a project car, watching the Sunday football game, or exploring the trails on an ATV or snowshoes.

Whatever helps you reset - do it. And don’t underestimate the power of sharing those moments with loved ones. That’s how coping skills become traditions, and how new ones are born.

Sure, the latest phone, the best gadget, and a warm getaway all have their appeal. (Trust me, I love a break from Maine winters!) But taking care of yourself - and passing that skill to others - is truly priceless. The holiday season looks different for everyone, and so does self-care.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Self-care might also mean serving others: volunteering at an animal shelter, helping serve meals, donating to families who wouldn’t have a holiday without community support, or spending time visiting elders who don’t always get company. These acts aren’t just good for others - they’re good for you too. That’s the real “good tidings and cheer.”

For those braving holiday shopping and travel - yes, the dreaded duo - please remember to be kind. Cashiers, wait

staff, customer service workers, first responders, ER staff, flight attendants… they’re all human, too. They’re doing their best while carrying their own holiday stress. A little patience and a simple smile can change someone’s entire day.

And finally, remember, self-care isn’t just for the holidays, its important as part of your working life too. This season will pass, but life’s everyday pressures keep going. Find what helps you breathe easier, stress less, and smile more and make space for it all year long.

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BATTERY SAFETY, CARE AND DISPOSAL

By Donald Burr, PLC Safety and Training Consultant

I

n today’s world, high-powered batteries in small sizes are part of our daily experience. This convenience comes with a cost. That cost is increased vigilance.

Charging your cordless tools and cell phone Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries must be done correctly. This means you need to pay attention to your battery, how it looks, how it feels, and even how it smells. If it fails any of those tests, which I describe in greater detail below, remove it from duty, store it in a safe location where it cannot start a fire, and recycle it correctly as soon as possible.

When charging your battery, only use approved chargers for that type of battery. You can get converters that will charge multiple types of batteries, but this is not recommended.

Remove the battery from the charger as soon as it is done charging. Place the charger in a location that is not near flammable materials such as paper, oil, or grease, and on a stable surface where it cannot fall. Batteries should not be charged overnight or when no one is present. Set the chargers on timers or on a switch so they can’t be left on by accident. Make sure your battery is at a normal temperature before charging it. If the battery is hot, allow it to cool down.

If you're using the battery in a cold environment, let it warm up before charging. This will help prevent thermal stress.

While modern chargers include auto-shutoff and thermal sensors, regular supervision remains essential. Shop supervisors should add battery safety checks to daily or

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weekly inspections, look for unusual odors, discoloration, or heat to detect early signs of malfunction. Ensure chargers are clean, cords are intact, and outlets aren’t overloaded with multiple high-draw devices.

If a battery looks broken, cracked, or bloated, this indicates that the battery's integrity is compromised. Inside these batteries, there is a thin membrane called the “separator” that separates the two internal sides of a battery. Its primary functions are: 1. Preventing short circuits: The separator functions as an electrical insulator, preventing the positive and negative electrodes from coming into direct contact, which could cause a short circuit, overheating, or fire.

2. Allowing ion flow: The membrane is porous, permitting ions (e.g., lithium ions in a Li-ion battery) to pass through it via the electrolyte, which is essential for the electrochemical reactions that produce electrical current during charging and discharging.

When the exterior of a battery is damaged, there is a good chance the separator membrane will be damaged as well, and this is when batteries can go wild. Be careful not to drop your batteries. How many drops does it take to ruin the battery and start a thermal runaway, you ask? That reminds me of the age-old question, "How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?” The world will never know. So, protect your batteries from falling THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

damage.

How does the battery feel? If the battery is hot to the touch, this is a sign that the battery is failing, and it is time to get it out of the building or the pickup and move it away from anything in case it bursts into flames.

How does the battery smell? A battery should not emit any odor or smoke. If it does, move it to a safe outdoor spot immediately. Do not breathe in the fumes, as they are highly toxic and can quickly harm your lungs or be fatal.

When it is time to throw your batteries away, do not throw them into your household trash or your company’s dumpster. These batteries need to be taken care of safely and recycled.

You can take them back to most large stores that sell the batteries, and sometimes your town’s recycling program will take them. If you are having a challenge finding a place for your no-good batteries, you can use this website to search for an approved location (call2recycle.org).

Last thought, remember when it comes to your batteries, you need to stay vigilant, to stay safe!

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

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MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST FOR YOUR BODY

By Brie Weisman, OTR/L with Maine Agrability

A

s health care insurance rates rise, many people are making careful calculations about what they are willing to spend on their health. How long will they endure an illness before visiting a doctor? Will they follow medication prescriptions or try to stretch the dosage or shorten the time taking it? Will they accept the expense of a regular, general physical exam? Insurance steadily covers less while costing more, rising steadily since the 1990s, though we are not getting any healthier as a nation.

We each have only the power of our vote to affect national policy, but we have almost complete autonomy concerning our own bodies. We can’t pick our genes, but we can pick our habits. Addressing the basics: eating right, sleeping well, exercising, mental health, socializing, and pursuing interests will keep us healthier, which is itself a blessing. It will also mean less healthcare costs and difficult decisions in stressful times. Well-maintained bodies, like well-maintained tools, are far more enjoyable to use, more efficient and productive, safer, and less likely to need costly repairs. Below are some maintenance checklists for your body.

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Sleep

• Get 7-8 hours. Don’t kid yourself that you’re not a normal human and need less. If you have been functioning on less for years, you’ve been less healthy and probably less clearheaded and more irritable than you should have been for years. Be kind to yourself and those who live and work with you. Get your sleep.

• Get quality sleep. That means (God forbid!) Not looking at a screen for a half hour prior to going to bed. You did this for decades without feeling some void in your soul that needed filling; do it now, • If you or your significant other are snoring/snorting regularly, address it. Regular disruptions of sleep affect the quality of your sleep. There are relatively inexpensive treatments for snoring, talk to your doctor. Snoring/snorting can also be a symptom of sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous but treatable condition.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Exercise A long day of work means less time for movement and exercise. It may be too dark to go on a walk at certain times a year, and a long day means you are likely tired from work.

But exercise increases endurance more than most people suspect. Once you develop a routine, your body will actually look forward to your workouts. Exercise basics mean: • Lift weights. With our sedentary work and recreation lifestyles, it’s important to provide our bodies with scheduled training. Exercise is essential for healthy bones, better posture, and maintaining muscle mass that we otherwise lose with age. Aim for a minimum of two sessions a week for strength maintenance, 3-5 for gains.

• Get cardiovascular exercise. Whether you're brisk walking, jogging, hiking, skiing, skating, biking, or anything that gets your blood pumping and your heart beating for a sustained period. Aim for at least 150 minutes weekly of brisk activities at a pace that would make conversation challenging but not impossible.

Healthy Eating The fuel that you put into our bodies are as important as the fuels and additives put into our machines. Good diets increase stamina, reduce inflammation, and decrease risk of diabetes.

Donuts, cookies, cakes should be treated as special treats, not daily requirements. Diets high in vitamin -os (Cheetos, Doritos, Nachos) are junk diets. You are what you eat. Meat eaters should steer toward turkey and bison rather than chicken and beef to reduce bad cholesterol that can lead to heart disease.

• A richly varied diet goes a long way. All kale is just as bad as all chocolate or all burgers.

• Watch portions and snacks. At a certain point, the portions you grew up on will convert from vertical to horizontal growth.

• Good output is an indicator of good input. We are all different: going three times per day or three times per week is healthy, but sudden changes can be a source of concern.

Discomfort, unusual effort, unusually hard stools, and pain are all signs to see your doctor.

Mental Health Stress can cause physical ailments. It can affect the gut, sleep, weakens your immune system, and can lead to depression.

There is a strong link between stress and substance abuse and longevity. Stress is not just unpleasant; if acute or chronic, it is a legitimate health risk.

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

• Find activities–that’s ACTivities, not passivities like screentime–that relax you or take your mind off stressors.

• Consider meditation or relaxation exercises.

• Talk to trusted family and friends, or a therapist about issues. Studies show that simply talking about issues, even without hope for a solution, is helpful in relieving stress.

• DON’T break stuff or “shout it out”. A gazillion studies show that catharsis, contrary to our intuition, does not work.

We’re not carbonated beverages.

Social circles Loggers often are comfortable being alone at work, with limited interaction with others. Be sure to get regular, off screen social time. We all need it to be healthy, humans are social creatures. The evidence is conclusive that strong social circles add years to our lives–some experts go so far as to say that it is one one of the primary, if not the primary, factors in longevity.

There is a pandemic of loneliness due to people spending more screen time than in-person time with friends.

• Be sure to spend time regularly with family (living in the same house is not enough!)

• Make plans with friends.

• Attend public events and participate in clubs.

• Do everyday things like engage in small talk with cashiers or say hello to passers by.

Pursuing interests/developing hobbies: Lifelong learning helps to keep the brain sharp. Having something that you enjoy doing, and learning how to do it better can lead to new neural connections, retaining more cognition and staving off dementia. Challenging yourself to learn something new keeps you on your toes and leads to a more fulfilling life.

• Take adult ed classes • Start a new hobby • Read a book or watch a movie or documentary outside your normal interests • Volunteer to help a friend with something they are skilled in so that you can learn from them.

The more of these bullets you can check off on your list, the healthier you are likely to be, and the swifter you will likely recover from illness or injury. You will notice the difference, as will your doctor and, most likely, your bank account. You can begin these for the new year–but why wait?

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A timber asset security check underway in December.

WITH WINTER APPROACHING:

AVOIDING TIMBER TRESSPASS HEADACHES

By Robby Gross, Chief Maine Forest Ranger

W

inter in Maine transforms the working forest.

winter makes this step more challenging and more critical than

lowlands become accessible as wetlands lock

Boundary lines that are obvious in summer—bright paint

Logging roads firm up under a hard freeze,

ever.

solid, and deep into the woods, harvest operations begin moving

marks, flagged branches, survey stakes—can become almost

is the most productive—and profitable—time of year.

lose their bearings when the landscape turns white and uniform.

at a pace only the cold months allow. For many contractors, this But winter also brings a familiar challenge. As snow buries

boundary pins, hides old wire fences, and masks the subtle

transitions between ownerships, timber trespass cases tend to rise

invisible under snow or ice. Even seasoned operators can quickly Before machinery ever touches the stumpage: Walk the Boundary With Purpose

Take the time to walk the perimeter with the landowner or a

sharply. What begins as a simple misunderstanding can escalate

consulting forester. This isn't just a courtesy—it's an opportunity

losses, legal complications, damaged professional reputations,

and any unusual quirks in the property. Seeing the line on foot

into a multi-acre mistake, leaving contractors facing financial and strained relationships with landowners.

The good news is that nearly all timber trespass incidents

are preventable. With thoughtful preparation and deliberate

to discuss historic cuts, corner locations, changes in ownership,

sharpens your mental map better than any GPS point ever could.

Seek Out Historic Clues

Old wire woven into a spruce trunk, a sagging line of rock

communication, loggers can confidently work the winter woods

wall disappearing into snow, weathered blaze marks, or a long-

Here's a deeper look at how Maine's logging professionals

their boundaries. These artifacts can be partially buried, so a

while safeguarding themselves, their crews, and their business.

can set themselves up for a successful, respectful, and trespassfree winter season.

Know the Lines, Know the Land

Every job begins with understanding the lay of the land—but 36

forgotten pin can reveal where generations before you marked careful eye is essential.

Use Technology as a Secondary Tool

GPS units and digital mapping apps are extremely helpful,

especially during winter travel—but remember they're guides, THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

not gospel. Snow load, canopy density, and outdated parcel data can all introduce errors. Trust the ground more than the screen.

Stop and Recheck When Needed

If a machine operator feels uncertain—even for a moment—

stop. A 10-minute check now is far cheaper than a $30,000 trespass claim later.

Communicate Early, Clearly, and Often

Winter operations often involve multiple crews coming and

going, subcontracted work, truck drivers hauling loads through

night shifts, and operators unfamiliar with the particular job site.

Miscommunication is one of the top drivers of preventable

trespass.

Confirm Harvest Boundaries in Writing

Before the first tree is felled, ensure the landowner has clearly

defined the harvest area on paper—maps, diagrams, or a written agreement. This protects both the contractor and the landowner.

Make Boundary Information Impossible to Miss

Provide maps, GPS layers, and visual explanations to every

operator, including truckers and subcontractors. A five-minute briefing could prevent a week-long dispute.

Keep Subcontractors Fully Informed

A subcontractor who "didn’t know” the boundary line is still

working under your contract. Provide them with the same level of information and support as you do your own crew.

Use Visible Marking Strategies

Flagging tape, temporary signage, clearly blazed trees, and

high-visibility paint lines can cut through fog, early morning

shadows, and falling snow—conditions when confusion is most likely.

Use Winter Conditions to Your Advantage

Maine’s frozen season, while demanding, offers tremendous

advantages if used strategically.

Snow Provides Contrast

Bright flagging and fresh boundary paint can stand out

dramatically against fresh snow, making lines easier to recognize at a glance.

Frozen Ground Improves Access

Leafless Forests Increase Sight Distance

Without summer foliage, you can often see remarkable

distances in the winter woods. That enhanced visibility helps

operators align with boundary markers, spot corner pins, and recognize terrain changes they’d miss in July.

Document, Document, Document

Even the most professional, well-run operations can

encounter disputes. Thorough documentation is your strongest safeguard and your most unmistakable evidence when questions arise.

Keep Organized Records

Maps, emails, contracts, and notes from landowner

conversations—these pieces create a paper trail that demonstrates preparation and care.

Photograph Boundary Markers Before Work Begins

Corner pins, flagged trees, blazed marks, or painted lines,

when photographed with date stamps, can be invaluable if a disagreement arises months later.

Maintain GPS Tracks

Many modern machines already record travel paths. These

tracks can clearly show where the equipment traveled and where harvesting occurred.

Log Daily Observations

Even brief written notes—weather conditions, snow depth,

conversations with landowners, or updates to boundary lines— can help clarify what happened and when.

When in Doubt, Call the Maine Forest Service

The Maine Forest Service stands ready to help protect

the integrity of the state's working forests. Rangers routinely

investigate timber trespass complaints and can provide early guidance to contractors who are unsure about boundaries or property disputes.

A quick phone call before a cut can prevent months of

conflict afterward. Whether you need clarification or want a second opinion, don’t hesitate to reach out by calling your

regional office and asking for the ranger covering the area you are working in. Office locations and numbers include:

Operators can approach boundary lines more closely and

• Northern Regional Headquarters – Ashland, 435-7963

better visibility and closer inspection without disturbing the soil.

• Southern Regional Headquarters – Augusta, 624-3700

safely when wetlands, mud, and ruts are frozen. This allows for THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

• Central Regional Headquarters – Old Town, 827-1800 37

CONTROLLING WATER In Winter Conditions

By Tom Gilbert, Water Resources Specialist, Maine Forest Service

A

s winter conditions become less predictable with irregular freeze-thaw cycles, a major consideration for winter

harvesting is how to manage water from an unpredictable thaw. Consider the following water management techniques during winter and/or early spring conditions:

Compost Sock or Straw Wattle This technique is for short-term use when a proper water bar cannot be used because the ground is frozen or ledge prevents digging. These may be secured in place with spikes and/or placed directly in front of a log, positioned at a 30 degree angle, to keep it from washing down slope.

Log-Barrier Water Bar When the ground is frozen or ledge prevents digging, a log may be placed across the road or trail temporarily, in direct contact with the ground surface. Slash is placed on the uphill side to serve as a filter for water flowing down the road. The log should extend off of the road or trail on both sides and be positioned at a 30-degree angle to effectively move runoff into undisturbed forested areas.

Bale Bar As with a log barrier, this technique may be used when the ground is frozen or ledge prevents digging a water bar. Place several hay bales across the road at a 30 degree angle, making sure they extend off the road on both ends. During winter, pack snow against the bales or place logs on either side to promote stability.

Silt Fence Silt fence may be used as a make-shift temporary water bar. For greater strength, consider using staked hay bales in conjunction with silt fence. Soil should be placed over the bottom portion of the fabric, on the uphill side, to prevent water from running through or under the fabric.

Photo credits: UNH Cooperative Extension

38

For more information on the use of forestry BMPs, please visit the Maine Forest Service website: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/policy_management/water_resources/index.html

THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

PLC Deputy Executive Director of Certification Jeff Benjamin's run Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Millinocket Half Marathon to support PLC's 2025 Log A Load For Kids campaign was a big success! Thanks to your generosity we raised $4,780 for the kids!!!!

2026

HANDBOOK

Advertising Space Limited!

The 2026 Membership Handbook will be published in February and there is time for you to be involved!

If you would like to have your company featured in the handbook, contact Jessica at (207) 688-8195 jessica@plcloggers.org THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

39

Maine Congressional Delegation Updates For more than 30 years, the PLC has been an effective voice for Maine’s logging and forest trucking contractors.

Coming from a six-generation forest products family, I am committed to supporting an industry that is integral to our State’s history and to its future.

The future of Maine’s $8 billion forest products industry is under imminent threat by the spread of spruce budworm. We must prevent a repeat of the devastating outbreak in the 1970s and 80s that killed 7 million acres of trees in Maine and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.

One of our best weapons to protect our vital forest resources is the University of Maine Forest Health Lab in Orono. The brilliant faculty and students of the University’s School of Forest Resources are conducting innovative research to combat this infestation.

In order to advance this important work, I secured $600,000 for upgrades to the Lab in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations funding bill that I led in November to end the unnecessary and damaging 43-day government shutdown. This funding will help enable UMaine to expand its nationally renowned leadership in forest health research.

Fortunately, the U.S. Forest Service and the State of Maine previously invested in early detection equipment and practices that warned of another outbreak more than a year ago near the Quebec border. Acting on that information, I secured $14 million last

December to bolster those efforts. Additionally, the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior and Environment funding bill, which was approved by the Appropriations Committee in July, includes $10 million for the U.S. Forest Service to aid states in the emerging outbreak on the northeastern border. As Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.

As we protect the health of our forests, we must also work to ensure that our forest products industry has the skilled workforce it needs to thrive. That is why I worked hard to convince the U.S. Department of Labor to reverse its misguided decision last April to halt enrollment at Maine’s two Job Corps Centers, Loring and Penobscot, that have helped young people overcome significant economic and social obstacles, develop skills and resilience they need to succeed in work and in life. At my repeated urging, the DOL resumed enrollments in November at the two Centers.

As the home of Advanced Truck Driving Program, the Loring Job Corps Center is an important part of the logging industry.

Graduates of that demanding program have the skills to succeed with rewarding jobs in a challenging field.

Coincidentally, November also marked the graduation of 15 students from the Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program. The MLOFT program was established eight years ago by three Maine community colleges, the PLC, and industry partners. In 2022, I secured $1 million in federal funding for equipment and curriculum material for the program. From the forest floor to the classroom to the research lab, the success of your industry is the result of so many working together to a shared goal, and I am proud to join you in this effort.

For generations, Maine’s forest products industry has been the backbone of our rural economy, sustaining good-paying jobs, supporting local communities, and carrying forward a proud tradition that stretches back to the earliest days of our state. From our loggers and truckers to our mill workers and manufacturers, the men and women who power this industry embody the strength, grit, and resilience that make Maine such a special place to call home.

Today, the lumber industry faces a serious and immediate challenge. Tariffs, including those recently placed on timber and lumber, have introduced uncertainty into a sector that depends on stable and predictable cross-border trade. And because Maine’s forest economy is so deeply interconnected with our Canadian neighbors, the impacts have been shared and severe.

Last year alone, Maine exported roughly 2 million tons of wood and imported 2.3 million tons, most of it moving back and forth across the U.S.–Canada border. That flow is not just economic activity—it is the lifeblood of mills, contractors, truckers, and manufacturing facilities across our state. When the new tariffs took effect in October, some Maine exporters suddenly found their products stranded, unable to reach their destinations. Mills reported widespread confusion. Supply chains began to choke, and hardworking Maine families were left wondering how long they could weather the storm.

That’s why Senator Susan Collins and I have urgently called on the Administration to provide immediate tariff relief for Maine’s forest products manufacturers. Our mills are already grappling with higher operating costs, global competition, and the daily pressures of doing business in a rural state. They simply cannot absorb new, shifting price shocks—not when they operate on tight margins and rely on cross-border trade to stay viable. As the Administration considers assistance for agricultural sectors harmed by global market disruptions, we are insisting that the forest products industry is not forgotten. Maine’s mills need certainty to plan for the months ahead.

They need predictability to make investments, hire workers, and maintain capacity. Without support, some may face the unthinkable decision to scale back operations or halt planned expansions. After losing more than half our mills over the past 30 years, we cannot afford another wave of closures.

Maine’s forest products community has always stepped up for our state. Through mill closures, market shifts, and economic upheavals, they have adapted, innovated, and persevered. It’s why we’ve fought so hard, year after year, to support their work—from the bipartisan Future Logging Careers Act, to programs like the Forest Opportunity Roadmap (FOR/ME), to our recent legislation ensuring loggers get support when natural disasters disrupt their income.

The future of Maine’s forests, and the thousands of families who depend on them, deserves nothing less than timely action. We will continue pushing for the relief our mills urgently need, and we stand ready to work with the Administration to ensure that America’s forest industries can compete, grow, and prosper for generations to come.

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THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Happy Holidays to Maine’s loggers and their families.

I usually use this column to share updates with you about the work I’m doing on behalf of Maine’s foresters and forest products industry, and I’ll do so again in the next column. But this time, I hope you’ll allow me to share a slightly more personal message.

By now, you’ve likely seen the news that I’ve chosen not to run for reelection in 2026. A lot of thought went into this decision, and you can read about it indepth elsewhere. But the short version is that, given our increasingly broken Congress and politics, I no longer feel the good I can achieve outweighs the many sacrifices this service requires of my young family.

While I am at peace with my decision and know it is the right one for me and my family, I am also proud of the work I have done and the things I’ve been able to achieve for the people of Maine’s 2nd Congressional District — including the hardworking men and women like you who make a living in Maine’s forests.

And I’m grateful for the opportunity to have worked hand-in-hand with Maine’s loggers to advocate for policies that support you all. I

am proud that in this district, so many families still work with our hands, make tangible products, and retain the knowledge and wisdom passed down over centuries of learning how to sustainably manage the natural resources that have powered our state’s prosperity for generations.

When I’m in DC, workers like you are never far from my mind.

My time in Congress will end in January 2027, but that means I still have more than a year to go to work. In that time, I’m committed to continue bringing your voices to the table in Washington and to do what I can to ensure this industry remains a viable path to middleclass security and a good life for your kids and their kids after them.

My door remains open. If I can be of service over the next year, please send our team an email at ME02JG@mail.house.gov. We will get back to you quickly.

And as ever, my team and I are also available to help with any issue you’re having with the federal government — even if it’s not related to the industry. Please let us know if we can help you solve problems you or your family is having with Medicare, Social Security, the VA, or other federal programs or agencies.

You can reach my staff at:

For Loggers in the Northeast, Winter Has Never Meant Hibernation

timberlands.

In the same way that more efficient equipment helped revolutionize logging operations, better science helped us understand the longterm impacts of an increasingly mechanized industry. As clearcutting increased, so too did soil erosion, which not only damaged forest and waterway habitats (and the species that rely on them), but also made tree regeneration much more difficult,especially with the frigid winter winds our region is known for.

Today, thanks to decades of collaboration between landowners, loggers, businesses, government, and the scientific community, the Northeast has become a national leader in sustainable forestry.

Loggers still work through the winter, but now with an approach grounded in stewardship as much as productivity.

That collaboration hasn’t just improved best practices (and policy).

It’s also helped fuel a wave of technological advancements across the industry. Walk around a modern logging camp in winter, you’ll find low-impact machinery with wide tracks that evenly distribute weight across the frozen soil; GPS-guided harvesters that precisely map skid trails; forwarders designed to minimize disturbance to understory and waterways; and so much more.

We might be well past the days of log booms, horse-drawn sleds, and loggers braving the harsh winter months with little more than campfire and extra layers to keep them warm, but the lessons of those bygone years still guide us today—reminding us that careful planning, respect for the land, and innovative thinking are as essential now as they were back then.

As we look ahead, we can draw a lot of lessons from the past—and even a little inspiration. By embracing the ingenuity, resilience, and stewardship exemplified by generations of loggers, we can continue to maintain healthy forests, support local economies, and preserve the culture and traditions that define logging in the Northeast.

When we picture a New England forest in winter, most of us imagine something out of a Robert Frost poem: snow-dusted trees, quiet trails, frozen waterways—acre after acre of peace and tranquility.

But for the tens of thousands of loggers who make their living in our vast and bountiful woodlands, this season is anything but a time to hibernate. While the forest rests, loggers get to work—taking advantage of conditions that actually make harvesting safer and more sustainable.

Long before the advent of snowplows and modern machinery, winter was a critical time for logging operations. From the mid 1800s to the beginning of the 20th century, teams of horses were used to pull sleds stacked with timber, along “ice roads” that would’ve been impossible to navigate in warmer months. The frozen ground and water made it easier to move equipment in and out of the timberland—while preventing damaging erosion.

It was still grueling work. But it did help lay the foundation for our region’s forest economy—and spark the kind of innovation that has powered the logging industry for generations.

With the invention of the steam-powered hauler in 1901 (shoutout to Alvin Lombard of Waterville, Maine!), loggers now had a way to pull dozens of logs over snow and rough terrain, significantly increasing productivity and setting the stage for the mechanized forest industry we know today.

The advent of logging machinery—and the year-round industry it helped create—came at a steep price: more clearcutting, rapid deforestation, and very real threats to the health and viability of our THE LOGGER’S VOICE | WINTER 2026

Lewiston: (207) 241-6767 Caribou: (207) 492-6009 Bangor: (207) 249-7400

41

The PLC conducted several legislative and informational tours of PLC Member harvest sites this fall and early winter, including (at left) Beaulieu Logging’s jobsite in Old Orchard Beach Dec. 15, with Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, Rep. Lori K. Gramlich, Rep. Dan Sayre, and Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross.

Other tours this fall included Maine Sen. Mike Tipping touring a Prentice and Carlisle harvest in early November; Maine Sen. Nichole Grohoski touring Madden Sustainable Forestry and Elliot Jordan and Son jobs in late October; a Vermont Forest Economy Tour Oct. 17 hosted by the Forest Future Strategic Roadmap Implementation Steering Committee showcasing the work of D. Harvey Timber Harvesting in Clarendon, VT; and Maine Senators Chip Curry and Dick Bradstreet and Maine Representatives Traci Gere, Cassie Julia, Michael Ray, Alicia Collins and Paul Flynn touring a Trees Ltd. job in Sidney in October that was later visited by Rep. Sharon Frost in December.

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