Land-of-Sky Regional Council: 11 forest businesses get $1.2M in stimulus
July 21, 2010 — ASHEVILLE — The federal government will spend $1.2 million in stimulus money on forest products businesses in Western North Carolina, a regional development group recently announced. The Land-of-Sky Regional Council said 11 businesses will get part of $956,164 from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to support operations including sawmills, small-scale logging and furniture building. The agency, which works as a planning council for governments in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties, previously gave three businesses $250,000 in the first round of stimulus funding. The council is administering the spending for the U.S. Forest Service's Southern Research Station. It will get $250,000 to manage the project. “We have some of the most productive forests in the country and it is important that we use that asset wisely to support the economies of our rural communities,” said council Chairwoman Letta Jean Taylor. “These stimulus projects give us an opportunity to use our renewable forest resources to bring back many of the jobs lost in the economic downturn.” A group that supports the timber industry said that any expansion of the forest products market is generally good but cautioned against subsidizing businesses to make them work. Steve Henson, director of the Southern Appalachian Multiple Use Council, said there is an increasing demand for hardwood lumber but not enough access for timber companies. “If the (U.S. Forest Service) is sincere in their efforts to help stimulate the forest products industry in WNC, they should be offering more timber sales on their million acres of land here in the mountains,” he said. Julie Mayfield, executive director of WNC Alliance, a group that has advocated for forest conservation in the region, said it's hard to tell what impact the projects might have on the environment. “We support local industry, including the local forest products industry as long as that industry sustainably manages its sources of timber,” she said. “Our concerns arise when the industry begins to threaten old growth, biodiversity and our streams. If these projects are small scale enough that they won't do that, then we support them and the continuation of an industry with a rich history here in the region.” (2 of 2) Here's a look at some of the projects: Read more…
Weyerhaeuser Declares Record $5.6 Billion Dividend
July 16, 2010 — Weyerhaeuser Co., the second-largest owner of U.S. timberland, declared a record $5.6 billion special dividend to lock in the company’s conversion this year to a real estate investment trust. The shares rose the most in 15 months. Read more…
Insect poses threat to trees
July 7, 2010 — It's prime time for the emergence of an extremely invasive insect that could be deadly to the Commonwealth's wood industry. State officials are hoping a lure, in the form of a purple box, will help to eradicate the imported beetle before it destroys the species of tree that is most popular in regional manufacturing. Read more…
State forestry officials urge fire safety this weekend
June 30, 2010 — Officials with the state Division of Forest Resources encourage people to celebrate the Independence Day weekend by viewing public fireworks displays rather than risk setting wildfires with their own fireworks. Many wildfires that occur during this time of the year start due to the careless use of fireworks such as sparklers, fountains, glow worms, smoke devices, trick noisemakers and other Class C fireworks, according to the state. Read more…
Controlled fires might help dogwood trees
June 8, 2010 — Forestry experts say planned burning in some Eastern U.S. forests might be helpful in restoring flowering dogwood tree populations. Read more…
Paper industry tests genetically altered trees
June 8, 2010 — The commercial paper industry's plans to plant forests of genetically altered eucalyptus trees in seven Southern states have generated more cries from critics worried that such a large introduction of a bioengineered nonnative plant could throw natural ecosystems out of whack. Read more…
Forests to Faucets
May 24, 2010 — and owners along the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir Watershed could receive cash simply by planting trees on their property. It's part of the Forests to Faucets initiative to protect the water quality by reducing sediment that end up in nearby streams from erosion. Read more…
Strong lumber prices mean no tax on U.S. exports
May 18, 2010 — Strong Canadian lumber prices has completely dropped the U.S. export tax on softwood lumber beginning June 1, 2010, Forests and Range minister Pat Bell announced. “In two months, the export tax has dropped Read more…
American Forests Unveils 733 National Champion Trees for 2010
May 5, 2010 — American Forests’ National Register of Big Trees marks its 70th anniversary this year with a total of 733 champion and co-champion trees from 637 native and naturalized tree species in the United States. Presented in a new online format, the 2010 edition also features a revised list of eligible species, ensuring consistency with today’s taxonomy and nomenclature for trees. Read more…