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FROM THE BOTTOM UP Martin Timber Harvesting Roseburg, Oregon

SUCCESS IN CHALLENGING TIMES Seth Campbell Logging Blanchard, Idaho

IT’S THE EMPLOYEES

Holbrook, Inc. Olympia, Washington

WAYS LOGGERS CAN MINIMIZE KNEE, BACK AND SHOULDER INJURIES

ON THE COVER

September/October 2018 Vol. 43 No. 09-10

Photo taken by Andrea Watts of a Holbrook Inc. operation near Electron, Washington.

Finding Success in Challenging Times

In 2007, as the country entered the recession, Seth Campbell was fixing his eyes on a future for himself, his family and his crew.

From the Bottom Up

It’s the Employees

For Holbrook Inc., success has come from the sum of its employees who have kept the company harvesting and moving logs for more than 30 years.

New Study Points to Ways Loggers Can Minimize Knee, Back and Shoulder Injuries

New manual with best practices focusses on preventable injuries in the logging industry.

32 36

2018 CBI & Ecotec Factory Forum The three-day event was an opportunity for the company’s U.S. and international customers to see live machine demonstrations.

From the Bottom Up

It's the Employees

Firebreak Column

New technology coming to the fireline.

Pacific Logging Congress review

The 8th PLC Live In-Woods show held in September in Corvallis, Oregon, provided a chance to educate and for industry professionals to show off.

Tech Review — Bar, Chain and Sprocket

A look at options on the market today.

Chris Martin, owner of Martin Timber Harvesting, has taken the bull by the horns and set a standard of excellence.

Guest Column

Time to create and tell our story.

DEPARTMENTS

Page 4 .............................................................In the News Page 40 .....................................................Machinery Row Page 42 ................................................. Association News Page 51 ........................................................ New Products Page 53 ............Advertiser’s Index/Classified Section Page 53 ....................Calendar of Events/Subscription

Ways Loggers Can Minimize Knee, Back and Shoulder Injuries

www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

Vaagen to Start New Mass Timber Company

Russ Vaagen, Vaagen Timbers founder and CEO, is starting a new company producing mass timber products. Capital Press reported that Vaagen sees the use of wood in homes, not only as an ideal building material for apartments and buildings, but also a way to remind urban and suburban consumers about the importance of the rural timber industry. “These products allow us to tell a story so the consumer really understands and makes that connection: ‘I’m living in this apartment, and it’s made of wood, and it ... supports healthy forests and healthy communities,” Vaagen said. He foresees the timber going into midrise apartments and commercial structures ranging from four to 10 stories. Vaagen expects to use roughly 30 million board-feet of timber per year at first, with room for growth. Mass timber products also have another benefit — they use smaller logs. Using smaller logs benefits inland forests where restoration is needed, thinning the small trees in the dense under story and leaving the biggest and best trees more fire resistant.

Davis Named Interim Dean at OSU Forestry School

Oregon State University (OSU) College of Forestry Acting Dean Anthony S. Davis has been named interim dean while the university launches an international search for a permanent dean. Davis came to OSU from the University of Idaho in July 2016 as associate dean for research and was promoted to executive associate dean a year later. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Brunswick and earned master’s and doctoral degrees from Purdue University. “Anthony takes on the interim dean’s role with my full confidence that he will advance the college’s progress toward its goals, including the completion of the Forest Science Complex, as we prepare for an international search,” OSU Provost and Executive Vice President Ed Feser said in a news release.

Mill Expanding in Eastern Oregon

Woodgrain Millworks is in the process of purchasing two lumber mills and a particle board operation — all located in eastern Oregon — from Boise Cascade. The Independent Enterprise reported that a Fruitland-based mill is getting closer to expanding its footprint. Although final 4

plans are still being ironed out, a top official said, “log procurement” is a big part of that expansion. “Our objective as a company is to be vertically integrated,” Tanner Dame, COO for Woodgrain, said in a recent phone interview with the Argus. “This is kind of a big step in continuing down that strategy.”

Daines Seeks End to Fringe Litigation

In early October, the Republican majority on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources narrowly passed a bill by Sen. Steve Daines. The Missoula Current reported that the bill seeks to end what the Montana lawmaker describes as an endless barrage of lawsuits filed by fringe environmental groups against timber projects that enjoy collaborative support. Daines’ bill cleared the committee on a bipartisan 13-10 vote and would establish a five-year pilot program allowing arbitration to occur on two litigated Forest Service projects each year. The two projects must be located in Montana, Idaho, or Wyoming. “Litigation from a few fringe groups is having a devastating impact on Montana,” Daines told the committee. “It’s a constant, unending barrage of lawsuits, now spanning more than a decade, and it’s hurting our forests and crushing our wood products communities. We have, in essence, replaced loggers with lawyers.”

USNR Is Expanding

USNR is expanding its operations once again, this time at its facility in Eugene, Oregon. The investment moves its existing operation to a new, expanded facility that will be outfitted to meet the growing needs of their business. The Eugene facility is home to a thriving team that supports and advances their optimization and veneer handling activities. It is the U.S. base for USNR’s optimization technology, from hardwood, shop and moulding, and green lumber grade scanning, to veneer scanning and grading solutions. From logs to lumber and blocks to dry veneer, the Eugene team has a key role in the development of innovations for the solid wood and engineered wood industries. The new facility encompasses over 60,000 sq. ft., situated on 3.2 acres. The majority of the space will house electrical manufacturing, with the remainder for engineering, R&D and training facilities, warehousing, and sales offices. The new facility is expected to be operational in January 2019.

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Editor: Diane Mettler, diane@forestnet.com Copy Editor: Beth Szyperski Contributing Editors: Mary Bullwinkel, Barbara Coyner, Louis Anthony Loftus, Lindsay R. Mohlere, Jack Petree, Andrea Watts ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Sales Mgr: James Booth – jbooth@forestnet.com Phone: (604) 506-8631 Director: Rob Stanhope – stanhope@forestnet.com Assoc. Publisher: Anthony Robinson –robinson@forestnet.com Sales Contact Information: Phone: (604) 990-9970 • Fax: (604) 990-9971 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Publisher & Production Manager: Sheila Ringdahl – sringdahl@forestnet.com Accounting Manager: Shelina Jessa – accounting@forestnet.com Corporate Office Information: Phone: (425) 778-3388 Fax: (425) 771-3623 timberwest@forestnet.com www.forestnet.com Send all materials - Insertion Orders, Contracts, Copy, Photos, Disks to: TImberWest Publications, LLC P.O. Box 610 (300 Admiral Way, Suite 105) Edmonds, WA 98020-0610 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Send both OLD and NEW Circulation information to: TimberWest Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 610, Edmonds, WA 98020 Fax: (425) 771-3623 • subscribetw@forestnet.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Advertising created by TimberWest Publications, LLC is the sole property of TimberWest Publications, LLC and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher. PUBLISHER’S EDITORIAL STATEMENT: TimberWest reports on the logging and lumber segment of the forest industry in the Western United States with emphasis on the states of AK, WA, OR, ID, MT and CA, providing current information on timber harvesting techniques, sawmill operations, news, legislation, events, people and products pertinent to this market. TIMBERWEST (USPS #024858) is published bi-monthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec) by TimberWest Publications, LLC, 300 Admiral Way, Suite 105, Edmonds, WA, 98020. Periodicals postage paid at Edmonds, WA and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Subscription rates to qualified subscribers are Free and all non-qualified subscriptions in U.S. are $22 per year payable in advance. Canada $35 (U.S.). Other $40 (U.S.). Single copies paid in advance $4. Company affiliation, title, date and signature must appear on subscription forms. Publisher reserves the right to refuse non-industry subscriptions and advertising. All other advertising is accepted at the discretion of the publisher. Publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher. Back issues, if available, $4 each. Directory and Calendar issue $10 each. Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #40740074. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to P.O. Box 86670 Stn. Main, North Vancouver, BC V7L 4L2 Printed in Canada at Horseshoe Press Inc.

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to TimberWest, P.O. Box 610, Edmonds, WA, 98020-0610

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ContractorProfile

Finding Success in Challenging Times By Barbara Coyner

n 2007, the historic slide into a

deep financial collapse was gathering speed. By 2008, the country was spinning from housing foreclosures, with the standstill of new home construction hitting the timber industry hard. Yet Blanchard, Idaho, logging contractor Seth Campbell was fixing his eyes on a future for himself, his wife Crystal, their son Conlen — and his crew. “We started this company in the worst of times in 2007,” says the 40-year-old Campbell. “A lot of people told me I was nuts. But I am not a crazy gambler. It was a calculated risk. I had some good guys, and we all wanted to show that we could do this. You have to have the right people or it won’t work.”

Matching Man and Iron

Developing a timeline of his logging ventures, Campbell expresses some surprise at how well things have worked out. Just recently he took delivery of a new cut-tolength duo, a 2018 John Deere 859MH harvester with a 415X Waratah head and a John Deere 1510G forwarder.

The new harvester will be run by Charley Lock, an 11-year veteran of Campbell’s operation, while ten-year crew member Tony Griesemer will run the new forwarder. “I’m a Deere guy,” Campbell admits, adding that he likes the Waratah head because it’s tough, well-built, and holds up with very little down time. “I got into the cut-tolength approach after a couple of my guys retired. Since cut-to-length requires two guys instead of four, and there’s also been a rebound in log demand, this seemed the way to go. Cut-to-length is more expensive than tractor logging. But I talked to Charley, one of our crew bosses, and he was ready to try something new, so he helped with the decision.” Campbell rounds out his current team with two-year veteran crew member Mike Peterson running a 2015 648H Deere swing grapple skidder; nine-year crew member Dave Yeoman operating a 2017 Deere 2154D log loader; five-year veteran Dillon Roth running a 2016 Deere 2154D processor with a 622C Waratah head; and newcomer Jared Larion piloting a 2017 Deere 848L dual arch skidder. Clearly there’s a lot of newer iron in Campbell’s tool kit, and it’s almost all green.

(Left to right) Dillon Roth, Gary Davis, Charley Lock, Tony Griesemer, Seth Campbell, Dave Yeoman, Jared Larion, Mike Peterson, Zay Bereiter (Right) Seth Compbell with his wife Crystal and son Conlen. 6

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Seth Campbell Logging, Blanchard, Idaho

ContractorProfile

Charley Lock operating 2018 John Deere 859MH harvester with a 415X Waratah head.

www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

ContractorProfile Part-timer and two-year employee Gary Davis operates a 2009 527 Cat high-track skidder, with another Cat 527 in reserve.

Crew Is Vital

Naming the crew is as important to Campbell as naming the equipment. He also includes his brother-in-law and previous long-time crew member Zay Bereiter, now a subcontractor, who runs his own brand new 2017 TimberPro 745C. Seth’s brother Shane of Shane Campbell Trucking hauls for the company. And it’s noteworthy that Seth’s 70-year-old dad Nelson also subcontracts as a hand-faller part-time. “Since 2008, it’s been a long road,” says Campbell of his company’s progress. “But demand for us is good and log prices are up, both good bargaining chips. The mills are recognizing what loggers are worth to the industry. We’ve also got to pay our guys what they are worth.”

Roots in Logging

Seth got into logging via his dad, a former Marine who owned 70 forested acres in Elk, Washington, but eventually moved the family to Idaho. Between serving on a Forest Service hot shot crew and managing his tree farm with a small Cat, Nelson Campbell also embellished his forest management credentials doing road and bridge construction for Joe Henry. “It was an awesome way to grow up,” Seth says of the variety of work locations. “We camped out and did a lot of fishing.” Seth started working for his dad right after high school, doing contracts for Sonny Poirier, and later buying his own log truck to add to his income by making evening hauls.

Zay Bereiter running a 2017 TimberPro 745C, with a Quadco head. In time, Campbell bought his first processor, admitting, “It was a really cheap stroke delimber cobbled together. But I did a lot of work with it. I can’t even remember the brand, but I sold it after a couple of years.” Next came a Clark 667 skidder, which he found pretty cheap, then his first danglehead Linkbelt “mule,” which gave him more flexibility. These days he has had enough experience with equipment to know his preferences better. Take the differences between the stroke-delimber and the dangle-head. “A stroker always has ahold of the piece you just

made, while a dangle head has ahold of the piece you are about to make. Strokers have their place, but I like the dangle-head approach better.”

Credit Where It’s Due

Campbell remembers the big step in forming his own company, and he gives lots of credit to his wife Crystal, the high school sweetheart he went on to marry in 1999. “I wouldn’t be doing any of this without her,” he says. “She does the books, pays the bills, and keeps things together. She’s a busy girl. Right out of the gate, she’s been a great business partner. She has book smarts and is super organized.” Indeed, she is super organized, also overseeing a second business the couple bought in 2012. Called Pacific Pad Print, Crystal manages a crew of four, printing on a variety of products including medical parts such as defibrillator lids, inscribing all the product information on the parts. “Crystal even skidded for me in the past,” Seth says of his wife’s varied support roles. Three of Crystal’s brothers have also previously worked for him, illustrating some strong and longstanding ties to Crystal’s whole family.

Things Look Bright Ahead

Happily, the work contracts have been excellent for Campbell and his crew, and from 2006 until just recently, the big jobs were often for Forest Capital (later changed to Hancock). One crew was dedicated to that work, while a second crew did smaller Tony operating the 2018 John Deere 1510G forwarder. 8

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

(continued on page 10)

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ContractorProfile (continued from page 8) jobs for a variety of clients, both industrial and private. In the fall of 2014, Inland Empire Paper Company offered a big chunk of business, as well, allowing Campbell to keep running two crews. He also continues to work for Sonny Poirier and has other steady work with Elmer Brothers. With the right equipment for his lean and loyal crew, he enjoys a steadiness to the business these days. That allows him to work private landowners into the equation when he has time. He acknowledges that the demands can be different for the variety of clients he serves, but he says listening to their objectives is his business strategy. “There are lots of ways to manage a forest,” he says of the various approaches he follows, depending on the job. Looking back over his timeline of business ups and downs, Campbell realizes he’s always been blessed to have plenty of work. He’s thankful for the great work ethic his mom, Karen, and his dad taught him growing up. And the importance of doing things right. “There’s only one way to do things, and that’s the right way,” says Campbell. Seeing the number of guys who have

Dave operating the John Deere 2154D log loader. stuck with him through the good and not so good years shows just how important a good loyal crew is. And watching them adapt to those nice new green machines, then hustle to keep production numbers up, shows that it’s more than iron that counts in today’s logging scene.

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

“This industry demands that you be efficient and waste very little time,” Campbell sums up of his trade. “My crew says I wear rose-colored glasses, and they give me a lot of grief about them. But you need an optimistic attitude in this business.” TW

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ContractorProfile

From the Bottom Up

Martin Timber Harvesting, Roseburg, Oregon Lindsay R. Mohlere

hris Martin is a man on a mis-

sion. As the owner of Martin Timber Harvesting, he has taken the bull by the horns and set a standard of excellence all on his own. Having grown up in a logging family, Chris began working in the woods fulltime before he was a sophomore in high school. In January 2017, when his dad decided to close up shop, Chris started his own business

rather than buy out his family’s business. “A lot of people ask me, why didn’t you just take over your family’s business? I just had my own ideas and wanted to do something different,” says Chris. “I didn’t want to do it like it was just handed to me. I’m a little old-school. I like to earn what I get. Maybe, I guess, I wanted to start from scratch to prove to myself that I could do it from scratch.” Chris also indicated that without the help of his wife Lesley, he would not have made the move. “Lesley works very hard running

Ponsse B Martin Tim 12

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Buffalo forwarder does double duty for mber Harvesting loading logging truck.

ContractorProfile Dano Ward wipes down windshield of Ponsse Buffalo forwarder while awaiting log truck arrival.

our books and taking care of the company’s administration. Without her, I wouldn’t have jumped out on my own,” he said.

Getting Started

To start, Chris bought two pieces of equipment from his folks, and off he went. He ran both machines by himself, cutting first, then stacking the forwarder. After about four months, Chris went to work searching for an employee. Like all logging outfits, whether they’re big or, in Chris’s case, a one-man operation, finding the “right” help is a difficult task at best. As a small company, doing the cut-tolength work is very labor and responsibility intensive. Finding the right employee to take on that challenge was one of the most important moves Chris had to make. “It’s hard to find younger people that want to come work in our industry. There are people who want to do it, but to take the time and accept the fact that your pay is going to be a little bit lower while you’re learning and training, especially somebody that’s completely green, and stick with it. Because that to me, is how you test somebody. Do they really want to do it?” Chris says, adding, “In our society, everyone wants to make $50 an hour. It just doesn’t work that way. You start at the bottom and work your way up.”

The Right Employee

He eventually found just what he needed in Daniel “Dano” Ward, despite the fact that

Dano had no logging experience. “Dano had never worked in the woods before,” says Chris. “He’d never run equipment, so I trained him from the start. He’s been with me over a year, and he’s doing fantastic.” Currently, Chris, Lesley, and Dano work as a tight and efficient team, with Lesley keeping the books straight, Chris putting the wood down, and Dano running the forwarder and loading log trucks. Regarding hiring Dano, Chris says, “I wanted to find the right person. I would rather do it by myself and wait for the right guy. And I’m glad I did, because it worked out really well.”

Ponsse Preferred

When Chris started working in the woods, his family ran Timberjack and John Deere machines. In 2005, the family business purchased a Valmet harvester. Chris ran it for nearly nine years and then started to look into trading for a new machine. Whether it was karma, luck, or plain old coincidence, Chris met with Ponsse representatives at the logging show that year. “Believe it or not,” Chris says, “they had a machine there that wasn’t spoken for, and they let us demo it. We were sold from then on.” Chris was impressed with the Ponsse representative’s knowledge of the machine, noting that they could answer questions only people who actually ran the machine could answer. (continued on page 14)

www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

ContractorProfile (continued from page 13) “Anybody can tell you specs on paper, but they knew a lot about what they sold. It’s what sold us,” says Chris. A few other things impressed Chris about Ponsse that made the sale easy. Like its performance, which Chris says was phenomenal. Since then, Chris has stayed with Ponsse through his transition from his family’s logging business to his current owner/operator operation. Chris usually runs a 2017 Ponsse Scorpion, while Dano operates the 2017 Ponsse Buffalo. “I wasn’t going to change when I started my own thing. They’re a family-owned company, one of the few left in our industry. You buy into the family and that’s a huge deal for us.”

Keep It Clean

Daily maintenance is an important facet of Chris’ operation. Greasing every day, fueling the truck each night, and keeping the equipment clean are particular elements of his equipment philosophy. “I’m particular. I think if you talk to anybody, everybody pretty much knows I’m very particular on our equipment. I like it to look nice and work every day,” says Chris. Chris notes that keeping his iron running and looking good has been a point of pride with him. Along with keeping the cabs clean and windshields washed, they bring out a pressure washer to wash down the machines. “It’s just what we do,” he says. “We spend a lot of time out here, way more time than we do at home. It’s just one of those things where some people think I’m crazy, but these machines don’t have to be beat up to be a tool and get the job done.” This philosophy is also deeply rooted by

Chris was impressed with the Ponsse representative’s knowledge of the machine, noting that they could answer questions only people who actually ran the machine could answer. the financial reality that well-maintained and clean equipment will fetch a better trade-in value than a busted-up hunk of iron. “I know how much this stuff costs, and I want it to last a long time and get a good trade in for it, because we try to rotate them out fairly often, so that we’ve always got nice new stuff, and the only reason that works is because we take good care of it, and we get good trade-in for it,” he says.

The Prospect of the Future

Along with this mission to do it by himself, Chris is looking forward to boost production and efficiency. While he envisions that his company will not get much bigger than it is already, his desire to keep the operation small doesn’t mean he’s not going to expand his capabilities.

In October, Martin Timber Harvesting will take possession of the T-Winch 10.2 and will officially expand into tethered logging. He will be the first U.S. operator to receive the new, improved edition of the T-Winch. Currently, the other logging outfits in the country that operate the T-Winch use the initial version T-Winch 10.1. Chris indicated the new model will be a little bit bigger and heavier and have more pulling power and a higher ground clearance. He has based his decision on the need that future work will most likely require a tethering system for parts of some projects. “They’re awesome,” he says. “They’re just so handy. It’s really going to open up what we can do.” TW

Chris Martin walks the Ponsse Scorpion deeper into the woods on a thinning project in Southern Oregon. 14

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

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ContractorProfile

It’s the Employees Holbrook Inc. Olympia, Washington Doosan 300LL used at the Holbrook Inc. log yard.

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

ContractorProfile By Andrea Watts

Jon Gordon standing on a 568 Cat.

tep onto a Holbrook operation

and you’ll see Jim “Big Jim” Filmore who started with the company as a chaser and is the go-to guy on tough logging sites. Then there’s Jon Gordon who began working in the log yards but is now operating log shovels, and Dale “Big Dale” Gustafson who keeps all of the logging and sorting yard equipment in good working order. For Holbrook Inc., success has come from the sum of its employees who have kept the company harvesting and moving logs for more than 30 years.

Launching Holbrook

Jerry and Penny Holbrook started Holbrook Inc. in 1987, and the company was incorporated in 1989. A handful of the original employees such as Big Jim are still with the company, and a number of those who joined later as the company matured can also count their years in decades. Shad Morey is Holbrook’s operations forester who oversees all the logging operations and handles the timber sale bidding. He joined the company soon after graduating from Centralia Community College nearly 30 years ago. “It just seems like yesterday I was the youngest,” he says.

Shovel Logging

Shovel logging is Holbrook Inc.’s focus, and the work is primarily clearcutting, although they have taken on thinning jobs for the state. Morey says they expect to get into (continued on page 20)

“Big Dale” Gustafson stands next to the company's maintenance truck.

www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

ContractorProfile (continued from page 19) cable logging by the end of the year and are putting together a yoder setup. Usually, they have three logging sides running at sites that are typically within a two to three-hour drive from their Olympia headquarters. Morey described their job sites as “scattered,” and this past spring (during this interview) was an excellent example of the scattered nature of their locations. Holbrook had active operations northwest in Quinault, south in Morton, and northeast in Electron, which is located in unincorporated Pierce County five miles south of Orting. Their clients include the well-known forestland owners in the region: Port Blakely, Olympic Resource Management Group, and Merrill & Ring.

The Company’s Niche

However, what sets Holbrook Inc. apart from other logging outfits is they also operate log sorting yards. Since 2005, PLS International, a division of Port Blakely, has contracted with Holbrook Inc. to run their Olympia log yard. They also operate Merrill Ring’s log yard in Tacoma. Morey estimates that their inventory

Since 2005, PLS International, a division of Port Blakely, has contracted with Holbrook Inc. to run their Olympia log yard. Holbrook also operates Merrill Ring’s log yard in Tacoma. rotates out within four to six weeks, and six million board feet fits on a ship. Joe Graham oversees the Olympia log yard and is one of the company’s original employees, or as he

describes himself jokingly, “senior experienced guy here.” (continued on page 22)

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TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Link-Belt 5040 at one of Holbrook's three active sides.

ContractorProfile

Holbrook's Caterpillar 3250 loading up.

(continued from page 20) With three active sides, keeping the logs moving is a recurring issue. On average, they will have nine to 12 trucks on the road. “We only have a couple of our own company log trucks, but we could use five times that,” Morey explains. “What we want and what we need are two different things.” Because they only have a couple truck drivers on staff, the majority of their hauling needs are contracted out. One of these contractors is Sharp Trucking with whom they have had a long relationship. Jon “LJ” Ferch, who started as a chaser over 15 years ago, before moving into the role of operations manager, oversees the log yard operations as well as handling the log truck coordination. Finding enough log trucks has been an issue of late. He feels that pay is one of the factors contributing to a truck driver shortage. “Trucks need to make money,” he says, “and timberland companies and landowners are beginning to turn the corner on that issue.” Morey adds that a shortage of young people entering the profession is also a problem.

Thirty-five Strong

To run all their operations, they have nearly 35 employees: six are typically staffing the Olympia log yard with another 10 operating at the Tacoma log yard. Typically, there will be three operators running the machines at each job site out in the woods. On most of their logging sites, the trees can be cut with a feller buncher, but when that option is not possible, the falling is contracted out 22

to Mountain Pacific Timber Cutting, which is owned by Craig Chambers. “They take care of us,” Morey says. “There have been times when I have wondered if we can get it cut, but Craig and his team always do an outstanding job.” Out in the woods is where many of the longtime employees can be found. Big Jim Filmore started as a chaser for Jerry back in the beginning and is now one of the company’s top operators able to log the tough job sites. “I learned how to be a better shovel operator because of him,” says Ferch. “Holbrook’s been good to me,” Filmore says, and as a testament to the company culture, two of his sons work at the Tacoma log yard.

Man and Machine

These days Filmore is running a Linkbelt 5040, a machine he likes and which Ferch describes as a “good solid machine.” Out on the job site with Filmore is Jay Erickson who runs a Linkbelt 4640. “I love it,” Erickson says. “New is always nice.” Rounding out the trio is George Lovell, one of the newer employees — he has only worked with the company for three years. Having heard that Holbrook sounded like a good place to work, Lovell says, “I called them out of the blue, and they said, ‘Come to work.’” Lovell runs the Cat 325, a machine that Ferch likes not only because it runs well but also because “hands down, Cat has the best service.” The driver hauling off the logs in their Kenworth logging truck is Larry Green, one of Holbrook’s drivers — his

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

tenure is closing in on 20 years. “I’ve been treated very well during this time with the company. We have a good crew,” he says. Out on the site up north near Electron, Tony Harrison runs the Doosan DX300 processor with a Waratah 623C head. September will mark his sixth anniversary with the company, which he says, “Seems just like yesterday.” Paired with Harrison is Jon Gordon who runs a Cat 568LL. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything else,” he says of the Cat, adding, “It’s the best all around, I’d say.” Gordon has been with the company for 12 years. He started in the log yards running the stackers and then went out into the woods. The guy who keeps the machines running (except for the trucks, he’s quick to clarify), is Big Dale Gustafson. “He pretty much keeps everything in good working order,” Ferch says. Gustafson has nearly a decade with the company and says that his favorite part of the job is being out in the woods. Of the problems that crop up, he estimates he is able to fix 98 percent of them.

Ready for What’s Ahead

Over the past few years, Jerry and Penny’s son Rich has transitioned into taking over the company. Holbrook is well positioned to continue for more decades to come, in part because of their employees. “A lot of people come here because we are good to work for,” says Ferch. “The owners really care about their employees, and they’ve gone above and beyond a typical employer.” TW

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EducationSpotlight

New Study Points to Ways Loggers Can Minimize Knee, Back, and Shoulder Injuries

Dr. Patee follows Josh Chilton down the hill in a rigging test and live sensors are illustrated on a laptop.

By Lindsay Mohlere

his fall, a new manual of best practices focused on preventable injuries in the logging industry is available through the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). SHIP Grant

Over a year ago, the Washington L&I offered a Safety and Health Investment Projects (SHIP) grant commissioning the study to research, test, and develop the manual to help prevent and reduce musculoskeletal injuries, which account for the largest percentage of compensable occupational

claims within the logging industry. The SHIP grant was awarded to a collaborative group that includes Chilton Logging of Woodland Washington; DorsaVI, an Australian wearable technology analytic firm; and Work Right NW, a company that pairs medical experts with corporations to focus their efforts on injury prevention. The team was led by Dr. Nic Patee, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), the founder and president of Work Right NW. Patee worked in the woods as a rigging man setting chokers, pulling rigging, and chasing during the summers while in college. This intimate knowledge of the industry was invaluable in creating the study.

A Dangerous Profession

“Logging is the most dangerous profession in the continental U.S.,” Dr. Patee said. “It has the highest fatality rate, the highest incident rate, highest risk of disability rate — all of those things. However, in most industries, we wouldn’t expect people to get injured. We would work hard to prevent this from happening. But because loggers have this culture and long-standing pride of being hard-working people, it isn’t approached that way. What we have is very few loggers over the age of 50 years old able to work out in

EducationSpotlight the brush because they’re too broken down. That’s not acceptable. We should be looking for ways to improve that.” Dr. Patee explained that chronic development of musculoskeletal issues like knee pain, shoulder pain, and back pain take most loggers out and prevent them from doing their jobs. To find ways to help minimize the risks and develop best practices, Dr. Patee’s group spent more than 15 months assessing 20 different projects where they hooked up wearable tech sensors to loggers to create a data profile of the demands of the job. A team of 17 loggers from Chilton Logging volunteered for the projects. Work Right NW assigned three physical therapists and a professional ergonomist along with a team of data analysts from DorsaVI to participate in the SHIP grant study.

Dr. Patee centers the DorsaVI movement sensor on lower back.

The Process

To determine which areas of the logging profession to focus on, the Work Right team looked to particular logging jobs where musculoskeletal issues were prevalent. Rigging men, timber cutters, and equipment operators had most of these issues. (continued on page 28)

www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

(continued from page 27)

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The Recommended Best Practices

While the study covered a wide range of tasks and identified several areas of risk, it was not able to develop best practices for all. The following are the study’s conclusions.

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Using DorsaVI patented ViSafe technology, the team developed baseline assessments as a guide to understanding the problems of each job. Volunteers were fitted with ViSafe stick-on censors that accurately mapped movement, muscle activity, and vibration. They are a medical grade solution with FDA and TGA approval and the CE mark. The wearable technology analyzes movement across three planes of movement and captures EMG data to quantify the physical demands of a job on a worker. Additionally, it tracks at 200 frames per second and pairs the data with real-time video of the job. At the end of the data collection process, the raw numbers were analyzed by DorsaVI and sent back to Work Right NW. In a workshop setting, the management team of Chilton Logging, an ergonomist, and Work Right staff talked through the information and brainstormed ways to solve the problems and then recommended interventions. After the proposed solutions were tested, a comparison of data highlighted the methods and results. The interventions were evaluated to ensure benefit to the workforce in the true work environment.

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• Problem: Consistent (nearly constant) risk factors for choker setters’ dominant shoulder from pulling chokers with one hand behind the back. Identify a method that places less stress on the shoulders. • Best Practice: Pulling chokers over the shoulder demonstrated significantly less risk.

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Dr. Patee monitors rigging test with on-site narration and video. • Problem: Determine which equipment is best for a hook tender to reduce effect and effort while pulling haywire. • Best Practice: Hindu eye haywire, as opposed to spliced eye, had significantly less EMG activity in both back and shoulder. Hindu eye cable also snagged less in the brush. • Problem: Reduce shoulder impact risk while pulling haywire up or down hill. • Best Practice: Use a lightweight climbing harness to centralize the pull of haywire and reduce the impact on shoulder and lumbar spine. • Problem: Blocks and coils are two of the heaviest tools carried in the brush. Reduce the risk of injury and the variability of an unstable load. • Best Practice: Use a lightweight backpack for transporting gear. It will reduce the physical impact on back and shoulders.

A Two-fold Purpose

“Logging is a dangerous job, and it’s struggling to get workers,” Dr. Patee said. “If we can understand how to extend the working life of the logger, that would help multiple ways. Not only by reducing injuries, but also impact the industry by keeping people working in the industry longer.” The complete study, Best Practice/Train the Trainer, is available through the Washington State Labor and Industries Board at http:// www.lni.wa.go v/S af et y/Topics/A toZ/ Logging/resources.asp. TW

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ConferenceReview

2018 CBI & Ecotec Factory Forum By Louis Anthony Loftus

ctober, 3, 2018 was the Continental Biomass Industries (CBI) & Ecotec Factory Forum at CBI’s facility in Newton, New Hampshire. CBI and Ecotec are Terex® brands that design and manufacture land clearing and of wood processing, biomass and recycling equipment. The three-day event was an opportunity for the company’s U.S. and international customers to see live machine demonstrations of their equipment, including the new Magnum Force 6800CT Horizontal Grinder, and to attend technical workshops and presentations, as well as to visit historic Portsmouth Harbor. This year’s Factory Forum was the second and had special significance to CBI, as it coincided with the 30th anniversary of their founding in 1988. Demonstrations of the merchandise—a mix of upswing and downswing grinders, flails, and drum chippers – was the main event. First up was an excavator-mounted log and stump screw, which made quick work of its woodpile. Next was the CBI 7544 Flail and Chipper. CBI recently combined its 604 flail debarker and 754 disc chipper. Armed with a 75 inch diameter chipper disc, the 7544 reduced a formidable stack of felled trees to a pile of playground-ready wood chips in a matter of minutes, spraying them

from its discharge chute like water from a high-powered hose. The star of the show was the new Magnum Force 6800CT Horizontal Grinder. Combining the 6800BT’s 60-inch wide rotor, feed hopper and discharge belt with a larger engine (optional 1200 hp CAT C32), larger screening area, fuel tank, hydraulic capacity, and shaft and bearings, the 6800CT can process in excess of 200 tons of material per hour.

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

The rest of the demonstrations was taken up with the horizontal grinders, the 6800CT and a 5800BT (essentially a smaller 6800BT), followed by a pair of 6400s. True to their name, horizontal grinders don’t cut wood so much as pulverize it, producing wood grindings that make safety glasses a necessity. By the time the dust cleared, four more stacks of logs had been transformed into four piles of log bits. TW

FireColumn

New Technology Coming to the Fireline By Lindsay Mohlere

elieve it or not, there’s actually some good news coming out of Washington D.C. Wildfire Management Technology Advancement Act

On Tuesday, September 25, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved the Wildfire Management Technology Advancement Act (SB2290). Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced the bill in January, and it finally made its way through the morass of government to the committee for the all- hands vote. The bill still has to make it through the House and the full Senate, but this early bipartisan support could help pave the way for passage in the near future. SB2290 mandates the development of consistent protocols and plans for the use of new technology by federal land management agencies. It would bring, within a year after the bill is enacted, the development and operation of a tracking system to remotely locate

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

the position of fire resources assigned to Federal Type 1 incident management teams. In addition, the bill would increase the effectiveness of wildfire response by providing crews on the ground with GPS locators and using unmanned aircraft systems (drones) to scout out and map wildfires in real time. The technology and various systems have already been proven effective by a few local and state agencies like CALFire. There’s no question, the technology saves lives. Just how long it will take for the bill to become law is the big question. Hopefully, our flannelmouthed luminaries that sit across the aisle from each other in D.C. can bury the hatchet and get this piece of legislation done.

Fire and Weather

New computer models are changing the way we gather data on how fires interact with the atmosphere. The National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, has recently developed a new prediction method. (continued on page 34)

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FireColumn

(continued from page 32) A research team led by atmospheric scientist Janice Coen has applied complex math and fluid dynamics to study how air moves when it is heated by fire, and how that motion then affects fire behavior. Her work has shed some light on several surprising

fire events, like the “firenado” generated by California’s Carr Fire this past July. Ignited by sparks thrown from the rim of a flat tire scraping a road’s pavement, the Carr Fire eventually torched 930 acres (359 square miles), destroyed more than 1,000 buildings, and claimed the lives of seven individuals, including one firefighter.

The “firenado” was set off near Redding when rising air heated by the fire collided with the turbulent air surrounding the blaze. It generated winds exceeding 124 miles per hour and temperatures over 2700 degrees Fahrenheit. The event was triggered by strong winds pushing down mountain slopes and crashing

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FireColumn like wave curls at the base of the hills. This turbulent air met the flames and then the fire and super-heated air began swirling and rising together forming a devastating vortex. Coen and her team’s research of different fire models takes a giant step toward understanding fire patterns and will certainly offer clues to how we manage future fires.

Prescribed Burn Rant

I don’t have a problem with prescribed burns. They’re an efficient fuel reduction tool. However, when the Forest Service decides to put the match to a particular piece of ground, I would think it prudent to coordinate with other local and state agencies, but alas, I may be wrong. A couple of weeks ago, I, along with more than 500 other Oregon hunters in the Chesnimnus Game Management Unit #58 in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest were greeted by the snap and crackle and thick smoke of burning timber on opening day of the 2018 Rifle Buck Season. It was a rude awakening to discover the bounty we were seeking for our freezers had been driven out of the unit by the fires. When an OFW game warden stopped by our camp to check licenses and tags, I asked him if the Forest Service coordinated lighting the fires with the Fish and Game. He responded that he didn’t think so. “The Forest Service has signs up, but they do pretty much what they want to do.” I wish I would have seen one of those signs before I plunked down $27.50 for the

tag, spent a few hundred bucks on preparing my rigs for the adventure and another $200 on food and refreshments, and drove seven hours one way plus gas, just like the other 500 or so hunters stuck in the smoke pit. Most people understand the importance of prescribed burns, but it’s a hot coal down the back of the pants when your hunting season gets torched because one agency didn’t inform another agency of their intended actions. Here are a couple of things I’d like to know: Why didn’t the Forest Service inform

ODFW of the intended burn? On the other hand, did ODFW know in advance and decide not to take any action to inform the hunters who drew tags for the unit? Is ODFW going to do anything, like refund the cash for the tags, or just take the money and run? The Forest Service and ODFW should man-up. The 500+ deer tag holders in the Chesnimnus Game Management Unit deserve an explanation. That’s a wrap. Stay safe out there. TW

What’s Burning Now!

Fire season is finally winding down, but it’s been a rough go. The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho, reports this year’s wildfires are on track to cause at least as much damage in the United States as the fires last year. Indeed, those blazes burned a bigger area in 2017 than in almost any year since 1983. As of September, 48,584 fires had torched at least 11,500 square miles nationwide. That’s an area larger than Massachusetts. NIFC has also reported more than 50 large fires are burning in the West — 20 of them still uncontained. Talk back – TWfirecolumn@gmail.com (Source: InciWeb, ODF, WA/DNR, NWCC, USFS, AP, NIFC, Wildfire Today) Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture/USFS

www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

ConferenceReview

Pacific Logging Congress Review By Mary Bullwinkel

he 8th Annual Pacific Logging Congress Live In-Woods show held September 13–15 just outside Corvallis, Oregon, was a chance for industry professionals to show off. State-of-the-art equipment and the latest in technology were on display and in use for all to see how advanced the logging industry has become. A total of 40 exhibitors participated.

Oregon high school students learn about what goes into a managed forest.

Equipment in Action

“Our industry is experiencing a tremendous movement in incorporating technological advancements into our daily operations,” said Jeff Wimer, 2018 Pacific Logging Congress (PLC) president and Oregon State University (OSU) senior instructor in Forest engineering, Resource, and Management. “Tethered assist, remote-control operations, virtual reality, and drone technology are being utilized to help create a much safer and productive work environment.” The three-day In-Woods show was held on the OSU College of Forestry Dunn Research Forest and included live demonstrations of a variety of harvesting and logging techniques, along with the opportunity for those attending to gain a better understanding of new technologies and how they are applied throughout the forest products industry.

Next Generation

Every four years, the PLC hosts the Live In-Woods show, where equipment

manufacturers demonstrate their products in an actual logging operation format. Wimer said this is the first year the show included tether assist, drone, and cable logging demonstrations. “It was fun to see the expression on the students’ faces when they first walked out and looked over the edge between the yarder and the tethered assist,” Wimer remarked. “One even said, ‘It was like you were sitting on top of the world.’” He added, “Our goal was to provide a safe, fun, and educational experience for the thousands of students, teachers, families, individuals, vendors, logging contractors, and land managers in attendance — and that goal was met!” He said attendees were able to view multiple manufacturers from a single viewpoint and develop a better understanding of how a healthy forest is managed for a variety of products.

The steep slope demonstrations were a hit with the attendees. 36

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Education

Logging contractors also had an opportunity to earn professional logger credits by attending two days of onsite seminars. Day One topics included deadman and multi-stump anchoring, tree, stand, and management consideration in cut-to-length thinning operations, protecting the logging workforce, and drone applications. Day Two topics were winch-assist harvesting, machine computer systems, and equipment trends, EPA changes, and current and future technology for marketing logging gear. The PLC’s mandate of education was on full display at the In-Woods show, as tour guides led approximately 500 high school students and teachers, broken into small groups, to view live demonstrations and talk one-on-one with industry professionals, including equipment manufacturers, loggers, and others. PLC worked closely with the Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI) in coordinating the students’ visits. Forest management topics covered included protection of water, air, wildlife habitat, and recreation enhancement. Wimer said the high school students who visited the show are the next generation of loggers, foresters, and industry professionals. “It is important that we show the next generation the opportunities that exist in our industry,” he said, “and that our industry provides great prospects to earn a decent living. I spent my lifetime in the woods and wouldn’t trade it for the world.” Northern California resident and PLC (continued on page 38)

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ConferenceReview (continued from page 36) Past President Stanwood “Woody” Murphy put it this way, “We were successful in creating a connection with the next generation workforce for the logging industry, and that will be key to our survival.”

Dinner and Auction

The dinner and auction on September 14 was attended by more than 220 industry representatives and their families and friends. Proceeds from the auction, which totaled approximately $26,000, will benefit the Pacific Forest Foundation (PFF), the educational arm of PLC. Since 2013 PFF has awarded more than $107,000 in forestry-related scholarships. The first meeting of the Pacific Logging Congress was held in 1909 in Seattle, Washington. The first three-day meeting covered sanitation, food supply, use of electricity in logging, elimination of fire hazards, fire prevention, how to log on grades too steep for locomotives, and a tax increase facing loggers in Mendocino County, California. At the first meeting, PLC Secretary George Cornwall said, “Loggers should have frequent contact if they expect to keep pace with the changing times and benefit from associated effort and a frank exchange of views.” Today PLC is proud to call itself “the unified voice of the western logging industry.” TW

Attendees enjoyed live equipment demonstrations of state-of-the-art technology.

IN-THE-WOODS SHOW HISTORY

• First – 1989 in Washington state. PLC President, Dean Hurn of Hoh River Timber Inc. • Second – 1993 in Washington state. PLC President, Bill Hermann of Hermann Bros. Logging & Construction. • Third – 1997 in Washington state. PLC President, Bill Burgess Jr. of Burgess Logging. • Fourth – 2001 in Vernonia, Oregon. PLC President, Joel Olson of Joel Olson Trucking Inc. • Fifth – 2006 in Clatskanie, Oregon. PLC President, Ed Hanscom of HM Inc. • Sixth – 2010 in Clatskanie, Oregon. PLC President, Craig Olson of Weyerhaeuser. • Seventh – 2014 in Mollala, Oregon. PLC President, Duane Evans of Port Blakely Tree Farm. 38

High school students learning about the industry.

Attendees get up close and take a look a new equipment.

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Bandit Celebrates 35th Anniversary

On September 12, more than 350 dealers, customers, and special guests descended on Bandit Industries’ world headquarters in midMichigan to celebrate 35 years of continued success, and to check out what’s in store for the coming years.

That celebration included tours of Bandit’s facilities, a behindthe-scenes look at the process of building the most powerful wood processing equipment in the industry, and to cap it off, a demonstration of more than two dozen machines – including brand new, never before seen machines. “We couldn’t properly celebrate 35 years without our dealers who are committed to providing the best support and our amazing customers who have stood with us over the years,” said Bandit Sales Manager Jason Morey. “But Bandit Industries is a success because of the hardworking men and women who show up every day to build these machines.” After the special Bandit guests had gone home, Bandit opened its doors to the mid-Michigan community for an open house on September 15. Nearly 800 guests dropped by for machine demonstrations, plant tours, food, and fun.

Fuchs Announces New Addition to North America Team

Ponsse has had some excitement recently. First, Ponsse Plc’s President and CEO Juho Nummela was named businessperson of the year (Vuoden Liikemies) in an annual event held by Suomen Liikemiesyhdistys in cooperation with Kauppalehti and Aalto University. This marked the first time the second person from a single company has received the recognition. Ponsse’s founder Einari Vidgrén was presented with the recognition in 1997. The criteria for the recognition mentioned that Juho Nummela combines the characteristics of modern sustainable leadership. According to the jury, Juho Nummela implements principles in which responsible operations, transparency, and the engagement of stakeholders have produced both financial success and success measurable in employee experiences. If that wasn’t enough, Ponsse recently opened its expanded factory. The factory investment is the largest in Ponsse’s history, expanding the production facilities from 29,000 square feet to 43,000 square feet. The investment means a leap forward in terms of production technology. “The new factory facilitates the strong development of quality, flexibility, occupational safety, and productivity. We are able to react more flexibly to changes in the market situation and ensure effective customer variation of PONSSE forest machines in serial production conditions,” says Juho Nummela, president and CEO.

WTD Equipment Joins Bandit’s Dealer Network

Fuchs is continuing to grow across America by appointing two new additions to the Sales team: Tim Gerbus and Shane Toncrey. Todd Goss, Louisville general manager said, “We are delighted to have both Tim and Shane join us in Louisville. Both salesmen bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, which I am Shane Toncrey confident will help achieve our goals for the future.” Tim Gerbus will lead the Fuchs North America team. Tim has a background that includes extensive experience in dealer development, sales, and marketing and has worked in various industries including construction equipment and fabrication. Tim was previously the President and Director of Development for an articulated dump trucks company in North America. Shane Toncrey will be taking on the role of Regional Sales Manager for Fuchs NA. Since completing his bachelor’s degree and Masters of Business Administration, Shane has had extensive experience as a Sales & Marketing Manager in construction equipment. Shane will be responsible for the Midwest and Western parts of the U.S. 40

Two Big Ponsse Events

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

WTD Equipment has joined Bandit’s growing dealer network to supply hand-fed chippers and stump grinders to the Pacific Northwest with two locations: Portland, Oregon, and Monroe, Washington. “WTD Equipment has a deep commitment to the hardworking tree care professionals in the northwestern United States, and now they will be able to supply the best hand-fed wood chippers and stump grinders in the industry to their customers,” said Bandit Sales Manager Jason Morey. Learn more about WTD Equipment by visiting them at their locations at 9442 N. Whitaker Road, Portland, OR, or 20028 Old Owen Road, Monroe, WA. Or visit them online at www. WTDequipment.com.

Freres Lumber Co. Wins SEDCOR Manufacturer Award

Freres Lumber Co. recently was recognized at the 2018 SEDCOR Annual Awards, picking up the Manufacturer of the Year award. The event was held Saturday, September 6, at the Salem Convention Center. The award is given to the individual or company who has been active in SEDCOR, made contributions to the industry and community, and is considered a successful operator exemplifying the highest business ethical standards. TW

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- FIND A DISTRIBUTOR OF CBI EQUIPMENT Kimball Equipment (AZ, NV, ID, UT) www.kimballequipment.com (801) 972-2121

Powerscreen of California & Hawaii (CA, HI) www.powerscreenofcalifornia.com (707) 253-1874

CBI Factory Direct (WA, OR) www.cbi-inc.com (603) 382-0556

AFRC Comments on ESA Modernization Proposal

July 25, both the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) and NOAA Fisheries proposed revisions to three sections of regulations pertaining to the Endangered Species Act (ESA): Listing Species and Designating Critical Habitat (ESA section 4), Revision of Regulation for Prohibitions to Threatened Wildlife and Plants (ESA section 4(d)), and Interagency Cooperation (ESA section 7). FWS and NOAA primarily proposed the revisions to clarify existing rules and ensure they were consistently applied between the agencies. On September 24, in addition to generally supporting the proposed revisions, AFRC presented comments on a number of crucial issues to our industry. First, AFRC recommended language of the rules be altered or eliminated to avoid inappropriately expansive designations of critical habitat. Second, AFRC commented on the need to consider economic impacts during the implementation of the ESA, to the extent permitted by the act. Third, AFRC addressed the importance of the proposed uniformity between the listing and delisting procedures. Fourth, AFRC provided recommendations for species-specific regulations concerning the northern spotted

owl and the marbled murrelet. Last, AFRC submitted many comments on interagency cooperation with a focus on expediting the federal consultation process and providing more authority to individual forest managers. It urged the services to consider issuing “counterpart” regulations that would allow forest biologists to make the determination whether a project is likely to adversely affect species or critical habitat.

OLC Planning Second Career Day

The Second Annual Future Forestry Workers Career Day will take place in conjunction with the Oregon Logging Conference, on Friday, February 22, 2019. Last year 425 students and teachers from 24 Oregon schools participated. This year there will be capacity for 900. High school students will be introduced to current job opportunities in the logging, forestry, and natural resource industries. Students will be able to talk one-onone with industry professionals and learn about forestry and reforestation, logging and trucking, diesel mechanics and welding, operating heavy equipment, and firefighting. A self-guided map will be provided to students and instructors upon arrival, identifying areas to visit with equipment displays,

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TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

PilotlessTM Mechanical PTO

both inside and outside, and booths with information about various aspects of the logging and forestry industries. For more information, call the Oregon Logging Conference at (541) 686-9191.

Forest Service Chief Headlines ALC 24th Annual Meeting

Newly-appointed U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen addressed the American Loggers Council (ALC) during its 24th Annual Meeting. The meeting, held Oct. 11-13, brought loggers, ALC sponsors and others from across the country to Seaside, Oregon, for logging demonstrations, special events and industry discussions. ALC was the first organization that Christiansen addressed after being appointed Chief on Oct. 10. Speaking to attendees on Oct. 13, she discussed her vision for the U.S. Forest Service, her efforts to improve management on National Forest Service lands, and the recognition of loggers as the "boots on the ground" to help ensure better outcomes for public lands. The annual meeting included a logging tour on nearby state forest land, educating attendees on logging systems and practices in Northwestern Oregon. Later that evening ALC held its annual President's Dinner and Auction. ALC's leadership and members agreed to pursue new membership and sponsorship opportunities, and to expand in parts of the country where loggers currently lack a national voice. ALC will continue to be active in the policymaking in Washington DC, including advocating for key priorities including passage of the Future Logging Careers Act, Right to Haul Act, biomass utilization and federal forest management reforms. Chris Potts of Potts Logging of Alabama was appointed ALC's new president. Shannon Jarvis of Jarvis Timber in Missouri and Tim Christopherson of Dabco Logging in Idaho will serve as First and Second Vice Presidents, respectively. Andy Irish of Irish Family Logging in Maine will serve as Secretary-Treasurer.

AFRC Welcomes Law Clerk Greg Hibbard

The AFRC welcomed Greg Hibbard as a law clerk to the AFRC Legal Program. He will be assisting Cindi, Sara, and Lawson in providing legal services to our members and has already pitched in on AFRC’s comments on ESA regulatory reform. Greg is a 2018 graduate of the University of Washington law school and is currently studying for an LL.M. (Master of Laws) degree at Lewis & Clark. He will begin a judicial clerkship on the Oregon Court of Appeals in the summer of 2019. TW

Bar, Chain and Sprocket JSP

Cannon Bar Works

Cannon Bar Works Ltd.’s objective has been to provide professional loggers, arborists, carvers, and competitors with the highest quality saw chain guide bars at the fairest possible price. Cannon Bars are individually made by skilled craftsmen to ensure all quality standards are met and exceeded to provide customers with “The Best Bar – Bar None!”. The company offers a full line of .404 and ¾ pitch harvester bars, chainsaw bars, milling bars, package saw bars, and even repair all brands of bars.

Cannon chainsaw and .404 pitch harvester bars are made from high-grade, custom formulated, cold rolled, and annealed steel. Each bar is water-jet cut in our Langley, BC shop. Bars are then heat-treated, oil quenched, and press tempered to achieve just the right hardness. Its Master Barmen individually groove the bars to within .003” of the desired gauge. Cannon Bar flame hardens the rails to increase bar rail life and then press the heel to reduce vibration. Our ¾” pitch harvester bars are cut from a titanium alloy steel, straightened, grooved, and stress relieved inhouse. The titanium alloy steel work-hardens and decreases the chance of cracks when bars are bent, which makes the bars much more repairable. Cannon Bars are also put through quality assurance tests at every stage of production. www.cannonbar.com

flexing of the rails and prevents them from cracking by not requiring heat treatment of the rails. Gem says that other bars begin with a lower grade of steel and heat treat the rails to be harder; which changes the hardness between the body and rails of the bar. By using the strongest material and not needing to temper our rails, Gem maintains a uniform hardness throughout the bar for consistent strength and longer wear life. Robotic manufacturing and laser probe verification give the most consistent, highest quality. Wide oil wells and deep, precisely machined rail grooves also extend the wear life. The replaceable tips are also made from premium hard plate with a unique hard metal composition. With no need to heat treat these parts either, the company gains the same advantages as our bars — elimination of chipping, prevention of cracking and longer wear life. Utilizing premium materials, high-tech manufacturing processes and unique design features, it all adds up to maximized runtime for Gem customers. www.gemchainbar.com

Hultdins

All over the world Hultdins saw units are standard on a wide range of harvester heads, processor heads, felling heads, delimbers and grapplesaws. The Hultdins SuperCut is one of the market leader in chain saw systems today.

Gem Chain Bar

Gem Chain Bar believes it is the science behind their product that makes it the highest quality for a competitive price. Gem harvester bars are precision cut by a water jet to leave no mechanical stress or heat affected zone on the metal. The bars are made from ballistic grade steel — the strongest in the harvester industry. This material gives the company the advantage of high-level spring back and bend-force resistance. This steel also significantly reduces the 44

Hultins offers bth the SuperCut (SC100, SC150, SC300, and SCSTD) and SuperSaw (SuperSaw 555S, SuperSaw 650S. They are all compact self-contained units, and feature: automatic tension system; fast replacement of saw chain and bar; built-in bar feed cylinder; promotional chain lubrication and both .404” saw chain and ¾” – 11H saw chain. www.hultdins.com

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

With the new R5500 saw unit, JPS has improved former technologies in several ways. Instead of operating the saw motor at its maximum limits, which leads to reduced efficiency and high heat generation, JPS have lowered the RPM’s to half and increased the torque by using a larger sprocket. With a lower rotational speed and less heat generation, the power produced by the hydraulic system is used more efficient. Validated tests have shown that the R5500 saw unit can reduce fuel consumption when harvesting up to 15 percent.

The chain speed has been maintained by using a larger drive sprocket with 20 or 22 teeth. The large radius also reduces sprocket wear out to a minimum. Additionally, as the sprocket is reversible, meaning the sprocket is double sided with two rows of teeth, you simply turn it over if needed. And JPS offers an impressive 5,000-hour warranty against wear-out of the sprocket. Also, a wider saw bar tail with a more rigid saw bar, results in reduced oscillation. The rigid structure of the saw bar enables the rails to be made stiffer without any risk of cracking. The unique bar mount can be unfastened with a single screw and it is therefore easy to demount and turn. The R5500 features automatic chain tensioning. The optimized chain tension, the more rigid saw bar and the large sprocket reduce downtime caused by chain slippage and bar deformation. www.jpsteknik.com/en

Olosfors

The Swedish company, Olosfors, offers two Iggesund Forest options. Blue Line — Iggesund Forest is pleased (continued on page 46)

CLIMB WITH CONFIDENCE

EX™

Provides extreme traction in tough conditions such as deep snow, steep slopes and rocky terrain

There are no limits for operators with the right Tracks. Olofsfors offers a wide range of Track models and linkage systems for various machine configurations and ground conditions. Superior quality and performance for increased productivity. Where the road ends, ECO-TRACKS take over. No matter the conditions – WE HAVE THE TRACKS.

ECO-TRACKS, the name you can trust Olofsfors tracks carry your machine FORWARD, regardless of terrain. UPWARDS, regardless of grade. ONWARDS, regardless of obstacles.

A PROVEN TRACK RECORD FOR PERFORMANCE & DURABILITY Visit www.eco-tracks.com to see our complete line of track models. All engineered to match your conditions.

Contact: Olofsfors Inc. Tel: (519) 754-2190 Fax: (519) 757-1100 Email: info@olofsfors.com

TechReview (continued from page 44) to introduce Blue Line. Blue Line is the strongest .404” bar ever produced due to a unique metal alloy and improved tempering techniques. Blue Line is more rigid yet flexible and the material reduces vibrations reducing wear and providing straighter cuts. Blue Line has increased the dimension of the lubrication holes for improved oil flow and better adaptability with grease lubrication systems. New ¾” Saw Bar — Iggesund Forest is also pleased to announce an upgraded ¾” pitch saw bar. The R9 series features a stronger metal alloy in the bar and tip for increased lifetime and wear resistance. R9 comes standard with a wide tampered replaceable nose tip and many different bar mounts to suit many different harvesting heads. www. Olofsfors.com

Oregon

Built with a focus on cutting speed, strength, and durability the Oregon SpeedMax XL .404” timber harvester cutting system delivers maximum uptime through advanced designs across the bar, chain, and sprocket. Oregon believes cutting system speed and durability are two of the most important factors when it comes to increasing productivity in the forest. The company is focused on helping harvester operators spend more time in the cab and less time changing out equipment. The SpeedMax XL .404” cutting system features: • 19HX Saw Chain – a chamfer chisel chain built to deliver faster, more aggressive cutting. The chain has tall chamfer chisel cutters that combine durability with improved chip clearance to deliver

Introducing

www.NorthAmericaSupply.com Your new link to www.tirechainsrequired.com and www.harvesterbars.com. These two sites are coming together to offer you all the same high quality brands you’ve come to know and trust in one convenient online location. Tire chains, saw bars, saw chain and hot saw teeth delivered straight to your door. Visit or call toll free to speak with a rep at

1-855-255-0871 sales@northamericasupply.com Logging and industrial supplies, wire rope, chain and accessories coming soon!

faster and more consistent cuts in all types of wood. • SpeedMax XL Guide Bar – designed to minimize time between cuts by reducing vibration to the cutting system. This guide bar has been widened to improve chain retention. The bar is also stiffer and stronger to increase cutting speed and reduce costly downtime. A tail contour decreases friction, making it less likely to throw chain. The larger 14-tooth replaceable sprocket nose features high-alloy industrial bearings and requires fewer rotations to accomplish the same work with less heat build-up – extending the life of the nose. • .404” Rim Sprocket – precision-balanced and machined from durable solid-billet steel. Equipped with a raised-tooth design to reduce chain stretch and improved debris ejection with tapered side-ports. OregonProducts.com

Pacific Trail Manufacturing

Pacific Trail offers the ¾” pitch saw chain guide bars. The bars are made from high tensile strength 500bhn alloy steel. They are strong enough to do the jo and cold formable for straightening in the field. Every bar is straightened and stress relieved by hand. Options include: sprocket nose, satellite inlaid solid nose or double end; replaceable sprocket nose kits; all-mount patterns; and length from 24” to 10’+ (in both replaceable sprocket nose and double-end). www.ptmi.net

Stihl

Stihl takes very seriously the design and construction of critical components of its guide bars. The company manufactures its guide bars with the same strict quality control standards as its chainsaws so they work hand in hand to deliver the power and performance you’ve come to expect from STIHL. All STIHL guide bars have induction heat-treated edges to give high wear resistance. The heat treating process hardens the rails while allowing the rest of the bar to remain flexible. This makes it less likely for the bar to have a permanent bend if it were flexed during use. The guide bars are also symmetrical. Over time, they can be flipped over to spread out the wear, increasing the service life of the bar. STIHL guide bars range from 10” to an incredible 59”. STIHL manufactures over eighty bar configurations to match the unique cutting requirements of our hardworking chainsaws. All are laser cut from tough, wear-resistant steel and feature our exclusive Ematic™ Bar Lubrication System. This technology ensures pinpoint lubrication where it’s needed most: the saw chain links and guide bar rails. When used with STIHL OILOMATIC® saw chains, the guide bars provide maximum lubrication, longer wear, and the company says up to 50 percent less oil consumption than conventional chain lubrication methods. www.stihlusa.com

TriLink Saw Chain

TriLink Saw Chain strives to provide the best quality, value and service in the industry. Understanding the market needs and being able to deliver a solution that meets its standards, allows Trilink to proudly introduce its NEW TriLink™ Harvester product line. (continued on page 48)

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

brandtused.ca What are you looking for? Searching for used equipment just got a whole lot easier with advanced searches, currency conversion and monthly payment calculations. And every machine is backed by Brandt – the best-trained and committed after sales support team in the business.

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www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

TechReview (continued from page 46) In the harvester industry quality and durability keep the machines cutting. Maximum performance and dependability are definitive to the harvester operators. The TriLink harvester line is meticulously engineered, designed, and manufactured to meet the demanding challenges faced by cutting operators. The TriLink™ harvester guide bars are manufactured using state of the art technology. Its solid steel precision cut bars

incorporate a fully riveted nose construction providing strength and durability. The breakaway nose design allows for minimal bar damage if pinched during cut. Complementing the bars, the TriLink™

INTRODUCING A COMPLETE LINE OF

HARVESTER GUIDE BARS and CHAINS

harvester chain is manufactured from high quality alloy steel. Each chain is produced with a multi-layered industrial chrome plating adding durability and strength. Enhanced engineer grind and a computer-controlled inspection process provide superior out of box cutting speed and sharpness. Designed with high profile cutters for maximum chip clearance our harvester chain maintains a smooth fast cut even after heavy use. The micro radius semi chisel cutters increase cutting speed while providing wear resistance. An increased kerf width yields advanced cutting efficiency while larger rivets increase strength and bearing surface of the chain. Tested and proven to perform, TriLink™ Harvester provides, the company says, a superior and durable alternative. www.trilinkglobal.com

Wallingford's

Since 1959, GB-Australia has built a solid reputation by manufacturing products that set new industry standards. Now, with a modern state of the art production line, utilizing laser cutting technology, CNC machines and computer-controlled processors, GB manufactures a product which excels, quite literally, at the cutting edge of timber harvesting. A unique blend of titanium and alloy steel yields the ultra-high strength material with uniform hardness throughout the bar, which the company says is unlike the competition. This alloy steel is extremely durable, resulting in fewer bends and better “memory”, which allows it to return to original shape and increasing run time for operators. GB®

A SUPERIOR AND MORE DURABLE ALTERNATIVE OVER THE COMPETITION

www.trilinksawchain.com 48

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Professional Harvester Bars are available in both .404” & 3/4” pitch and are designed with mounting configurations to fit most mechanical harvesting equipment. The .404” XV line has a patented 15tooth sprocket, which reduces RPM resulting in less friction and wear. This, combined with the patented Lube Direct channels to directly feed the bearings lubrication, improves overall performance and life. The new ¾” BC tip has the Lube Direct system and a machined edge to control chipping. Even with state-of-the-art tips, the bars tend to use multiple tips during their lifetime speaking to their longevity. www.wallingfords.com TW

OLC Business Seminars at a Glance

Friday, February 22, 2019 - Program Sessions Held in the Wheeler Pavilion and South Meeting Rooms of the Convention Center at Lane County Fairgrounds 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Business Seminar 1 (1 PL Credit) – Exhibit Hall, SW Meeting Room Sponsor: Pape’ Machinery “Final Tier 4 Engines in Forestry Equipment – Operation and Maintenance” presented by Jim Carter, Pape’ Machinery, Eugene. 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Business Seminar 2 (1 PL Credit) – Wheeler Pavilion “Agile in the Woods - New for 2019” presented by Wendy Farrand, Consultant. From this presentation logging contractors will learn about Agile and the Agile Revolution, and how they can apply some of those tools and concepts to the business of logging. 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Hands-on Seminar 1 (1 PL Credit) – Auditorium, Sponsor: Freightliner NW “Department of Transportation Rules and Regulations Updates” presented by a representative from Glostone Trucking Solutions. 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Life Flight (1 PL Credit) — Exhibit Hall, SE Meeting Room Moderator: Bodie Dowding, Oregon Dept. of Forestry “Life Flight Helicopter Operations” presented by Troy Speziale. 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Business Seminar 3 (1 PL Credit) Wheeler Pavilion “Loggers! Don’t Leave Culture to Chance!” presented by Wendy Farrand, Consultant. Leaders in the woods should not leave culture to chance. Company culture is more important now than ever. Focusing on culture can improve business relations inside and outside of your business. Leave this presentation with a better understanding of how to reinforce the culture your company and our industry deserve. 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Exhibitor Hands-on Seminar 2 (1 PL Credit) – Outside Exhibit Area Sponsor: Modern Machinery “Feller Buncher Best Practices: Operation, Safety, and Maintenance” presented by a representative from Komatsu North America. Operational tactics, major safety concerns, and routine maintenance and inspection for feller bunchers, will be covered as well as the general operations and maintenance of harvesting equipment.

For complete program visit www.oregonloggingconference.com

16th Annual Ladies Event Desserts for Dreams Charity Fundraiser

his year, OLC First Lady Michelle Dudley has selected Douglas County Partners for Student Success (DCPSS) as the recipient of her fundraising efforts. DCPSS has established the Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub to promote and provide STEAM educational resources and tools for educators and students in Douglas County. DCPSS advocates for all learning from “Cradle to Career” and places equal focus on the importance of vocational programs as well as preparing for college. “My hope is that the funds raised can help to expand the STEAM lending library and the annual STEAM Extravaganza as well as sponsor more of their STEAM and Expanding Horizons career and technical education camps for middle school students,” stated Michelle Dudley. To learn more about this worthy organization, please visit www.dcpss.org.

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

Since 2004, the OLC has held Desserts for Dreams, an annual charity fundraiser for the ladies who attend the conference. Area restaurants and bakeries donate delicious desserts to this event, and a selection of salads is also available for a light lunch. Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, The Komen Foundation, SMART Readers, CASA, Bethel Education Foundation, Sunshine Industries, PlaySmart, SafeHaven Humane Society, and St. Charles Hospice are just a few of the worthy charities that have been lucky recipients of this annual event. This year’s event will be held Friday, February 22, 2019, from 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Eugene Hilton. Tickets are $30 each with 100 percent of the ticket sales going to DCPSS. For more information, contact the OLC (541) 686-9191 or visit www.oregonloggingconference.com

Rezatec Offers Free Tree Species Guide

Rezatec has created a free, useful guide on identifying and mapping tree species distribution. Understanding the type of tree species you have and where trees are is critical for effective forest management and commercial decision making. The Earth Observation for Tree Species Mapping guide explores the common challenges of identifying species using traditional aerial technologies and how satellite data can be used to quickly,

accurately, and cost-effectively identify and map tree species distribution. “It shows you what’s going on in the entire forest, not just small parts of it, giving you a complete and accurate picture of tree species and their location,” said Tim Vallings, vice president, global resources at Rezatec. Rezatec presents the data in an online portal that makes it easy to understand for any stakeholder. The key benefits of using satellite data in tree species mapping are • Savings of up to 80 percent in operational expenditure • Weekly refreshing of data • Tree species accuracy up to 90 percent The company’s robust methodology enables an ever-growing number of species to be classified with 80 to 90 percent accuracy, says the company, supporting informed commercial decisions. www.rezatec.com

New John Deere L-Series II Skidders and Wheeled Feller Bunchers

Continuously evolving to better its machines and exceed customer expectations, John Deere is excited to introduce the new L-Series II Skidders and Wheeled Feller Bunchers. The new L-Series II machines feature a simplified design that provides a reliable, powerful solution, while still maintaining the productivity-boosting features of the original line, including an increase in hydraulic speed, large grapples, and an improvement in weight distribution. The new, simpler L-Series II models enhance customer experience by reducing maintenance and increasing uptime due to a number of part changes. Other changes to the machines include a reduction in the (continued on page 52)

Cat distributor Peterson Cat positive about the Weiler relationship

aterpillar recently announced it will expand

its relationship with Weiler, Inc. Cat will sell part of its purpose-built forestry product line to Weiler, which includes the rubber-tired skidders and tracked feller bunchers for the Northwest, as well as knuckle boom loaders and wheel feller bunchers for the Southeast. Cat will continue to make log loaders, road builders and other types of forestry excavators, most of which are made in Texas. When the sale is finalized in early 2019, the only thing that will change initially is the name. Machines will still be built in the same factory, by the same people, designed by the same engineers, and supported by the same dealers. “We anticipate a smooth transition and are very excited about our next generation track feller buncher, which should be out in the spring!” says Duane Doyle Jr., VP/General Manager of Peterson Cat, which provides Caterpillar and agricultural equipment, parts, service and rental to customers in 100,000 square miles of territory covering Northern California, Oregon, and SW Washington. As for legacy Cat forestry machines, parts and support will remain available through our extensive parts system. There will be no change to existing warranty on Cat made skidders and feller bunchers. “We’ve had a strong and longstanding relationship with Weiler, and we’re very positive about the change. They are great to work with,” says Doyle. Doyle says that Weiler has a solid history with Caterpillar. Weiler already uses a lot of Caterpillar components in their products and distributes exclusively through the Cat dealer network. To transition the purpose-built forestry built equipment to Weiler made sense. “I don’t know if the timber industry knows who Weiler is, but

they are a leader in paving,” says Doyle. “Paving is similar to forestry in that downtime is critical and it’s a highly specialized market.” Weiler is a nimble company he says, that excels at responding to market changes and customer demands. “They very good at making quick changes and listening to customers,” says Doyle. “They’re an engineering company.” Weiler sees this as a positive change as well. “We believe that the purpose-built forestry product line is the ideal addition to our current product portfolio,” said Pat Weiler, owner and founder of Weiler, Inc. In fact, Pat and his team were on hand at the recent PLC Live InWoods Show to meet customers and show their support. The company has a proven track record of working with Cat dealers and responding rapidly to customers with specialized product needs. Weiler has designed and developed more than 50 products and is a recognized manufacturer of quality products. “We are confident that our existing product line-up, our flexible manufacturing strategy, and our unrivaled customer focus will differentiate us within the forestry segment,” said Weiler. Weiler anticipates retaining the approximate 270 employees supporting the forestry business, adding to the nearly 500 employees currently employed at the Knoxville, Iowa-based manufacturer’s corporate office and manufacturing facility. The sale includes Cat operations and facilities such as the manufacturing plant and warehouse in LaGrange, Georgia, the demonstration and training center in Auburn, Alabama, and the legacy Prentice parts distribution center in Smithfield, North Carolina. “Peterson remains committed to the forestry business and supporting our customers as does Caterpillar,” says Doyle. “We are excited to partner with Weiler going forward to develop, build, and support industry leading machines.” TW

www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

(continued from page 51) complexities of the electrical and hydraulic systems and improvements to component placements. The L-Series II machines also include changes to boost productivity. The new skidder models offer increased grapple squeeze

force of up to 10 percent. Articulation steering sensors improve the operator experience, ultimately increasing productivity. A new two-speed 4000 winch replaces the previous single-speed winch. www.johndeere.com

Meanwhile, the grapple’s robust Delta-box frame provides durability and reliability for demanding applications such as quarries and large-scale demolition. And regardless of conditions, the grapple’s dust-proof axle bearing points keep out dust and debris.

Solesbee’s Excavator Stump Puller

Solesbee’s a premier equipment and attachments manufacturer, offers its excavator Stump Puller for efficient stump removal and land clearing. Solesbee’s manufactures the attachment with high-strength alloy steel and replaceable wear tips for extended service life. The powerful attachment, known as the “Stumper,” fits 15- to 40-ton excavators and can increase production by as much

KINSHOFER’s D-Series Demolition and Sorting Grapples

KINSHOFER, a leading global manufacturer of high-quality excavator and loader crane attachments, offers its D-Series grapples with a new light, compact, and flexible shell, ideal for sorting and demolition. The attachments feature 360-degree endless rotation for precise positioning to give construction, demolition, and recycling

contractors optimal control when grabbing materials. D-series grapples are available for 4,400-pound (2-ton) to 176,000-pound (80-ton) excavators. Conventional heavy-duty hydraulic cylinders with hydraulic damping protection power the D-Series, while KINSHOFER’s patented HPXdrive powers the D04HPX, D06HPX, D09HPX, and D35HPX. The cylinderless HPXdrive system provides constant closing force compared to competitive grapples and reduces overall cost of ownership by about 50 percent compared to conventional models. The D-Series streamlined design offers a compact footprint, ideal for working in tight areas, such as urban demolition sites. 52

as 30 percent compared to other land-clearing methods, such as bucket attachments, bulldozing, and forestry mowing. This speed allows contractors to complete jobs in less time and generate fast ROI. The attachment’s two shanks easily cut through roots so operators can remove stumps without displacing a large amount of dirt. The shank’s curved design significantly increases breakout force for slicing through tough surfaces when extracting forestry material. Additionally, the shank’s replaceable wear tips extend the attachment’s service life by allowing operators to simply change out the tips as opposed to purchasing a new stump puller. www.solesbees.com

John Deere Introduces TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager

John Deere has announced the release of its TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager technology offerings, new streamlined software solutions for loggers designed to enhance machine connectivity and communication. Available for John Deere wheeledcut-to-length equipment, the software is another way John Deere is continuing to help customers optimize machines, increasing productivity. The TimberMatic Maps system is used in G-Series Harvesters and Forwarders, utilizing a mobile network to share real-time production information between harvester

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

and the forwarder back to managers in the office. Managers can access the data using TimberManager, a web-based solution for a PC, tablet, or mobile phone, allowing loggers to follow progress of the work site. Combined, the software provides complete visibility to the operation from land harvested to the machines at work, streamlining communication and increasing efficiency when shift planning. The data shared is collected by the sensors on the harvester, while the location of the production is collected through the GPS technology. Information is automatically transmitted to the TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager systems, providing real-time updates to operators and managers both on and off the jobsite. One of the key benefits of the technology is the ability to plan work that needs to get done in a day. It helps managers track the volume of timber at the storage area, simplifying planning for trailer transports and the onward transportation of timber. www.JohnDeere.com

Wood-Mizer Introduces FS150 Log Splitter

Wood-Mizer introduces the FS150 dual action 20-ton log splitter designed for homeowners and small landowners looking for an affordable and highly durable American-made log splitter. The affordable FS150 combines a 7HP Kohler gas engine with 20 tons of splitting force to split hardwood and softwood logs up to 24” long. The log table height is 30” from the ground to provide a comfortable working height for the operator and the convenient operator panel features intuitive left/ right controls for the log splitting wedge. Once a log is loaded for splitting, the 8 ½” high carbon steel wedge splits wood in both left and right directions for increased speed and efficiency. This unique two-way design can double firewood production compared to traditional one-way wood splitters. During the splitting operation, two side trays catch material for additional splitting or for convenience in handling wood when stacking. Featuring a compact design for easy storage and mobility, the FS150 also includes a standard trailer with a 2” hitch that is towable at speeds up to 45 mph. www.woodmizer.com TW

AD INDEX COMPANY PG# BRANDT TRACTOR..................................... 47 CANNON BAR............................................. 34 CASCADE TRADER .................................... 27 CATERPILLAR............................................. 37 CONTINENTAL BIOMASS INDUSTRY ........... 41 CYBER-TECH............................................. 28 DIAMOND MOWERS................................... 29 FEENAUGHTY MACHINERY ........................ 10 GEM CHAIN BAR........................................ 20 HITACHI....................................................... 9 HUSQVARNA.........................................16-17 JOHN DEER................................................ 33 JORAL ...................................................... 34 KOMATSU.................................................. 23 LBX/BEJAC/TRIAD...................................... 43 LOG MAX................................................... 31 MORBARK.............................................24-25 NORTH AMERICA SUPPLY........................... 46 OLOFSFORS............................................... 45 PAPÉ MACHINERY...................................... 39 PETERSON................................................. 15 PONSSE....................................................... 5 QUADCO / SOUTHSTAR ............................... 2 TIGERCAT.................................................. 56 TRILINK..................................................... 48 US FORESTRY............................................ 21 WALLINGFORD'S........................................ 11 WARATAH.................................................. 55 WHITE MOUNTAIN CHAIN........................... 35 WPT POWER CORP.................................... 42

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Title of Publication: TimberWest, Journal of Logging & Sawmilling Publication No. 0248-58 Date of Filing: Sept. 28, 2018 Frequency of issue: Bimonthly Number of issue Published Annually: 6 Annual Subscription Price: $22 U.S., $35 CDN Complete Mailing Address of known office of publication (street, city, county, state, ZIP): 300 Admiral Way, Suite 105, Edmonds, WA 98020, (Snohomish County) Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: 300 Admiral Way, Suite 105, Edmonds, WA 98020 Name and complete mailing address of (Publisher): Sheila Ringdahl, 300 Admiral Way, Suite 105, Edmonds, WA 98020. (Editor): Diane Mettler, PO Box 26, Eatonville, WA 98328 Owner name, complete mailing address: Rob Stanhope, TimberWest Publications, LLC, 211 E. 1st St. North Vancouver, BC V7L 4L2 Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: None Tax status (purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has not changed during preceding 12 months No. Copies of Average No. Publication title: TimberWest, Journal of Logging & Sawmilling Single Issue Copies Each Issue date for circulation data below: July/August 2018 Published Issue During Proceeding

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CALENDAR November 1-3 Tree Care Industry Expo, Charlotte, NC 603-314-5380, www.tcia.org November 7-9 NAWLA Leadership Summit, Chicago, IL 800-527-8258, www.nawla.org January 15-17 Associated California Loggers 46th Annual Meeting, Reno NV 916-441-7940, www.californialoggers.com January 16-18 76th Annual Truck Loggers Association Convention, Vancouver, BC 604-684-4291, www.tla.ca January 17-19 Associated Oregon Loggers’ 49th Annual Convention, Eugene, OR 503-364-1330, www.oregonloggers.org January 24 Mapping the Course: Timberlands, Forest Products Processing & Fiber Conf. Vancouver, WA 503-226-4562, www.westernforestry.org January 30-31 Bois-Energie 2019, Rennes, France 33-38-486-8930, www.boisenergie.com

www.forestnet.com September/October 2018 TimberWest

guest columnist

Time to Create and Tell Our Story By Jack Petree

the forests of yesteryear and those of today, especially through the use of then-and-now photography. And the list goes on.

wo elements are needed if a

story is to have an impact capable of bringing about true change — a great story line and a receptive audience. In 2018 the Western forest products industry has that great story and, for the first time in a long time, a potentially receptive audience.

Creating a Narrative

Twenty-five Years Ago

Twenty-five years ago, the Clinton Forest Summit legitimized a decades-long assault on the forest industry, presaging an era of turmoil and decline. Today the public may be ready for serious change, ready once again for the forest products industry to claim its place at the forefront of initiatives to preserve healthy forests, clean water, outdoor recreation, and atmospheric carbon reductions. But the public will only respond if we tell our story well; a story well-crafted to inform a public that doesn’t think in the traditional paradigms we’ve based too much of our conversation on in the past. I attended and reported on the Clinton summit all those years ago. The story told then, to a receptive public, was all about fish habitat and spotted owls; harvest for forest health was given short shrift. The clear message coming out of the summit proclaimed the need to drastically suppress harvest; to save the nation’s forests from rapacious predators carrying chain saws; forest health could only be preserved through the cessation of most harvest.

Twenty-five Years Later

The problem? The nation’s forests were not any more healthy in 1993 than they are in 2018. The catastrophic fires seen in recent times not only destroy lives and livelihoods, they release massive quantities of greenhouse gasses, toxic elements, and breathtaking (literally and figuratively) volumes of smoke into the atmosphere. The message we bring to the public now should address three important elements: the true nature of the original forest, the havoc caused by catastrophic fire (especially in environmental terms), and the ability of the forest products industry to make a difference, 54

to reduce fire intensity, enhance the environment, and improve forest habitat and functionality through carefully thought out and controlled harvest combined with natural processes, including fire.

Original Forest

It is important the forest industry pay much more attention to the character of the original forest than it ever has in the past. To the public, the idea of “recreating a healthy forest” can be the lynchpin necessary for acceptance of any message the industry might bring forward. In the 1850s a remarkable series of scientific expeditions was sent by then Secretary of War Jefferson Davis to ascertain the best route for a transcontinental railroad. The expeditions documented the flora and fauna along the routes they followed and left behind a copious volume of information that can be mined today. In the last three years of the 1800s, the United States Geological Survey undertook a section-by-section survey of the forests that would ultimately become the West’s national parks and national forests, leaving behind a huge written and pictorial record of the forests. The forest service has produced numerous records since comparing

TimberWest September/October 2018 www.forestnet.com

The creation of a historical narrative, meaningful to citizens of today, is vital because the widespread perception of the nature of the original forest, by even those supporting the forest industry, does not comport with reality. Much of the opposition to harvest has come from an effort to recreate what never existed in the first place. That must change if the industry, and the forests, are to become healthy again. In recent years a considerable amount of academic research has demonstrated that the forest fires we’ve seen recently are incredibly negative in environmental terms; in sum, fires today emit more toxic chemicals and greenhouse gasses each year than all the vehicles in California emit in an entire year. Those emissions need to be documented and widely reported; the public must come to understand that harvest for forest health is one of the most important tools in the nation’s arsenal when it comes to forest health enhancement and greenhouse gas reductions. Third, the industry needs to develop a scientifically defensible, easily understandable, and unified message about its importance to the health of the nation’s forests for delivery to the public. The history is there, the science is there, and the ability to act is there but, the industry has never, at least to my knowledge, developed an effective message most industry participants can agree on. It’s time to develop and send that message. Last, no message can be delivered absent someone to deliver that message. Once a message is developed through a collaborative process, the industry needs to encourage every single industry participant to learn about the message and deliver the message whenever possible. The forest products industry will probably always exist. Whether the future is one of health and vitality or one of long, drawn out decline, depends on what we do today. Jack Petree is a writer, public policy researcher, and owner of Tradeworld Communications. TW

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CONFIDENCE BY DESIGN Compact and powerful, the LX830D is built to tackle steep terrain with ease. The Tigercat FPT C87 engine packs 330 hp into a compact upper assembly for real confidence in tight thinning or tough final felling. The rock solid leveling base provides poise and stability on tough terrain and Tigercat’s closed loop drive system enhances speed, performance and efficiency on the steepest slopes. Contact your Tigercat dealer today to learn more about the benefits of owning a Tigercat LX830D.

www.tigercat.com

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