ASSOCIATION NEWS

Western Lumber Output Up
According to the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA), Western lumber output through the first 11 months of 2004 totaled 17.26 billion board feet, up 6.1 percent from the same period in 2003. November production totaled 1.55 billion feet, off 4.6 percent from October but up 17.2 percent from the November 2003 output. January-through-November production in the Coast region was up 11.4 percent from the same period in 2003, while production in the Inland region was off 1.4 percent during the same period. The WWPA also reported that Americans will use more lumber during 2004 than any time in history. They expect demand will fall back moderately in 2005, but forecast a strong year for lumber. The Portland-based trade association estimated lumber demand in 2004 will increase 4.8 percent to 59.7 billion board feet, breaking the 2003 record of 57 billion board feet. With interest rates expected to rise in 2005, WWPApredicts the demand to dip by 4.2 percent to 57.2 billion board feet.

FRA Annual Meeting
FRA's 71st Annual Meeting will focus on "Wood Fiber Supply Chain Relationships," at the Hotel Inter-Continental in New Orleans, March 5-7. How is the U.S. wood fiber supply chain functioning today? How is it changing? How can the links in that chain — landowner, wood supplier, mill — organize and work together to adapt to these changes? Jim McNutt, Executive Director of the Center for Paper Business and Industry Studies, will headline Monday's General Session with a talk on "Hidden Issues/Hidden Values." Aspecial forum will follow on "The South American Experience" to help attendees compare and contrast U.S. operating systems with those of offshore industries under the same competitive global pressures as we are. For registration information visit www.forestresources.org.

41st Annual National Truck Equipment Assoc. Convention
The 41st Annual NTEA convention and The Work Truck Show 2005 will be held March 1-5. In addition to the one-stop marketplace for construction professionals seeking work trucks, equipment, solutions and training, a special feature this year is International? Truck and Engine Corporation’s race truck simulator. Attendees can test their skills in a replica of driver Terry Cook’s race truck. For more information log on to www.ntea.com.

Barnes Elected to SAF Council
Rich Barnes, president of Roseburg, Ore.-based Barnes & Associates, was elected to the governing board of the Society of American Foresters. Barnes’ three-year term began in January, representing the society’s Oregon voting district. The 14- member governing body of the organization represents 17,000 professional forester and natural resource professionals. Before beginning his consulting company in 1992, Barnes was a timber member with C&D Lumber Company out of Riddle. “I believe we have a great opportunity as professional foresters to lead the discussion on the importance of managing our natural resources,” says Barnes.

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