LA Logger Inside - Louisiana Forestry Association

Breeland Logging
Rock Solid
VOLUME 20 • No. 3 • JULY 2015
Breeland Logging a steady team . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Training classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11
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The Louisiana Logging Council
P.O. Box 5067 • Alexandria, LA 71307-5067
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Permit No. 270
Alexandria, LA 71307
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Legislature is over; what’s ahead?
The 2015 Legislative Session is over
and nearly $1 billion was raised to fund
higher education and health care.
Businesses will pay the $1 billion in a
convoluted manner of loss of tax credits,
higher utility bills, and reduction in economic incentives for expansion and creation of new jobs.Those who smoke will
see the price of a pack of cigarettes rise
by 50 cents a pack or $5 a carton. These
revenue measures will take effect July 1
of 2015.
The smoking revenue would raise
$100 million for the State General Fund.
Proponents of the revenue increase stated that for every 10% increase in the
pack of cigarettes approximately 7,000
people would stop or not start smoking.
With that logic, Louisiana should see
about 70,000 people stop or not start
smoking. This was directed more at
young people who would not be able to
afford the higher prices.
At the beginning of the session we
were concerned over losing the sales tax
exemptions for forest products machinery, parts, and lubricants used by loggers
and the forest industry. That did not
happen and it is a victory for those in the
logging and forest industry.
There was much squabbling over
whether the revenue increases were a tax
or a revenue offset. The semantics raised
questions of constitutionality and
whether the raises would go into effect as
planned. It looks like they will be uncontested since cuts to higher ed, health
care, and state agencies are threatened if
they don’t.
We should probably ask ourselves
how we got into this situation in the first
place. Some point to the federal dollars
coming into the state for Katrina recovery. This embarrassment of riches had
“Essentially we spent more than
what Louisiana could afford.”
legislators and others falling over themselves figuring how to spend it. It is now
coming back to haunt us on the 10th
anniversary of Katrina reaching the
Louisiana shore.
Others blame the situation on business incentives, tax breaks, and economic development. The solar industry and
motion picture industry took much of
the attention but all industry was affected when the final motion was made to
Louisiana Logger
President Buzz Jenkins
Robeline
318-472-6407
[email protected]
Gracee Malone-Texada,
Staff Assistant
318 443-2558
[email protected]
Published quarterly by the Louisiana Logging Council
P.O. Box 5067
Alexandria, LA 71307 318 - 443-2558
Chapter Chairmen
Chapter 6 - Malcolm
Chapter 1 - Lawrence Hill
Sibley
Spearsville • 318-778-9900
Walker • [email protected]
7935
Caskey Terrell
[email protected]
Farmerville • 318-368-8822 Chapter 7 - Ralph Roe Jr.
[email protected]
Robeline• 318-481-4781
Chapter 2 - John Keith and Skeet [email protected]
Hodgkins
For information about
Haughton • 318-949-3672
articles or advertising,
[email protected]
please call Janet
Chapter 3 - Jack McFarland
Tompkins at 318Winnfield • 318-727-9696
443-2558.
[email protected]
Joshue McAllister
For information on
Winnfield • 318- 729-1727
classes or training
[email protected]
records, consult the
Chapter 4 - Tommy Frazier
website:
Boyce
• 318-793-8659
www.laforestry.com
[email protected]
or call Gracee MaloneChapter 5 - Angie Bonner/Lisa
Texada at 318-443McCain • Evans •337-286-9837
2558.
[email protected]
adjourn the session.
Essentially when
all was said and
done, we spent more
than what Louisiana
could afford. That
doesn’t work in your
personal finances
and it certainly does- Vandersteen
n’t work in government.
What’s next? This year is an election
for every member of the Louisiana
House, Senate, and statewide officials.
They will be coming to ask for your
vote. We should be asking them how
they plan to address the problem of state
finances.
It is a consensus among followers of
the legislative process that a Special
Session will be called early in 2016 to
address the long-term question of funding state government. A new governor
will have just taken office as well as a
new legislature. This will be a very critical time in the history of Louisiana and
we will definitely be involved.
You may want to attend the Louisiana
Forestry Association’s Annual Convention at the Golden Nugget in Lake
Charles, August 25-27 to hear the gubernatorial candidates discuss how they will
fix Louisiana’s financial woes and where
they will find the revenue.
Louisiana roads and bridges were a
big topic during the session too. With
over $12 billion in road and bridge
repair needs, the legislature resisted raising gas taxes but directed money in the
Transportation Fund be used for roads
and not siphoned off to other agencies
like State Police. So little of the gas tax
money we pay at the pumps goes to
roads. We agree to tax ourselves to pay
for roads, not for pension funds to retiring Dept. of Transportation employees.
This began to be addressed during
this session with dedications of money
only for roads. However, the dedication
was only a fraction of the money generated by the taxes we pay at the pumps.
This is a big issue for our us and our
ability to move forest products.
(Buck Vandersteen is the executive
director of the Louisiana Forestry Association and Louisiana Logging Council.)
Third Quarter 2015
3
Breeland Logging, LLC
George Breeland ––
Thinning Specialist
By Janet Tompkins
The Breeland crew from left are Joseph Johnson, Philip McKinney, George
Breeland and Catherine Breeland. Not pictured is Jackie Greer.
Jonesboro contractor “keeps on keeping on”
George Breeland, Jonesboro logging
He started contracting under Kent
shear is the first shear he bought and still
contractor, was working a first thinning
Greer for the first couple of years before
on the job. Shear operator Jackie Greer is
on a 135-acre tract for Plum Creek near
signing on with Plum Creek to do first
a master at the machine, Milner said.
Farmerville in early June and was really
thinnings.
“We thin our tracts to a certain basal area
glad to be working and not watching the
“This crew is among the best for
and he nails it on the basal area without
rain.
BMPs,” said Robert Milner, Plum Creek
much instruction.”
“This year we are down about 6,000
forester who works with Breeland.
The logging crew has been working
tons due to the wet rainy weather,” he
Milner said when the crew is done the
within 70 miles of his Jonesboro home
said, a story told over and over
sometimes almost to the
again by loggers in both north and
Arkansas line. The products typisouth Louisiana this year. They
go to Graphic Packaging in
“When the crew is done the creeks cally
plan to work six days a week to
Farmerville or West Monroe. A
catch up for awhile if the rains
will be clear and the water bars few logs might go to Huttig, Ark.
hold off.
His crew consists of Greer,
will be fantastic.”
Breeland hauled nearly 65,000
Joseph Johnson, and Philip
tons last year with his crew of three
McKinney. His equipment
in the woods. His daughter,
includes:
Catherine, is also his new safety coordicreeks will be clean and the water bars
• 2014 CAT D6 dozer
nator and wife, Julia, is the office managwill be “fantastic.” The dozer, that
• 2013 525C skidder
er.
Breeland usually runs himself, also helps
• 2012 519 loader
A native of Winn Parish, Breeland has
with opening access for the jobs.
• 2011 559 B delimber
been working in the woods most of his
When asked about the BMP work,
• 2005 718 shear
life. He logged on a few crews, then ran
Breeland was matter-of-fact. “It’s time
• 2 service trucks
his own trucking company with a fleet of
consuming but it’s got to be done.”
After running a trucking business,
three vehicles for 15 years before going
Wife Julia said her husband’s greatest
now Breeland prefers to contract trucks
into logging on his own. That was 10
strength is his work ethic. “He just keeps
with Bilberry Trucking of West Monroe
years ago and he doesn’t regret it.
on keeping on.” She added that her husand Malcolm Lee of Farmerville.
band “can fix anything.”
Breeland said he has been working in
Breeland has worked clearcuts in the
the woods since he was about 21 but his
COVER PHOTO: George Breeland, 56past but said he’s happy with Plum
step-father Floyd Weeks was a forester
year-old owner of Breeland Logging LLC
Creek and with the first thinnings. “It’s
for Continental Can and he also had a
runs a one crew thinning operation working
with Plum Creek. (Photo by Janet
easier on your equipment.” His TigerCat
short wood operation on the side. “He
Tompkins)
4
always said ‘if you get pine resin in your
veins, it’s hard to get it out,” said
Breeland.
He credits one of his former employers—Bucky Franklin—with helping him
learn some of the key things about managing people in a business. “You treat
people how you want to be treated,” he
said. Julia Breeland echoed his words as
well. “We have to pay enough to make it
worth their time. We know what it’s like
to run out of money before the end of
the week.”
George recounts those first few years
after he made his down payment on
equipment and got into the business. “It
was tough,” he said. But with the rise in
the cost of equipment that would not
have even been possible today, said both
George and Julia.
Julia handles parts, payroll, taxes and
anything else that is needed. “Dad had a
store for a time in Jonesboro, and I started keeping books early on.” She also
took classes at Louisiana Tech and said
the recent Business Management class
she attended as part of the Master Logger
core classes was very informative.
Forester Robert Milner (right) with Plum Creek looks over the map of a Union Parish
tract in early June with logging contractor George Breeland.
Their
daughter,
22-year-old
Catherine, left her job as a beautician to
come out to the woods as well. She
attended the Master Logger Core classes
and is the safety coordinator for the job.
She hopes to get established and then
can work with other contractors as well.
“Catherine has a lot to learn but she’ll do
it,” said her father. Breeland is safety conscious and has had no claims on workman’s comp in his 10 years in business.
Breeland said he likes logging, “being
outside and being my own boss.” He also
said that Plum Creek is a good company
to work for. Plum Creek has fiber agree-
Alexandria and
Baton Rouge
Alexandria • 318- 448-6211
Baton Rouge • 225-923-3450
ments for both Graphic Packaging and
for Drax Biomass, that is just getting
started on its pellet production in nearby
Bastrop. These guaranteed agreements
mean a more stable environment for
contractors.
His daughter said the dining room
conversation for most of her life has been
all about logging—the good and the
bad. “He’s put in the time; he’s put in the
work, all for his family, for us,” she said.
She and her sister Jennifer are both barrel
racers and have always had horses. They
also raise and show miniature cows.
Hard work has built a close family
that recognizes that the business has
brought good things to them all.
“God has blessed us to get us here,”
said Julia.
(Janet Tompkins is the editor of the
Louisiana Logger magazine and Forests &
People magazine.)
Plan to attend the Louisiana
Forestry Annual Meeting Aug. 2527 at the Golden Nugget in Lake
Charles. Information is on our website at www.laforestry.com. Six hours
CLE credit for attending.
5
Billboards promoting the professionalism of loggers went up in June in both the Monroe area and on Interstate 12 in Holden. Logger Dennis “Scooty” Aucoin
Jr.(shown above) is featured in the Holden ad and Kenneth Morgan of Natchitoches is shown on the digital board in Monroe.
Committee works to revamp Core Classes; reduce them to 2 days
It’s time for revamping the Master
Logger Core classes and a committee is
working on the new and improved sessions.
“We looked to update the material to
make it more relevant to today,” said
Marty Toms, chairman of the Sustainable
Forestry Initiative (SFI) committee.
“We needed more streamlined sessions
with modern equipment displayed,” said
C.A. “Buck” Vandersteen. “We also heard
loggers’ requests to make the time spent
less than four days. We hope to present all
the needed material in a two-day format
for next year.”
Work is ongoing with several company
foresters working and Jack McFarland
representing loggers in the discussions.
The 2015 classes in the fall are still
scheduled under the older format.
Starting in 2014 there has been an
increase in the number of people taking
the Master Logger Core classes, a sign of
better times in the industry. People must
take 6 hours of continuing education
classes after the core classes in order to get
their annual card.
RoyOMartin starts logger training program
Five students are enrolled in a training
course through the Central Louisiana
Technical Community College in
Alexandria.
The apprenticeship program for log
truck drivers and equipment operators is
in partnership with Perforex, a subsidiary of RoyOMartin.
The five students are employees of
Perforex while completing the class.
“We’re going to pay them as they go
through the training,” said Bill
McDermott of ROM.
There is a 3-month truck driving segment that includes CDL training and
experience shadowing drivers on the job.
The second part of the training will
involve timber operator training classes.
6
Trey Pike drives a logging skidder carrying residents of the flooded Knights Forest subdivision in
Hardin, Texas May 28. Pike used the vehicle to transport residents, as well as needed supplies, in and
out of the flooded subdivision. (Jason Fochtman/Conroe Courier via AP)
Bob Wall named FRA SouthCentral Logger of Year
The Forest Resources Association and
STIHL Incorporated honored Bob Wall,
owner of Wall Timber as the
Southcentral Region 2015 Outstanding
Logger at FRA’s Southcentral Region
Awards Dinner in Morrilton, Ark. on
May 13. FRA’s Southcentral Region
Chairman Arnulfo Zendejas presented
Bob Wall with a wooden crosscut-saw
plaque, and STIHL Southwest’s Monte
Woody presented him with a STIHL
MS 461 chain saw and $250 check.
Wall, who lives in Osyka, Miss.but
works in Louisiana, was nominated by
the Louisiana Logging Council for the
regional award. He was also the 2013
Outstanding Louisiana Logger.
Bob Wall started logging from scratch
as a very young man and has now built
his logging operation to encompass 9
crews, about 30 trucks, and approximately 80 employees. As with many
other logging businesses, Wall Timber is
a family operation, with Bob’s wife Kim
managing the administrative work of the
business as well as the trucking opera-
Bob Wall (right-center), FRA’s 2015 Southcentral Region Outstanding Logger, is shown with FRA
President Deb Hawkinson (far left), STIHL’s Monte Woody (left-center), and SCR Chairman Arnulfo
Zendejas (far right).
tion. Bob’s brother and his two sons-inlaw also play lead roles in the business.
FRA’s Outstanding Logger Award
program is designed to raise the visibility
of professional logging contractors and
to encourage other loggers to adopt the
performance of the award winners. The
Regional Award winner becomes a nominee for FRA’s National Outstanding
Logger recognition.
Moulton Logging Inc., based in West
Charleston, Vt., was chosen as 2015
National Outstanding Logger at the
Nashville meeting of the FRA.
Technical writing award from FRA goes to 2 from La.
The two Technical Writing awards
given by the Fotest Resources Association
both went to men from Louisiana’s forest
community.
First place award was Jesse Bolton of
RoyOMartin who authored the piece on
the company’s “Turnaround Time App
for Smartphones “(14-R-16).
Second place was David Cupp of
Walsh Timber Company in Zwolle. His
topic was “Truck Turnaround Time
Improvement Opportunities at Mills”
(14-R-14).
Bolton’s paper described the smartphone app which he helped to develop
that gives loggers current information on
wait-times for unloading at both of the
Martin mills. Following free installation
on an Android or iPhone, loggers can
obtain unloadng times, number of trucks
waiting and average scale-to-scale turntimes for the past five loads a either mill.
to help them make decisions about what
porduct to load next.
One feature of the app includes a
serial publications from FRA’s quarterly
magazine.
Single copies of the winning publications are available at no charge on request
from FRA at 202-296-3937. Refer to the
stock number as seen in parentheses in
this story.
EPA still pushing on waters
Jesse Bolton
photo of the entrance road and scales,
which is updated every 10 minutes.
Bolton donated his $500 award to the
Log A Load for Kids campaign.
Cupp’s release describes many recommendations for woodyard managers, scale
house operators and wood procurement
strategists to consider for improving truck
turn times.
The annual award recognizes the best
EPA published its final rule defining
Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) that are subject to its regulations despite a bill passed
by the House nullifying their enlarged regulations.
In part of the new rule it seems to
exempt normal silvicultural and ag activities but in another its enlarges its oversight
to ditches, ephemeral and intermittent
streams, and other water bodies that would
require permitting.
“If Congress passes these bills to stop
the EPA enlargement of the definition of
navigable waterways and the President
vetoes it, we will be left with these unworkable permitting rules,” said C.A. “Buck”
Vandersteen, LFA executive director.
7
Mooreʼs Retread & Tire
409 Keyser Ave.
Natchitoches, LA 71457
(318) 352-8354
Mooreʼs Retread & Tire
8901 Linwood Ave.
Shreveport, LA 71106
(318) 687-7951
8
Stop by and see us today!
Mooreʼs Retread & Tire
2600 N Medford Dr.
Lufkin, Tx 75901
(936) 632-6706
Moore-Grant Goodyear
629 N 3rd St
Alexandria, LA 71301
Mooreʼs Retread & Tire
15275 FM 968 West
Longview, TX 75602
(903) 236-8883
Providing mineral supplementation for white-tailed deer
include better antler formation and
By Don Reed
The 2014-15 deer season has come and gone and while most growth among bucks, along with better
hunters have turned their thoughts to other pursuits, it’s impor- lactation rates among does.
One mineral lick per 300 acres is gentant not to forget a management activity that is extremely imporerally
thought to be sufficient and the
tant to the health and productivity of any deer herd. Spring and
summer are the time when mineral supplementations in the form greatest use occurs in early spring, dropping off somewhat in the summer and
of salt licks are sought after by does and bucks.
Sodium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc, and Cobalt are lacking fall. While not utilized to a great extent
Don Reed
in many of our soils throughout the southeast. Furthermore, cal- during the winter, licks should be constructed
this
time
of
year
in
order
to
give
cium and sodium are highly sought after by deer which utilize
these elements for many bodily functions of maintenance and the mixture time to soak into the soil and rotten logs for utigrowth. The attractiveness that deer have for sodium chloride lization in the spring. High salt concentrations are not neces(NaCl or table salt) can serve as a carrier in providing other sary as indicated by natural licks that are known to be very
important (although less palatable) minerals into the diet of these attractive to deer when concentrations of sodium are only 200
animals. Studies have shown that deer need Calcium and to 300 parts per million. Salt will leach through the ground
Phosphorus in a dietary ratio of 2:1. The mineral composition of however, especially when licks are constructed on sandy soils
antlers and bone in white-tailed deer are composed of 20 percent or slopes. For this reason, licks should be recharged every year
after their initial construction
calcium and 10 percent phosphorus.
with the same 150 pound mixIn order to provide this proper
“The
mineral
composition
of
antlers
ture. There is still much debate
ratio, mineral licks should contain a
and
bone
in
white-tailed
deer
are
over the benefits of mineral supconcentration of approximately 16
plementation in white-tailed deer
percent calcium and 8 percent phos20 percent calcium and 10
management, with most biolophorus mixed into a well- balanced
percent phosphorus.
gists ranking it below overall habitrace mineral salt. Many commercial
tat quality and population density
mineral blocks are available that have
calcium and phosphorus as ingredients but few at these recom- in maintaining a deer herd. It is however an inexpensive link
in the management chain for providing a greater degree of
mended concentration levels.
For this reason, the distribution means for this proper ratio is quality in the antlered bucks and lactating does within that
best provided in loose granular form. Commercially available herd.
(Dr. Don Reed is a forestry and wildlife specialist with the
granular trace mineral salts contain approximately 98 percent salt
(NaCl) along with a number of important trace minerals such as LSU AgCenter. Email him at [email protected].)
zinc, iron, magnesium, copper and iodine. Trace mineral salt provides the salt that deer need and crave while calcium and phosphorus are provided by two products, easily obtainable from local
By Niels de Hoop
co-op’s and feed stores.
The USDL Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Calcium carbonate and dicalcium phosphate are used exten(OSHA) requires a particular poster (“Job Safety and Health
sively as a nutritional supplement in dairy cattle feed mixes.
– It’s the Law!”) to be posted at every job site where employWhen these components are mixed with trace mineral salt, deer
ees will have a regular opportunity to read it. Basically, the
are provided one of the best mineral supplementation formulas
poster informs employees of their right to have a safe workavailable.
place.
The method for constructing these mineral licks varies widely
OSHA issued a press release April 29 unveiling a new verfrom using rotten logs to simply pouring the mixture on the
sion of the poster. It still contains the same worker rights
ground. A method that I prefer and one that I have seen widely
information, but it contains added employer information.
used is to pile rotten logs up in a crisscrossing fashion up to a
Namely, it reminds employers of the new reporting
height of 3 to 4 feet. Mixed among the layers of rotten wood is
requirement: any fatal accident must be reported within 8
soil, along with the loose mineral mixture. This provides a stable
hours, and any accident that requires hospitalization, results
base in which the salt and minerals will slowly leach down into
in amputation (including tip of finger), or results in loss of
the loose soil and wood by rainfall and gravity. Deer will literally
eye must be reported within 24 hours. It also informs employeat the soil and rotten wood over time in order to obtain salt and
ers of their responsibilities to train all workers, comply with
when doing so will take in the needed calcium and phosphorus.
OSHA standards, and post citations.
A simple rule of thumb in constructing salt licks is to mix 50
Previous versions do not need to be replaced. However, I
pounds each of trace mineral salt, calcium carbonate, and dicalcibet they will be one day. The new version can be found at
um phosphate. Suggested benefits from mineral supplements
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/poster.html .
New OSHA safety poster
9
!
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318-442
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Baton
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Rouge 225-291-3750
225-291
291-3750
Covington
985-893-3005
C
ovington
985-893
893-3005
504-466-5577
Kenner
504-466
466-5577
337-837-9481
LLafayette
afayette
337-837
837-9481
Lake
Charles
337-626-8502
La
ke C
harles 337-626
626-8502
318-343-8787
Monroe
318-343
343-8787
Shreveport
318-631-3090
631-3090
S
hreveport
318-631
10
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CONTINUING EDUCATION
Forestry Technology & Financial Freedom, $40*, 6 hrs.
CLE Johnny Thompson of Landmark Systems will demonstrate
the latest woods ready technology for loggers along with a second
half class on making financial decisions that will help your long
term quality of life.
______ July 15, Pineville, Country Inn & Suites, 8 a.m. - 3
p.m., 2727 Monroe Hwy.
______ Nov. 17, Ruston, First National Bank, 2001 N.
Trenton St., Hwy. 167 N.
______ Nov. 18, Pineville, Country Inn & Suites, 2727
Monroe Hwy.
______ Nov. 19, DeRidder, War Memorial Civic Center, 250
West 7th St.
* All classes are $20 for La. Logging Council members if pre-registered. $100 if paying at the door.
ONLY Business Management under the core classes may be
taken for 6 hrs. CLE.
Name: ____________________________________
Company: _________________________________
Address: _________________________________
City, State Zip: _____________________________
Phone: ____________________________________
Cell phone: _________________________________
❑ Check here if La. Logging Council member company
Make check payable to LA Forestry Association and mail to:
LA Forestry Association
PO Box 5067
Alexandria, LA 71307
Or charge to credit card: AmEx ❑ MasterCard ❑ Visa ❑
Discover ❑
Card Number ______________________________________
Expiration ______________________
Name on Card _______________________
Signature ______________________________
You can email this form to [email protected] or fax to
(318) 443-1713 if paying by credit card.
Other opportunities: Pipeline Safety Classes will be offered in
August and September around the state. Each class is worth 2
hrs CLE. See our website under “Master Loggers” and
“Classes” for a link.
MASTER LOGGER CLASS
Classes will be held at the Country Inn & Suites, 2727
Monroe Hwy, Pineville, LA 71360 For overnight guests, you
can call (318) 641-8332, ask for Sarah Atwood and tell them you
are with the LFA group.
Pre-registration and payment required! Pre-register or pay double at the door. 6 hrs. CLE
*Reduced to $20 for La. Logging Council members if
pre-registered.
___ Best Management Practices
Wednesday, Sept. 30
___ Safety (TH/TS & OSHA Regulations)
Thursday, Oct. 1
___ Forestry Aesthetics/Erosion Control
Wednesday, Oct. 7.
___ Business Management
Thursday, Oct. 8
$40*
$40*
$40
$40*
Or: Attend these classes at the Sabine Valley
Technical College, 1255 Fisher Rd. Many, LA
71449.
___ Best Management Practices
Tuesday, Sept. 8 8 a.m.
___ Safety (TH/TS & OSHA Regulations)
Wednesday, Sept. 9 8 a.m.
___ Forestry Aesthetics/Erosion Control
Thursday, Sept. 10 8 a.m.
___ Business Management
Friday, Sept. 11 8 a.m.
$40*
$40*
$40
$40*
Name: ____________________________________
Company: _________________________________
Address: _________________________________
City, State Zip: _____________________________
Phone: ____________________________________
Cell phone: _________________________________
❑ Check here if La. Logging Council member company
Make check payable to LA Forestry Association and mail to:
LA Forestry Association
PO Box 5067
Alexandria, LA 71307
Or charge to credit card: AmEx ❑ MasterCard ❑ Visa ❑
Discover ❑
Card Number ______________________________________
Expiration ______________________
Name on Card _______________________
Signature ______________________________
11
Travis Taylor Scholarship endowed;
recipient is one of the THEO class
each year,” said Vandersteen.
The Louisiana Forestry Foundation is dedicated to advance,
promote, develop and extend education in the field of forestry,
A new forestry scholarship in honor of the late Travis Taylor
of Brewton’s Mill in Winn Parish has been endowed to the
Louisiana Forestry Foundation by friends and family.
This year the Travis Taylor Scholarship will award $1,000 to
the Timber Harvesting Equipment Operator Class in Many.
Taylor was a forester, logger and entrepreneur in the forestry
field. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a
forestry degree in 1966. He owned his own contracting business and was awarded the Louisiana Logger of the Year award
in 1997. He went on to serve as president of the Louisiana
Logging Council and as head the American Loggers Council
(2013).
“Taylor was a leader in the forest industry who strived to
moved the industry forward,” said C.A. “Buck” Vandersteen,
executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association.
Taylor joined with a group to help found the Southern
Loggers Cooperative and was in the forefront of alternative
uses for wood fiber. He was also instrumental in helping to
start the Timber Harvesting Equipment Operator (THEO)
program that was offered through the technical school system.
Taylor died Dec. 27, 2014 after a long battle with cancer.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon, two daughters, five grandchildren and other family and close friends.
“His work will go on with the awarding of this scholarship
WestRock new name after merger
of RockTenn and MeadWestvaco
We’ve got your number
— LOGGING —
— C R O S S I N G A P I P E L I N E R I G H T O F WAY —
— IMPROVING DRAINAGE —
— LEVELING LAND —
Please call 811 first.
That’s all it takes to notify LA One Call members
so that they can mark their nearby cables and pipelines.
If you’re moving dirt, it’s the law.
And it’s free.
12
W W W. L A O N E C A L L . C O M
WestRock Company will be the name for the new company when the two packaging leaders RockTenn and
MeadWestvaco Corporation
complete their merger.
WestRock will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under
the ticker symbol WRK.
“WestRock draws on the strongest elements from each of
our legacy names,” said Steve Voorhees, who will be the chief
executive officer of WestRock Company. The pending combination between MWV and RockTenn was announced in late
January.
The companies have received antitrust approval in the
United States and are awaiting other regulatory and shareholder approvals that are expected in June.
Join the Louisiana
Logging Council today!
The Louisiana Logging Council works for you – lobbying our
legislature and working with regulatory agencies. Do you have
time to make your voice count? All you have to do is join the
council today. Membership in the LLC also automatically
makes you a member in the Louisiana Forestry Association.
The LLC is an affiliate of the American Loggers’ Council, the
national voice for logging.
Annual membership
❑ Logging Contractors
$250
❑ Wood Dealers
$250
❑ Trucking contractors
$250
Associate membership
❑ Equipment Dealers
$300
❑ Insurance & Banks
$300
❑ Service and Supplies
$150
Name ______________________________________
Address ____________________________________
City ________________________State ___________
Zip _____________ Phone _____________________
E-mail ______________________________________
Make checks payable to the
Louisiana Logging Council. Mail to
LLC, PO Boc 5067, Alexandria LA
71307
As I See It: The logger shortage is right here
I have some breaking news! The much
anticipated logger shortage is here…at
least during times of peak production. It
is hitting our industry in a couple of different ways.
Across the country, the “surge capacity”
in our industry has all but disappeared.
That part of our industry used to be
made up of many small operators who
often only logged part of the year but
could always be called upon to help out
during times of peak production. Since
the “Great Recession,” most of these
companies have gone out of business,
moved on to more profitable ventures, or
become full-time loggers. With that surge
capacity gone, we are all feeling tremendous pressure to meet our customers’
demands.
As employers, we are in the midst of a
crisis trying to attract and retain qualified
employees. This fact was driven home
recently by a logger friend whose son had
been working for his company. Last year,
his son took a job with a construction
company, making considerably more
money than he had been making working
as a logger. His son felt badly about leaving but, as my logger friend told me, “he’s
now making the kind of money that he
could never make in logging.”
When you think about it, what a sad
statement about logging. If we can’t even
afford to pay our own children enough to
stay in logging, how can we expect to
keep any qualified employees? When I
was young, someone could buy a house
and raise a family on a logger’s wage.
Now, even with a working spouse,
most employees struggle just to get by. It
is not at all unusual for the spouse of a
logger to be the bigger breadwinner with
better benefits and retirement package. It
is demoralizing, considering the high level
of skill required to perform most logging
In order to stay in business, loggers
have had to become better, more professional businessmen. We have learned how
to succeed in an increasingly regulated
and volatile industry. During the same
time, virtually every cost has skyrocketed
(equipment and financing, commercial
and health insurance, workman’s
comp, fuel, regulatory fees and
taxes) and we
have had to
absorb
those
astronomical cost
increases.
The
only
Turner
items that haven’t
risen at the same pace are the prices we
are paid by our customers, what we logging operators earn in profit at the end of
the year, and what our employees take
home on their paychecks.
Yes, we have managed to stay in business but it has been at great cost to our
people. Ultimately, if we cannot increase
our profits, we cannot increase pay to a
level that more realistically reflects the
value and skills of our people to our logging operations, a level that is competitive
with other industries that require workers
(318) 445-4561
(318) 872-1477
(318) 742-9888
(318) 356-8811
(318) 925-8811
(318) 687-1112
(Continued on page 14)
13
As I See It
(Continued from page 13)
with similar skills.
A retired forester recently told me that
“loggers would soon be in the driver’s
seat” with regards to setting logging
prices. The question is, just how accurate
will that statement turn out to be? I do
know that this is definitely not a place
loggers are accustomed to being.
Typically when there is a shortage of
something (loggers), its price will go up.
Unfortunately, the pressure to increase
logging that we’ve felt from our customers
hasn’t resulted in increased prices for our
services. While we would love to be able
to charge whatever prices we want, the
reality is that wood products are commodities.
Producers of wood products are not
only competing against one another; they
compete against other materials. If wood
products become too expensive, they will
be replaced by other materials and will
ultimately lose market share. So where
does this leave us?
If we don’t quickly improve logger
compensation, the logger shortage will
14
certainly continue getting worse. As the
shortage gets worse, even fewer operators
will be available to meet the increasing
demands of the market.
Less product availability translates into
higher market prices. Higher market
prices will result in lower market share.
This death spiral has a simple solutionpay loggers more money for the work that
they do. Without strong and more-profitable loggers, the future of the entire
wood products industry is in serious trouble.
We loggers are the backbone of this
industry. We owe it to ourselves, our
employees and the entire timber industry
to make reasonable profits. To do anything less will jeopardize us all and result
in what timber owners probably fear the
most- out of control logging costs.
(Mark Turner is the current president of
the Associated Oregon Loggers and serves as
an officer for the American Loggers Council.
He and his brother Greg operate Turner
Logging located in Buxton, Oregon. For
more information, please contact the
American Loggers Council at 409-6250206.)
Southern Pine lumber
exports jump in March
Exports of Southern Pine lumber
made a dramatic jump in March, posting
a monthly record. USDA’s Foreign
Agricultural Service recently reported SP
exports to be just over 58 million board
feet (MMbf) during March 2015.
This volume represents a healthy
boost of 26% above the same month last
year, contributing to a year-to-date
increase of 3% when compared with the
first three months of 2014. Offshore
shipments during March roughly break
down as follows: 30.7 MMbf dressed, 9.0
MMbf rough, and 18.5 MMbf treated
lumber.
Softwood lumber imports to the U.S.
during March were just over a billion
board feet, up 19% from the volume
imported during March of 2014. Year-todate softwood imports are up 14% when
compared with last year.
www.laforestry.com
Logging incidents dominated by highway accidents
By Niels de Hoop
Logging accidents in Louisiana were different this year in that
69% of them were highway accidents – triple the normal rate.
Most of them involved log trucks, but some involved service
trucks and personal vehicles.
Although the OSHA and Louisiana Logging Council
Partnership has melded into an Alliance that covers all members
of the program, the LLC still collects accident reports from the
original partners. This report is a summary of those accidents.
One-hundred and sixty-five companies were contacted to submit their accident reports for 2014. There were 165 companies
contacted to submit their accident reports for 2014.
Eighty percent of the companies reported that they had no
accidents during 2014. This is about normal.
There were a few slips during mounting/dismounting of
machines and trucks, which is a perpetual problem, although
the industry has been doing a good job of minimizing that.
The outstanding characteristic of 2014’s accidents is the highway accidents. Ten years ago, the greatest hazards to truck drivers were outside the cab – binding/unbinding, walking on rough
ground, mounting/dismounting and trimming the load. These
hazards still exist, but this year it was nearly all highway accidents.
Not that log truck drivers had a corner on the highway accidents. A few of the accidents involved driving service trucks or
driving vehicles on move day.
Some of these accidents could have been prevented by greater
following distance. At a minimum, follow the 2-second rule.
That is, no matter what your speed, you should be at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle you are following. Count them: when
the vehicle in front of you passes a landmark, count one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two. If you pass the landmark early,
back off. Where conditions allow, a 4-second rule is better.
And if you feel compelled to look down pipelines and side
roads for deer, use the 6-second rule.
Speed was a factor in several log truck accidents at intersections. These are log trucks, not Ferrari’s. In a couple cases, the
trucker expected the cars in front to proceed through the intersection, but they stopped. The truckers were ticketed for careless
operation.
Nearly all the highway accidents involved members of the
public. In many of these cases, the trucker was not at fault. But
regardless of who is at fault, an accident involves lost time, lost
revenue and ill-will with a public who already has a low opinion
of loggers (even though they live in a wood house).
Therefore, Defensive Driving training is important. Please
ensure that everyone who drives at all is trained in defensive
driving. This topic is important enough to repeat annually
(maybe more often).
Although most of the highway accidents resulted only in
property damage, one of the reported accidents resulted in the
death to a member of the public. Also, a highway accident not
reported under the OSHA Strategic Partnership program resulted in the death of a 57-year-old Mississippi log truck driver in
the Florida parishes, as he failed to negotiate a
left hand curve on the highway, rolled, and
burned.
Of course, the usual dangers are still out
there, especially while performing maintenance
or while mounting/dismounting, so they
should continue to be emphasized in safety
Niels deHoop
meetings.
Over the last several years, I have seen an increasing number
and proportion of log truck highway accidents. This year, there
was an incredible spike in highway accidents. We can control the
in-woods environment, so we have made good progress there.
We have much less control over the roadway environment. In
the short-term, we can emphasize defensive driving and driver
training, but the real solutions are long-term and require a united effort.
They will undoubtedly include better driver training for the
public and improvement of public roads. For a logger, that
means getting involved in public policy.
(C.F. “Niels” de Hoop is an associate professor at the Louisiana
Forest Products Development Center, School of Renewable Natural
Resources, Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, LSU AgCenter.
Contact: [email protected]; 225-578-4242. This work is supported
by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, McIntire
Stennis project 227333.)
The majority of logging accidents in 2014 were actually highway accidents (including some in towns). Most involve some
sort of excessive speed or being in a hurry. Some involve
dealing with distracted drivers (or being distracted).
Housing starts flat across country
Single family home starts fell 5.4% in May and experts predict continued slow going on housing. Multi-family rental units
make up the majority of new construction (35% of the total).
An Urban Institute study indicates that rental demand may
continue for a decade or more due to the demographics of those
typically in need of housing. Weak income growth, student debt
and a growing minority population in that age group all point
to rental growth over housing ownership.
15
2015 THEO class held at technical school in Many
The third session of the Timber
Harvesting Equipment Operator
(THEO) class started May 26 at the
Sabine Valley Technical College in
Many.
This course consists of five weeks of
instruction with field trips followed by
hands-on logging equipment training.
“The financial and personnel involvement support from our forest industry
partners has been significant and very
much appreciated,” said Mike Wolff
with the Natchitoches Community
Alliance. Wolff is assisting with the program in Many.
“The involvement from John Deere
providing the logging equipment is critical to the success of this course and very
much appreciated,” he said. “Thanks
also to Lott Oil and the Southern
Loggers Cooperative for their contribution to provide the fuel for the logging
equipment during the field instruction.”
Field trips have included Walsh
Timber thinning and clear cut sites in
16
Shown at a visit to a thinning site are (from left) Minous Lilly, Steve Chapman, Tyler Arthur, Charlie
Edwards (forester with Walsh Timber showing the class the equipment typically used in a first thinning), Zachary Kennedy, and David Carhee.
Sabine Parish; a tree, disease and insect
identification tour of Mary Brocato's
property in Many; the Weyerhaeuser
Natchitoches engineered lumber manufacturing facility and the International
Paper Campti paper mill.
Instructors during these first two
weeks of instruction included the
Louisiana Forestry Association, Walsh
Timber, Morgan Logging, U. S. Forest
Service, Weyerhaeuser, Hancock, Boise,
Almond Brothers, Pie Martinez, the
Natchitoches Community Alliance and
the Sabine Valley Technical College.
New Master Loggers
The following people completed the Master Logger
Core Class sessions in May.
Terry Avant
Earnest Baxley
Michael Bee
Dana Bloome
Julia Breeland
Catherine Breeland
James Carter
Arthur Caston
Mark Chenevert
Brent Fitzgerald
Jason Polovich
Valerie Jarreau
John Johnson Jr.
Robert Lott
William Mathis
Judy May
Morgan Meshell
Rodney Miller
Othel Tanner
Lloyd Triche
Christopher Welch
Luke Williams
Jerral Sullivan
James Schmidt
Frankie Gayle Jr.
Frando Qutino
Jerod Keith
Bo Ezernack
Kevin Michelle
John Hoffman
Teddie Garner
Cotton Bryant
Randal Quick
Kendrell Williams
Brandon Marioneaux
Heather Martin
Charles Acquistapace
Mark Newsom
Devin Wilson
Shawn Vines
Keith Ethridge
Carl Perkins
Mark Stephens
Chris Wray
Joey Simpson
Bryan Ezernack
Winnfield
Winnfield
DeRidder
Livingston
Jonesboro
Jonesboro
Pollock
Walker
Oakdale
Dodson
Winnfield
Hessmer
Farmerville
Merryville
DeRidder
West Monroe
Zwolle
Hessmer
Walker
Greensburg
Leesville
Saline
Tallulah
Dubach
Tallulah
Zwolle
Haughton
Haughton
Zwolle
Lettsworth
Winnfield
Pineville
Ashland
Roseland
West Monroe
Shreveport
Folsom
Ponchatoula
Oakdale
Dodson
Zwolle
Covington
DeRidder
Converse
Zwolle
Zwolle
Subscribe to the
Louisiana Logger
Only Active Master Loggers have free
subscriptions, but you can order one for
your crew members for $12 per year.
(4 issues per year)
Name: ___________________________________
Mailing address: ___________________________
City, State, Zip: ___________________________
Phone: ___________________________________
Mobile phone: _____________________________
Make checks payable to:
Louisiana Logging Council
Mail to : PO Box 5067
Alexandria LA 71307
EAB quarantine may be expanded
The emergency order quarantining ash trees and green products in Webster Parish due to the presence of the emerald ash
borer may soon be expanded. At presstime, early reports
showed that the traps in Claiborne and Bossier parishes also
showed the presence of the beetle.
In the case of firewood, no hardwood may leave a quarantined parish. For more information, call Quarantine Programs
of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture at (225) 952-8053.
The practical application of the quarantine is tracts that may
have enough valuable ash can go into mills in Arkansas that are
located in other quarantined counties. Ash will probably not be
cut on other tracts without much value in the resource.
“This emerald-colored bug is responsible for leaving a trail of
dead ash from the east coast and now to Louisiana,” said C.A.
“Buck” Vandersteen, LFA/LLC executive director. “It is expected that soon the parishes of Claiborne and Bossier will be added
to the quarantine with others in the northwest corner not far
behind. This is serious. If you cut ash it can’t enter any parish
not in the quarantine unless it is processed and dried into lumber.”
Anyone wanting to read the complete Declaration of
Emergency from the Louisiana Dept. of Ag and Forestry can go
to the LFA front page to the news section at the bottom.
Native to China and eastern Asia, the EAB is thought to have
arived in North America hidden in wood packing materials
used to ship consumer goods. Efforts to stop the spread of the
insect have been unsuccessful.
17
Crimes and convictions
A LaSalle Parish man was nabbed in Anchorage, Alaska
while attempting to cross the border into Canada and now faces
additional timber theft charges here in Louisiana. James
Marcus Ainsworth, 39, of 254 Joiner Road, already faced eight
felony timber theft counts. Ainsworth was charged May 22
with one more timber theft count in LaSalle Parish.
In the most recent incident, Louisiana Department of
Agriculture and Forestry investigators said Ainsworth cut 24
acres of timber in May and June 2014 for a landowner in Nebo,
in La Salle Parish. After the timber was cut, forestry agents said
the landowner did not hear from Ainsworth and went to his
home and confronted him about payment.
“During this meeting Ainsworth showed the landowner
scale tickets and checks totaling $30,000 telling the landowner
this was the amount of timber that had been cut off the property. Ainsworth also told the landowner he should receive
$12,000 for his portion. Ainsworth was never able to provide
the landowner with scale tickets specific to the landowner’s
property,” said LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain.
Forestry investigators went to mills and wood dealers and
recovered records showing Ainsworth cut 45 loads of timber
valued at $41,234.13 but the landowner only received $3,400.
Investigators reported in early April, Ainsworth, his wife and
daughter drove to the Chicago area, put all of their belongings
in storage and then flew to Anchorage, Alaska with the intent to
cross the border into Canada and avoid prosecution.
Ainsworth’s information was put in the National Crime
Information Center, NCIC, and Ainsworth was arrested in
Anchorage. Deputies from the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office
drove to Anchorage and brought Ainsworth back to Jena.
Ainsworth is currently in the LaSalle Parish Detention
Center on $1 million bond. In all, Ainsworth has seven timber
theft charges in LaSalle Parish and two in Catahoula Parish.
Prior to the most recent arrest, Ainsworth is accused of stealing approximately $100,000 worth of timber from landowners.
Forestry enforcement investigators also arrested 43-year-old
Stephen Ray Foust of Walker March 25 for one count of theft
over $25,000.
“This arrest is the result of a four month long investigation
by our Forestry Enforcement division into a timber theft that
occurred between December 2013 and June 2014 in St. James
Parish,” said Strain.
Agents arrested James Lee Nelson of Vivian on May 28
and booked him into the Caddo Parish Detention Center.
Nelson is accused of unlawfully selling 80 acres of property
located in Rodessa, a community in north Caddo Parish.
The agents recovered 15 timber cutting agreements that
were all notarized in Texas indicating Nelson had permission to
sell the timber. Six of the timber cutting agreements were
allegedly signed by individuals who were deceased for many
years. An additional timber cutting agreement which reportedly showed power of attorney for three more deceased individuals
was also recovered.
Records showed Nelson was paid $35,000 for the timber.
18
OSHA Safety Sheet
Be on guard
when working in
hot temperatures!
In the event of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, move the victim to the
shade or an air conditioned vehicle and loosen clothing.Do not leave
them alone but begin rapid cooling by fanning them or applying wet
cloths.If the person starts to shiver, stop cooling. Call 911 in the case of
heat exhaustion if no improvement.
Call 911 right away in the case of heat stroke. and cool rapidly using
whatever means you can–– spray with cool water, cover with a wet
sheet, or immerse in a tub of cool water. While waiting for assistance
place ice packs under arm pits and in the groin area. Lay him flat and
elevate feet. Monitor airways and breathing. Administer CPR if needed
During an interview, Nelson admitted forging the signatures of
deceased heirs on the timber cutting agreements. Nelson’s bond
was set at $20,000. Centennial Rose Stewart of Bivins, Texas
was also arrested for notarizing 15 timber cutting agreements
which ultimately resulted in the unlawful sale of the 80 acres.
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