Spring 2023 WVFA Mountain State FORESTRY
CONTENTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Aaron Plaugher, President...........WestRock Joe McNeel, 1st VP .......................Appalachian Hardwood Center Anthony Raines, 2nd VP..............Rainco Forest Resources Kayla Springer, Secretary/Treasurer John Holstine, Past President....Holstine Forestry Ben Spong.........................................Appalachian Hardwood Center Brian Booth.......................................Allegheny Wood Products Buddy Downey................................WG Downey Consulting Dan Parker.........................................Tillinghast & Neely Davis Pierson....................................Pierson Lumber Denzil Linton.....................................Allegheny Wood Products Gary Claypool..................................J.P. Hamer Lumber Gary Keaton.......................................Lyme Mountaineer Timberlands James Smith......................................Pixelle Specialty Solutions Jamie Dever.......................................Landmark Forestry Jeff Knollinger....................................Red Oak Timber Company Kirby Funderburke..........................Individual Lance Fairchild.................................Weyerhaeuser Mark Wilson......................................Allegheny Wood Products Matthew Lane...................................Coastal Timberlands Michael Sammons..........................Triple S Farms Ron Sammons.................................Sammons Logging Ronnie Sites......................................LC Logging Rusty Leonard..................................Northwest Hardwoods Sharon Glasscock..........................Laurel Creek Hardwoods Tom Crickenberger.........................WestRock Tommy George.................................Individual West Virginia Forestry Association, Inc. 2008 Quarrier St., Charleston, WV 25311 681-265-5019 | wvfa@wvfa.org PUBLISHER LLM Publications Grandt Mansfield........................................Advertising Sales 503-445-2226 | grandt@llmpubs.com Hiakato Draconas.......................................Design & Layout STAFF Eric Carlson...............................................Executive Director Kayla Springer..........................................Accounting Manager Ed Kraynok.................................................Program Manager © 2023. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced or distributed electronically or mechanically, either in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the West Virginia Forestry Association. The advertisers assume complete responsibility to use any or all brand names, trademarks, guarantees, and statements which appear in their advertisements. 5 | Message from the Executive Director 6 | Message from the President Featured News 7 | A Look at the Evolution of Forestry 8 | Policy and Legislation 9 | Carbon Legislation 10 | WV Forest Landowner’s Perceptions of Forest Carbon Offset Programs 12 | Forest Products Essay Contest Tree Farm News 16 | 2023 American Tree Farm: National Leadership Conference 17 | West Virginia Senate Passes Resolution Recognizing Tree Farmer of the Year West Virginia Loggers Council News 20 | Prevention and Accidents PAGE 21 Membership Application • Membership Application • Policy and Legislation Federal and State Hearings 8
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR www.wvfa.org Spring 2023 | West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry 5 The Association continues to build a stronger relationship with the West Virginia Legislature. Our Legislative Reception, daily meeting with legislators, and our many members reaching out to legislators this year have provided WVFA a great opportunity to address some long-standing and emerging issues across the forestry landscape. It is truly a challenge leading an organization with such a diverse membership. We will always have robust discussions on what is needed and, more importantly, what is possible working with other groups impacting policy and the legislative process. We have included some articles and essays from students that help our readers understand how the best and brightest view the issues we all face today. By the time you read this column, the legislative session will have ended and we will have made an impact in several areas. Your continued support is the fuel that drives this organization. We took a forward look at this year’s A.B. Brooks Symposium, to bring together people that could speak directly about the ever-changing world of forestry, how forest carbon prices are impacting landowners decisions about harvesting, new innovative workforce training becoming available through our local schools and institutions, offering some vision to build a new forestry facility at WVU, along with a new forestry entrepreneurship center at WVU. We also had a glimpse of the ever-increasing attention to improving the health of our national forest by partnering with industry. We hope to have a great program this summer at the Annual meeting, so plan to attend. It is an opportunity for all to enjoy the outdoors, participate in the many activities we plan, and listen to leaders in the forestry community. We always try to engage our elected leaders and be prepared to meet and let them know what is on your mind. We have a lot of challenges on the horizon and we are well-prepared to take them head-on this year. Eric Carlson Executive Director It is truly a challenge leading an organization with such a diverse membership. We will always have robust discussions on what is needed and, more importantly, what is possible working with other groups impacting policy and the legislative process.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 6 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org It was wonderful to see many of you at the A.B. Brooks Memorial Forestry Symposium in January. The symposium was a great success with a capacity crowd and an interesting slate of speakers. Many members also attended the Taste of West Virginia reception the evening prior to the symposium. This joint reception with the West Virginia Farm Bureau included a delightful dinner of West Virginia products and the opportunity to mingle with legislators. Many representatives were in attendance, including Speaker of the House Roger Hanshaw and Attorney General Patrick Morrissey. WVFA also held a separate legislative reception back in mid-January. This event, held at the West Virginia Culture Center, is next door to the state capitol and within walking distance of the WVFA office. It was well-attended by legislators, and since it is a WVFA event, the discussions remain focused on forestry and forest products’ manufacturing issues. If you have never attended this event, I highly recommend that you make plans to attend next year. Participating in discussions about legislative issues and forestry or forest products topics is an important benefit of membership in the West Virginia Forestry Association. Actively participating in association events or communicating with the executive director and board members helps to develop the association’s position on relevant topics. The board considers the viewpoints of our varied membership before determining a position to take on any topic, but just like voting in an election, you must speak up and participate for your voice to be heard. Lastly, consider being an advocate for the association by helping to enroll new members. Challenges against forest management and forest products manufacturing require consistent vigilance to respond to threats and educate the misinformed. If you know a landowner, forester, or forest products manufacturer who isn’t a member of the WVFA, ask them why and let them know that supporting the WVFA benefits us all. Aaron Plaugher Board President Participating in discussions about legislative issues and forestry or forest products topics is an important benefit of membership in the West Virginia Forestry Association.
FEATURED NEWS www.wvfa.org Spring 2023 | West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry 7 AS WE PROGRESS INTO 2023, I contemplate how I’ve gotten to where I am. From my office, I have the opportunity every day to look into the face of my first love: the rugged hills and forests of our beloved Mountain State. For three decades, I have had the privilege of serving this great state through the West Virginia Division of Forestry (WV DOF). As my roles have changed, so has the industry to which I’ve devoted my career. I think back to my grandfather and the changes he saw during his lifetime. Born in Hambleton, a small lumber camp in Tucker County, he worked in the woods his entire life. After serving in the US Army as a Wagoner in World War I, he moved to Woodbine at the mouth of the Cranberry River and began working for the Cherry River Boom and Lumber Company. He and his team of horses worked long hours during the week skidding logs. On the weekends, he pulled a wagon out to town to get supplies. As the years passed, he saw logging change. Where there once were crosscut saws and axes, and loads pulled by teams of horses and steam powered loaders behind Shay engines. The industry changed, giving way to the innovation of chainsaws, dozers, and log trucks; machines allowed the day-to-day processes to move faster, and the amount a crew could accomplish in a week continued to grow. The opportunity and innovation of his day in the wood industry continue to carry on in West Virginia today. But, in order to appreciate the present, we must look at where we came from. The West Virginia Division of Forestry was established in 1909 in the wake of devastating fires that burned millions of acres of our beautiful Appalachian hardwood forests. These fires followed logging practices that destroyed swaths of virgin forest lands, burning some areas down to the rock and opening the door to environmental disaster. But, led by foresters like A.B. Brooks and Gifford Pinchot, West Virginia began to see a new era of forest management. Last year alone, the WV DOF foresters, investigators, and wardens managed 890 fires and controlled fires in all of the state’s 55 counties through partnerships with local volunteers and fire departments. In a little over 100 years, forest management has nurtured nature’s greatest asset, its resiliency. Our state forests are one of our most valuable resources, providing a source of emotional, spiritual and financial wellbeing. The West Virginia Division of Forestry protects and manages all State Forest resources through partnerships emphasizing stewardship. West Virginia is the third most forested state, and those same hills are once again full of a valuable and sustainable natural resource. We continue to see changes to the timber industry, and with economic downturns and the rising costs of doing business, we continually strive to do more while having less. We also combat invasive species and diseases that attack the trees or the animals that call these lands their home. But West Virginians have always encountered and overcome obstacles—it is the core of who we are. The mantle has been passed to us to preserve our way of life and this natural resource for the next generation. Like those that came before us, we continue to overcome the challenges that face us. As we strive to embrace the opportunities that change provides, we build a brighter future for our forests and all those that depend on them. A LOOK AT THE EVOLUTION OF FORESTRY Tony Evans Acting Director/State Forester West Virginia Division of Forestry Division of Forestry #7 Players Club Drive, Charleston, WV 25311 Phone: (304) 558-2788
GOVERNMENT 8 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org House Ways and Mean Field Hearing Congress came to West Virginia this winter. The House Ways and Means Committee held a field hearing at Allegheny Wood Products in Petersburg. The purpose of field hearing was to listen to the state of business in this region of Appalachia. Witnesses included Allegheny Wood Products Vice President Tom Plaugher. His testimony focused on the devastating impact of trade tariffs, the impact of inflation, especially on energy, to not only the business but the employees, along with delays in the supply chain that require the company to invest in larger inventory of parts to continue to operate. There were two hours of questions from Member of Congress from all over the country, many from urban and suburban districts where wood products are important to fulfill the demand for housing. Other witnesses were from local businesses in West Virginia who shared similar stories how they have been challenged with inflation, energy costs, and supply chain problems. We want to thank Allegheny Wood Products for hosting the hearing to provide one of the most important House Committees to understand how their actions impact rural communities. Field hearings are an important tool used by Congressional Committees to gather a perspective outside of the Washington, DC environment. Endangered Species The US Fish and Wildlife Service delayed the designation of the Northern Long-eared Bat to Endangered status until March 31. There was a lot of input to this designation by in the forestry community, along with questions from state and local governments how this designation would impact operations. Waters of the US (Wetlands) The Environmental Protection Agency issued a revised rule of regulating the permitting requirements when a landowner impacts wetlands as defined as “waters of the United States.” Many organizations across the country have filed suit against EPA because of the potential cost and limitations this would have to agriculture, forestry, energy development, housing constructions, and other major land use groups. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrissey has joined with other State Attorney Generals to stop this rulemaking. FEDERAL Policy and Legislation
STATE Forest Carbon Legislation surrounding forest carbon emerged again this year in West Virginia, with bills in both House and Senate moving through the legislative process. The rapid chain markets and requirements to meet the offset standards are becoming such a market force that some large forest ownerships are using forest carbon offsets to increase income while harvesting is declining for many reasons including a shortage of loggers, trucking, and declining prices for sawn lumber. This is a challenging issue for the Association, as we have many wood products manufacturers and forest owners. The Board of Directors passed a resolution that recognizes this challenge. This will continue to be an issue for forest products companies and forest land owners, both of whom want to sustain operations while providing a solid return to the investors. The jobs provided in manufacturing sector in the industry are at risk should the carbon markets continue to climb, and forest owners need a viable wood products industry to sustainably manage their forests. The complexity and diversity of the forest carbon offset contracts further amplifies the need for more outreach and education among forest owners and elected officials to assure both the sustainable management of forests can be achieved while not sacrificing the jobs and wood products society demands from our forest. Tort Reform Once again legislation emerged this year to address a long-standing concern of the wood products sector to reduce insurance costs and risks. The support the Association received from insurers, other heavy industries, and legislators was remarkable. Tort reform is a very difficult issue to reform, largely because of the vast opportunities for large settlements where attorneys receive 40% or more of the entire settlement. There are only a couple of insurers in the state willing to provide insurance to cover this risk to employers and the cost of this insurance is prohibitive, so many smaller companies, such as loggers, operate at full risk of a lawsuit from an injured worker. This is one of the most difficult issues the Association took on behalf of members. Success means more insurers will offer coverage and that will lower prices. Managed Timberland Tax Program Legislation requiring the Division of Forestry to provide online renewals for all participants in this tax program that requires forest management through harvesting emerged this year. This will save both landowners and the Division of Forestry from tedious renewal applications where nothing has changed on the tracts enrolled. CARBON RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the West Virginia Forestry Association that the sale of forest carbon offsets could be detrimental to the forest products industry and our local communities. Whereas West Virginia is the third most forested state in the country with over twelve million acres of forestland supported by a thriving forest products industry that provides over 30,000 jobs and in excess of $3 billion in economic impact to our state’s economy. Whereas the forests of West Virginia have been very well managed in modern times and that during the last decade harvesting levels have remained at less than fifty percent of growth and forest land acreage has remained remarkably stable. Whereas young, healthy, well-managed forests provide clean water, improved wildlife habitat, jobs, reduced fire hazards, and forest products that store sequestered carbon for decades. Whereas carbon offset companies are acquiring control of large expanses of West Virginia timberland with the stated intent of drastically reduced timber harvesting on those lands. Whereas scientific studies have concluded the most efficient and effective method of mitigating carbon in our atmosphere utilizing forests is by actively managing those forests and harvesting trees which are then manufactured into forest products that store carbon throughout their useful life while also displacing the use of carbon intensive products such as plastic, concrete, and steel. Whereas restricting access to forest resources will cause an increase in the use of more carbon intense building materials such as concrete and steel, resulting in a net increase of carbon emissions. Whereas many smaller individual forestland owners could be confused by the complexity of forest carbon offset contract provisions that restrict harvesting and sound forest management practices and, therefore, not fully understand their legal obligations in these contracts. Whereas any carbon project that causes a material reduction in timber harvesting within a given area would cause substantial harm to the forest products industry and the rural communities located within those affected lands and these potential negative impacts have not been fully explored. Whereas the state of West Virginia and our rural communities receive little to no economic benefit from the sale of forest carbon offsets, unlike the economic gains generated by harvesting trees to support the forest products industry. THEREFORE, we the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Officers of the West Virginia Forestry Association beseech the West Virginia Legislature and Governor to address this issue to protect the forests and forest products industry, landowners and the jobs in our great state of West Virginia. Spring 2023 | West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry 9 GOVERNMENT www.wvfa.org
GOVERNMENT 10 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org Although being recognized as a key resource for global carbon emission reduction strategies, there has been little research into the contribution of carbon offset programs to West Virginia’s economy and carbon dioxide removal objectives. Several carbon offset programs have been made available to West Virginia forest landowners, but WV enrollment in these programs are quite low. These programs can provide an additional income source to landowners, while still being able to manage their forestland as well as continue timber harvesting. Policymakers, private industries, and landowners have to weigh heavily on anecdotal evidence when evaluating the status of carbon offset programs in the state. This research intends to answer questions about landowners’ willingness to participate as well as perceived barriers to entry in carbon offset programs. Through this study, we are able to assess forest landowner´s insights and overall interest in carbon related programs. This information can provide significant input to policy makers and carbon industries to utilize in the future to reduce barriers to landowner participation in carbon offset programs. INTRODUCTION Several carbon offset programs have been made available to West Virginia (WV) forest landowners that allow them to manage their forests to mitigate climate change while providing an opportunity to earn extra income through carbon credits. While this market has grown rapidly, accessibility issues remain. This study aims to examine WV forest landowners’ awareness and perceptions of forest carbon offset programs. The study utilized an online structured questionnaire to survey forest landowners currently enrolled in WV’s Managed Timberland Program (MTL). Results showed that 87% of respondents find it very important to keep their land forested and 43% think that carbon offset programs will help keep their land forested. However, majority (57%) have no knowledge of carbon offset programs with a higher percentage (62%) not understanding the credit generation process. Less than one percent of the participants are currently enrolled in a carbon offset program. Landowners perceived early withdrawal penalty, legislative and price uncertainties as the top barriers to participation in these programs. Respondents were also presented with nine hypothetical carbon offset programs varying in time commitment, harvest allowance, revenue, and early withdrawal penalties. Forest landowners would most likely enroll in a program with shorter time commitments (e.g., 1–5 years), higher revenue (e.g., $30/acre/year), no early withdrawal penalty, and no harvest restrictions. Results from this study can be used in evaluating existing carbon market programs and provide inputs to carbon policy initiatives to reduce barriers to landowner participation. ABSTRACT Identify WV forest landowners perception and awareness of forest carbon offset programs and identify barriers to participation. OBJECTIVES RESULTS TOP 3 BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION IN CARBON OFFSET PROGRAMS 1. Early Withdrawal Penalty 2. Price Uncertainty 3. Legislative Uncertainty HYPOTHETICAL PROGRAMS SUMMARY Top Features No Early Withdrawal Penalty High Revenue ($30/Acre/Year) Short Time Commitment (1–5 Years) Timber Harvests Permited Worst Features Time Commitment (40–100 Years) No Timber Harvest Allowed Withdrawal Penalty Hypothetical Program 5 59% would likely enroll 40 year time commitment $30/acre/year revenue No early withdrawal penalty Timber harvest allowed with restrictions Hypothetical Program 7 76% would likely enroll $30/acre/year revenue 1–5 year time commitment No timber harvest restrictions No early withdrawal penalty WV Forest Landowner’s Perceptions of Forest Carbon Offset Programs JORDAN E. STEWART Dr. Kathryn Gazal - Faculty Mentor
GOVERNMENT www.wvfa.org Spring 2023 | West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry 11 Landowners surveyed find it important to keep their land forested and a majority believe that carbon offset markets will assist in keeping their land forested. Although a majority of respondents were not sure if they would consider enrolling in a carbon offset program, they identified themselves as not having a familiarity of carbon offset programs or an understanding of carbon offset generation. While survey results posed many barriers to entry, landowners ranked early withdrawal penalty as well as legislative and price uncertainties among the most significant barriers. A majority of respondents would consider enrolling in a program with shorter time commitments (e.g., 1–5 years), higher revenue (e.g., $30/acre/year), no early withdrawal penalty, and no harvest restrictions. Carbon offset programs offer an opportunity for the state to provide its citizens with optimal strategies to mitigate CO2 emissions and could provide additional state revenues. Additionally, it offers forest landowners and the forest industry an opportunity to diversify their forest-based revenue streams while meeting their other management objectives with the right program features and attributes. From the results of this study, policymakers should be focused on educating forest landowners in carbon offset programs and carbon offset generation through technical assistance programs, while providing easy access to available voluntary carbon offset programs. Policymakers could explore creation of a tailored carbon offset program to meet WV landowner management objectives, goals, and desired features within a rapidly growing market. CONCLUSIONS To assess forest landowner’s understanding of available forest carbon offset programs as well as perceived challenges and benefits, an online structured questionnaire was sent to participants enrolled in the WV Managed Timberland Program (MTL). Dillman’s (2000) Tailored Design Method was used in administering the survey. The MTL program was identified as an ideal target population since the program encourages participants to diversely use their land, not only focusing on timber but allowing landowners to explore alternative income streams. Carbon can potentially be one of the alternative incomes. Respondents were asked a variety of general questions about carbon offset markets, credit generation as well as the importance and reasons for owning forestland. The survey presented participants with nine hypothetical carbon offset programs varying in time commitment, harvest allowance, revenue, and early withdrawal penalties. In each program scenario, respondents were able to choose the best and worst features, then they were asked if they would consider enrolling in that program. From this survey, data was collected and compiled, then summary statistics were calculated to determine carbon offset market familiarity and determine the significant market components that landowners perceive as a barrier to entry. METHODS
The West Virginia Forestry Association teamed up with the forestry faculty at West Virginia University School of Forest Resources to conduct an essay contest. We are pleased to let our members read a few of the winning essays and categories. Each place winner received a cash award from WVFA by their sponsoring teachers throughout the state. Judges were Dr. David McGill, Dr. Kathryn Gazal, and Dr. Gloria Oporto. We want to give our readers an understanding of how our next generation views the forest and its products. Forest Products Essay Contest 9th-12th Grades 6th-8th Grades 3rd-5th Grades 1ST PLACE Draven Bunnell Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School Teacher: Courtney Nestor 2ND PLACE Tyler Ricottilli Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School Teacher: Courtney Nestor 3RD PLACE Joshua Moore Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School Teacher: Courtney Nestor 1ST PLACE Brooklyn Wayne Tyler Consolidated High School Teacher: Devann Fox 2ND PLACE Grace Fellure Ravenswood High School Teacher: Jessica Conger 3RD PLACE Jaelyn Jett Calhoun County Middle High School Teacher: Annie Jones 1ST PLACE Laila George Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School Teacher: Courtney Nestor 2ND PLACE Kennedy Akers Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School Teacher: Courtney Nestor 3RD PLACE Briar Arbogast Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School Teacher: Courtney Nestor FEATURED NEWS 12 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org
FEATURED NEWS www.wvfa.org Spring 2023 | West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry 13 Laila George, 3rd–5th Grade – 1st Place I picked my tree because at the time nobody had it. I found my tree on the school playground and it was very bright green. My tree was tall it had moss and a lot of sap on it with lichen. I’m pretty sure my tree is a spruce tree; a spruce tree is a type of pine tree. There were a few bugs around it and some birds. Some of pine needles are off in the middle of September. The spruce tree is so cool to write about, it is a really interesting to learn about. My tree has a weird sent to it, it’s kind of like sap mixed with a very strong mint sent, it kind of hurt my nose. The sap was sticky and stinky it broke my pencil, the sap was a cloudy color. The pine needles are very spiky, they kind of poked my hand and hurt it so be careful. The bark of a spruce tree is hard to pick off but I got some off. I was really surprised that the spruce tree was that cool it was really fun. Here are some facts about a spruce tree. The needles of a spruce tree shed every 4–10 years that is pretty cool. The tree was probably 45 feet tall, but a spruce tree can be 0–200 feet tall. Did you know that the needles of a spruce tree grow out of the branch from a strong, woody peg? The scientific name for a spruce tree is Picea, the kingdom the spruce tree is in the Plantae. The higher classification of the tree is Piceoideae and the family is Pinaceae. Finally, the rank of a spruce tree is Genus, those are some cool facts about a spruce tree. “ Grace Fellure, 9th–12th Grade – 2nd Place: West Virginia Saves the Earth Wild, Wonderful West Virginia: the third most forested state in the United States. Our home state is one of the most beautiful. The luscious forests are breathtaking by sight and their duties. Trees help humans save Earth in many ways, such as decreasing air pollution and temperatures, cleaning water through their root systems, providing wood for various products, and above all, carbon sequestration. Through carbon sequestration, West Virginia’s forests will help save the Earth. Carbon sequestration is defined as “a natural or artificial process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in solid or liquid form” by the Oxford Dictionary. Forests contribute to biological carbon sequestration, which is when carbon is stored in vegetation and/or soils. That means plants can take carbon from the air, store it in themselves, and transport it into the soil, preventing carbon from reaching the atmosphere and damaging the ozone. You may wonder how these trees are doing this so-called ‘carbon sequestration’. Trees make their own food through photosynthesis by taking in carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight. The carbon absorbed during this process gets stored throughout the tree, removing it from the atmosphere. If all vegetation can sequester carbon, what makes trees different? While grasslands and other forms of vegetation can sequester carbon, trees can sequester much more, and require much less maintenance. Trees also put carbon into the soil. When this occurs, it not only helps to decrease carbon emissions but can also restore degraded soils. Oak trees have shown to sequester the most carbon of all tree types. This is relevant because West Virginia’s forests are dominated by the oak/hickory forest-type group, occupying 74 percent of the total forest land area in West Virginia, according to the USDA. This means West Virginia’s forests are sequestering more carbon compared to other forested states. West Virginia also has huge timber and logging industries due to the amount of forested area, creating nearly 19,000 jobs annually. While it may seem like cutting down trees would stop the amount of carbon sequestering, it isn’t. The carbon in the trees remains even when they get harvested. Products made from wood retain the carbon for their entire lifespan. From the time a tree sequesters the carbon to the time that the wood product decomposes, the carbon remains stored inside it. Timber harvesting/logging paired with the replanting forests in West Virginia decreases carbon emissions substantially. The Earth benefits greatly from the carbon sequestration of West Virginia’s forests. Trees absorbing carbon from the atmosphere keeps the carbon from damaging the ozone. Trees keep carbon stored in themselves and put it into the soil. While all vegetation can sequester carbon, trees are the most efficient. The logging and timber industries of West Virginia can help reduce carbon emissions, too. The forests of West Virginia not only help its citizens, but the whole world. Get the word out that our forests are saving the world, slowly and surely. “
FEATURED NEWS 14 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org Brooklyn Wayne, 9th–12th Grade – 1st Place: Forest Products Week Essay An overwhelming 79% of West Virginia’s land is covered by greenery and forests. This leaves only a quarter of the state for buildings, rivers, houses, and flatland farms. It seems to be that just about everywhere you look you’ll find an array of trees, whether it’s right in front of you, or just in the background of the scene. West Virginia is the third state, after Maine and New Hampshire, with the most land coverage of trees, so when carbon sequestration was introduced, our great state was definitely a contender. West Virginia has offered many forms of payment and organizations to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere such as the Family Forest Carbon Program and the Working Woodlands Program. Carbon sequestration, by definition, is a natural or artificial process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in solid or liquid form. The state of West Virginia joined the Family Forest Carbon Program in 2021 which is a product of the American Forest Foundation and the Nature Conservancy to provide economic support for small forest owners to implement sustainable forest health practices to increase the amount of carbon stored on land and decrease the amount stored in the atmosphere. This organization was formed through the desire of protecting our atmosphere from the harmful heat of carbon dioxide. We are able to help keep the carbon out of the atmosphere by capturing it and storing in the trees because they lock the carbon in a more permanent way than other plant species due to their size and longevity. Let alone the artificial way, West Virginia’s trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere naturally when they breathe and convert the carbon to wood fiber while releasing oxygen back into the atmosphere. The carbon that is put into the trees is also kept threw the fibers when it is made into long-lasting items such as lumber. The property owners who store carbon in unique and stable ways are awarded carbon credits. Carbon credits are permits given to those who are allowed to hold and emit more carbon than the mandated amount. This program is known as the carbon offset market and is beneficial to those who truly have a long-lived dedication to protecting our environment. The Working Woodlands Program seeks landowners in West Virginia with large amounts of property to join their program and receive economic benefits from doing so. This organization has many ties to the carbon credit program and offer revenue to those who join. Working Woodlands require landowners to sign their forested acres into conservation management agreements to prevent conversion into non-forest uses and unsustainable management practices. In conclusion, the Mountain State is trying to reduce emissions in the atmosphere through new implemented programs such as the Forest Carbon Program and the Working Woodlands Program through the use of economic support and benefits. West Virginia is doing what it can to help the environment in every way it can. “
WV LOGGERS COUNCIL NEWS 15 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org WV Tree Farm Committee | 2008 Quarrier St., Charleston, WV 25311 | 681-265-5019 | wvfa@wvfa.org Keeping You Informed
TREE FARM NEWS 16 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org The 2023 American Tree Farm System (ATFS) National Leadership Conference (NLC) was held Jan. 30–Feb. 1, 2023 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Tree Farm committee leaders from dozens of states participated in the event. Employees of the American Forest Foundation (AFF) hosted the event including Angela Wells (Director, ATFS) and her team of ATFS program leaders. General sessions were mixed with breakout sessions covering diverse topics related to new AFF programs, the direction of the AFF related to third-party certification, and ideas for promoting the Tree Farm program at the state level. Most notable were discussions of the AFF’s Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP) that is currently available in West Virginia and a half-dozen other states. The FFCP will expand to more states in the coming years. Another new program from AFF is the Family Forest Virtual Community (https://community.forestfoundation.org/ registrations/groups/54861), an online connection to the AFF for landowners who may or may not want to be involved with the Tree Farm program. The idea is to make the connection to all forest owner to be sure they have access to good management information. As these new programs come online, the AFF is re-evaluating their third-party certification program for Tree Farmer programs and are encouraging those states where certification is not important to transition to “recognition” status. Both certification and recognition programs are under the same sustainability standards, but auditing/inspecting protocols differ. Overall the ATFS NLC was well-organized and provided an excellent opportunity to interact with other states to see how they manage their Tree Farm programs. And it allowed for very close, honest contact with AFF ATFS leaders. For more information, contact Dave McGill, WV Tree Farm Chair, at dmcgill@wvu.edu or 304-293-5930. 2023 AMERICAN TREE FARM NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ATFS Director Angela Wells greets the general session of the ATFS National Leadership Conference.
TREE FARM NEWS www.wvfa.org Spring 2023 | West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry 17 We are thankful to Senator Bill Hamilton, a loyal WVFA member, who provided a Senate Resolution recognizing 2022 Tree Farmer of the Year, Kevin Gregory. Unfortunately Senator Hamilton was ill the day of the resolution being passed and Senator Robert Karnes willingly stepped in the make the motion to pass their recognition. Kevin was gracious to also present at the A.B. Brooks breakfast his passion for helping others improve their forest management through on-the-ground improvements. He was able to meet some of the past and present WVFA Presidents. West Virginia Senate Passes Resolution Recognizing Tree Farmer of the Year ADVERTISING RATES STARTING AT $190!
18 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org
WV Loggers Council c/o WVFA | 2008 Quarrier St., Charleston, WV 25311 | 681-265-5019 | wvlc@wvfa.org By Hellohowareyoudoing (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0, en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22517204
WV LOGGERS COUNCIL NEWS 20 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. It’s part of the job. “I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.” There are literally a million excuses people have used to rationalize the reason behind an accident. Let’s get down into the details a little bit and see if we can come up with some common threads to explain why certain accidents continue to happen. This is not to assign blame to anyone in particular, but to see if there is anything that can prevent these accidents in the future—or at least to look at the root causes. Being in the wood business for many years now, I have seen and been involved in quite a few accidents, and I can say that all of them could have been prevented. The common thread between mine is pretty darn simple. If I would have just taken a few minutes before starting the job at hand to look over the whole situation from start to finish I would have done each one different. So, there is thread number one: taking the time to plan and execute the job. When I was working at the mill, I always carried a small notebook in my pocket. Now, it can easily be done with a cell phone. Taking the time to make a few notes after the job was finished made it more efficient and, as a plus, safer. Some outfits call this a part of their SOP, or standard operating procedure, where the task at hand is outlined from start to finish. Some tasks are as simple as changing saws in a trimmer to changing out bearings on a leveling screw, and everything in-between. On OSHA’s website, there are several 2022 accidents that are under investigation. This once again shows that logging is a dangerous occupation. Everyone reading this knows exactly what I am talking about in some way! Within a single report, there is a complaint that OSHA investigated and then a follow- up visit. Keep in mind that they are out there doing inspections. Another common cause of accidents is the lack of maintenance on equipment. It can be rolling stock or stationary. I have visited hundreds of logging sites and more than a few sawmills. In those visits, I have observed machines missing guards, handrails, steps, fire extinguishers, seatbelts, and a host of other things. I have also observed logging sites where the owner took great strides to make sure everything complied. This made for not only a safer work environment, but one where the employees knew their equipment was kept in good working order! The reason behind most OSHA standards is that somewhere, at some time, a worker was hurt in a way that the standard addresses. Some of these may seem counterproductive to loggers or sawmillers, but the fact remains: people still continue to get hurt. When someone gets hurt, nobody wins. As I did research for this article, I went back a number of years and looked at accidents not only in the wood business, but across the board. It was eye-opening and heartbreaking at the same time to see how many ways people have gotten hurt or killed. The worst part was seeing how many died the same way in states all across the country. Being run over by a piece of equipment is the most common I had read about and learned much about why it continues to happen. It brought back the memory of a good friend who was run over by his own log truck years ago. If you get anything out of this article, may it be the realization that sometimes we need to look at things through a “different lens,” as the saying goes. If we see people getting hurt in certain ways, we have to take time to look and see what we can do to prevent that in the future. We are in a new year—maybe it is time to start looking at our processes and to come up with a different way. One that is still efficient, but is safer all around! By Patrick Donnelly, WVU Extension—Safety & Health Research Assistant, Timber Safe PREVENTION AND ACCIDENTS
www.wvfa.org Spring 2023 | West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry 21 Membership Application Name_ ________________________________________________________ Company_ _____________________________________________________ Address_ ______________________________________________________ City___________________________________________________________ State___________________________________ Zip___________________ Phone (Home)__________________________________________________ (Work)_ _________________________________________________ (Cell)____________________________________________________ (Fax)____________________________________________________ Yes! I want to receive my correspondence by email ___________________________________________________ Membership Category (See column to the right) ______________________________________________________________ Amount Enclosed _______________________________________________ Sponsors Name ________________________________________________ (only current WVFA members are eligible for sponsor benefits) New Member Signature __________________________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________ (for eNewsletter and alerts) Credit Card Payment Visa MasterCard AmEx Name on Card__________________________________________________ Card # Exp. Date Billing Zipcode Security Code Authorized Signature Membership Category & Annual Dues Amounts INDIVIDUAL $60 WOODLAND OWNER $0.05 per acre for the first 25,000 acres & $0.0165 for each additional acre ($60 minimum) CONSULTING FORESTERS $85 (one forester in firm) $50 (for each additional forester in firm) SAWMILL $155/MMbf ($75 minimum) MANUFACTURING $150 plus $3/employee DIMENSION, MILLWORK, CABINETMAKERS $150 plus $3/employee WHOLESALES & DEALERS $180–$1,000 BROKERS $500 LOGGERS $110 (+$25 per additional crew) (dual membership in WV Loggers Council & WVFA) PLYWOOD, VENEER, AND MANUFACTURED BOARD MILLS 0–10.5 MM sq. ft. = $300 More than 10.5 MM sq. ft. = $0.30 per thousand sq. ft. of previous year’s production STEWARD $800 beyond appropriate category dues SUSTAINING $1,200 beyond appropriate category dues STUDENT $20 SUPPORTING $500–$1,000 (any business not meeting another membership category) NON-SAWMILL, OUT-OF-STATE CONVERTING FACILITY SOURCING WOOD FIBER MATERIALS IN WV $0.01 per ton consumed Send this form to: West Virginia Forestry Association, Inc. 2008 Quarrier St., Charleston, WV 25311
22 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Spring 2023 www.wvfa.org MARKETPLACE ADVERTISING RATES STARTING AT $190! • WVFA members receive special discounts. • Advertise in WVFA Mountain State Forestry today! Advertising in Mountain State Forestry is an opportunity to build awareness for your brand, create new purchasing opportunities, and promote the image of your company. Give your company the best chance to reach this exclusive target audience of presidents, CEOs, and key decision makers in West Virginia’s Forestry industry! ISSUE Summer 23 AD DEADLINE May 2 West Virginia Forestry Association www.wvfa.org
West Virginia Forestry Association 2008 Quarrier St. Charleston, WV 25311
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