Association News

Supply Chain Relationships Workshop Video

FRA's National Supply Chain Committee has produced a nineminute promotional video, in DVD format, providing testimonials from loggers, foresters, and mill managers — all supply chain "customers" — on the value of FRA's Wood Fiber Supply Chain Relationships Workshops in laying the groundwork for improving communications, business relationships, and efficiencies throughout the links of the chain.

FRA's goal is to work with member mills and supply organizations to hold a total of 30 Wood Fiber Supply Chain Relationships Workshops during 2006, to promote wood supply benefits for all parts of the chain. The video is available at the FRA's National Office for $10.00 (or $20.00 for FRA nonmembers).

WWPA Sees Lag in Lumber Output

The Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) reported that western lumber production, through the first six months of 2006, totaled 9.435 billion board feet, off 4.4 percent from this time last year. Production through the first six months in the Coast region was off 0.5 percent, while Inland output was down 9.6 percent.Production in the California Redwood region was down 13.6 percent.

Commission Reports More Trees Harvested in California

Harvesting of trees in California forests increased by 1.1 percent in 2005 as efforts to thin overcrowded government-owned forests accelerated, the California Forest Products Commission said in its third annual State of the Industry report.

While harvesting on governmentowned forests increased, the overall harvesting in those forests remains at just 17 percent of what it was in 1990. The trend of diminishing harvests over the past 15 years is part of the reason California imports more than 70 percent of the wood used by Californians, and has contributed to a
buildup of flammable forest conditions. More information is available at www.calforests.org.

Changes to Cargo Securement Rule

The Forest Resource Association (FRA) reported that on June 22, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made amendments to its four-year-old Cargo Securement Standard, bringing an end to the regulatory process that rationalized cargo securement rules for log hauling.

The key changes recorded in the Rule's Section 393.116 include:

• the elimination of tiedown requirements for logs hauled on crib trailers;

• establishing the aggregate working load limit for tiedowns used to secure a stack of logs on a trailer fitted with bunks, bolsters, or stakes as at least one sixth the weight of the stack of logs (the original rule had stipulated the limit at one half the weight of the stack);

• that shortwood (16' or less) loaded lengthwise must be secured by at least two tiedowns OR if all the logs in a stack are blocked by a front-end structure (or another stack of logs) and a rear-end structure (or another stack of logs), only one tie-down is needed, about midway between the stakes;

• that longwood (over 16') must be cradled between two bunks and be secured by at least two tiedowns OR by at least two wrappers that encircle the entire load.

To see changes, as well as the original rule, go to www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/ final/finalrules2006.htm#fr-35819. Amendments to Section 393.116 are on pages 35833 and 35834 of the pdf version. Please contact FRA Director of Forestry Programs, Steve Jarvis, at sjarvis@forestresources.org, (301) 838-9385, for more information.

Demo 2008

The Canadian Woodlands Forum has announced the date and location of its live forestry show, DEMO International® 2008. It will be held September 18-20, 2008, and will be hosted by Ledwidge Lumber Company, LTD. based in Enfield, Nova Scotia. For more information visit www.cwfcof.org.

ALC Meeting Hosted by John Deere

John Deere hosted the annual American Loggers Council (ALC) board of directors meeting July 6-9 in Moline, Ill. Over 55 members and their spouses, representing 27 states, attended the three-day event. The ALC, regarded as “The National Voice for Professional Loggers,” is comprised of regional and state logging associations. Its partnership with John Deere continues to grow. John Deere will sponsor ALC's annual meeting in Kalispell, Mont., September 28-30.

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