ALC Pres. Allen Ribelin: 'As I See It' Nov. 2008
Let us march forward together, making this a better organization.
Wood as Power Source Making Comeback
‘We don't want to mine our forest for energy,’ said Bryan Bird, of WildEarth Guardians, an enviro group.
ME: Maine Mill's Future Aired
With hopes of lowering fuel costs so it can reopen, Brookfield has hired consultants to study installing a biomass boiler.
WA: Interfor Buys Portac Mill
The purchase brings Interfor's holdings in Washington to two sawmills. The company owns mills in BC and Oregon, as well.
ME: Conservation/Commodity Farm Bill Titles Meetings
Farmers, forest landowners, land managers and others interested in the Conservation and other programs of the 2008 Farm Bill will have the opportunity to attend one of many information workshops being held through the state.
AZ: Prescribed Burns, Prescott Natl Forest, 10/6-10
CAN: Losses Soar in Forest Products Industry
The Canadian forest products industry, hit by low lumber prices, softening pulp and newsprint markets, was awash in red ink in the first half this year.
CAN: Canfor Closes Plywood Mill
Roughly 290 employees will be impacted.
CA: Evergreen Pulp Temporarily Shuts Down Plan Ops
Due to overall weak demand in the global pulp market.
ME: Fire Destroys Sawmill
Owner Bob Johnson estimated the loss at $300,000. He believes the blaze might have been ignited by a spark from a generator.
MO: EPA Proposed Changes to Impaired Waters List
The Agency is requesting public comment on its proposed decision to add or restore a total of 135 water bodies and corresponding pollutants to Missouri's 2004/2006 impaired waters list.
CA: Plan for 27 Endangered Species Goes Into Effect
The permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife arrived on Wednesday, the final step in a 12-year process to create the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan.
MO: 3 Species Removed from Endangered List
UT: Review Planned for Six Rare Species
Included in the review is the June sucker, known to live only in Utah Lake and its tributaries. About $39 million has been spent trying to save the fish.
Plow & Hearth Announces "Campaign to Reforest America"
The initiative will be utilized by Plow & Hearth to help restore natural habitats lost to forest fires and the effects of modern civilization.
CA: Fed Dollars Headed to USFS
The USFS will receive $775 million in federal aid for wildfires that devastated California this summer.
ME: Governor Receives Wood to Energy Task Force Report
“Maine is the most dependent on oil for heat. A full 80% of Maine homes are heated with oil. We are also the most forested state. Our opportunities [are great] to become energy independent and secure using, in part, our abundant wood resources.”
NM: More National Forest Land Open to Drilling
Local environmentalists are stoic but saddened by the decision.
OR: Counties Consider Forest Road Closures
The counties have only until Nov. 30 to report on the possible impact to their region.
WI: More Roads To Be Open In Northern Wis. Forest
The U.SFS says it has slightly modified its plan for allowing cars and other motorized vehicles on land it owns in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
MT: Judge Wants Motorized Restrictions Tightened
Motorized groups seeking to overturn part/all of the Gallatin National Forest Travel Plan hit a snag when Magistrate Judge Lynch recommended their claims against National Forest Service be rejected.
CAN: Forest Products Still Have a Future
Fuel pellets and plants, Roberts said, are a poor investment. Pulp/paper produces eight times the revenue, 13 times the employment.
CAN: Tembec Announces More Closures
Tembec has announced further production curtailments, with the latest affecting facilities in BC and Ontario.
OR: IP Announces Paper Machine Shutdown
International Paper announced plans to shut down its No. 2 paper machine at the Albany Mill in Oregon as of Oct. 5, for a minimum of three months.
AZ: Temporary Closure for Catalyst Mill
Starting October 20, Catalyst Paper will close its Snowflake mill in Arizona, for eight days.
CA: Prescribed Burning Season, Mendocino National Forest
The public may notice smoke in various parts of the forest during the next few months.
New Sensing System to Predict/Detect Forest Wildfires
Voltree Power solved the problem of battery replacement by developing an inexpensive electricity generation system that harvests metabolic energy from the trees, converting it to useable electricity.
MI: Great Lakes Wolf Returns to Endangered List
It was the second setback in a week for the administration's campaign to return management authority to state officials.
Ezell Castleberry: ‘As I See It: Lessons Learned’, 9/08
This will be my last column prior to the election of a new President to serve the American Loggers Council for the 2008-2009 term.
