Alaskan Forests - What We Need and What We Want
Negotiated Timber Sales for Value-Added Processing
The Condition of the Boreal Forest
Forest Management Activities - The Role and Importance of Natural Disturbance
Selecting a Logging Contractor
Portable Sawmilling for Business and Personal Use
Interview with Nancy Jordan, Program Manager for the Woodcraft Network, Skagit County, Washington
Taking the University to the People
Interesting and importantwere words that came to mind to describe the SMALLWOOD '98 Conference that I attended in Lewiston, Idaho on October 14-16, 1998. This conference focused heavily on the management, harvesting, product development, and marketing of small diameter trees. The chief of the USFS recently announced that it is estimated that nationally there are 40 million acres of overstocked stands on USFS land. Hal Salwasser, a speaker at the SMALLWOOD '98 Conference and Director of the Pacific SW Research Station, stated that, "opportunities and challenges in managing western forests where smallwood removal is to be a tool in meeting multiple goals will hinge around stronger vertical integration of forestry, ecosystem management, harvesting, manufacturing and marketing."
If American forest managers cannot manage small diameter trees (under 10 inches) as a cost effective tool in managing their forests for a variety of values, then these forests are going to be left, as Hal stated, "to the vagaries of nature, mostly fire, drought and insects in the West."
What does this mean to Alaskans? Think small. We need more emphasis on products that can use a variety of tree diameters, and we need to develop industries that are designed to produce economically viable products for both local consumption and export. The management of both public and private lands in the future will need to include more emphasis on a broader range of tree diameters and products in order to provide for the diverse uses and demands made on our forest lands. The economics of small diameter tree harvesting are still challenging but improvements have been made. New techniques for managing small diameter trees are providing wood fiber while demonstrating low impacts on the environment.
I came back from Lewiston with several new wood product ideas that are being produced in other states. In this newsletter I provide an interview with Nancy Jordan, program manager for the Woodcraft Network with Skagit County, Washington. Programs such as the Woodcraft Network could be helpful in developing and marketing new value-added wood products. The Forest Products Business Planning Workshops that I hosted in Fairbanks, Palmer, and Soldotna were intended to assist with further development of forest products businesses. The Alaska Cooperative Extension is pursuing several new programs to assist with forest management and the forest products industry in Alaska which we will be discussing in this and future editions of Under the Canopy.
An important step was taken this year with the report on the Alaska market for value-added lumber products as a joint project by the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation and the Industry Network Corporation. This report developed by the McDowell Group examines the market size, needs, and marketing strategies for the Alaskan lumber market. The following is a summary of major findings from that report.
Market Size
The report estimates that the Alaska market for dimension lumber and timbers is about 80 to 90 million board feet of which the bulk of this volume is imported into Alaska primarily from the Pacific NW and Canada. An additional 10 million is included in laminated beams and other engineered lumber products. They also estimate the veneer and paneling market at about 90 million square feet and about 40,000 tons of wood products including shingles/shakes, door and window frames, pallets and dunnage. The report also indicates that although these market sizes are estimates, the actual market size may be considerably higher.
Market Needs
During the study it was determined that many Alaskan markets would welcome more local products but they must be able to meet specific requirements which include: being price-competitive, being proven to be suited to the applications for which they are intended, and being available both on time and in sufficient quantity.
The study found that most major lumber users in Alaska have become accustomed to fulfilling their lumber needs by importing wood products from out of state, primarily form the Pacific NW and Canada. The report mentions that this situation was largely due to the fact that locally produced, graded, kiln-dried lumber has not been available in most areas of Alaska and also as a result of the transportation network we have in Alaska which has developed primarily to link Alaska with the "outside" rather than to assist with the transportation of goods within regions of the state.
The study found that of the variety of wood product opportunities, dimension lumber has the greatest potential for substitution by Alaskan mills. As grading services, finishing machinery, and kiln-drying capacity become more available, the market appears to be very open to buying Alaskan dimensional lumber in place of similar products that are currently imported. The study estimates that the overall Alaskan contribution to the graded and kiln-dried dimensional lumber market could be around 65-70 million board feet per year.
Market Strategies
The study examined marketing strategies for both small and large operations.
Small Mill Operations: For small mill operations that wish to grow, a more active approach to marketing, together with a well-planned approach to ensuring timber supply, are the key ingredients.
The study further suggests for small mills that for these size operations to expand it requires commitment from the operator to becoming a more formal and established business presence. Many local Alaska mills are considered to be seasonal or supplementary work by their owners, and this may be their most suitable role for those individuals. They suggest that in order to displace out of state orders it will require consistency of quality, availability of product, and marketing support. They further suggest that small mills seeking to grow must aggressively develop their technical, business, and product-line capabilities. Focus must be given to increasing the number of customers and possible diversification of forest products produced.
Large Mill Operations: The study suggests that larger mills must be able to respond to changing market conditions in ways that allow them to continue to operate at or near their most effective scale. They suggest that mills that are currently manufacturing for out-of-state markets should continue to do so but try to add some diversity of products for in-state consumption. They do not however recommend placing your existing markets at risk by having to cut back production of one product line in order to support developing markets. In order to successfully enter the Alaskan lumber market it may be necessary to make significant marketing investments to develop the local customer base. Long-term growth for larger mills depends upon a sustained marketing effort and consistent production.
The study concludes that large mills may have an important role to
play in addressing one historical challenge to in-state lumber sales
by Alaska producers, namely transportation. Results of a survey
indicate that it may be possible to reduce the costs of some key
shipping links, in particular between the Southeast and Southcentral
regions
of the state. Based on conversations with shippers, the key to lower
shipping costs is to establish large enough in-state markets that
shipments of lumber products can be made either on a very regular
basis to encourage additional scheduled service, or by means of
occasional large consolidations, perhaps using leased barge services.
From the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Fact Sheet, June 1998
A series of workshops addressing forest product business planning, accessing financial resources, timber sale contracts, and DOF negotiated timber sales were conducted by the Alaska Cooperative Extension on October 26, 27, and 28 in Fairbanks, Palmer, and Soldotna. The following is a summary of the presentation of the DOF Negotiated Timber Sales for the workshops.
What is the "Value-added Processing Bill"? In 1996, SB 180 was passed and codified as AS 38.05.123. The bill allows the Division of Forestry (DOF) to offer negotiated sales of up to 10 MMBF of state timber per year for up to 10 years to in-state wood processors. The goal of the bill is to increase Alaskan jobs from timber harvested off state land by encouraging in-state wood processing.
Is this program the only way to buy state timber for value-added processing? No. The Division offers sales under four programs, and wood for local processing can come from any of the programs. The options are:
In FY 97, the DNR Division of Forestry offered 86 sales totaling about 42 million board feet (MMBF) of timber. In FY 98, the Division is scheduled to offer up to 94 sales totaling up to 75 MMBF. For more information on sales in yourarea, contact the Division of Forestry Area Office nearest you.
How are sales under the new law different from other timber sales? The new law allows DOF to negotiate large timber sales with stronger requirements for in-state value-added processing than other timber sale programs. Under draft regulations to implement the law, processing facilities must be operational before timber sold under value-added law can be harvested. Like all state timber sales, however, sales under this law are designed for multiple use as part of a sustainable forestry program. All state timber sales also must be consistent with adopted state land use plans.
What are the requirements for a sale under this law? Sales under AS 38.05.123 must:
The Department must also evaluate all proposals for:
By Bob Wheeler
The following list is a summary of conclusions regarding the condition of the boreal forest which were discussed at the April 9-10, 1998, conference "Managing for Forest Condition in Interior Alaska: What are our Options" at the University of Alaska Fairbanks co-sponsored by the Alaska Cooperative Extension and the Alaska Boreal Forest Council.
Insects
Although the spruce bark beetle is present in the Interior, catastrophic timber losses are more likely to be caused by the Ips engraver beetle. The change in climate to warmer and drier conditions adds stress on the trees and increases the likelihood of greater insect related mortality.
Disease
We are finding that diseases are more prevalent than we thought even as much as five years ago. They are an integral part of the forest ecosystem and we are unsure of the interaction between disease and insect attack.
Climate
There was general agreement that a warming shift in the climate occurred about two decades ago. Since then, conditions have been warmer than usual and drier during the growing season. These changes are strongly related to a decline in forest health and an increase in fire risk.
Forest Genetics and Regeneration
There was unanimous agreement that reforestation should use native species. However, there was some discussion about whether we should include genetic material from a wider ecological range. There is a need to collect more seed for reforestation and germplasm protection.
Forest Condition
It was concluded that forest health in the Interior was declining as a result of increased insect and disease activity, greater fire risk, greater stress on trees caused by drying conditions and moisture stress, and problems with regeneration capabilities. Previous fire control has contributed to an imbalance in the distribution of young to intermediate stand structures in the region. Some degree of disturbance is healthy, but excessive mortality leads to loss of biodiversity.
Ecosystem Management
There was broad support for the application of ecosystem management to the Interior forest region of Alaska.
Public Involvement
Workshop attendees agreed that public participation is an essential part of ecosystem management.
By Bob Wheeler
Note: I gave the following presentation at the UAF on January 1997. Although some of the talk refers to trees species not normally found in Alaska, the principles being discussed still apply.
Introduction
Before I discuss the role and importance of natural disturbances as they influence forest management activities, I want to briefly discuss our forest land management policies and issues that will affect American forest management especially as it applies to federal lands since they control a large portion of western forests. Under the evolving ecosystem management process being developed by the USFS, the role and importance of natural disturbances has new importance and applications. At the same time the development of a national forest management policy for the sustainable development of our natural resources has yet to be fully defined and implemented as witnesses by the recent number of bills before congress regarding management of our national forests.
It is also important that we recognize that now, more than ever before, that our management of forest lands involves global considerations. The United States, with about 5 percent of the worlds population, consumes about 33 percent of the industrial roundwood produced while producing only about 26 percent, and consequently, we are a net importer of wood from other countries. While increasing emphasis is being placed on American forests for sustainable ecosystem management, more needs to be done to educate the public about the implications of underproductivity of their forest lands and the long term implications of lack of planning for sustainable self-sufficient production of forest products for the American economy as well as their effects on world resources, biodiversity, and social and economic stability.
Issues Affecting Forest Management in the United States
Natural Disturbance - A Randomly Occurring Event
For millions of years, natural disturbances have played an important role in the distribution and evolution of forests. Glaciers and ice sheets have come and gone, continental plates have moved, volcanoes, floods, and fires have ravaged the landscape and the forest have evolved, adapted, and survived. The discovery of fossilized trees in Antarctica provides evidence of a once forested land. Today, forest health and the incidence and importance of natural disturbances are sources of political debate and heated controversy regarding the management of forest lands. Evidence of this has been the recent passage by Congress of the salvage logging bill which was recently receded by the current administration. Concerns for the effects of natural disturbances are especially important in the western states where large acreages of forest land have been severely impacted by catastrophic fires or insect and disease outbreaks. It is important that we understand the role of natural disturbances and the opportunities they may afford for forest management in a manner that incorporates the concerns of all segments of our society.
Understanding the role and importance of natural disturbances in both managed and unmanaged forests requires both an appreciation of contingencies and knowledge of environmental issues related to the forest.
What do I mean by contingencies? Contingency: something whose occurrence depends on chance or uncertain conditions, a possible, unforeseen, or accidental occurrence. Natural disturbances are generally viewed as being unpredictable. In areas where frequent or expected natural disturbances occur, forest management activities can be implemented to limit or divert damage losses.
Stephan Gould wrote the book entitled, Wonderful Life (1989), in which he describes the discovery and re-evaluation of the Precambrian fossil discoveries at the Burgess shale deposits in Yoho National Park, Alberta, Canada. The discovery of a large number of new fossil species that had never been classified before lead to the eventual conclusion that a great diversity of life existed very early in the evolution of life on earth. Gould contends that this great diversity over a long period of time and the incidence of natural disasters and mortality, both large and small scale, lead to the modern day distribution of species. This modern day order of life was not assured by natural laws such as natural selection, or superiority of body design, or even by relative frequency of a species or evolutionary principles of mutation, migration, and selection, but rather the modern day occurrence of species is largely a product of contingencies. Given the large number of species and anatomical diversity that existed, many alternate and equally sensible routes of evolution could have occurred. The details of which would be confined by laws but defined by contingencies. Our existence as well as the forests has been strongly influenced by natural disturbances and a multitude of contingencies.
Natural disturbances are believed to be a primary factor influencing the composition and structure of forests in the western states. The recent pursuit of alternative forest structures to the classical succession/climax theory of stand development for western forests has been largely due to failures to observe successional development toward a stable climax forest structure as a result of natural disturbances. In many cases a stable climax forest community that is based on understory species development is only theoretical as are the associated habitat types they would generate. Consideration of natural disturbances has lead to the development of vegetation classification systems that are "open-ended, non-deterministic, biologically-based structural classifications" which are combined with existing vegetation cover types.
The Public Debate on Forest Health and Forest Management
There are those who argue that many of our forest ecosystems are out of balance from a historical perspective and needing restoration. They argue that the forest catastrophic losses are the direct results of unhealthy forest ecosystems. Because historically fire has been such an important component of western forests it has been argued that natural wildfires should be allowed to burn. Others see the opportunity for forest management to improve the forest condition through prescribed fires or harvesting. The decisions about how and for what our forests will be managed for currently is a source of great political debate.
The Role and Importance of Natural Disturbances in Today's Forests
How serious are natural disturbances to our forests?
The state of Oregon has estimated that approximately 25 percent of Oregon's forests are either dead or dying from insects, disease, and prolonged drought. That amounts to about 7 million acres of forest land much of which is on federal lands. It is believed that this condition has been created to some extent by the selective harvesting of species that are more drought resistant and leaving those that are more susceptible while controlling the incidence of wildfire. The combination of epidemic insect outbreaks and fire control has lead to a situation where high fuel loading has occurred further promoting the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Records of wildfire intensity since the 1940's indicate that there has been an increasing intensity of large catastrophic fires in the West. Increased forests losses from catastrophic fires have further forced the issue of salvage logging into the public arena.
The salvage issue is the recovery of dead and dying timber from public lands. Forests such as ponderosa pine that are normally prone to natural disturbances such as fire historically experience frequent minor burns of the forest floor causing only limited mortality. The effects of the fires served as a thinning agent to improve tree growth of residual trees. The prevention of regular minor fires through fire protection without appropriate stand management including timber harvesting has created a situation where catastrophic outbreaks of insects and diseases and fires have occurred.
Relatively minor occurrences of natural disturbances have little effect on stand composition and forest yield but major disturbances can drastically change the forest composition, ecosystem processes, and management opportunities. Catastrophic forest mortality such as from insects and fires leads to a loss of biodiversity and is indicative of an unhealthy forest condition.
Examining Fire Incidence, Contingencies, and Stand Structure in Unmanaged Ponderosa Pine Stands in Eastern Montana
The Hawks Creek fire broke out in August 1984 between Billings and Roundup, Montana. This fire occurred at the end of an extended hot and dry summer. The fire burned over 178,000 acres, destroyed many homes throughout the area and killed nearly all trees throughout the area. It was a truly catastrophic fire. Had the timber on this area been more intensively managed would it have been lost to fire and could all of the burned homes and disrupted lives have been spared? It is difficult to say but after establishing several intensively measured plots within ponderosa pine forests in the area we can make some conclusions about the nature of ponderosa pine and its long term exposure to natural disturbances which can be reflected by a number of alternative stand structures dependent upon contingent events.
Carbon and Nutrient Cycling
There are those in our society that feel that it is best to let
nature take its own course and allow the forests to return to their
original conditions. Included in this has been the argument to allow
the carbon stored in the trees to be cycled naturally through fire
and decomposition rather than removed from the site through
harvesting. Trees act as a sink for the storage of carbon which can
be released to the atmosphere and the soil through decomposition and
fire. Nurtrient cycling, especially nitrogen, is important to the
growth and survival of trees and vegetation. Forest health diminishes
without sufficient nutrients and is a concern for forest management.
Catastrophic disturbances such as hot devastating fires can severely
disrupt these cycles.
Long-Term Effects of Natural Disturbances
Suggestions to address both the short and long term needs of Oregon forests include immediate salvage operations to reduce fuels from dead and dying timber, reintroduction of fire as a management tool along with harvest operations designed to promote a mixture of tree species that are tolerant to drought, insects, and fire while improving stand health and individual tree vigor.
During a 50 year period, there have been three devastating windstorms in Western Oregon. These storms created significant mortality at the time of the event but the improvement in stand growth and tree vigor for surviving trees reduced the average mortality rates. The compensating effects of increased and decreased stand mortality resulted in a nearly constant rate of mortality over the 50 year period.
Discussion
Natural disturbances in the forests play important roles for both managed and unmanaged forest areas. However, understanding their role and importance cannot be fully determined until a more complete and defined national forest policy can be developed for public lands.
By Bob Wheeler (I recently wrote this as an article that appeared in the Homer Tribune.)
What can a landowner do in order to feel assured that they are making the right decision regarding the hiring of a logger or tree care/service specialist? The following recommendations are suggested as an aid in helping you select wisely and to help assure you that the contract you sign for the work will be with your best interest in mind. Success with forestland management commonly involves a partnership with a logging contractor. Care in the selection and attention to details of a contract will help assure your satisfaction and success.
Recommendations
Article written by Brian Grodner, co-owner of Sawmill Exchange, P.O. Box 131267, Birmingham, Alabama 35213-6267. Phone 1-800-459-2148
Lessons Learned from Sawmill Owners
Portable sawmills are becoming more popular with people who own their own timberland who want to manufacture their own lumber products for personal use or as a source of income. They are also becoming popular with other people who want to saw commercially. What you want to accomplish with the mill will determine how much you will need to spend. This is a list of considerations that owners or portable sawmills have been kind enough to tell us that they believe to be important for someone to think through carefully before they purchase a mill. The following list is by no means complete and comprehensive, as everyone has their own individual needs that they should consider before purchasing a portable sawmill.
Band vs. Circular: Probably the most important difference between band and circular sawmills is production and "kerf" (loss of wood to sawdust with each pass). Band mills will generally have a 3/32" kerf (which is why they are called "narrow kerf") while circular sawmills generally have about 1/4" kerf. As a general rule, a band mill will provide you an average of 20 percent more lumber out of each log. On the other hand, circular mills cut much more lumber in an 8-hour-day than band mills. You need to decide which is more important to you, kerf or production.
We have grouped portable band sawmills into four categories:
Manual - the least expensive. They have no labor-saving hydraulic features which increases the amount of work you must do. New models with a trailer package generally cost between $4,000 and $9,000.Power Feed - The blade is mechanically powered into the cut, but you must load and turn the logs manually. New models with a trailer package generally cost between $9,000 to $14,000.
Fully Hydraulic - This category of portable sawmills features the most labor-saving devices that minimize the workload and maximize production. The more expensive models normally have larger power units and other accessories designed for higher daily production. New models with a trailer package generally cost between $16,000 and $32,000.
High Production - These mills are designed for professionals and normally require a higher level of expertise. They offer specialized features designed for higher production sawing such as high-powered engines, wider bands, and more productive log and lumber handling equipment. New models with a trailer package generally cost between $35,000 to over $100,000.
Income: Will you use the mill full-time or part-time? Will you want the mill to provide all or part of your income? Or, do you care if the mill provides none of your income? If you are considering sawing commercially, please remember sawmilling is very physically demanding. Some days are very hot, some very cold, and many sawyers don't work on rainy days.
Production: What is the minimum amount of daily production you must produce to meet your income needs with and/or production goals? Before you purchase a portable sawmill, we recommend that you check with some owners of the make and model you are considering to make sure you can reach your production goals. Many portable sawmill manufacturers are quite frank about the production realities of their mills. Some manufacturers will give you the names of some of their customers for you to talk with. Generally, the less expensive the mill, the lower the production.
Hydraulics: Hydraulics on sawmills are designed to make sawing easier and faster. These include the loading arms, log turner, dogs that hold the log in place and toe boards that raise the lower the log to accommodate for taper. They can add as much as $5,000 to $8,000 to the cost of a sawmill. To some people, hydraulics are absolutely necessary because they minimize log handling time which increases production, and they also take the back-breaking work out of sawing. If you plan to saw commercially, it is usually much easier and cheaper to have a sawmill with a hydraulic loader than to haul the sawmill and a front-end loader to the job site. Make sure the loading arms can lift the weight of the logs you plan to saw.
Length and width: What diameter and length of logs do you need to saw? Is the sawmill you are interested in capable of cutting these logs?
Accessories: Very rarely will you see a portable sawmill without accessories which includes the trailer package, extra bands or teeth, sharpening system, sawyer's seat, etc. These accessories can add as much as $5,000 to the cost of the sawmill. For example, automatic sharpener/setter systems for band blades normally cost between $1,500 and $2,000. Some sawyers find that sharpening their own blades is the most cost effective way to operate, some send their blades to a sharpening service (roughly $6 - $8 per blade including shipping costs), and some people simply dispose of their blades after two to four hours of usage. Your production requirements will determine which of the three options is the best for you.
Other major components: Sawmill system components include edgers, planers, debarkers and bark cleaners (mud saws), and dry kilns, etc. Edgers can greatly increase your production. Planers are just about required if you are using a circular sawmill and rough cut lumber is not an option. Debarkers and bark cleaners increase the lifespan of your bands and blades. Kiln dried lumber sells for a significantly higher price than "green" lumber. Your choice of major components depends mainly on your production requirements, income requirements, and budget.
Which portable sawmill is the best? We are asked this question daily. The best answer we can give is: the best sawmill is the one that best fits your individual sawing needs. We recommend you consider the above features when asking yourself what the "best" sawmill is for you. The bottom line is production. It all gets down to how much production you need and how much money you are willing to spend. If you want a lesser priced mill, you will normally sacrifice production.
Ask the owners! One should never buy a portable sawmill without first conferring with owners. They are your absolute best source for factual, honest information on how you can expect a brand and model of a certain make of portable sawmill to perform.
The bottom line: It all gets down to how much production you need and how much money you are willing to spend. If you want a lesser-priced mill, you will normally sacrifice production. Most importantly, talk to the owners.
Going Into Business with a Portable Sawmill
This is a selection of success stories of people I have talked to who are running profitable portable sawing operations.
Line up business before you purchase a sawmill. Contract with a lumber company to saw on site for the smaller customers that they can not service because the order is too small.
Contract with a lumber retailer to be an independent supplier for specialty products such as ties, fence post, etc. Find someone who can assure you that they will buy everything you can cut.
Advertise in the paper that a new sawing operation will be available for the community soon. Only buy the mill after you have enough arrangements with property owners to be relatively sure of a good supply of work.
Consider room for expansion when you purchase the mill. Many sawyers we talk to are weeks, sometimes months behind in their work. Some get so many phone calls that they can not return them all. We get quite a few calls from some of their customers who want to buy a mill because they can not wait any longer to get their logs sawed.
To react to this problem, some sawmillers purchase higher production mills. They are more expensive, but many sawyers actually earn more net profit, even after paying the higher monthly note on the sawmill.
Others purchase two or more sawmills and go into business with their family or with some employees. A word of caution: some families work well together, but we unfortunately get some listings of equipment for sale by families who can not work together. They usually take a loss just to get rid of a sawmill. Also, remember if you hire employees that you will encounter OSHA, insurance, and other legal and paperwork requirements that can take up a lot of your time. Also, many sawyers have trained employees only to have them become their competition.
Determine how much you need to spend on a sawmill. A good rule of thumb when considering the purchase of a band sawmill is to expect to spend $10,000 for every 1,000 board feet produced per day with two people, $20,000 for every 2,000 board feet, and so forth. Used equipment generally runs about 70 percent to 80 percent of new.
One formula that seems to work is as follows: determine how much
money you realistically expect to net over the year. Next, determine
how many board feet you need to saw per day at the going rate in your
area (usually $150 to $250 per thousand board feet) considering
travel time, rainy days, cleaning logs, sharpening blades, and other
down time. Third, determine what sawmills will produce
the production you need and choose the sawmill that best fits your
needs.
Customers: The most common problems I have noted between sawyers and their customers are:
Innocent ignorance of the customer - Many customers will not know to have their logs stacked and cleaned unless you tell them. We have heard many war stories of the sawyer spending the entire day skidding the logs from all over the property and cleaning them. The irate customer fired the sawyer because nothing was sawed. The sawyer never had time to saw a board. However, if the sawyer tells the customer what is needed, a situation like this is avoidable.Metal in the logs - Many customers will tell you if their logs may have metal in them if you just ask. Most contracts include a clause where the customer agrees to pay for broken blades caused by metal in the logs. Talking to the customer about this before you begin sawing will eliminate misunderstanding.
Helpers - Some sawyers expect the customer to provide a helper, and others prefer to saw alone. If you require a helper, tell the customer ahead of time. Many times they will act as your off-bearer (at least until the novelty ends).
Misunderstandings - Have a contract or written agreement that you and the customer sign to eliminate any misunderstandings.
Interview conducted by Bob Wheeler - October 1998
Q) Could you describe what the Woodcraft Network is and what lead to its creation?
A) The Woodcraft Network is a nonprofit organization formed by the Economic Development Association of Skagit County, WA, and local value-added wood-products businesses. Our member businesses produce a wide range of high-quality wood products from one-of-a-kind gallery pieces to production items available to the national and international marketplace. Our purpose is to provide business and technical assistance while developing opportunities for small wood-products businesses in Northwest Washington. This is achieved through networking, education, and cooperative business activities.
The Woodcraft Network's goal is to strengthen and diversify the local economy by assisting new and existing businesses that produce value-added wood products. We foster business connections that will lead to beneficial long-term relationships and coordinate actions that produce sales, generate successful cooperative activities and nurture small businesses. We act as a clearinghouse and liaison for wood-products businesses to access sources of supply, public and private resources and markets. One-on-one technical and business assistance is available to member wood products firms, directly or by referral. The Woodcraft Network also works closely with similar networks and cooperatives from around the region and hosts or participates in retail and trade shows.
Advantages of Network membership includes:
We have an Internet Brochure at: http://www.woodcradtnetwork.com/ What lead to its creation? In Skagit County, Washington, lumber and wood-products businesses have lost more than 47 percent of their jobs since 1989. The Woodcraft Network provides a venue where value-added wood producers can collaborate and share resources in an effort to retain and create new jobs. Increases in secondary manufacturing are responsible for the majority of revenue growth in the wood products sector and provide an additional $1.5 billion to Washington State's economy.
Q) What are the costs of becoming a member of the network?
A) Membership dues today are $60/year for Producer members and $100/year for Associate members.
Q) Have you found that the network has made a difference in the business success of its members?
A) Yes, but many times the members are the last to notice it themselves. We have one very active member who only recently was able to admit that he has received over $60,000 solely from being involved with the Network. For three years, he has continually held to the conviction that he really hasn't seen much benefit to his business. He has also grown tremendously in confidence in that time.
Sometimes the difference made is that the member had to answer some very difficult questions - which has brought some members to not continue their membership or their business. Others may not be doing business any differently, but at least there is a small system of accountability to peers rather than being completely isolated in their shop.
Q) What kind of training and educational activities have you sponsored on behalf of your members in the past 12 months?
A) The main educational events that the Network has sponsored during the past 12 months are as follows.
Full-day seminar called "Understanding Wood" with Tom Gorman, Univ. of Idaho.
Evening "Member Marketing Round-Table" with three Network members, facilitated by a SCORE volunteer with extensive marketing knowledge and experience.
"Working with the Media" and "Non-Paid Media" which led to the development of our Media Guide and numerous press releases and articles of the members and the Network itself.
Q) What would you recommend as a minimum core of members in order to have a viable network?
A) I guess I see it as not necessarily how many, but how many with the vision and conviction to work toward a common goal. There could be 10 or 100, its mainly a matter of gathering people interested and willing to work even though there may not be thousands of dollars of reward for awhile. The mission must reach beyond "what's in it for me." The other aspect that is most helpful, especially in a growing phase, is to have at least a few members strongly versed in organizational and/or volunteer development. There needs to be strong base to stand on. Good leadership is very hard to find but is crucial to the on-going life of the organization . . . . and it can't just be coming from the Program Manager (unless they want to operate more like an independent business).
Q) Are there any limitations to the development of a network such as distance between communities that would limit the ability to have a successful program?
A) Distance is always an issue . . . but when there is a perceived value in participating, that radius distance will be greater than for a person who doesn't get as much out of attending. The fact that networks like the Woodcraft Network want input and leadership to come from the producers . . . they are not as versed in management or issues of a non-profit organization. There may be a greater learning curve or slower decision making process than is comfortable from some producers.
Other limitations include:
Q) Do you have any measures of success for the network by
which you determine whether or not the
network has been making progress and do you have any long-term goals
for the organization?
A) We have five main goals to complete for our current grant which runs through 9/99.
We have an annual survey that we ask the member to complete which asks about their marketing plan and a very brief calculation about the growth or retraction of their business.
We have always had goals to fulfill which are part of our grants. As far as measurable goals (ie. 'x' number of businesses with 'y' sales), no, we have none. In this type of organization, it seems to be those non-tangible goals and successes that make the difference.
We just completed two series of workshops on forest product business planning and sawmilling/lumber drying. If you missed these and would like to attend one on a later date, please contact us and let us know of your interest and preferred dates.
The Alaska Cooperative Extension in cooperation with the University of Alaska Fairbanks will be hosting a conference in Ketchikan on March 5th and 6th on the "Role of the University System in Support of the Forest Products Industry in Alaska."
An update on ACE's Extension Forestry Program by ACE Interim Director Tony Nakazawa
An integral part of the UAF's land grant mission is "Taking the University to the people and the communities of Alaska." But how does this work in Alaska where the distances from UAF are so far, the issues diverse, and the cost of doing business, e.g., travel, communications, and other costs are highly prohibitive in many cases. This outreach of the University is achieved through the activities of the Alaska Cooperative Extension (ACE) which dollar for dollar is one of the most cost effective educational delivery values available in Alaska. It also takes leadership who understand and value the extension educational system. Extension has been a part of the University of Alaska system since the 1930s with the first district extension office being established in Palmer. The Palmer office employed both a district agent and a district home economist whose responsibilities were to take the university to the Matanuska residents.
Step 1 - The Need: Now on the eve of 1999, how do we determine what are the needs of the forests, communities, and the forest products industry in Alaska. The Needs have been an important focus of ACE this past year as reflected by the December 1997 conference in Fairbanks titled, How Can The University of Alaska Assist Alaska's Forest Products Industry" and the April 1998 conference on assessing the condition of the Boreal Forest. We believe that the timber industry in Alaska needs the resources of the university system to address changing technology, changing markets, and vocational training needs for a changing work force. Alaska's forest products industry has undergone radical changes in the past five years. Five years ago who would have thought that Alaska would be at a loss as to how to dispose of wood chips or that hundreds if not thousands of timber-related jobs would have been lost in southeast Alaska or the extent of the spruce bark beetle epidemic.
Step 2 - Local Leadership Involvement: Proactive local
leadership is a vital ingredient to making the extension system
effective. A good example is Ketchikan Gatewary Borough Resolution
1412: A Resolution of the Assembly of the Ketchikan Gateway
Borough,
Alaska, in Support of Bringing University of Alaska Timber
Conferences and Workshops to Ketchikan. This resolution, which was
sent to the University of Alaska Board of Regents as well as to the
UAF extension forestry specialist and to the Southeast Alaska
extension agent in Sitka is an example of where local leadership has
cooperated with ACE to achieve common objectives.
Step 3 - A Realistic and Relevant Plan that is Supported by University Leadership: The consequences of budget realities and "common sense" planning are to produce organizations that can't easily change direction and respond to every new request for services - no matter how important or from whatever source. ACE along with the forestry staff at the UAF and in cooperation with the former UAF Provost Jack Keating and the outgoing UA Regents Joe Henri and Lew Williams were successful in developing and hosting the December 1997 conference, How Can The University of Alaska Assist Alaska's Forest Products Industry, whose focus included providing direction to ACE 's outreach to bring more attention and support on issues confronting SE timber dependent communities. An indication of this changing emphasis is the upcoming March 5th and 6th, 1999 conference in Ketchikan titled, "The Role of the University of Alaska in Support of Alaska's Forest Products Industry."
Step 4 - Implementation: With limited monetary support, several educational programs have followed from the December 1997 Fairbanks conference through the Alaska Cooperative Extension in cooperation with university colleagues at UAF as well as the UA system. Also involved were faculty from sister land grant institutions in Washington and Oregon:
1998 Programs - Two ConferencesManaging for Forest Condition in Interior Alaska: What are Our Options? and People and the Forest: Creating a Partnership. Web site for wood primary processing and two woarkshop series on forest product business planning and sawmilling and lumber drying.
Step 5 - Accountability: By accomplishments such as those just mentioned above, the UAF and Alaska Cooperative Extension in particular are being accountable and proactive in addressing the needs of our many communities throughout the state. Through these activities we intend to further enhance the understanding and support of the public and land resource managers to the importance of forest management and the forest products industry in providing for healthy, sustainable, and productive Alaskan forests.
The Future: ACE is an important part of the University's Land Grant efforts to continue to be meaningful to the everyday lives of Alaskans all across the state. Thanks to supportive leadership at both the local and statewide levels, the university will continue to be relevant in preparing Alaska high school graduates for exciting careers in resource development and other areas, and the university will also continue to extend relevant University research-based knowledge to the people and communities scattered across Alaska.
