Lumber Prices Forecast Housing Stability
January 2, 2010 — Lumber prices continue to show signs of stability. This is certainly a positive sign for the housing market as lumber prices tend to have a very high correlation with housing prices. Although lumber futures have recently come off their highs the trend remains clear – up. Read more…
The unintended ripples from the biomass subsidy program
January 12, 2010 — It sounded like a good idea: Provide a little government money to convert wood shavings and plant waste into renewable energy. But as laudable as that goal sounds, it could end up causing more economic damage than good — driving up the price of raw timber, undermining an industry that has long used sawdust and wood shavings to make affordable cabinetry, and highlighting the many challenges involved in decreasing the nation's dependence on oil by using organic materials to create biofuels. Read more…
Survey Says Forest, Paper Industry on the Brink of Change
January 12, 2010 — Forest, paper and fibre-based packaging (FPP) companies face a changed world requiring fundamental transformation within the industry, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) recent survey of 33 industry executives based in North and Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia. The survey showed that while some European and North American CEOs believe the worst is over, they anticipate a long road ahead and a slow recovery. Read more…
NC utility seeks more for electricity from woody biomass
January 12, 2010 — Progress Energy Carolinas wants to add between 40 to 75 megawatts (MW) of biomass-based electricity to its capacity, starting in 2013. The utility accepted proposals for electricity generated from woody biomass through Dec. 15 as it looks to contribute to North Carolina’s renewable portfolio standard of 12.5 percent by 2020, Read more…
2010 Forecast Calls For Slow Recovery For NW Lumber Industry
January 13, 2010 — The worst may be over for beleaguered Northwest sawmills. That's according to a 2010 forecast for the region's lumber industry. It was produced by the Western Wood Products Association. They say their industry hit bottom in 2009 and can now look forward to a slow recovery. But that outcome largely depends on one big factor — a revival of the U.S. housing market. Read more…
Local company hopes to sell renewable electricity
January 14, 2010 — A company is planning to develop a $54 million plant in Spring Hope that would burn wood to generate electricity. The plans, which have been submitted to the N.C. Utilities Commission, call for the electricity to be sold to Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. Read more…
Forestry industry falls on hard times
January 17, 2010 — North Carolina’s forestry industry, the top manufacturing sector in the state, has shed thousands of jobs while some in the industry are faced with less work, according to the state Forestry Association. In 2007, the industry had 103,168 employees in forest manufacturing areas that include logging, wood products, furniture and paper, according to a forestry association release. That number decreased to 82,780 in 2009. Read more…
Pitchford named new county forest ranger
January 21, 2010 — Littleton native Bryant Pitchford became the Warren County ranger with the N.C. Division of Forest Resources last week. He replaces former County Ranger Bob Neal, who retired in November. The son of Edward and Gerleen Pitchford of Littleton, he now resides in the Littleton area with his wife, Nichole. Pitchford, who attended Halifax Academy, obtained his forestry education through N.C. Forest Service programs and has now worked with the Forest Service around eight years. Read more…
Forestry has potential to raise landowners' incomes
January 24, 2010 — Did you know that almost 20 percent of all manufacturing firms located in North Carolina use forest products in their manufacturing process? Did you know that North Carolina leads the nation in the value of furniture shipments? Did you know that the forest products industry ranks second as an industrial employer in North Carolina? Did you know that almost $22 million worth of forest products were sold from Robeson County forests last year, with 80 percent of this coming from privately owned forest? Read more…
Sawtimber Prices Expected to Recover in 2010-2011 for US South, yet Results Vary by State
January 26, 2010 — Turbulent times characterized by plummeting pine sawtimber prices could soon be over for timber sellers. A new stumpage price forecast published by Forisk signals climbing prices for pine sawtimber in the US South beginning in 2010. The ForiskFORECAST pine sawtimber price forecast and "Forecasting Timber Prices" workshop provide insights for timberland owners, investors, and wood procurement managers in planning future pricing and management strategies as lumber and plywood markets recover. Read more…
Bark beetles rocked by sound
February 8, 2010 — A phenomenon being dubbed Beetlemania is playing out in northern Arizona. As can be expected, it involves rock music. But instead of screaming fans, there are cheering scientists who have found a way to drive bark beetles crazy with sound. Read more…
Timber plan eyed by county (Rockdale County, GA)
February 26, 2010 — The saying “Money doesn’t grow on trees” may be taken out of the equation as Rockdale County considers implementing a timber management policy for county-owned land. Rockdale County Forester Jeffrey Tyler said there’s the possibility of thousands of dollars in revenue in timber harvesting if the county implements a timber management plan for the more than 2,100 acres it owns within the county. Read more…
Timber industry looks at future without IP
March 1, 2010 — “The nightmare came alive.” Timber industry experts agree that when International Paper Co. announced that it would close the Franklin paper mill by spring that it was like a bad dream had come true. Read more…
Upper Neuse effort receives $1.7 million
March 10, 2010 — Conservation Trust for North Carolina has received a $1.7 million grant as facilitator of a collaborative effort to conserve lands that help protect drinking-water supplies in the Upper Neuse basin. In landing the $1.7 million challenge grant from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the trust more than met the challenge with a $1.5 million grant from the city of Raleigh. The funds will be used to protect or establish "working forests" that will preserve the quality of drinking supplies in the basin, including groundwater, streams and nine reservoirs, including Falls Lake, Lake Michie and Lake Holt. Read more…
Duke Energy registers two plants for biomass energy
March 10, 2010 — Duke Energy has asked N.C. regulators to register its Buck Steam Station in Salisbury and its Lee Steam Station in Williamston, S.C., as renewable-energy facilities for the production of biomass energy. Read more…
Plant a Tree for Arbor Day Friday
March 18, 2010 — The N.C. Division of Forest Resources wants you to plant a tree Friday. That’s Arbor Day here in North Carolina. 080321_ap_arbor_day Of course trees keep the air and water clean, provide shade, save energy, reduce carbon dioxide and look good. Trees also filter rainfall and reduce the amount of sediment and other pollutants entering waterways and drinking water sources. Read more…
Pine beetle epidemic to affect lumber supply continent-wide
March 25, 2010 — A new report on the mountain pine beetle epidemic describes it as one of North America's largest natural environmental disasters that will put an estimated 16 major sawmills out of business in B.C. and lead to long-term lumber shortages in the United States. Read more…
All New Publications Library
March 28, 2010 — In our continued effort to bring knowledge, information and quality services to the forest landowners of North Carolina, we have recently completed a total reorganization and rewrite of our popular publications library. Read more…
Gone with the wind: Far-flung pine pollen still potent miles from the tree
April 6, 2010 — When forest biologist Claire Williams boards ferries bound for North Carolina's Outer Banks, the barrier islands that line the NC coast, ferry captains call her the "Pollen Lady." Each spring from 2006 to 2009, Williams traveled back and forth from the islands to the mainland, collecting pine pollen blown far offshore. She wanted to find out if pollen from the loblolly pine — the most commonly planted tree in the southern United States — can still germinate after drifting long distances. Read more…
Loggers, timber growers face hardship from International Paper's shutdown
April 26, 2010 — For years, Wayne Garrett Logging Inc., a family-owned business in Surry County, hauled all the timber it harvested to International Paper Corp. in southern Isle of Wight County. "We depended on International Paper exclusively; 100 percent of our deliveries were still going to International Paper until the last couple of months," said owner Wayne Garrett, who estimated that he was delivering up to 70 loads of timber to the mill weekly this time last year. "We started weaning away from them about two months ago and hauling more of our product to mills in West Point, Hopewell and Roanoke Rapids (N.C.)." Read more…
Tree-killing beetle plagues Northern Virginia
April 26, 2010 — Tens of thousands of Northern Virginia ash trees are at risk of dying in coming years, according to area forestry officials. The culprit? A menacing, half-inch beetle. The infamous tree killer, emerald ash borer, is wreaking havoc on the region, feeding on the inner bark of ash trees and squashing their ability to transport water and minerals. Read more…
U.S. losing trees faster than other heavily forested nations
April 27, 2010 — Out of seven of the most heavily forested nations on Earth, the United States experienced a greater percentage of forest loss from 2000 to 2005 than did any of the other countries, a study said Monday. The United States lost more than 46,000 square miles of forest in those years, a size roughly equivalent to the state of Pennsylvania. That's about 6% of the nation's forested land. 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…
Megalos wins NCSU's Outstanding Extension Service award and inducted into Academy of Outstanding Faculty Engaged In Extension
May 5, 2010 — On April 19, 2010 at the Celebrating the Engaged University awards ceremony Dr. Mark Megalos was awarded NCSU's Outstanding Extension Service award and inducted into Academy of Outstanding Faculty Engaged In Extension. Dr. Megalos focuses on the long-term economic, environmental, and social viability of forestry 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Loggers try to find business after IP
August 4, 2010 — More than nine months after International Paper Co. announced the Franklin paper mill would be closed, logging companies are trying to maintain their businesses by taking wood elsewhere. Read more…
Housing poses threat to private forests
August 12, 2010 — Housing development on privately owned forest land needs to be added to the list of threats to the nation's forests, according to a U.S. Forest Service report issued Wednesday. Read more…
McDowell Lumber Builds Pallet Manufacturing Business on Rayco Nailing Machines: Recent Improvements Include Brewco Gangsaw Line and Copper Scragg Mill
September 1, 2010 — McDowell Lumber started in the 1974 by Tony McDowell as a hardwood mill, producing lumber for the grade market. He started by cutting trees and running a portable sawmill in the woods. Tony doesn’t just own the company; he is actively involved in day to day management activities. Read more…
After 20 years of protection, owl is declining but forests remain
September 6, 2010 — Twenty years after northern spotted owls were protected under the Endangered Species Act, their numbers continue to decline, and scientists aren't certain whether the birds will survive even though logging was banned on much of the old-growth forest in the Pacific Northwest where they live in order to save them. Read more…
Cradle of Forestry in America: 2010 Woodland Steward Series
September 8, 2010 — The Woodland Steward Series is a unique educational opportunity that you cannot afford to miss. It is designed to equip landowners just like you with the tools and resources you need to manage your land and to enrich your experience as a woodland owner. Read more…