TimberWest - September/October 2025

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Forest Service Chief:

‘Full-Blown…Crisis’

Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz told lawmakers the nation’s forests are in a state of crisis, driven by a precipitous decline in logging that’s increased the risk of bigger and more dangerous wildfires.

During a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands hearing, Schultz blamed environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act and litigation from environmental groups for dramatically lower timber sales over decades.

“This is a full-blown wildfire and forest health crisis,” he told lawmakers. “Without action these conditions are expected to get worse.”

Schultz, known for his pro-logging views, has pledged to boost timber sales to meet President Donald Trump’s executive order for a 25 percent increase in logging over several years, something Republicans argue can drive down fire risk and bolster lumber and milling jobs in rural communities.

Swiss Company Acquires

Two Collins Pine Mills

Collins Pine Company and the Swiss Krono Group successfully closed the sale of Collins Pine Company’s particleboard and engineered wood siding manufacturing facilities in Klamath Falls, Oregon, effective August 25, 2025.

The facilities and their operations are now officially part of the Swiss Krono Group, which the company says strengthens its North American presence and expands its footprint into the Western U.S.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Other Collins business units are not affected by this transaction.

Peter Wijnbergen, CEO of Swiss Krono Group, said earlier this year the company’s “primary goal is to continue and grow the Klamath Falls business in partnership with the people who know it best — its employees, management, customers, and suppliers.”

Washington Preservation Plan For Older Forests Draws Fire

Washington loggers, school leaders and conservation activists decried the state lands commissioner’s proposal to set aside 77,000 acres of older forests while opening 29,000 acres back up for logging.

Some said the plan, announced by Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove, does not do enough to protect the state’s older forests. Others said it would lead to layoffs, business closures, and delay of critical school construction projects.

“Not only will this set-aside acreage jeopardize manufacturing jobs in our state,

it also threatens beneficiaries with staggering losses in revenue,” said Austin Serrano, a forester who gave public comment during the Board of Natural Resources’ monthly meeting on Wednesday.

Criticism of the plan dominated the meeting’s hourlong public comment period. Members of the timber industry told the board that Upthegrove’s decision to set aside older forest land would hurt their businesses.

Under Upthegrove’s plan, 29,000 acres of older forests will remain available for harvest. Most of the roughly two-dozen timber sales that were paused in January will proceed.

Public Favors More Wildfire Prevention, According to Surveys

Researchers at the University of Wyoming are exploring levels of public support for federal policy changes to place more emphasis on fire prevention.

Academics in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources conducted two national surveys regarding federal wildfire policy. The researchers say they’ve found a misalignment between federal policy and public priorities.

The survey results show that, instead of focusing primarily on fire suppression, the public favors more work on fire prevention, such as forest thinning and fuel management.

“Overall, our results reveal that the public better aligns with science than policy. Research has been pointing toward more prevention for decades, but policy has not responded,” said Todd Cherry, the John S. Bugas Chair and professor of economics in UW’s College of Business. “We find people’s priorities actually align with science, and it’s policy that is out of alignment. Prevention and suppression work in tandem, but the goal is to find the right balance.”

Western Foresters Plan Summit on Ponderosa Pine

The Council of Western State Foresters is planning a summit on the utilization of ponderosa pine.

The title of the gathering is Advancing Ponderosa Pine Markets in the West: Building a Strategic Vision for the Future. It will be held Nov. 18-20 in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The summit will include speaker presentations and panels, facilitated working sessions, networking, and a field tour.

The purpose is to engage a diverse group of forest managers, industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers in strategic discussions that examine the state of ponderosa pine forests and industry in the West. Attendees will identify key barriers, develop

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Editor: Tim Cox, tim@forestnet.com

Contributing Editors: Andrea Watts, Jim Peterson

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practical solutions, explore innovations, and determine the resources needed to stabilize and grow the utilization of ponderosa pine.

For more information, visit www.westernforesters.org or email info@westernforesters.org.

More U.S. Lumber Used To Construct New Homes

The latest available trade data shows that American lumber producers and their workers are supplying more lumber to build American homes, while the share of unfairly traded lumber imported from Canada has fallen to 21 percent of the American market.

The U.S. lumber industry applauds this critically important progress and credits President Trump’s America First focus on trade law enforcement.

Meanwhile, Canada and Canada First allies continue to attack Trump’s enforcement of the U.S. trade laws. Canada’s federal and provincial governments have announced massive new subsidies for Canada’s lumber industry in an attempt to prop up that industry’s seven- to eight-billion board feet of excess lumber production capacity.

“We strongly applaud President Trump’s achievement in facilitating the growth of U.S. lumber production and pushing down

the market share of unfairly traded Canadian lumber to 21 percent and counting,” said Andrew Miller, Chair and owner of Stimson Lumber Company.

Idaho to Use Satellite Tech to Detect Wildfires

The Idaho Department of Lands has partnered with OroraTech USA to become the first in the nation to deploy a statewide satellite-based wildfire detection and monitoring system

It will give dispatch centers and firefighters a powerful new tool to protect Idaho’s landscapes, communities, and economy.

This initiative will integrate OroraTech’s Wildfire Solution platform, which uses public and proprietary satellites equipped with advanced thermal imaging to detect heat anomalies and emerging fires in near real time.

By providing fire location, intensity, and predicted spread within minutes, the system enables faster, more informed decisions during critical wildfire situations.

Lawsuit Seeks to Block Montana Logging Project

A lawsuit filed against the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says that a logging project in western Montana should be halted because it’s just one of more than a dozen projects that

have chipped away at habitat for native bull trout, which are on the federal Endangered Species list.

The lawsuit filed by the Alliance for the Wild Rockies says that the Redd Bull 2 Project, which has been sited west of St. Regis, would authorize logging on 6,408 acres of land, which would include the use of prescribed fire and commercial thinning.

The Alliance says that the federal agencies acknowledged that the project likely will continue to hurt already imperiled populations of bull trout as well as adversely affecting grizzly bears in the area, which also are protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Forest Service Awards Funds for Firewood Banks

The U.S. Forest Service awarded $1.4 million to the Alliance for Green Heat (AGH) to expand firewood banks in the United States.

AGH, a national non-profit, will distribute the funds to firewood banks to help communities acquire and process low-grade wood from federal lands for residential heating.

Funding targeted for firewood banks who source wood from federal land

The grant will connect rural communities with forested land that is being actively managed to reduce fire risk and improve forest health. Funds can be used by firewood banks, non-profits, tribes and local governments.

This is the fourth year the Forest Service has helped scale up the nation’s firewood banks. There are hundreds of firewood banks in the U.S. that help households who have high energy burdens.

Forest Management Reduces Fire Severity, Study Shows

New research finds that treated forests are 88 percent less susceptible to high severity wildfire than their unmanaged counterparts and can recover carbon stocks in only 7 years.

The findings, carried out by researchers at Vibrant Planet, Northern Arizona University, American Forest Foundation, and Blue Forest, make the case for more proactive forest management across the U.S., and specifically, the increasingly wildfire-prone West.

Many forests in the West are adapted to live and thrive with frequent, low-severity fire. Yet the confluence of historical fire suppression, intensifying wildfire, and drought, are now rewriting the rules – and the risk – for forests and the communities that live in and around them.

The study shows: without human stewardship designed to restore healthy fire regimes and forest structure, many of these fire-adapted forests will go up in flames and may never regenerate, instead transitioning to non-forested ecosystems.

BurnBot Goes High-Tech

Develops Solutions for Clean, Safe, Precise Controlled Burns

By Tim Cox, Editor

South San Francisco,

California – California experienced its worst fire season in 2020. Residents in the San Francisco Bay region contended with widespread smoke and smoky, orange-tainted skies.

Two men with no background in forestry, both residents of the region, decided to do something about it. Today their company, BurnBot, is bringing high-tech solutions to managing and treating landscapes to prevent and mitigate wildfires.

Dr. Anukool Lakhina and Dr. Waleed Haddad began working together that same year, introduced by a mutual acquaintance because they were interested in solving the problem of wildfires. Both men are involved in the day-to-day business operations of the company on a full-time basis.

Haddad and Lakhina both have a high level education and experience with technology, albeit in different areas.

Lakhina, who holds a PhD in computer

science, is the CEO of BurnBot. He previously founded Guavus, a leader in real-time big data processing and analytics, which he sold to another company. He also co-founded Wonder Labs, a social enterprise whose mission is to catalyze social, ecological, and technological innovations with communities on the frontline of climate impacts.

Haddad, who has a PhD in physics, holds the title of chief technology officer of BurnBot. As an inventor he has more than 40 patents and has worked for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Vermeer Corporation.

Under their leadership BurnBot has developed some unique equipment for masticating vegetation, conducting controlled burning, and tapped into data analytics for planning and conducting landscape treatment operations.

Wesley Brinegar, BurnBot’s head of forestry, and Brittany Black, head of growth and partnerships, recently talked to TimberWest about the company’s innovations and operations.

Brinegar formerly owned his own company, High Sierra Timber Management, which was focused on fuels reduction for wildfire prevention and mitigation and based about 150 miles east of San Francisco on the western edge of the Stanislaus National Forest. His company did some work alongside BurnBot staff and began noticing their work. As he got to know some of them, they had mutual forester friends.

Through that connection, BurnBot made an offer to Brinegar earlier this year to acquire his business and put him on their staff. “BurnBot likes to make connections with each location they get into,” said Brinegar.

He was attracted to the idea of being part of a larger company that was able to treat more acres than he could with his business. “I thought it would be better to join them and support their vision to treat one million acres per year.”

The acquisition included Brinegar’s equipment – a Prinoth 500 track masticator, an assortment of excavators and other equipment and Fecon and Diamond Mowers

mulching attachments – and his employees.

BurnBot has about 80 employees and also uses 15 contractors throughout the West. The contractors are mainly for overhead support functions and services. Equipment operators and other workers are BurnBot employees.

This year the company will treat more than 5,000 acres. At the start of the year it had more than 20,000 acres under contract for treatment. “We are doubling each year,” said Black. The company has ‘hub’ offices and facilities in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Nevada.

BurnBot is set up and equipped to perform multiple forest planning and management services, from thinning to final harvest, and mastication. After thinning or logging operations it can follow up with controlled burning using a unique machine it developed or other methods. The company’s overarching goal is to dramatically scale up fuel treatments to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk while preserving natural environments.

(continued on

(continued from page 11)

“BurnBot’s goal is to bring technology to the forest on a large scale to help control catastrophic wildfire,” said Brinegar. “We also have an extensive forestry and logging division. We were awarded one of the largest projects in the county’s history, logging 14,000 acres and masticating 5,000 acres.”

The company is currently performing a contract for the Forest Service on the Stanislaus National Forest. The agency is issuing new types of contracts – integrated resource service contracts – to treat land from start to finish. Contractors are responsible for planning and preparation, surveys for archaeology, botany, and wildlife, road design, logging and mastication, followed by closing landings and roads. The goal is to treat more acres of federal land, creating a healthier, more wildfire resilient landscape. The Forest Service closely monitors all operations that contractors perform.

The BurnBot contract is for 14,000 acres, which is expected to produce about 21 million board feet of timber. “It’s the largest project the Forest Service has put out on the West Coast and maybe the country,” said Brinegar.

BurnBot has begun treating one section after doing all the planning and preparation, including designing roads, an archaeology study, and plans for logging and mastication, while two more sections are in the planning phase. The company expects to treat about 2,000 acres the first year of the contract.

BurnBot employees do the majority of the boots-on-the-ground work. For some higher level forestry skills, like timber cruising and archaeology surveys, the company subcontracts for those services; a partner business it uses for such services is Integrated Resource Management, an Oregon-based forestry and habitat restoration consulting firm.

One of the most interesting uses of technology is a patented machine that BurnBot developed in-house to perform controlled burning. The machine was designed and invented by Haddad. Originally dubbed the BurnBot, from which the company takes its name, it was rebranded the RX. The company has three of the machines, which it dubs the RX, and is building two more.

The machines, which move on tracks, are operated by remote control. It can be operated by one person although the company normally uses a crew of three. For safety reasons the machine is trailed by a Type 6 fire engine with fire suppression equipment and a water supply,

The RX has fans atop the machine that draw in air, which aids in the clean combustion process. Propane torches in the burn chamber can be adjusted for longer

or shorter flames and varying temperatures. The machines produce almost no smoke or emissions because smoke is burned in the combustion chamber. The burn is controlled by a water spray system on the back end coupled with a heavy roller to extinguish any flames or embers.

The burn chamber reaches temperatures of up to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. At that point, pyrolysis begins: the chamber gets so hot that the propane torches can actually be shut off, as the retained heat is enough to ignite the vegetation. “It’s still combusting as it’s moving,” said Brinegar. “After reaching that temperature, it uses almost no propane.”

The machine can complete about 1–2 miles of controlled burn, or ‘black line,’ per day, creating a swath roughly 5–6 feet wide. It is typically used to establish a perimeter or control line around a tract of land. Once that perimeter is in place, other methods are used (such as aerial ignition) to conduct the controlled burn within the area. With this approach, the company can treat about 40 acres per day.

The benefits of the technology are selfevident. They are safer than traditional controlled burning, using hand-held torches to

(continued on page 14)

FAE track masticator kicks up dust as it moves through the forest. BurnBot is focused on managing and treating landscapes to prevent and mitigate wildfires.

(continued from page 13)

set fire – safer in terms of safer for people, and safer in terms of controlling the burning process. It is also cleaner since it produces so little smoke or emissions. They can be used in any conditions, and the process is precise.

The RX, although being used to perform controlled burning, is still in the testing and development stages. There has been a lot of government interest in the equipment, according to Black.

The U.S. Forest Service is very interested in the technology, according to Brinegar, and BurnBot has demonstrated the equipment for the agency. The Forest Service is particularly interested because the burn system is hot enough to kill seeds of invasive species that are in the soil. “That’s a humongous deal for them,” said Brinegar.

A study by the University of CaliforniaBerkley showed the RX burn treatment kills seeds of the yellow star thistle, a harmful invasive species that encroaches on meadows. In normal controlled burning, flames are not hot enough to accomplish that.

BurnBot has used the equipment to perform controlled burns for the California

Department of Transportation as well as on power line rights-of-way.

The company uses technology in other ways, added Black, notably drones and imaging and data analysis software for land management and treatment. Drones take advanced images of a property. Using BurnBot systems and software from partner companies, the images are analyzed and the data is extrapolated to develop a production plan for how to treat the property, what equipment is required, and so on.

Drones are used in conjunction with the RX. They also are used to ignite controlled burns using the Ignis UAS system, which can safely burn up to 2,000 acres a day once control lines are put in place by the RX. The drones drop small balls of chemicals that ignite on impact with the ground to create small fires.

BurnBot also has a team of employees that operates remote mastication equipment. It uses small custom masticating machines manufactured by FAE, which makes specialty equipment for land-clearing, including track carriers and mulching and cutting attachments. The equipment is very lightweight yet high-powered and is being used to treat

land in California, Oregon and Washington. “We can do areas that are largely inaccessible except for cutting by hand,” said Brinegar. “It’s really cool technology.”

Besides the FAE masticators, the company is equipped with an assortment of logging and mastication equipment from Prinoth, Caterpillar, and John Deere. “We’re not dedicated to a single supplier or dealer,” said Brinegar.

“Each landscape is very unique,” noted Black. “How do you solve the problem? How do you continuously manage lands –without breaking the bank, or your back – on a larger scale?”

BurnBot has evolved into several areas, noted Black. Its goal is to treat 1 million acres annually. The company also has a presence in Australia, where it has investors, and expects to have a machine working there by year’s end.

“To make a meaningful impact,” said Black,” you have to work with local communities to support them. We want to be a cooperative, collective partner…bring experts to the community from the technology side and help them treat more acres.”

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Market Watch

(Editor’s Note: In this issue we are introducing a new column, Market Watch. It will contain news and information about markets for wood products, new timber harvesting and mill projects, government policies impacting the forest products industry, equipment and machinery sales, and the overall economy and supply chains.)

LUMBER PRICING, MARKET TRENDS

A steep drop in lumber futures prices nationally is jolting the forest products industry. Futures have dropped 23 percent since hitting a three-year high at the beginning of August.

Futures prices on lumber recently dipped to $527 per 1,000 board feet, down from almost $700 per 1,000 board feet in early August, and to the lowest point in a year.

Falling prices are troubling because they have been a reliable leading indicator on the direction of the housing market as well as broader economic activity.

After a couple weeks of above-average sales earlier this summer, the commodity plywood market has once again slowed to a more pedestrian pace. There are signs of slightly better demand in certain areas. Combined with some curtailments and downtime at several Western plywood plants over the past month, this has helped steady pricing somewhat — though it remains unspectacular overall.

Forisk Consulting notes that lumber prices, OSB prices, construction spending, and housing starts are down. However, manufacturing input costs, tariff rates, and policy frictions are up. Clients tell them that uncertainty slows investment in the forest industry. Managers in the industry say

they are “writing off” 2025; they are delaying capital projects and looking to 2026 for clarified policies and stronger markets.

Companies making lumber, panels, pellets, paper products, and whole log chips are operating at 50 to 60 percent in multiple regions. Quarterly financial reports of public lumber companies confirm they are shipping more than they are producing, continuing a trend of drawing down inventories.

Two of North America’s biggest lumber producers said they would curtail output. Interfor, which operates two mills in Washington and one in Oregon, announced plans to reduce lumber production by approximately 145 million board feet between September and December. The curtailments are expected to impact all of Interfor’s operating regions equally in the U.S. and Canada.

NEW PROJECTS

The Bureau of Land Management sold 55.1 million board feet of timber across 2,281 public acres for over $14.3 million between nine timber sales in western Oregon in August. The sales will supply local mills and support about 770 jobs in western Oregon communities.

The U.S. Forest Service announced $9.6 million in grants for 17 projects in Oregon to protect forests and advance wood product innovation.

Grants include:

• $1 million for JB Wood Recyclers to convert its wood drying kilns from natural gas to wood biomass combustion

• $1 million for the Freres Lumber Co. for upgrades to mass timber product manufacturing equipment

• $1 million for Mt. Hood Forest Products to upgrade its log processing systems

• $1 million for Patrick Lumber Manufacturing to upgrade its hardwood sawmill equipment

• $922,018 for Collins Pine Company to upgrade its log handling and lumber processing operations

• $898,701 for Carpentry Plus to promote and produce mass timber products

• $684,980 for Northwest Hardwoods to improve lumber process capacity

• $300,000 for Single Widget for production of wood wool cement, a fire-resistant and lower-cost building material

• $296,570 for Base Design and Architecture to expand their use of mass timber in housing production

• $229,199 for Freres Lumber Co. to enhance the market for biochar

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing more than $8 million in projects aimed at reducing wildfire risk and improving forest health. The initiative includes a new project in Oregon’s Mt. Hood National Forest named ‘Hood River Wildfire and Watershed Resilience.’ Additional projects are located in Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has awarded $5 million in grant funding to eight projects that will create jobs, train future forestry workers and help small businesses expand their role in protecting California’s forests and communities from wildfire.

Grants will support projects across the state, including:

• Thompson Land Management to purchase equipment to treat more acres for wildfire risk reduction and forest restoration

• Mad River Mass Timber for mass timber production

FOREST POLICY, TIMBER HARVESTING CONDITIONS

The Department of the Interior is proposing to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule, aligning with Secretary Doug Burgum’s commitment to restoring balance in federal land management by prioritizing multiple-use access, empowering local decision-making and supporting responsible energy development, ranching, grazing, timber production and recreation across America’s public lands.

The previous administration had treated conservation as “no use,” meaning the land was to be left idle rather than authorizing legitimate uses like grazing, energy development or recreation.

Clallam County commissioners want Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove to give the green light to all paused timber sales in the county, saying the money is badly needed for local services. Commissioners said the sales meet all state environmental standards — from the Forest Practices Act to the Habitat Conservation Plan — and fit the Department of Natural Resources’ own policies on old growth pro tection and sustainable harvest. They also stressed how critical a steady timber supply is for North Olympic Peninsula mills. Upthegrove announced that he was locking away 77,000 acres of Washington’s 106,000 acres of structurally complex forests.

The Colville National Forest in north east Washington plans to offer approxi mately 130 million board feet of timber for sale over the next five years by combining its regular timber sale program, an aggres sive Good Neighbor Authority partnership with the State of Washington, and the use of A-to-Z contracting. Forest staff also identified areas in need of treatment over the next 20 years.

that Brazilian bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp be excluded from potential tariffs.

EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY SALES

If you’re a contractor, trucker, or business owner this might be the best time in years to buy equipment. That’s because there’s a government tax rule that lets you write off the full cost of trucks, trailers, and heavy equipment in the same year you buy it. It’s part of the Trump administration’s so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’ In 2025, you can deduct up to $1,220,000 using Section 179, then deduct 60 percent of anything above that using Bonus Depreciation.

John Deere worldwide net sales and revenues decreased 9 percent, to $12.018 billion, for the third quarter of 2025 and decreased 18 percent, to $33.290 billion, for nine months

Caterpillar sales and revenues for the second quarter of 2025 were $16.6 billion, a 1 percent decrease compared with $16.7 billion in the second quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily due to unfavorable price realization of $414 million, partially offset by higher sales volume of $237 mil

ECONOMY, SUPPLY CHAIN

The Manufacturing PMI® remained below 50 percent in August, signaling continued manufacturing contraction. Sharply higher new orders in August offer a glimmer of hope for a turnaround

Recent government data also suggest stagnation for manufacturing is continuing. Spending on construction of factories in July was down 6.7 percent from last year. Manufacturing output has been essentially flat for the past six months. And new orders for manufactured goods fell 1.3% in July from June, their third decline in the past four months.

A dramatic slowdown in job growth — including just 22,000 new jobs in August — could lead to a broader negative economic impact if it translates into weaker consumer spending.

U.S. rail intermodal volume rose 0.5 percent in August compared to a year ago; volume was the most since May 2021. Total rail carloads rose 0.7 percent year over year in August, their sixth consecutive gain. Rail carloads of primary forest products rose 13.1 percent, pulp and paper products edged

Huge shipments of Brazilian lumber, pulp, and structural panel products are in the crosshairs of the U.S. government. The Trump administration kicked off a new probe that will determine if the acts, policies, and practices of the Lula government promote unfair practices, preferential tariffs, corrupt activities, and illegal deforestation amongst a raft of other activities. Terry Webber of the American Forest & Paper Association testified during an investigation hearing, urging

Diverse Operations Help Oregon Company Stay Busy

O’Malley Brothers Enters Sawmilling with Wood-Mizer Band Mill

By Tim Cox, Editor

BORING, Oregon –

Mike O’Malley has built a wellrounded business in a little over 15 years. However, he’s acutely aware of the challenges facing the timber and forest products industry, and he’s doing something about it.

His business, O’Malley Brothers Corp., has diverse operations. Services include forestry operations, stream and habitat restoration, forest road and bridge construction, excavation and demolition, land clearing, supplying materials for habitat restoration, and heavy trucking. The company also buys some timber sales.

And there’s more besides that. “We are on many on-call emergency response contracts for tree removal work after storms, fires, and disasters for both state and federal agencies,” said O’Malley. “We operate statewide in Oregon and occasionally will take on work in Washington.”

also oversees some projects on an as-needed basis. Three foreman supervise jobs in the field.

Most equipment operators have diverse training or experience and can run multiple machines. In addition, most of them also have a CDL so they can drive company trucks to haul or move material or equipment.

The company has all makes of forestry equipment, although Hitachi and John Deere are prominent in the mixed fleet. In all it has about 50 pieces of heavy equipment for logging, road construction, excavating, demolition, and material handling.

LOGGER'S TIP

This summer the company has been working on major projects spanning Oregon – from Blue River, about 50 miles east of Eugene in the western edge of the state, to LaGrande, in the northeast corner, and also around Mt. Hood, about 40 miles east of Portland. In addition to those projects the company has been working on several smaller land-clearing, restoration, and road maintenance jobs.

The terrain varies from flat ground suitable for shovels to steep slopes and yoder logging. The predominant species is Douglas fir, with some other species of fir, hemlock, and western red cedar.

“The only advice I could give would be is to never quit! This job is hard. It’s long days in all kinds of lousy weather, dust, mud, rain, snow, sleet, and you’re usually covered in dirt and diesel before most of the population gets out of bed!”

Mike O’Malley

The company is based in Boring, which is just east of Portland. By the way, there is no O’Malley brother despite the company name. O’Malley, 46, is the sole owner. Prior to starting the company O’Malley did heavy hauling and towing with his brother, Pat, hauling forestry equipment and other loads in 11 Western states and Canada. They continued to work together until 2013.

O’Malley founded the company as a trucking business, hauling logs, in 2007. “I realized early on that trucking for hire was a hard way to make a living,” he recalled, so he began doing other work and also small logging jobs for farmers. “We started doing some small timber sales, land clearing for development, and lots of forest road mainte nance projects for the Forest Service.”

The company also added stream and habitat restoration projects, utilizing unmer chantable logs from logging and land clear ing jobs. At first it just supplied material to other contractors but soon became a key subcontractor or lead contractor to imple ment restoration projects.

O’Malley Brothers currently employs 32 full-time and part-time workers, and two to four contract cutters usually are working daily. The company may have two to eight jobs running concurrently. “At any one time we may have as many as 20 active contracts ranging in value from $50,000 to over $10 Million,” said O’Malley. The company oc casionally buys state and federal timber sales.

With a fleet of over 30 semi-tractors, trailers, and trucks it can handle all hauling internally. Semi-tractors and log trailers are mainly Kenworth, Peterbilt, and Western Star. Trailers are a mix of brands but include General and Whit-Log log trailers, Mountain and XL lowboys up to 65 tons, and a variety of other construction trailers.

The Labor Day fires of 2020 have kept the company busy. Since then we have been almost exclusively working on burn salvage,” said O’Malley. “I think we have only had one ‘green tree’ logging job in the last four years, and that was an 18-acre clearing project for a solar farm.“

“We recently were awarded the Rivbulio low elevation stewardship project on the Mt. Hood National Forest,” said O’Malley. “This is a multi-year project that will keep us close to home for at least two operating seasons. After a lot of traveling the last few years, this is a welcome relief to the crew.”

The project is to remove roadside

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O’Malley oversees all bidding and also handles truck dispatching. Jen Dolan is the company’s controller and office manager; she

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fire-killed trees from the 2020 Riverside fire and to reduce fuel loading for future fire events. “The roads we are working on have been closed to the public for safety since the fire, and we are proud to be getting this work done so the public’s land can once again be opened up for recreation,” said O’Malley. The 1,200-acre project includes roughly 50 miles of Forest Service roads. “The terrain in a lot of these units is mountainous and steep,” added O’Malley.”

The contract for the job was not solicited in time to salvage the wood for traditional markets in the region. Hence, “Much of the

material coming off Rivbulio is low to no value due to the time it has been dead and decaying,” noted O’Malley.

The RSG Forest Products lumber mill in Molalla is purchasing a limited number of loads due to the condition. Pacific Fiber Products in Molalla is buying most of the pulp.

Oversize logs and firewood grade logs are being hauled to the company’s wood yard to be milled into lumber or processed into firewood. “Our goal is to find a use for as much of this material as possible.”

“Market conditions are currently very volatile, and we are leery that we could be shut off for deliveries anytime at both the sawmill and pulp mill.”

On this project 25 tons of slash per acre and 12 downed trees per acre are being left for wildlife habitat. “The remaining slash is removed from the unit and either piled, chipped and broadcast back into the unit, or ground up in our horizontal grinder and used on the project for erosion control.”

On the Rivbulio project, a Timbco 445D feller buncher with a Quadco hot saw was cutting, and three Hitachi shovels (240 and 370) were moving the wood. Trees were being processed by a John Deere 2154 swing machine with a Waratah 622 attachment. Another crew prepared and maintained roads; that group included a New Holland 4x4 tractor with a Tiger Mowers side boom rotary mower to clear roadside brush, Cat 308 and 312 excavators performing ditch and culvert maintenance, three company dump trucks, and a John Deere 770BH motor grader to grade the roads. The road prep work included removing and replacing falling culverts and repairing sinkholes.

“We have a Madill 3800 shovel with a Summit Attachments yoder package that will also be utilized on this job,” said O’Malley. “It is paired with an Acme combo carriage that can be used with grapples or chokers.”

Felling is done with the Timbco and also a Timberjack 908 feller buncher with a hot saw. Two John Deere 2154 swing machines with Waratah 622 heads handle the processing. The company also has a John Deere grapple skidder and a John Deere swing boom skidder along with a John Deere 1270D forwarder. An assortment of five Hitachi, John Deere and Doosan shovels are used in forestry operations.

Three mulching heads – a Fecon, ProMac Equipment, and Advanced Forest Equipment – can be paired with excavators to perform fuel reduction work.

The company also has a pair of John Deere bulldozers and nearly 20 more excavators that are used for land clearing, road maintenance, demolition and excavation jobs.

His most recent investments in equipment were the Madill 3800 shovel with Summit Attachments yoder and Acme carriage, a Hitachi 370 log shovel, and a John Deere 1270D forwarder. All the equipment was purchased used.

“I like to find good, solid, used equipment that’s been well-maintained,” said O’Malley. Used equipment has depreciated in value and is more affordable. “I like to pay cash for it so I don’t carry a lot of debt.” He will look for used equipment at auctions, from brokers, or from private sellers.

He bought the Bandit Beast 2680 horizontal grinder used from the city of Portland a few years ago. It is mainly used for grinding

brush on land-clearing jobs because burning is not allowed. It is currently being used to grind slash on the stewardship job.

O’Malley made an exception recently when he bought a Wood-Mizer LT70WIDE super hydraulic portable sawmill. He is “learning the business” of sawmilling. The Wood-Mizer is being used to cut standard dimension lumber as well as some timbers, beams, and slabs. So far O’Malley has been selling the lumber at local auctions but is beginning to advertise for custom milling and lumber sales.

The Wood-Mizer LT70WIDE is “just below their industrial grade sawmill,” noted O’Malley, and can cut up to 1,000 board feet per hour. “That’s pretty impressive for a little mill like that.”

One factor in selecting Wood-Mizer was that the company also manufactures other sawmill and material handling equipment, including edgers, gang saws and resaws, if O’Malley decides to expand further into sawmilling.

For the company’s firewood operations, it has several firewood processors dedicated to producing certain types of products. A Cord King model 60 is used to produce firewood for heating, and a couple of off-brand machines are dedicated to making firewood for

restaurants and also bundled firewood.

As much equipment as the company has, it does not have a dedicated shop to perform maintenance and repairs. O’Malley Brothers relies on its two service trucks to service equipment in the field. O’Malley also uses a couple of independent mechanics

with service trucks, including his oldest son, Taylor, who apprenticed at Peterson CAT as a heavy equipment tech for 10 years and just recently started his own business, Koch Mobile Equipment Repair

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O’Malley’s long-term goal is for his children to take over the business. His daughter, Presley, is a student at Oregon State, working on degrees in forestry and business; she worked in the office during the summer and will join the business after graduation. His youngest son, Vance, 15, is excited about the business and helps out in the summer; this year he will be doing school online and apprenticing in the field on his off days.

The company offers “top of the industry pay,” said O’Malley. It also offers paid health insurance, paid time off, and incentive bonuses. “We are like a family here,” said O’Malley, “with my longest tenured employee having been with me since 2008 and many employees who have been here for 10 or more years.” The company, a member of Associated Oregon Loggers, has an annual wildland fire safety training refresher course to certify all employees in firefighting.

O’Malley is concerned about the industry and the need to develop the future workforce. “This industry’s workforce is quickly aging and dying out, and we have to transfer this knowledge to the next generation before it’s lost. That only happens by mentorship. The new generation coming up is not the same as the old days. We have to adapt the way we are teaching and get them interested.”

He’s not only concerned; he’s doing something about it. O’Malley is president of a local nonprofit called Trajectory. “We are an industry-based organization that is working really hard to get kids into the forestry sector. Our motto is: there is a job in the woods for everyone.”

Trajectory brings youths to logging sites and contractor yards to let them see the equipment and get an introduction to operating it. The organization also puts on events throughout the year. Trajectory holds an annual fundraising dinner-auction with 100 percent of the proceeds going to school or work-study scholarships; last year it raised over $50,000.

Trajectory also holds the Sandy Invitational Chainsaw Carving Forest Festival. It invites world-class chainsaw carvers to compete and also puts on a timber sports competition so the public can participate. Mechanized equipment demonstrations for youths are another part of the event, which this year drew over 4,200 people.

O’Malley also recently launched a YouTube channel and already has posted more than a dozen videos. To view the channel, go to www.youtube.com and search for Dirt N Diesel.

He got the idea for the YouTube channel when he was vacationing in the winter. “I had never watched YouTube.” O’Malley was snowmobiling with his family, but a rainy day kept them indoors, and he spent time looking at YouTube videos with his children. “I saw what other people were doing and I knew we could make some better content.” He uses the services of Aristarco Productions, which does work for Trajectory.

“We need to work together to save our industry. The overregulation is driving many mills and operations out of business or out of the state. We need to come together and fight back. Keep fighting for our industry. Keep teaching the younger generation. Let’s get these operators’ seats and industry positions filled before it’s too late! Let’s get some strong voices in positions of leadership at the state and federal level where we can push back against the bureaucracy.”

“We are just a small family business fighting hard to keep people employed in a state that is trying to kill the forest products sector. We just want to give back to the community, and keep our forests safe, healthy and productive!”

Forestry Faces: Russ Smith

‘The

People You Meet Along the Way…’

(Editor’s Note: In this issue of TimberWest we add a new feature, ‘Forestry Faces,’ recognizing people in the industry – the loggers and foresters who manage forests and harvest timber and supply wood, the mills that manufacture the myriad of wood products, and their suppliers. If you want to recommend a person in the industry, contact Editor Tim Cox at timcox@forestnet.com.)

Russ Smith, who grew up in Washington, is a product specialist for Madill, a brand of DC Equipment. He has more than 45 years of experience working on equipment or selling equipment for timber harvesting and related industries and servicing customers, and he has sold equipment on three continents. In the past he was a senior factory representative for Madill and a steep slope specialist, helping engineers in equipment design, and also a part-owner in Madill. After 16 years working for Modern Machinery as a steep slope specialist and territory manager and product line manager for Falcon Forestry Equipment and Madill, he returned to working for Madill earlier this year.

Smith has served as president or vice president of the Alaska Forest Association. He also served on an Oregon advisory board that helped develop a guide and best practices for steep slope logging.

TimberWest: How did you first get involved in the industry?

Smith: When I was young I painted cars at a body shop. Then there was an opportunity to paint heavy equipment at Ross Equipment in Chehalis. They shut down and moved to Coburg, Oregon. I interviewed

with Cascade Logging Supply and started working for them the same day.

TimberWest: What do you like most about your job?

Smith: I love it. The customers. I love the industry. Our customers are some of the best people on the planet. The timber industry is renewable. It’s a great industry to be a part of.

TimberWest: What is the best piece of business advice you ever received?

Smith: To be honest. Work hard and be honest. I trained under a lot of older people. They took me under their wings because I was learning. They traveled the world to deliver yarders. That’s why I specialized in that type of equipment.

TimberWest: Do you think there are any new issues that the forest products industry – from the loggers to the mills – is going to have to deal with in the next few years?

Smith: People used to be your most important asset. Today we just don’t have them. Twenty years ago people said, ‘Let’s send our kids to college,’ to prepare them. Young people today grew up playing video

games. That’s kind of how you run machines now. They’re our future loggers, and they’re really good at running these machines as we automate more and more. And the technology is saving lives. It takes a lot to make it work, but it works.

TimberWest: If you could change any business decision that you have made in the past, what would you do differently, and why?

Smith: I don’t think I’d do anything differently. I’ve had a wonderful career. I made this industry my career. I had my wife’s backing. I’m all over the map. You leave early in the morning, you get home late, sometimes you work on holidays. It’s a lifestyle. It’s like logging. They get up early every day and work long hours.

TimberWest: What advice would you give someone entering the industry?

Smith: Work hard. Pay attention. Ask questions about it. Look at old books and literature, read and understand it and how it all works, and what you have to do to make it work. It’s a wonderful career if you let it be, but there are long days. It’s not nine to five. It can be five to nine, but not all the time. It’s hard work, but it’s very rewarding.

TimberWest: What is the best part of working in the industry?

Smith: The people. The people you meet along the way, and the long relationships you have with these customers. I’m working with the third or fourth generation of some of them. I dealt with their grandfather, their dad, his kids, and now their kids. It’s pretty cool. Loggers are the true stewards of the forest. They don’t want to cut the last tree. We use their products for so many different things. Timber is a crop, like corn.

Third-Generation Family Runs One of Alaska’s Few Sawmills

Helle, Pendu, Wood-Mizer Machines Fuel Production for Young’s Timber

By Andrea Watts

TOK, Alaska – Despite having vast forest resources, Alaska has only a very small handful of sawmills in the interior region – a number that, at least in part, reflects how difficult it is to operate a business given the challenges that come with the state’s harsh climate.

Young’s Timber is one of only three sawmill businesses in the interior. It is an intergenerational enterprise, and owner Joe Young takes an innovative, holistic approach to his forest products business.

The company is located in southeast interior Alaska, just outside the small town of Tok, about 203 miles southeast of Fairbanks. The mill operations and log yard are situated on a 300-acre site.

Young, 73, started the company in 1993

with just a chainsaw, a pickup truck, a trailer, and a shovel; he sold firewood. Previously he worked for 20 years out of the International Union of Operating Engineers. He helped build the Haul Road, officially known as the Dalton Highway. Over 400 miles, it connects Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s northern coast. The route is known for its remote and challenging driving conditions, including gravel surfaces and limited services.

“Over the years, we built up the sawmill operation with a lot of help from people,” said Young.

The company still sells firewood, but its main products now are dimension lumber, timbers, and cabin kits. The company supplies lumber products to individual customers, oil companies, mining companies, a grocery store chain, the Tetlin Village Council,

and various nonprofits. Young’s Timber has annual sales in excess of $2 million. Young recently built a shed to air-dry lumber products and protect them from the sun and rain.

The company has 10 employees, including two family members. Beside the sawmill operations, the company performs its own logging work and also assembles cabin kits for sale.

Young buys timber from the Alaska Division of Forestry, timber sales on the nearby 1.8 million acre Tanana Valley State Forest, which is forested mostly with paper birch, quaking aspen, balsam poplar, black spruce, white spruce, and tamarack. Young mainly buys tracts of white spruce.

“If you have a value-added or high value-added manufacturing wood plant established, then you can negotiate with the Alaska Division of Forestry for 5- to 25-year

Pendu gang saw resaws cants into various lumber products. The Pendu machine and tooling can produce specialty timbers for log cabin construction.

timber sales,” explained Young, who has purchased 35 sales.

The terrain in the region is mostly flat along the river bottoms. There is good timber on the south-facing slopes of the hills. “White spruce only grows on well-drained soils that face the south for the spring sun,” said Young. “Soil temperature is critical for white spruce.”

The workhorse of the sawmill is a Helle overhead end-dogging scragg mill that can take logs up to 16 feet. It is equipped with twin circular saws that open two faces of the log; the end-dogging carriage system turns the two-sided cant 90 degrees and sends it through for another pass to finish squaring the log into a cant.

Young did considerable research of sawmill equipment, reading and comparing information available on the Internet. “After doing a lot of research for the size timber in the boreal forest, the Helle mill of all the mills researched was the best fit,” he said.

Helle is a brand of Sawmill Hydraulics, an Illinois-based company that manufactures a wide range of sawmill equipment, including scragg mills, carriages and carriage drives, vertical edgers, band resaws, doubleend trimmers, and more, including material handling equipment.

Young’s Timber also is equipped with a Pendu 4500 gang saw that is used to resaw the cants into various lumber products. He selected the Pendu gang resaw “as it had the tooling and best fit the product needs for Alaskans.”

“Before we were just doing rough cut D-logs for cabins,” said Young. “Once we got the Pendu gang, we could produce both 8-inch and 6-inch D-logs that are surfaced

on all four sides and have the v notch for the insulation.”

A D-log has a profile like the letter D, a round surface on one side and a flat face on the other. They are used in log cabin construction, with the round side on the exterior and the flat side on the interior.

The cants make one pass through the Pendu gang to shape it into a D-log or to make other lumber products. The Pendu also enables the company to produce 2x6, 2x8, log home siding, and tongue and groove boards. The company’s leading-selling product is 2x6 lumber.

Pendu, which supplies all the tooling for the different shaping cuts, is another well-known brand in the sawmill and pallet industry. Based in Pennsylvania, it manufactures equipment for producing lumber, pallet stock, log home components, stakes, railroad ties, and bridge timbers.

The company also has a Wood-Mizer LT40 portable band mill that is used for cutting material for cabin kits. It primarily mills 8-32-foot timbers used for the base of the cabins.

Because of Alaska’s harsh temperatures and limited daylight – five hours – during the winter, the company essentially shuts down for most of November, December, and January. For now, the Wood-Mizer and Pendu are stored under heavy tarps, but Young has plans to put them under roof in the future.

Even during the fall and spring months temperatures may be freezing, so the equipment needs appropriate care. The hydraulics on both the Helle and Pendu have heaters.

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Young’s Timber manufactures 2x6 lumber (its leading seller), 2x8, log home siding, tongue and groove boards, timbers, and specialty timbers for log homes.

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When operating the Helle in temperatures down to 10 degrees, the belts must be heated prior to milling. The Pendu is not operated if temperatures are freezing. Additionally, the company follows a strict maintenance schedule for the equipment. Young praised both Helle and Pendu for being responsive when ordering parts.

Young’s Timber has a logging crew. They are harvesting trees from timber he purchased in 2023. It is a tract of 1,000 acres with the timber to be harvested over 10 years. A significant upfront expense is road building, although Young is quick to clarify that they’re actually skid trails.

“If we said roads, we have to build to state standards,” he explained. “We get a stumpage credit for putting in skid trails because after we’re gone, people use them to trap, hunt, gather berries, and get firewood.”

Constructing winter skid trails costs around $5,000 per mile, and summer skid trails run around $9,000 a mile.

Felling is done with a Timbco 455B feller buncher with a 24-inch Quadco hot saw. Trees are seldom larger than 24 inches DBH, so “it’s the perfect hot saw for the size of timber we have here in the boreal forest,” said Young. He has owned the Timbco for

over 19 years. “And it’s going strong,” he said. “We do good maintenance on it.”

Two Timberjack skidders transport the downed trees to a landing area. At the landing a few men with chainsaws cut off the limbs and buck the logs to 44 feet. They have a couple of John Deere dozers, one with a grapple and one with a ripper, to move the logs as needed.

Two self-loading log trucks pick up the wood and haul it to the sawmill log yard. Two loaders equipped with forks, a John Deere and a Case, sort and stack the logs and also stage them for the Helle or the Wood-Mizer.

The company conducts logging operations in the fall after hunting season; the crew works until the dark and cold temperatures make it no longer feasible. They resume logging in February, when there is more daylight and temperatures are above -20 degrees. They continue working until the spring break-up period and road restrictions are imposed. Some logging is done in the summer after weight restrictions are lifted and bird nesting season is over, around July 4. Five men usually work in the woods, another two or three process the logs, and two operate the selfloading log trucks. When the mill is running,

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» 2-models available (686 or 786)

» 800 to 1,050 horsepower engine options

» Produces a high-quality paper chip

» ¾”, 7/8”, or 1” chip sizes

(continued from page 28)

seven men may be involved in the operations.

The logging slash is formed into piles. The piles provide habitat and shelter to voles, mice, rabbits, foxes, and birds, which in turn provide food to predators such as wolves, lynx, and birds of prey.

Young is exploring the feasibility of adding another machine, possibly a Woodland Mills portable band mill, to cut 2x4. “I’ve got to find an outlet for them before justifying the cost of the mill,” he said.

Young’s Timber also assembles the cabin kits it sells. Brian Holman, operations manager, and a team can assemble 10 cabins in 30 days. “Brian runs everything for me and keeps me on the straight and narrow path,” said Young.

“We build an insulated log cabin shell with windows and doors,” said Young. “We don’t cut any holes in the roof for heat, and we don’t do any interior work or electrical because we’re not certified.”

By managing all aspects of cabin production, from timber harvest to lumber manufacturing to final assembly, Young’s Timber can maintain a level of quality control that is one of the company’s selling points.

“We produce wood products on time and at the price we said,” said Young. “When we say a price, that’s the price – even if it costs more or less. We don’t change the price on the customer.”

Young is in the process of trying to develop and produce fuel logs made by compressing and gluing together wood chips and sawdust in a molding process. If successful, it would be a good outlet for his residuals.

“If you have a sawmill business, you spend all this money producing a product,” noted Young. “You create maybe 35 percent waste. What can you do with that waste? Because you have a cost sunk into it, a cost to store and handle it. So can we turn this cost into a profit?”

Before the COVID pandemic he invested in a debarker, a chipper, and a dryer to produce the material he needed, using slab wood and sawdust, and also a machine to mold the logs. However, the product didn’t break even because of the cost of debarking and high energy costs to dry the material.

Young pivoted and was able to obtain a $300,000 Wood Innovation Grant from the U.S. Forest Service to develop a more economical fuel log product. The first challenge is to dry the wood material – chipped wood and bark and sawdust – to 10 percent moisture content in a cost-effect method. To keep energy costs low, Young will use free waste oil from equipment at a gold mine to fuel the dryer.

Young partnered with Idaho-based Folk

Fabrication to manufacture the 4-foot by 30-foot drum dryer and the machine to produce the logs. “Got it designed, and the parts are being made for it,” Young said. He anticipates by the fall of 2026 to have product available for demonstration.

Once he begins manufacturing the fuel logs, 3-4,000 tons of residual material –slabs, trim ends, shavings and sawdust – can be utilized annually for the new product.

Young has been a longstanding supporter for a viable forest products industry in Alaska. He serves on the board of directors of the Alaska Forest Association, and this year he received the Service to Forestry Award from the Alaska Society of American Foresters. Young credits his collaboration with the research community, timber industry, and the Alaska Division of Forestry for his success.

“This is my philosophy,” he said. “It takes local knowledge – scientific knowledge, and timber industry knowledge – to have a successful forestry program and forestry industry. We appreciate all the science that comes in, and we pay lots of attention to it.”

He cited as one of his mentors Dr. Edmond C. Packee, a forestry professor at

the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. His research demonstrated how to improve clearcuts following a harvest in order to increase habitat for moose. Young’s loggers follow the guidelines Packee developed.

Young’s daughter, Patricia, worked summers in the business running a loader while she was in college. Now she is the office manager. Young’s grandson, Richard, has worked for the company since he was 14 and can operate all the sawmill equipment. “He’s the best dozer operator and best welder in Tok,” said Young proudly.

When the business shuts down for the winter, employees are able to collect unemployment benefits. They also can take some vacation time and spend time trapping, ice fishing, and other winter pursuits.

Young’s business does not have any debt service. When he buys equipment or has a building constructed, Young pays for it out of pocket.

Young credits his success to his employees. “You’re only as good as your crew, and I have a damn good crew, so they make me look good, and I’m pretty happy about that.”

Boise Cascade Raises Funds For Children’s Research Hospital

Boise Cascade announced the results of its companywide philanthropic campaign benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The company raised $423,128.56, surpassing its original goal by over $150,000.

The month-long campaign was marked by grassroots efforts across Boise Cascade’s 60-plus locations in the U.S. and Canada. Every dollar raised will support the mission

of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.

“Our people showed up in the most incredible way and I am proud beyond words,” said Jeff Strom, Boise Cascade’s chief operating officer. “I am deeply grateful and moved by the outpouring of support from our associates, vendors, suppliers, and customers who gave from their own pocketbooks to support this campaign and help us do something truly extraordinary together.”

The campaign aligns with Boise Cascade’s

longstanding commitment to community involvement and investing in nonprofit organizations that align with its values and help people and communities thrive.

Idaho Forest Group Names Brinkmeyer CEO

Idaho Forest Group announced the appointment of Todd Brinkmeyer as chairman and CEO, transitioning from his former position as president.

Brinkmeyer has extensive industry and leadership experience as the owner and operator of a sawmill and particleboard plant and other ventures beyond the forest products industry. He served as IFG’s acting president for the past 18 months.

Kevin Esser was appointed president, transitioning from his role as chief financial officer. Since joining IFG over 15 years ago, Esser has played a crucial role in strengthening the company’s financial strategy and operations.

Marc Brinkmeyer will step back from his role as owner and board chair and will assume the title of owner/founder.

Western Wood Products Taps Keller as President

The Western Wood Products Association named Jeff Keller as president, succeeding Ray Barbee, who died in March.

Keller has worked for trade associations for more than 20 years, representing various industries with an emphasis on lumber and construction.

His career experience includes the California Association of REALTORS, the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association, the New York State Rural Housing Coalition, and the Western Wood Preservers Institute, among others.

Keller holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and a master’s from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Yarders & Carriages

We solicited suppliers of yarders and carriages for information about their products. They provided the following descriptions, which have been edited for TimberWest. In some cases we used information available on their website.

YARDERS

DC Equipment/Falcon

The Falcon hydraulic yarder, FHY-AS, is a standing skyline yarder purpose-built for steep-slope mechanised logging. With no guy ropes required, it can be set up in minutes — dramatically reducing downtime. Its high-capacity, twin-drum hydraulic winch system delivers up to 14.4 tons of pulling power and integrates seamlessly

with the Falcon Claw grapple carriage. The 36-foot collapsible spar, intuitive joystick controls, and in-cab touchscreen interface ensure agile operation and faster cycle times, even in tight or remote terrain. Equipped with skyline tension monitoring, multiple HD cameras, and automated safety alerts, it enhances operator control and extends rope life. With over 1,000 meters of strawline and 550 meters of skyline, it’s designed to reach further, yard faster, and deliver greater efficiency where infrastructure is limited and terrain is tough. www.dcforestryequipment.com

DC Equipment/Madill

The Madill 124 swing yarder is known worldwide for its reliability in steepslope forestry operations. Powered by a robust engine delivering up to 270 hp and equipped with a 60-foot yarding boom, the Madill 124 handles mainline lengths up to 2,550 feet and haulback lines extending beyond 4,600 feet. Engineered for demanding terrain, it provides strong skyline tension and precise swing control, maximizing productivity and operational safety. Modernized with electric-over-hydraulic controls and an upgraded cab for enhanced operator comfort and visibility, it

offers intuitive responsiveness for smooth operation. The Madill 124 can operate with a range of rope configurations, rope sizes, carriage configurations, and set-ups. Beyond its performance, the Madill 124 represents a smart investment, holding excellent resale value thanks to its reputation for performance and durability.

www.dcforestryequipment.com

Summit Attachments

The SY50 is one of several swing yarders offered by Summit Attachments. It is a fully hydraulic swing yarder that allows the operator to move any line, in any direction, at any speed — whenever you need it. The SY50 is capable of line speeds up to 2,000 fpm for fast turn times and hard line pull when you need to be yarding up to 1,300 feet. Without complicated clutches, frictions, and air controls, the SY50 uses straightforward hydraulic components laid out for excellent service and diagnostic access. In-line design allows for great spooling without winders. All functions are controlled via foot pedal and joysticks. Auto-return makes getting the grapples back to the wood as simple as pressing a button. Built from the ground up on a 450-class frame, the SY50 is engineered and manufactured entirely by Summit Attachments, from steel processing and fabrication to machining, painting, and assembly.

www.summitattachments.com

Technical Forest Solutions/Harvestline

Technical Forest Solutions, the North American distributor of the Harvestline mobile yarder, has introduced the new and improved MK4 Harvestline yarder with Hawkeye carriage. The MK4 Harvestline yarder is designed specifically for the Pacific Northwest

and North American markets. It has faster line speeds, more pulling power, and increased skyline braking power compared to previous models. The MK4 is a mechanical interlocked hydraulic yarder with the ability to disengage the interlock for gravity or shotgun logging. The ability to interlock provides superior control for uphill and downhill harvesting. Disengage the interlock if needed to make quick layouts, yard short settings, or to hang out 3,000 feet. The Harvestline mobile yarder allows maximum payload at any position without a guyline.

www.technicalforestsolutions.com

Tigercat

The Tigercat 180 swing yarder is purpose-built from the groundup. It combines the speed and stability of conventional yarders with the mobility and simpler controls of excavator-based yarders. The result is a powerful, versatile yarding machine for extreme terrain logging applications. The intuitive controls are similar to a feller buncher or excavator. The joystick controls have many programmable features that reduce training time and increase production. The contour mapping feature uses mapping points set by the operator to automate the height of the carriage relative to the ground as it travels along the slope. The purpose-built winches are driven with efficient, dedicated closed loop hydraulic circuits for smooth operations and infinitely variable speed control. The closed loop circuits provide energy when lowering the load for increased efficiency.

VALENTINI

The VALENTINI company, based in Italy, has designed and built mobile cable yarders for forestry operations since 1979. Thanks to advanced drive and control techniques, VALENTINI machines have low operating costs and provide continuous, even, and fast performance. All models have a radiocontrolled safety lowering function for the skyline in case of emergency. In the event of skyline overload ing, the drum’s brake slips in a controlled way, reduc ing cable tension. Among the 3-drum cable yarders on tracked undercarriage, VALENTINI offers two groups. The telescoping tower of the compact model group is completely withdrawn inside the machine in transport mode. The power yarder group offers more power, speed, tower height. Tower height ranges from 12-18 meters or 16-23 meters. The large diameter cable drums provide constant power and speed and ensure perfect, compact cable winding with less coils.

www.tigercat.com

T-MAR Industries

T-MAR is completing the first-ever grapple yarder with an electrically-driven winch. The T-MAR 7280E electric hybrid yarder has an electrostatic drive, which uses a diesel engine to generate power, and then drives each winch drum with an independent electric drive. The yarder is fully regenerative and will be more fuel efficient, intuitive and forgiving to run, minimizing time needed to become proficient at operating.The T-MAR 7280E yarder will be faster, more powerful and easier to run than a conventional or hydraulic yarder. Mechanical simplicity will eliminate wear items and reduce maintenance. In partnership with Wahkash Contracting and Mosaic Forest Management, T-MAR is developing the next generation of productive, powerful logging equipment for the forest.

www.t-mar.com

www.valentini-export.com

CARRIAGES

ACME Manufacturing

ACME Manufacturing offers a range of carriages that are on the cutting edge of technology. For safety and dependability, all ACME Carriages feature rugged T-1 steel construction, low-pres sure hydraulics, single solenoid valves, and a patented skyline clamp with replaceable aluminum jaws. ACME emphasizes strength and durability as well as weight savings. The carriages outperform other carriages in their class: they pull slack harder and faster. The ACME GS10 and GS23 grapple/ slack pulling combo carriages are powered by a fully enclosed, aircooled diesel engine, either 10-23 hp, and are controlled by Talkie Tooter digital radio. They feature the ACME onboard wireless camera system with an available repeater to ensure video signal even when the carriage is not in the line of sight. ACME carriages are working on down-slope and backslope operations throughout the U.S., New Zealand, Canada and other countries.

www.acmecarriages.com

TechReview

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Boman Industries

Boman Industries, Inc. has been a pioneer in the design and development of drum carriages and radio remote control systems for the logging industry for over 40 years. The company’s goal is to provide loggers with carriages using modern technology that improves safety, productivity, and profits. Later this year the company plans to introduce a state-of-the-art motorized grapple carriage to add to its line of high productivity drum carriages.

Boman Industries currently offers four models of hydrostatic drum carriages with diesel engines ranging from 74 to 240 hp. They can operate with skyline diameter of ¾-inch to 1-½ inches. Drum capacity ranges from 250-900 feet of 9/16-inch to 300-750 feet of ⅝-inch. Line pull and speed ranges from 14,000 pounds at 580 feet per minute at full drum and 20,000 pounds and 420 feet per minute at mid-drum to 35,000 pounds at 750 feet per minute at full drum and 45,000 pounds and 600 feet per minute at mid-drum.

www.bomanindustries.com

DC Equipment/Falcon

Not one logging setting is the same, but many steepslope operations face similar challenges: accessing gullies, valleys, and sensitive terrain without compromising safety, productivity, or the environment. The Falcon Tandem Carriage helps contractors meet these challenges with confidence. It eliminates the need to raise or lower the skyline during cycles, keeping your crew fully mechanised and off the slope. Designed to work seamlessly with the Falcon Claw and Falcon Hydraulic Yarder, it delivers smooth, efficient operation in the toughest conditions. With no extra fuel costs, minimal manual input, and an intuitive operator interface, the Tandem Carriage makes it easier to log safer, faster, and more efficiently—starting from day one.

www.dcforestryequipment.com

Eagle Carriage & Machine

powered by a 28.5 hp diesel engine. It drops line down on the way out and drops turn down on the way in at the landing. It passes supports and extension shackles up to 1-⅜-inch. It has reverse to pick up rigging and pick tail off the landing and controls line from running back through the car. Load capacity is 25,000 pounds. Skyline capacity is ⅞-inch to 1-⅜-inch. Line speed is 250 feet per minute at low and 500 feet per minute at high. Line pull is 2,800 pounds.

www.eaglecarriage.com

Integral Equipment

Integral Equipment offers Alpine shovel yarders and carriages. The Alpine carriage, available in two models, pivots from the carriage for smooth 360-degrees rotation. The grapple open and rotate functions are hydraulically powered and controlled by remote electrical signals while the grapple close function is controlled by the mainline. No lifting is required to close the grapple. Hydraulic energy is stored in an accumulator and pressurized by a pump connected to one of the haulback/skyline sheaves as the carriage travels along the cable. The Alpine grapple carriage is easy to use. It offers low maintenance costs because it features a simple design, uses off-the-shelf components,and is easy to fix. Cycle times are fast. Load capacity ranges from 7,700 to 9,900 pounds, depending on the model.

Oregon-based Eagle Carriage & Machine Inc has been manufacturing carriages for cable logging since 1977. The company is focused on quality and durability, creating products that are safe, resilient, and high-functioning for years. The Eagle VI is the company’s newest hydraulic carriage: it saves time, increases production, and pulls faster turns. It features a new concept hydrostatic slack puller drive

www.integralequipment.ca

Summit Attachments

The Summit Attachments grapple carriage features an innovative swing arm design that allows the grapple to swing independent of the carriage body; logs pop up when they hit obstacles without sending forces through the carriage body. The video and radio communication system provides excellent performance outside of line-of-sight with HD night-capable cameras.

The visual capability and fast, responsive controls mean less missed

turns and more wood to the landing. The carriage can be laid down on the ground without a stand and access both sides of the carriage body and top for maximum serviceability. Summit Attachments engineers and builds its grapple carriage from the ground-up, including all engineered parts.

www.summitattachments.com

Technical Forest Solutions/Hawkeye

Technical Forest Solutions introduces the new Hawkeye MK4 motorized hydraulic grapple carriage. The MK4 boasts improvements over the previous MK3 version in open/close speed, upgraded camera system, upgraded hydraulic system, and improved access for maintenance. Standard features include 360-degree full rotation, auto clamp on close, Tier 4 diesel engine, and three cameras (views looking forward, backward, and at the grapple). The multiple camera views help the operator find stems faster and get on target faster, increasing cycle times. It is offered with two grapple sizes, 68-inch and 100-inch full open. The MK4 100-inch grapple is a great solution

for big tower grapple logging; with superior clamping force for better log retention, it offers high volume, big payloads turn after turn.

www.technicalforestsolutions.com

Wyssen

Wyssen, a Swiss company, has been manufacturing components for material cableways since 1926. Wyssen offers four models of carriages for cable logging. For example, the HY-4 carriage is used principally as a long-distance cable crane in forestry operations. It has four guide pulleys to conserve the skyline and for gentler transit over the supports. The load pendulum is available with or without a largedimensioned mainline clamp. In both versions the load hook is incorporated into the pendulum, and the mainline is relieved of the weight during the run; the mainline will not be damaged, even by the heaviest impacts of long timber loads during rapid descents. The suspended load is protected against the cable twisting, preventing damage to the cable. The HY-4 carriage can be fitted with various options. Load capacity is more than 15,000 pounds.

www.wyssenseilbahnen.com

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Associated Oregon Loggers Plan Convention in January

Associated Oregon Loggers will hold its annual convention Jan. 23-24 at the Valley River Inn in Eugene.

For more information, contact the AOL or visit the website, www.oregonloggers.org.

Oregon Loggers Set Annual Safety Meeting

Associated Oregon Loggers will hold its annual safety conference-north Nov. 15 at the Best Western Premier Boulder Falls Inn in Lebanon.

The half-day event includes breakfast. Registration fee is $75 before Oct. 15 and $95 after that date.

The state Department of Forestry will provide a forest practices refresher session in the afternoon with information on tree retention requirements, road rules, stream crossings, and tips to stay compliant with the Forest Practices Act.

Both gatherings qualify for Oregon Professional Logger Continuing Education credits.

For more information or to register contact David Grim at AOL at dgrim@oregonloggers.org (503) 364-1330.

California Loggers Schedule Annual Meeting Jan. 20-22

Associated California Loggers will hold its annual meeting Jan. 20-22 at the Peppermill Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Nevada.

The event includes a reception, banquet and live and silent auctions. The program will include a membership meeting, board and staff reports, and speakers.

Educational sessions will include ‘Clean Fleets, Clean Trucks, and Electric Vehicles’ and ‘CAL FIRE Hired Equipment.’

Registration fee of $100 does not include meals.

For more information, visit the association website at www.californialoggers.com.

Washington Contract Loggers To Hold Master Logger Class

The Washington Contract Loggers Association will hold Master Logger Program training Nov. 12, 13, 19, and 20.

This program requires completion of the four sessions plus first aid training. Attendees may complete a partial MLP program and take the remaining sessions at a later date.

The schedule of sessions is as follows:

• Nov. 12- logging business management

• Nov. 13-silviculture and ecology

• Nov. 19-Department of Natural Resources forest practices

• Nov. 20-safety and workers compensation insurance

The cost is $40 per session for WCAL members, $120 for nonmembers.

Visit the WCAL website, www.loggers.com, to download the registration form.

For more information contact Tami Au at (800) 422-0074, Ext. 139 ,or email tami@loggers.com.

STAND OUT IN 2026

TimberWest Magazine — January/February 2026

The Official Oregon Logging Conference SHOW GUIDE

Contact TimberWest to learn more about our NEW 2026 MULTIMEDIA PACKAGES

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www.forestnet.com

Make sure industry professionals know that you’ll be at the Oregon Logging Conference. Help them find your exact location amongst 300+ exhibitors and stand out.

Advertise in the 2026 Official Show Guide

Packed with essential show information, including:

• Detailed indoor/outdoor site maps cross-referenced to the exhibitor listing

• Daily conference agenda

• Seminar schedules and more

Delivered to TimberWest’s 10,500 readers in early February, well in advance of the show.

Not only will every logger, log hauler, and mill manager in the Northwest receive a copy, but we’ll also print extra copies for every attendee registration packages and show entrance areas.

IMPORTANT Advertising Deadline: January 13, 2026

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES:

Anthony Robinson: Owner / Publisher, Forestnet Media Tel: (778) 991-3500 • arobinson@forestnet.com

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88th Oregon Logging Conference

Oregon Logging Conference President Mike McKibbin invites you to the 88th Annual gathering next year at the Lane Events Center & Fairgrounds in Eugene, OR on February 19, 20 & 21, 2026.

The 2026 conference theme is Responsible Forestry Today, Healthy Forests Tomorrow. This will set the stage for interesting topics and speakers at the OLC.

President McKibbin has invited Jacque Buchanan, USDA Pacific Northwest Regional Forester to provide the keynote address, which will be presented during the 88th annual OLC opening session, Thursday, February 19, 2026, in the Wheeler Pavilion at the Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds. For more information visit www.oregonloggingconference.

Keynote Speaker Jacque Buchanan,

The Oregon Logging Conference has selected Jacque Buchanan, USDA Pacific Northwest Regional Forester as the keynote speaker for the 88th Annual Oregon Logging Conference in February 2026

Buchanan has served with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the USDA Forest Service for more than 30 years and is currently in charge of 16 National Forests, two Scenic Areas, a National Grassland, and two National Volcanic Monuments within the states of Oregon and Washington. She assumed her role as Pacific Northwest Regional Forester in January 2024

Buchanan has had a diverse career in the U.S. Forest Service, both domestically and internationally, working extensively in the area including forest health, fire management and wildfire crisis response.

First Tigercat X877 Track Buncher Goes to Work

Tigercat’s first high performance X877 track feller buncher has been put into service for a logging operation in central Canada.

The Tigercat X877 is built on the innovative sloped-tail platform. The highperformance carrier features a closed loop drive system. As a result, the machine has excellent multifunctioning characteristics — well suited to highly skilled and experienced operators seeking maximum productivity.

The sloped-tail platform provides excellent tail clearance when swinging over obstacles while retaining clear and convenient access to daily service points and machine components. With a fully retracting roof enclosure, both sides of the engine, the

valves, and the hydraulic pump area are easy to reach. The upper assembly is designed to house both the Tigercat FPT N67 and C87 engines for improved commonality. In-tank hydraulic filtration extends service intervals up to 2,000 hours.

Long track frames and an integrated counter weight ensure excellent machine balance and stability. A newly designed ER boom system offers tighter tuck and a larger boom envelope. ER technology, developed exclusively by Tigercat, reduces operator fatigue and conserves energy.

The operator’s cabin is equipped with a comfortable parallel action suspension seat with integrated heating and cooling and full adjustability. Clear sightlines and ergonomic positioning of controls reduce operator fatigue over long shifts.

For more information, visit www.tigercat.com.

Komatsu Offers 951XC-1 Eight-Wheel Harvester

Komatsu is launching a new model of its largest harvester, the 951XC-1 harvester. It’s purpose-built for enhanced stability, performance and productivity for the most demanding forestry operations.

The Komatsu 951XC-1 is one of the largest harvesters on the market. Its eight driven wheels deliver incredible traction, maneuverability and stability, especially in steep, soft or rugged conditions. Inside the cab, operators experience automotive-level quality with refined controls and features built for all-day comfort and precision.

Other features include:

– tractive force of 54,400 lbf to support operation in tough terrain

– Komatsu’s 3PS hydraulic coordination system that allows multiple head and crane functions to operate at full power simultaneously

– shortened crane center-to-front-wheel distance for wider working range and stronger reach

Free Online Safety Training Available For Yarding, Loading

Logging remains one of the most hazardous industries. In an effort to support increased safety in this industry, the Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (OR-FACE) Program has developed the Oregon Yarding and Loading Safety Training.

This free, self-paced online training is designed to teach loggers new to the industry about the on-the-job hazards commonly faced when yarding and loading logs. It is intended to supplement other forms of training offered by employers and can serve as an important additional resource to help prevent injuries and fatalities. The training is available in English and Spanish.

The Oregon Yarding and Loading Safety Training addresses key topics essential to safe yarding and loading operations:

• common logging hazards

• types of yarding systems used in the field

• safe rigging procedures

• types of elevated supports

• the roles and responsibilities of rigging crews.

The training is designed not only to raise awareness of the risks but also to provide clear,

actionable strategies for reducing those risks.

The program consists of 22 modules. Most modules take five minutes to complete while a few take up to 10 minutes to complete.

The program was adapted from the Oregon OSHA Yarding and Loading Handbook building on a proven resource that reinforces safe working practices. The training development was guided by two leading experts in logging safety: Jeff Wimer, a logging safety consultant and retired senior instructor, and Francisca Marrs Belart, PhD, associate professor and timber harvesting Extension specialist, both from Oregon State University.

The handbook chapter has been transformed into an interactive, online training that is accessible by phone, tablet, or desktop. Employers can easily assign the training to their crews, and they will be able to conveniently access it by getting a free account on the OR-FACE learning management system. No specialized software or advanced technical knowledge is needed.

Logging is physically demanding, technically complex, and a dangerous industry. Every year, workers face extreme risks, including heavy equipment, hazardous terrain, falling trees, and

unpredictable weather conditions.

Between 2018 and 2022, 249 logging, conservation, and forest workers died in job-related accidents in the U.S. In Oregon alone, 53 logging industry workers died between 2018 and 2023. The numbers underscore the importance of industry-specific, effective safety training in preventing injuries and fatalities.

This training provides workers with the knowledge they need to recognize hazards, follow safe procedures, and ultimately reduce the risk of injury and death. For employers, the training is a valuable tool to support workforce safety, reinforce company training programs, and demonstrate a commitment to protecting employees.

To access the training, visit https://www.supportiveworkplaces.org; scroll down to Training Courses and click on Oregon Yarding & Loading Safety.

Or use this QR code:

For more information, email supportiveworkplaces@ohsu. edu

– automatic 4-way leveling system – spacious cab layout, climate controls and high-visibility design to reduce operator fatigue

“What is special about the 951XC-1 is that it combines the strength of a 951-1 with an extremely compact design,” said Rob Warden, senior product manager for Komatsu’s forestry division. “Since it has about the same dimensions as the 931XC-3, it can be used in denser stands.”

For more information, visit www.komatsu.com.

Tigercat Introduces 1055D Forwarder at France Event

Tigercat launched the new 1055D forwarder at the 2025 FOREXPO in France. The machine attracted a great deal of attention during the two-day event. Design improvements focus on the operator and machine configurability for a variety of cutto-length applications.

The heavy duty 15-ton forwarder was designed out of the gate to be highly configurable to meet many differing local requirements that make up the global forwarder market. The machine can be specified with two transmission choices to optimize the machine based on typical terrain conditions. Three bunk systems and three available wagon frame lengths further customize the forwarder for thinning or final harvesting as well as varying log length requirements. Several crane choices also are available.

The operator’s cabin has been completely redesigned. With increased legroom, the spacious interior is designed for optimal ergonomics and effective climate control. Both the seat and seat base are configurable according to preference and operating conditions. Multiple storage locations are available to the operator.

Clear operator sight lines reduce fatigue and increase productivity. The curved rear window gives the operator an unobstructed upward view of the crane and clear sight lines to the entire work area. The placement and shape of the front and rear control panels, as well as the fuel and hydraulic tank structures, allow for clear sight lines to the blade and tires. Additionally, the vertical

gate slats are progressively angled to enhance through-visibility to the load area.

Operator controls are new with an intuitive and comfortable layout. The drive control system has separate engine rpm and drive speed controls along with preprogrammed speed settings for fine speed control and convenient operation.

The hydraulically operated front hood enclosure opens to provide a safe and roomy work platform. From the elevated platform, the operator can walk around both sides of the engine. A pull-down ladder behind the

cab gives access to standing areas beside the hydraulic and fuel tanks, and the powertilting cab provides access to major hydraulic components.

Waratah Develops Two New Harvester Attachments

Waratah Forestry Equipment has launched two new harvester heads — the H427 and the H427X — to deliver powerful,

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Unwanted vegetation? We have the right tool – or AX – for the job. Choose from our full line of Battle Ax ® forestry mulchers for skid steers, excavators and prime movers, or our new stump grinder and brush cutter attachments. Find your match at Loftness.com

FORESTRY MULCHERS

NEW PRODUCTS

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durable and reliable solutions for forestry applications.

Built to handle large timber, the H427 offers high productivity and precision, while the H427X extends that performance with heavy-duty features, purpose-built for tracked machine applications.

“As the largest heads in our 400 Series lineup, the H427 and H427X are built to give loggers the confidence they need in the forest,” said Brent Fisher, product marketing manager for Waratah. “Whether it’s the versatility of the H427 or the heavy-duty capabilities of the H427X, both models are designed to enhance performance, durability, productivity and reliability in demanding environments.”

The H427 is built for big timber and demanding applications from late thinning to the final cut. Featuring a strong frame, highperformance saws, including an optional top saw and HD tilt frame, it delivers durability, feed force and cut capacity needed for reliable productivity. Its saws are a standout feature, providing fast, precise cutting even in the toughest conditions. The latest measuring system design improves length and diameter accuracy while an efficient control valve and optimized four-roller feed arm geometry ensure consistent performance on wheeled and tracked carriers. A four-knife delimbing system and streamlined service access further enhance uptime.

The H427X delivers the same performance benefits as the H427 but is purpose-built for heavy-duty tracked machine applications. The H427X features a standard, heavy-duty tilt frame and heavy-duty feed motor covers for added durability and protection. This helps provide operators with the toughness and responsiveness required with tracked applications, hardwood and large timber.

For more information, visit Waratah.com.

John Deere Enables

Simplified Parts Orders

The John Deere Operations Center™ is now integrated with www.Shop.Deere.com, enabling simplified parts ordering.

Customers with factory maintenance plans can add parts for scheduled services directly to their cart and complete purchases.

Customers and their approved John Deere dealers or independent service providers also can jointly monitor and manage maintenance plans and parts ordering to help maximize uptime.

“We are continuously evolving John Deere Operations Center to simplify and enhance our customers’ digital experience,” said Katie Voelliger, product marketing manager for John Deere. “Customers can review, create and save factory-recommended or customized maintenance plans within Operations Center and manage all equipment maintenance in one convenient location.”

The streamlined fleet maintenance management process enables users to plan maintenance intervals, order parts online, and monitor machine health efficiently in near real time, through one interface. This helps customers increase uptime through better management of preventative maintenance for their equipment fleets.

Fleet managers also can log completed maintenance tasks with details such as costs, photos, documents, repair notes, and service history to support machine lifecycle management.

Customers utilizing the John Deere Equipment Mobile application can benefit from the new Shop.Deere.com feature as well, enabling simplified parts ordering from a variety of customer platforms.

For more information, ,visit www. JohnDeere.com or contact your local John Deere dealer.

FAE Upgrades SSM Forestry Tiller for Tractors

FAE is updating its SSM line of forestry tillers for 170-300 hp tractors. The HP models now boast a side gearbox cooling system, while all versions benefit from interchangeable wear-resistant Hardox inner plates inside the crushing chamber.

The main applications of the SSM line are plantation and nursery maintenance, vineyard and orchard upkeep, agriculture tilling and soil reclamation, and soil mixing. This equipment is able to shred roots and

stumps up to 20 inches in diameter, down to a maximum working depth of 16 inches.

Its most notable technical features include the wear-resistant Hardox plates, the central gearbox alignment system specially developed by FAE, the transmission with side gearbox, and the adjustable Hardox counter blade.

The SSM comes standard with A/3 teeth or with A/3/HD and F/3 teeth upon request. It is available in three widths.

FAE is a leading designer and manufacturer of attachments for tractors, excavators, and track carriers for forestry and other applications.

For more information, visit www.faegroup.com.

Brass Knuckle Offers Cut-Resistant Gloves

Brass Knuckle offers cut-resistant gloves for hand protection and full-face/full range of motion facial and eye protection.

SmartCut™ BLCR4420 gloves combine features suitable for a host of disciplines with a medium-to-high cut resistance that works for most applications. They maintain the dexterity needed in detailed construction environments, providing excellent flexibility and slip resistance, all while meeting the A4 cut resistance requirement. On top of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) shell, Brass Knuckle adds a water-based polyurethane coating as a palm and finger base coat that helps reduce penetration of liquids, including light oil. The grip is secured with a foam nitrile topcoat.

The Vader Combo doubles down on personal protection on construction sites by providing protective eyewear and a full-face shield. Because it’s not affixed to a hardhat, that protection goes wherever the wearer’s face and eyes move. It’s also closer to the face for less risk of splashback. The face-covering impact shield is an integral piece of the vented goggle. It’s one-of-a-kind facial protection against projectiles, debris, and wetness with D3 droplet and splash protection rating plus unparalleled anti-fog properties.

For more information, visit www.brassknuckleprotection.com.

Yanmar Launches Full Line of Compact Machines

Yanmar Compact Equipment has launched its full line of compact equipment. The line is completed following the introduction of Yanmar compact track loaders, now available at dealer lots across North America. The four models complement the existing mini excavators, compact wheel loaders and tracked carriers.

The launch is made possible by a 50 percent increase in North American production

The addition of the Premium Red compact track loaders to Yanmar’s compact equipment line expands options for contractors and equipment rental businesses.

“This full range of equipment is built on trust developed over Yanmar’s 100 years as a company, 55 of those in compact equipment,” said Anna Christine Sgro, president. “Our dealers, customers and partners rely on us to deliver machines that are not only dependable but also help them grow their businesses.”

For more information visit www. YanmarCE.com.

November 2-5

Pacific Logging Congress Annual Meeting, La Quinta, CA 360-832-1745 www.pacificloggingcongress.org

November 5-7

NAWLA Traders Market, Columbus, OH 800-527-8258, www.nawla.org

AD INDEX

SENNEBOGEN SPRINGER TANGUAY

TIMBERWOLF EQUIPMENT USNR

CALENDAR

November 12-14

Woodworking Machinery & Supply Conference & Expo, Toronto 708-373-4344 www.woodworkingnetwork.com

November 18-20

Council of Western State Foresters, Ponderosa Pine Utilization Summit, Edgewater, CO www.westernforesters.org

December 2-4

Pacific Northwest Forest Vegetation Mgmt Conf., Portland, OR www.westernforestry.org

December 10-11

Lumber and Building Materials LBM 2024 Expo, Uncasville, CT 518-286-1010 www.lbmexpo.com

To Win the Wildfire War, We Must First Win the Science Debate

By Jim Petersen

“

The forests we see today are not the same as the forests of 2001. They are dangerously overstocked and increasingly threatened by drought, insect-born disease and wildfire. Currently, nearly half of our roadless acres -- over 28 million – are at high or very high risk of catastrophic wildfire and are in desperate need of treatment.”

Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz commenting on Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ decision to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. The Clinton Administration had placed 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless land into de facto wilderness areas in 2001 without congressional consent.

Congress is hellbent on winning the Wildfire War in the West.

Sort of.

We haven’t heard anyone in the House or Senate argue for the direct connection between winning the Wildfire War and winning the Science Debate.

Until we win the Science Debate, we won’t win the Wildfire War.

We don’t currently have all the science we need to win the debate. We have some of it, but many House and Senate members are very nervous about l-o-g-g-i-n-g in our National Forests.

Some lawmakers understand that thinning is the only way to reduce the wildfire threat but others favor “wildfire for ecosystem benefit” despite the increasing environmental, health and economic risks that “managed” wildfires pose.

The Forest Service lost its public license to manage National Forests in the 1980s because of aesthetic concerns associated with harvesting timber. We thought the agency did a good job of documenting its first Decadal Forest Plans, but environmentalists and their lawyers did a better job of undermining the entire planning and management process.

In 1989 – the year before the government listed the Northern Spotted Owl as a threatened species – the Forest Service sold 12 billion board feet of timber. In fiscal 2024 it sold 2.88 billion. That’s a 76 percent decline.

With it have come insect and disease infestations followed by killing wildfires that have wiped out dozens of rural communities and killed more than 300 people.

How to fix this problem?

F-o-r-e-s-t m-a-n-g-e-m-e-n-t and l-o-g-g-i-n-g.

Of course, none of this is going to happen until Congress puts some sideboards around the taxpayer funded Equal Access to Justice Act. Environmentalists will litigate Fix Our Forests Act projects because there are no sideboards on the Act.

These delaying actions increase wildfire risks in forests and adjacent communities.

To win the Wildfire War we must first win the Science Debate. But how can we do this now that Congress has zeroed out of the Forest Service’s annual Research and Development budget?

Will these dollars be restored during reconciliation?

We doubt it.

The midterm election is November 3, 2026, and no one in the House – where appropriations bills begin their long journey -- wants to be labeled a spendthrift.

When asked about restoring Forest Service R&D funding, the standard answer from “Foggy Bottom” is that universities can pick up the slack...?

We have some great forestry schools in the western universities, but their research costs are far higher than Forest Service R&D. We are partners in one project in Montana that will cost us an additional $350,000 if the Rocky Mountain Research Station loses its funding.

Recently Rocky Mountain Research scientists put Lincoln County, Montana, on their top 10 list of the most at-risk counties in the nation. They did it because the forest canopy on the heavily forested Kootenai National Forest is closing rapidly. These are the same scientists who built the wildfire risk assessment maps the Forest Service uses to identify and plan restoration projects.

Why?

Because there hasn’t been enough l-og-g-i-n-g in recent years to replicate the mosaic patterns and openings that Nature and Native American prescribed fire created for eons.

When wildfires reach these openings they drop to ground and burn more slowly or even burn themselves out. This helps reduce the risk and impact of very large wildfires.

The Kootenai is currently the only National Forest in Montana where tree growth exceeds mortality. In the state’s other nine National Forests, trees are dying faster than they are growing.

Canopy closure and wildfire does more than just kill trees. It also kills habitat and food sources for thousands of plant, reptile, fish, amphibian and animal species including federally listed grizzly bears, caribou, Canada lynx, black-footed ferrets and bull trout.

Collaboratively developed Shared Stewardship agreements are another spending casualty. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte recently signed the state’s agreement with the Forest Service

But where will the partners find money to fund projects that could help win the science debate?

The Forest Service’s $8.9 billion Fiscal 24-25 budget isn’t even a decimal point in the Congressional Appropriations bill. The House has approved five of 12 separate measures, but the Senate won’t consider any of them until November, so there is still time to restore the Forest Service’s R&D budget.

Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, is most certainly up to his eyeballs in this mess. Westerman, a Yale University forestry graduate, is the only forester in Congress. He is going to need bi-partisan help in the House and Senate, especially in the Interior West, where most rural communities are located.

The political road ahead is steep, and there are no guarantees.

(Jim Petersen is the founder and president of the Evergreen Foundation, which publishes www.evergreenmagazine.com, and this article first appeared on the Evergreen website. Evergreen is a nonprofit that seeks to be a valuable public education resource advancing the pursuit of healthy, productive, resilient forests.)