PLC Logger's Voice Winter 2019

Volume 13 Issue 1 | Winter 2019 

A Quarterly Publication of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine

Board of Directors 

Cover: Irish Family Logging operations underway in the 

mountains northwest of Byron. Story, p.10. 

Jim Nicols, President 

Tony Madden, 1 st Vice President 

Chuck Ames, 2 nd Vice President 

Will Cole, Secretary 

Andy Irish, Treasurer 

Scott Madden, Past President 

Aaron Adams 

Kurt Babineau 

Donald Cole 

A quarterly publication of: 

The Professional Logging 

Contractors of Maine 

William Cole 

Tom Cushman 

Brent Day 

Wes Dube 

Steve Hanington 

Duane Jordan 

Robert Linkletter 

Andrew Madden 

Ron Ridley 

10 

110 Sewall St., P.O. Box 1036 

Augusta, ME 04332 

Phone: 207.688.8195 

www.maineloggers.com 

Member Showcase 

Irish Family Logging 

Wayne Tripp 

Gary Voisine 

PLC Staff 

Executive Director 

Dana Doran ▪ executivedirector@maineloggers.com 

Membership Services Coordinator 

Jessica Clark ▪ jessica@maineloggers.com 

Safety and Training Coordinator 

Donald Burr ▪ safety@maineloggers.com 

The Logger’s Voice 

Editor and Designer 

Jon Humphrey Communications and Photography 

▪ jehumphreycommunications@gmail.com 

Advertising 

Jessica Clark ▪ jessica@maineloggers.com 

Email news, notices, and correspondence 

▪ jehumphreycommunications@gmail.com 

20 

Supporting Member Spotlight 

American Forest Management 

Also Inside 

4 Calendar and Updates 

6 President’s Report 

7 New Members 

8 Executive Director’s Report 

15 Trucking 

24 Safety 

28 New Opportunities 

30 PLC News Briefs 

32 ALC Updates 

35 Master Logger 

36 Congressional Delegation 

This newsletter is printed on FLO Gloss Digital Text paper 

produced in Maine and donated by Sappi North America.

Event 

Calendar 

PLC Office, Augusta 

Governor Hill Mansion, Augusta 

*Oxford Casino, Oxford 

NEW LOCATION! 

SAVE THE DATE! 

4 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Updates 

Do you have news to 

share? 

The PLC is always seeking 

news from our Members that 

showcases our industry’s 

professionalism, generosity, and 

ingenuity. 

Send ideas to 

jonathan@maineloggers.com 

The Logger’s Voice ▪ Winter 2019 

5

From the President 

By Jim Nicols 

Hello everyone, 

I hope this cold weather and all the snow that we have been getting is helping 

everyone get an early start on the winter season. Let’s hope that we don’t have a 

warm up before the real winter gets here. 

Recently the PLC presented a check to the Children’s Miracle Network for 

$118,000 for funds raised by the PLC for Log A Load for Kids in 2018. The funds 

were raised through the annual golf tournament and with the auction at our annual 

meeting in May. This total surpassed previous amounts raised. A big thank you to 

all of the volunteers and donations for making this happen. 

Congratulations also goes out to all the newly elected legislators and also to 

those returning for another term in office. The PLC has had many successes 

working with our elected officials in the past and we look forward to working with 

them in 2019 on issues regarding our industry. If any member has a concern, please 

contact the PLC office to discuss your issues. 

I continue to see labor as a major issue for logging contractors, whether it be 

truck drivers or equipment operators. There certainly is a shortage of both. The 

MLOP (Mechanized Logging Operations Program) has been a success but we must 

continue to support and grow that program which is vital to supplying our industry 

with a trained workforce for the future. There are also some things being done with 

driver training with different groups around the state to help improve the driver 

shortage, but it takes time. As members continue to support those things, it will help 

improve our labor shortage. 

PLC’s Safety Committee is hard at work behind the scenes recognizing safety 

issues and working on corrective actions to make the industry’s workplace a much 

safer environment for everyone. The Committee and Safety and Training 

Coordinator Don Burr are also keeping up to date on all the latest safety issues and 

sharing these updates with our membership throughout the year and at the safety 

trainings in the spring. 

Here is wishing everyone a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year. 

Thank you. 

Jimmy 


Welcome New Members….……. 

Contractor Members 

Brown & Brown Trucking of Norway, ME 

joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in 

November 2018. The company is Master Logger 

certified and has a professional staff of 6. For 

more information contact Justin Brown at (207) 

233-5574 or email 

brownandbrowntrucking@yahoo.com. 

Chris Bates Logging of Oakfield, ME joined 

the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in 

November 2018. The company has a 

professional staff of 6. For more information 

contact Chris Bates at (207) 532-8190. 

Drew Corporation of Center Lovell, ME joined 




contact Crystal Drew at (207) 925-1480 or email 

crystal@drewcorpme.com. 

Stevens Forest Products of Sidney, ME joined 


November 2018. The company is Master Logger 

certified and has a professional staff of 2. For 

more information contact Alan Stevens at (207) 

547-3840 or email moxie@fairpoint.net. 

Backwoods Inc. of Houlton, ME joined the 

PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor in 



contact Heather Bartlett at (207) 538-0538 or 

email hmbartlett76@gmail.com. 

True Blue Logging Inc. of Winterville, ME 

joined the PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor in 



contact Christopher Wener at (207) 768-8739 or 

email wener.christopher@yahoo.com 

Supporting Members 

Infinger Insurance of North Conway, NH 

joined the PLC as a new Preferred Supporting 

Member in October 2018. Infinger Insurance is 

a family owned, independent insurance agency 

providing Home, Auto, Business and Life 

insurance products to businesses and individuals 

throughout New Hampshire and Maine. The 

company represents over 25 of the premier 

insurance companies that provide insurance 

products in New England. For more information 

contact David Infinger at 603-447-5123 or email 

david@infingerinsurance.com. 

Soleno of Milton, VT joined the PLC as a new 

Supporting Member in November 2018. Soleno 

is a manufacturer of sustainable products to 

manage storm water and preserve the 

surrounding environment. The company offers a 

wide range of products including High Density 

Polyethylene (HDPE) Culverts, Galvanized 

Culverts, Road Fabrics, and a new Turbulence 

culvert specially adapted to reproduce natural 

stream flow. Soleno also offers specialty 

products to keep water flowing when dealing 

with beaver dam obstructions. For more 

information visit the company website at https:// 

soleno.com/en/ or contact Steve Martin at 802- 

881-3731 or email smartin@soleno.com. 

H. Arthur York of Medway, ME joined the 

PLC as a new Individual Member in November 

2018. 

Not a member but interested in 

joining the PLC? 

Contact Jessica at (207) 688-8195 or 

email jessica@maineloggers.com 


7

From the Executive Director 

As this article goes to print, 

change is in the air. There is change in 

the governor’s office, change at the 

legislature, changes in Congress, 

change in the weather and monumental 

changes in the wood markets. In this 

article, I will attempt to address all of 

these changes, which is a monumental 

feat. 

For those who pay attention to 

the change in Augusta, a chapter is 

about to end and another will be written 

on January 2 nd . Governor Paul LePage 

will be departing from Augusta on 

January 2, 2019 after eight interesting 

years, and Janet Mills will be sworn in 

as the next governor of the state of 

Maine. 

In review, Governor LePage did 

some very good things for our industry 

over his tenure: 1) he lowered the taxes 

that loggers pay on equipment, parts 

and off-road fuel; 2) he helped the 

biomass industry survive one of the 

most tumultuous times in its history 

during 2016; 3) and his staff at the 

transportation department also worked 

to improve roads and provide relief in 

Aroostook County for nighttime moves 

Change 

By Dana Doran 

of empty low beds. However, he 

challenged our industry on a consistent 

basis as well, including our efforts to 

create and improve training programs, 

to facilitate growth in the biomass 

industry, to make changes to the 

unemployment system, to be treated 

with dignity and respect by state 

agencies, and finally to provide a level 

playing field for Maine loggers with 

our Canadian counterparts. We were 

also the recipients of some of his 

scathing verbal rhetoric as well so 

maybe that was a sign of respect in the 

end. All in all, it has been a good back 

and forth with Governor LePage over 

the last eight years but change is 

inevitable and the time for it is 

probably right. 

On January 2 nd , a new sheriff 

comes to town in the form of Governor 

-elect, Janet Mills. Governor-elect 

Mills has met with our membership 

twice over the last seven months and 

has promised to make our industry and 

our organization a priority in her 

administration. Time will tell, but we 

should be confident that the voice of 

Maine loggers will continue to be heard 


Irish Family Logging operations underway in November. Story, page 10 

in the executive branch in Augusta and 

loggers will have a seat at the table. 

By early January, we should 

know who Governor-elect Mills has 

nominated to fill her various cabinet 

positions. The departments that are 

most important to the PLC are 

Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 

(ACF); Energy; Labor and 

Transportation. We have tried to play a 

role behind the scenes in terms of who 

will be nominated to these various posts 

and our goal is to work closely with all 

of the new commissioners and agency 

level appointments to ensure that our 

voice is not only heard, but conditions 

are improved. The Maine Forest 

Service within ACF is probably the 

most important of all of the bureaus 

within the agencies and we are looking 

forward to a new Maine State Forester 

who is willing to work closely with the 

PLC as an equal leg of the forest 

products stool. 

As I have said to many thus far, 

we can’t control Governor-elect Mills’ 

efforts with respect to social, judicial, 

or other issues not having to do with 

our industry, but if it has to do with 

logging, trucking and the forest 

economy, our voices will be respected, 

and we should be able to get some 

things done in the near future. 

Also, in Augusta, there was a 

monumental shift at the Maine 

legislature. On November 6 th , a 

Democratic wave crashed on the 

Augusta beaches. The Maine House of 

Representatives saw a shift of 18 seats 

from Republican to Democrat. The 

Democratic party now has a majority of 

89 seats to only 51 for the Republicans. 

Similarly, the Senate also saw a 

sizeable shift. Democrats went from a 

one seat minority (18-17) to a sevenseat 

majority (21-14). 

Committee membership will 

now be dominated by the Democrats 

from the House and Senate as most 

committees will have a commanding 

Democratic presence of 9 Democrats 

and only 4 Republicans on almost all 

committees. As a result of this power 

grab, the Democrats will be able to 

move most of their agenda forward 

with very little resistance. It will be 

extremely important for the PLC and its 

membership to speak loudly when we 

do not agree with policy 

recommendations because without our 

voice, change could be made at a 

moment’s notice. 

The most notable change in the 

Senate is the selection of Troy Jackson 

(D-Allagash) as Senate President. For 

the first time in Maine’s history, a 

logger has been elected to lead one 

body of the Maine legislature. Senate 

Doran Continued Page 22 


9

*This article is reprinted by permission. It appeared in the 

October 2018 edition of The Northern Logger. 


Irish Logging Continued Page 12 

The Logger’s Voice ▪ Winter 2019 11

Irish Logging Continued from Page 11 16 


Irish Logging Continued Page 14 


Irish Logging Continued from Page 13 16 


Congratulations to Andy Irish of Irish Family 

Logging on being elected Secretary-Treasurer 

of the American Loggers Council (ALC) at the 

ALC’s Fall 2018 meeting! 

Irish Family Logging is a founding member of 

the PLC and Andy has represented PLC at the 

ALC for many years. He has also been PLC 

Treasurer since the PLC formed in 1995. 


OWNER: Daniel Dunnells Jr. 

YEAR FOUNDED: 2010 

ADDRESS: Cornish, Maine 

PHONE NUMBER: (207) 432-3213 

EMPLOYEES: 1 

TRUCKS: 2007 Kenworth, 2005 Western Star, 2001 

Sterling. 

AREA OF OPERATION: Generally within 60 road 

miles of Cornish. 

Photos, top and opposite: Dan 

Dunnells on the job in Cornish in 

early December. 

Above: B&D Trucking logo. 

Bottom: Kenworth and Western Star 

parked in Parsonfield. 

SERVICES PROVIDED: Owner Dan Dunnells Jr. 

provides log and chip trucking and low bedding for 

Daniel Dunnells Logging Inc. of Parsonfield, owned 

by his father, Daniel Dunnells Sr. He is also a 

mechanized logging operator for his father’s company 

and divides his time between cutting and trucking 

wood. He also provides occasional trucking for other 

area loggers. 


PLC FOREST CONTRACTOR SINCE: 2016 

WHY DID THE COMPANY JOIN PLC: Acadia Insurance benefits offered through PLC Membership 

save money for the company. Additionally, Dan became familiar with the PLC through his father. 

Daniel Dunnells Logging Inc. is also a PLC Member. 

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST ISSUES THE COMPANY WOULD LIKE PLC TO WORK ON: Commonsense 

changes to lower the expense of trucking regulations, emissions standards, taxes, and 

registration. Also, addressing the shortage of truck drivers in the industry. 

Trucking section Continued Page 18 


Trucking Industry News... 

FMCSA Drops Exemption Process for Insulin- 

Treated Diabetic Drivers... 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 

has issued a final rule that will allow certificated medical 

examiners to decide whether truck drivers with stable 

diabetes are qualified to drive, eliminating a requirement 

that the drivers seek an 

exemption from the agency 

before being allowed to get 

behind the wheel. 

Previously, drivers with 

insulin-treated diabetes mellitus 

were prohibited from driving commercial vehicles in 

interstate commerce unless they obtained an exemption 

from FMCSA, a process that can keep drivers out of the 

cab for up to six months. 

The action removes major administrative and 

financial burdens for diabetic drivers while maintaining a 

high level of safety. The final rule became effective Nov. 

19. 

Learn more at: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ 

newsroom/fmcsa-streamlines-process-allowing-individuals 

-properly-managed-diabetes-operate-commercial 

FMCSA Web Page on Personal Conveyance 

Updated... 

In response to questions received since the 

publication of the Personal Conveyance guidance on June 

7, 2018, The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 

(FMCSA) has updated their website to provide answers to 

a series of Frequently Asked Questions to assist the 

industry and law enforcement in the application of the 

guidance. 

Those questions and answers can be found here: 

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/ 

personal-conveyance-frequently-asked-questions-0 


Guide for Drivers on ELD Data Transfer 

Now Available... 

To assist the motor carrier industry 

with adopting ELDs, FMCSA has developed a 

new resource for drivers. Designed to be 

printed and stored under the visor of a CMV, 

this guide gives the driver a high-level 

overview of the various data transfer processes 

and includes some tips on troubleshooting 

common questions that could arise during data 

transfer. 

The guide (page one of which is 

pictured at right) covers a range of scenarios 

drivers may encounter with ELD compliance 

and includes instructions and tips for how to 

handle them. Troubleshooting of common 

issues is also covered. 

The guide is available for download at: https:// 

eld.fmcsa.dot.gov/File/Open/21d96879-324e- 

1f2f-e053-0100007fdfb5 


PLC Supporting Member Spotlight: 

American Forest Management 

B 

orn and raised in Maine, John Bryant is a true 

outdoorsman. He loves being outside, breathing 

in the crisp, fresh air, surrounded by land and 

trees. It’s no surprise that he decided to have a 

career in the forestry industry, working as a field forester 

for over 20 years. Today, John serves as Maine’s Region 

Manager for American Forest Management (AFM). 

“My favorite part about my job is seeing a team 

work together to accomplish clients’ goals, no matter how 

challenging they might be,” said John. “I’m proud to work 

with a diverse group of staff members and foresters who 

consistently provide landowners with outstanding service.” 

Established out of a passion for land, American 

Forest Management was founded by Bartow S. Shaw, Jr. 

in 1966 in Sumter, South Carolina. For over 50 years, it 

has grown from a one-man firm to the nation’s largest land 

management and forestry consulting company, now with 

over 265 employees and 49 offices in 17 states. The 

company currently manages over 6.5 million acres of land 

nationwide. 

American Forest Management works with private 

landowners to develop customized land management plans 

in order to reach short- and long-term objectives. Featuring 

a staff comprised of forestry, wildlife and real estate 

experts, the firm offers a wide range of services including 

land and wildlife management, timber sales, recreational 

licensing and real estate services, among other specialties. 

In 2007, AFM expanded to the northeast, due to 

increased market demand and a desire to assist more 

landowners throughout the country. That same year, John 

joined the company and has since overseen AFM’s 

business operations in Maine, including all client and 

employee services. With 30 employees throughout the 

state, including 22 certified foresters, and two offices in 

Farmington and Milford, American Forest Management 

has continued to successfully grow and build its repertoire 

among Maine’s private landowners. 

“We pride ourselves on providing all of our clients 

with the same attention to detail and dedication to their 

land, no matter how big or small the property,” said John. 

“Here in Maine, we primarily work with family forestland 

owners who own anywhere from 25 to one million acres. 

Large or small, our desire is to serve the client’s specific 

objectives.” 

The reason many private landowners hire forestry 

consultants is that they want personalized service from 

land experts who can advocate on their behalf. Foresters 

have both the education and experience needed to 

implement well-rounded management plans that outline 

the best processes to reach client goals. They are the bootson-the-ground, 

analyzing and overseeing every acre. 

When clients want to sell their timber, foresters 

determine the best market for the harvested trees to 

maximize return to the landowner. Once a timber harvest 

schedule is in place, AFM contracts with professional 

loggers on behalf of its clients to cut, process, and deliver 


the trees to the appropriate markets. Foresters then work 

closely with loggers, supervising the operation from 

beginning to end to assure the work performed follows the 

specifications outlined in the management plan. That’s how 

American Forest Management’s relationship with the 

Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) was formed. 

“We decided to join PLC because we wanted to 

align ourselves with and support professional loggers who, 

like American Forest Management, provide high-quality 

service to clients,” said John. “Our clients trust us to make 

the best decisions for their properties, and we can always 

rely on PLC loggers to deliver the same level of precision 

AFM Foresters 

and professionalism that we value.” 

“Every year, we contract with 25 professional 

loggers to service our clients, nearly all of which are 

members of PLC,” said John. “Time and time again, PLC 

proves they have the best loggers in the business that can 

integrate well with the AFM team.” 

Although Maine’s timber industry experienced a 

downturn about four years ago, it is now on the rebound 

due to the numerous, diverse production markets available 

throughout the state, including the primary pulpwood, 

biomass and sawmill markets. American Forest 

Management AFM Continued Page 22 


AFM Continued from Page 21 

has seen a growing interest 

across the state, with new 

ventures arising from the 

varied species of trees in 

Maine. Over 75 mills in 

Maine receive timber from 

contracts negotiated by 

AFM. 

Discussing the 

economic impacts of the 

forestry industry in Maine, 

John said, “Continuing to 

advocate for proper forest 

management provides a 

steady source of timber for 

these mills.” He continued, “Our foresters are focused 

on meeting clients’ needs by offering their expertise 

and establishing plans that benefit the land and create 

revenue opportunities.” 

As an active 

member of PLC, American 

Forest Management also 

co-sponsors the Annual 

Log-A-Load for Maine 

Kids Golf Tournament, 

which benefits Children’s 

Miracle Network hospitals 

in Maine. AFM employees 

volunteer significant time 

to the event. Proceeds 

from the event are donated 

to support research and 

training, purchase 

equipment, and pay for 

uncompensated care, all in 

support of the mission to 

save and improve the lives 

of as many children as 

possible. The 2018 

tournament raised 

$72,000. 

“Our company’s tagline is ‘We’re In This 

Together’ because we know our work is all about 

relationships. We hold true to that motto by 

maintaining strong relationships with our clients, the 

communities we serve, and 

other professionals in the 

industry,” said John. “We 

look forward to continuing 

our membership with PLC 

and working with its many 

reputable loggers.” 

Doran Continued from Page 9 

President Jackson has been a good ally of the PLC and 

we bestowed our Impact Award on him in 2013. While 

we don’t agree with everything that Senator Jackson 

does as an elected leader, it is impressive and 

noteworthy to see a Maine logger in such an important 

position. Senator Jackson has always made a point of 

reaching out to the PLC on issues related to logging and 

trucking and we are looking forward to working closely 

with him to maintain and improve respect and 

recognition for loggers and truckers in the state of 

Maine. 

Speaking of the PLC’s agenda this next 

legislative session, it is going to be a very busy and 

lively session for sure. If change is in the air and we 

play our cards correctly, we should be able to improve 

the policy position for loggers and truckers over the 

next two years as a result. 

To give the membership an idea of what is on 

tap for the PLC over the next six months, I can offer the 

following list of policy ideas that we are working with 

members of the legislature closely on: 

Sustain and Develop Rural Maine by Utilizing 

Wood for Energy – RPS Reform, Wood Energy 

Equipment Grants and Loans, Mandate that 

schools look at installing wood chip/pellet 

boilers if they renovate or build a new school. 

Workforce Development - Invest in logger and 

trucker workforce development to support 

forest economy workers and businesses. 

Sustain the new post-secondary mechanized 

logging operations program. 

Harvesting on Public Lands and Maine Forest 

Service - During the current administration, 

the Bureau of Public Lands moved from 

stumpage contracts to contracts for logging 

services. The state also did away with its 

policy of providing preference to Master 

Loggers in its bid process. The PLC would 

like to see both of these policies reinstated. 

Trucking - the PLC would like to see Maine law 

provide a level playing field with certain 

weight and axle exemptions afforded to 

Canadian trucks. If Canadian trucks have 

preferential treatment, so should Maine 

contractors. 

Posted Roads - the PLC will submit legislation 

to: 1) create a time limit that roads can be 

posted without a formal review by the state or 

the local road commissioner; 2) create a 

temperature ceiling (31 degrees) so that 

trucks can run whenever the temperature is 


elow freezing and remove language 

regarding water in the cracks. 

Small Business Savings Accounts - one of the 

greatest disincentives for small businesses 

growth is the inability for them to plan and 

save for future investment from year to year. 

If a business has a positive year and yields a 

profit, that business must either claim the 

income and pay corporate income tax on it or 

they must immediately reinvest the income 

back into the business by purchasing 

equipment, material, etc. to ensure they utilize 

their profit to its highest and best use without 

paying income tax on it. The current system 

as it stands does not provide an opportunity 

for savings or appropriate long-term planning 

and puts small businesses at risk from year to 

year. Similar to the theory of retirement 

planning for individuals, small businesses 

should be afforded this same type of 

opportunity so that they can be encouraged to 

save and reinvest when the time is right, 

rather than when they don’t need to. 

As you can see, the PLC has an ambitious 

agenda to move forward with initiatives that will 

benefit Maine loggers and truckers in the long run. 

The new legislative session begins on January 2 nd 

here in Augusta and it will be all hands on deck. 

Members will begin receiving their weekly legislative 

update on Saturday, January 5 th and we hope that all 

of you will see the value in what we are doing to 

maintain and expand the profitability for loggers and 

truckers. 

In other thoughts, as we think of change, I 

thought it was also an opportune time to start talking 

about the change that is happening in the markets that 

each of you rely upon, i.e. Nine Dragons, Verso and 

Pleasant River Lumber have announced significant 

growth opportunities. 

However, as good as the news is that there is 

growth on the horizon in the marketplace, another 

significant issue has come to the forefront as a result – 

workforce availability. I hear from members every day 

that not only can they not hire the people they need to 

do the job now, they have no idea where they are going 

to hire additional workers for the predicted capacity that 

is expected to come online in the near future. This is 

concerning because not only does it impact the capacity 

of loggers and truckers, it could have lingering impacts 

throughout the value chain. 

When the pulp markets vanished a few years 

ago, a lot of large contractors downsized significantly; 

some with five crews reduced to three or from six crews 

to four and a few left the industry altogether. Those 

who were laid off or who sold off their businesses are 

quick to say that they enjoy pounding nails, driving a 

commercial truck, running an excavator and being paid 

a fair rate for the work they do. Even if the prices trend 

up a little, it is hard to believe that those same 

companies that reduced in size or left the business 

altogether are going to take the same risk for no reward. 

Contractors own and operate businesses with the 

intent to earn a return; they are not in business to 

subsidize the financial returns of their customers. 

During a time of high lumber markets and increasing 

pulp demand, far too many contractors in Maine are 

running on borrowed time. Despite some price creep 

and increased demand for wood, a majority of 

contractors are still reporting much lower profit 

margins. And when it comes to cost savings in the 

supply chain, loggers have nothing left to give. Any 

business that does not earn a return, closes down. It’s 

that simple. It does not matter if it’s a pulp mill, a saw 

mill, a pellet mill or a contractor. 

As most in this industry know, logging 

contractors are currently unable to offer high enough 

wages to attract and retain enough skilled workers to 

meet the rising demand for Maine wood fiber as the 

markets rebound. Costs in the logging industry have also 

risen across the board and logging businesses that have 

operated on equity for the last few years with 

nonexistent profits cannot increase wages to a point 

where they can attract new people to the jobs that are 

available. Meanwhile, existing workers are rapidly 

“aging out” of the industry or leaving for more lucrative 

jobs in other industries such as heavy equipment, over 

the road trucking or forest products manufacturing. 

I’m raising this issue at this point as it is 

something that the PLC is looking at very closely and it 

is a very concerning development that needs attention. 

We are currently surveying our membership as to their 

employment needs and we are also comparing the 

occupations in this industry to those that we are 

competing against. From preliminary reports, it looks 

like over 1,000 people will be needed for logging and 

trucking in the not too distant future and change must 

happen for this level of labor infusion to occur. 

Look for continued information from the PLC 

on this in the near future. This issue and the change that 

has resulted is not insurmountable, but it is going to be a 

tough challenge to overcome and will require a 

concerted effort from all of those involved in the 

industry to make change a reality. 

Have a great winter season, please stay in touch 

when you can and don’t hesitate to let us know if there 

is anything we can do to help. 

Dana 


Think 

By Donald Burr 

PLC Safety & Training Coordinator 

safety@maineloggers.com 

The other day, I was sitting at my 

desk catching up on news and I read an article that touched 

a nerve. The article told a story about an experienced 

operator, who was operating a new machine, who got hurt. 

The part that hit a nerve was that the operator was in a 

place nobody should ever be in. I have two thoughts about 

this. One is that we, as operators, should never stop 

thinking about what we are doing. The other thought is 

that, far too often, operators put their bodies into places 

where they should never be because they don’t fully 

understand the machine or the risk. 

I am new at this full-time safety and training 

coordinator job, but the more I read and think about the 

injuries that loggers suffer, including the injuries I have 

sustained, the more I think the real issue when it comes to 

injuries is a lack of thinking. 

Years ago, I got a piece of steel 

from a track pin in my lower leg. Why 

you ask? Because I and those I was 

working alongside were not thinking. 

Let me explain. We were pounding a 

pin into a track. I was standing on top 

of the track swinging the sledge 

hammer as hard as I could. Everything 

was going well, but twice I had seen 

pieces of steel breaking off and hitting 

the ground. We even said, “wow good 

thing that hit the ground.” Three hits 

later, I had a piece of steel in my lower 

leg that managed to go through my 

coveralls, blue jeans, and long underwear. Soon, there was 

blood soaking through all the layers. Off to the hospital I 

went, where they attempted to remove the piece of steel for 

45 minutes before giving me stitches and antibiotics and 

sending me home with the steel still embedded in my leg. 

Now, if we had thought before we started, maybe 

we would have gone about the project differently. The next 

day, we did it a different way and all went well and quicker 

too. Unfortunately, the operator who was helping me that 

day had the very same accident two years later, but they 

were able to remove his piece of steel out of his knee. Did 

we learn anything? Well after the second injury we did, 

and we no longer pounded pins in that way. In the first 

example, we had two warnings (near misses) before it 

stung us and two years later stung us again. We did not 

recognize the potential hazard. Why, because we were 

focused on the goal and not thinking about the potential 

danger. Dr. Dobson from Focus on the Family wrote in his 

book Bringing up Boys, “if a boy tries something and gets 

hurt it was bad luck and he will try it just the same way 

again.” We, as adult logging equipment operators, need to 

look for the danger and do what we can to avoid it. When 

near misses happen, we need to readjust so we do not get 

hurt. Because getting hurt is not “bad luck” it is from “bad 

thinking.” 

The next point is we should always understand the 

machines that we are working on, and take a minute to 

investigate where we put our bodies and what the potential 

dangers are and where they can come from. In the article I 

was reading, the operator who was hurt stood in between 

the arms and rollers of a processor head while the machine 

was running to replace a bolt in a guard. The arms closed 

on him and the rollers started to spin. Fortunately, there 

was another operator who was close by and was able to 

release the entrapped operator before he was killed. 

Thankfully, the operator is expected to make a full 

recovery. 

Now a lot of the focus in accidents is on the Lock 

Out / Tag Out procedure. My problem with focusing on 

LO / TO is that it often says if you do XYZ you will be 

safe, without any understanding if XYZ 

is doing anything to keep you safe in this 

situation. Often LO / TO instructions 

are words on paper written by someone 

who knows the machine very well, but 

they can then be given to an operator 

who does not. When an operator does 

not know the machine well, they may 

follow the LO / TO plan and still not be 

safe. 

When I teach new operators, I 

teach them to think about what they are 

doing and how they can be hurt. In the 

example from the article that got me 

thinking about this topic, standing inside the grab arms of a 

machine is almost never ok. Each machine is different, and 

in this article, we are not sure what the operator did to start 

the closing of the arms and the liming wheels turning. 

Unfortunately, the article gave no insights to this. But the 

truth is, the operator should have never have been inside 

the arms whether the machine was on or off. This operator 

clearly did not understand that a processing head will go 

into automatic mode, regardless of what is inside the head 

whether it be a tree or a human. 

The take away point from this is, when you are 

working on a piece of equipment, investigate (think) on 

where the potential energy and danger is and how it can 

hurt you before you start a repair. From there, LO / TO 

appropriately. If you don’t really know how a machine 

operates, ask for help because no one is as smart as all of 

us. When I am working on equipment or teaching students 

to work on equipment, I often quote Aretha Franklin, “You 

better think...” 


Ted Clark, CLCS, Loss Control Consultant, Acadia Insurance 

Quarterly Safety Meeting: Hypothermia Recognition & Prevention 

During this safety meeting we will discuss the 

symptoms of hypothermia and how to provide first aid to 

someone beginning to show signs of becoming 

hypothermic. We will also discuss some simple steps that 

you can take to avoid hypothermia. 

*ASK: What is Hypothermia? 

Hypothermia is a medical condition that is often 

associated with being outside in cold and/or wet weather 

conditions. It occurs when the body loses heat faster than it 

is able to generate heat and is unable to maintain core 

temperature. Because of the dropping temperature, the 

heart, organs and respiratory system cannot function 

normally and, if not treated quickly, can lead to death. 

*ASK: What are the Symptoms of 

Hypothermia? 

There is a range of symptoms associated with 

hypothermia. It is important to recognize that the person 

experiencing the emergency may not always be aware of 

the problem, because the symptoms generally begin 

gradually. 

Typically, the first symptom is shivering, often 

uncontrollably, because this is how your body tries to raise 

its core temperature. 

Other symptoms of hypothermia include: 

Bright red/cold skin 

Shallow, slow breathing 

Slurred speech or mumbling 

Weak pulse 

Lack of coordination 

Low energy or fatigue 

Memory loss/confusion 

Loss of consciousness 

When you notice these symptoms on a person, it is 

critical to begin medical treatment immediately. Don’t wait 

to finish your job or to see if the person’s condition may 

improve on its own. Immediate treatment may reverse the 

progression and save the person’s life. 

First-Aid 

First aid for someone experiencing hypothermia is 

relatively straight forward and is covered during your first 

aid certification class. Below is a refresher on the steps that 

you should take if you, or someone you are with, is 

experiencing the symptoms of hypothermia: 

Call 9-1-1 after checking the person’s condition 

and level of responsiveness. 

Get the person to a warm, dry environment such as 

a vehicle or building. If you are unable to get the person 

inside, do your best to shield them from the wind and the 

cold. Space blankets are a great tool that fit inside a first aid 

kit and can help you provide the patient with some warmth. 

Remove wet clothing, especially cotton! Your body 

loses heat at an alarming rate when the clothing is wet. 

Cover the person with blankets or warm clothing. 

Be gentle and don’t massage the cold areas. 

Sudden movements can cause a hypothermic person to go 

into cardiac arrest. 

Provide warm, not hot, beverages. Do not provide 

the person with caffeinated or alcoholic drinks as they can 

cause the condition to worsen. 

Do not provide 

direct heat but, if help is 

a long ways away, you 

can use active rewarming 

such as a warm compress 

or a warm thermos. 

Warmth should ONLY 

be applied to the chest or 

neck area. DO NOT 

place heat on the arms or 

legs as this could be fatal. 

Also, do not soak the 

person with a warm 

liquid. 

It’s important to remember that the person’s body 

has lost its ability to warm itself so, unless treatment of the 

symptoms begin immediately, their condition will likely 

continue to worsen. 

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of 

Cure 

Preventing hypothermia is relatively simple. The 

Mayo Clinic uses the acronym, “COLD” – Cover, 

Overexertion, Layers, Dry. 

COVER- With the rest of your body covered in 

clothing, you can lose an enormous amount of heat through 

your head and your hands. Therefore, it is critical to keep 

your head and face covered with an appropriate hat and 

keep your hands covered with dry, insulated gloves, or 

mittens if it is extremely cold. 

OVEREXERTION – Sweating when it’s cold out 

can be deadly. We have all heard stories of someone 

Hypothermia Continued Page 27 

*Meeting sign-in sheet on the back! Cut along dotted line to left to detach this section. 25

*This sign-in sheet is intended to be used with the quarterly Safety Training Topic on 

pages 25 and 27. Refer to the cutline on page 25 when removing it from the magazine. 


Hypothermia Continued from Page 25 

getting hypothermic trying to shovel out a snowmobile or a 

vehicle stuck in a snow bank. When you overexert and 

begin to sweat, it will wet your clothing and cause your 

body to rapidly lose heat. 

LAYERS – On days where it may be wet and cold, 

or there’s a possibility of working outside, it is important to 

properly layer your clothing. When layered properly, you 

can add or remove clothing as the weather or activity level 

demands. It is also important to choose the proper type of 

fabric. The saying, “Cotton Kills,” is one thing that is 

constantly repeated during many outdoor training schools 

including Maine Guide Schools. If wet, cotton will lose all 

of its insulating value and actually holds moisture near the 

skin. Moisture wicking fabrics such as a synthetic or wool 

are going to be a much more effective base layer. 

DRY – Stay as dry as possible. When you are wet, 

you will lose an enormous amount of body heat. Pay 

special attention to keeping your extremities such as your 

hands and feet dry. Keep a change of clothes close-by at all 

times and if you get wet, change as soon as possible. 

It is also important to prepare for the unexpected with some 

of these simple tips: 

-Watch the weather 

-Store a blanket in your vehicle 

-Tell someone where you are going and when you 

will be back 

-Make sure you have communication if you are 

alone 

-Become familiar with first aid procedures and risk 

factors that increase the likelihood of getting 

hypothermic 

*(ASK THE GROUP TO SHARE THEIR 

IDEAS FOR PREPARATION)* 

Hypothermia is a dangerous medical condition that 

we are all exposed to, because we live in a cold climate. 

Because we work and play outside in the cold weather, 

understanding the symptoms and how to treat them can 

make a huge difference in the life of you, a friend, a family 

member or a coworker. Luckily, hypothermia can be 

prevented through the simple steps that we discussed 

earlier. 

*(ASK FOR ANY QUESTIONS)* 

Acadia is pleased to share this material for the benefit of its 

customers. Please note, however, that nothing herein should be 

construed as either legal advice or the provision of professional consulting 

services. This material is for informational purposes only, and while 

reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this information, no 

warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness. 


WILTON - November 10 was a wet and cloudy 

day, the ground white with an early snowfall and muddy 

conditions over much of Maine after weeks of frequent 

rain. Not good conditions for 

logging. 

But in the woods just 

east of Route 2 on Black 

Acres Farm, Will Cole of 

PLC Member and Master 

Logger Trees Ltd. of Sidney 

was conducting a 

demonstration of mulching 

and grinding techniques for 

wood lots in partnership with 

Maine Woodland Owners and 

the Maine Forest Service for 

a group of landowners, 

loggers, foresters, and other 

interested members of the 

public. 

The skid-steer 

mounted mulcher Don was demonstrating was tracked and 

light enough to move over the wet ground without damage. 

On a piece of former pastureland now grown up to woods, 

it chewed through stumps, brush, blowdowns, and small 

trees rapidly and efficiently, leaving chips and shredded 

bark in its wake. 

Many PLC Members are beginning to offer mulching and 

grinding services. This is a Madden Sustainable Forestry 

machine at work in Castine, ME. 

Onlookers were impressed with the results. In a 

short time, Will cleared and leveled a sizable area, cut a 

new path wide enough for a truck through woods to 

connect with an old road, and 

left nothing behind but mulched 

biomass. 

As Will explained, the 

mulcher is not necessarily 

essential for a logger, but it 

certainly adds new capability 

and value to an operation. 

Perfect for the finish work of 

clearing a lot or trail, mulchers 

also are well suited to meet the 

increasing demand among 

landowners for better cleanup on 

woodlots and a more pleasing 

look for the woods when a 

timber harvest is done. 

While mulchers are not 

cheap - the skid-steer with 

mulching head Will was demonstrating would cost about 

$130,000 to purchase new - they are versatile and can 

increase the services and appeal of a logging firm. A 

number of PLC members are now utilizing mulcher/ 

grinders, either full-time or rented as needed, and for some 

they are a great addition that pays for itself. 


Pictures of 

mulching and 

grinding 

demonstration by 

Trees Ltd. in 

Wilton Nov. 10 

2018, clockwise 

from left: 

Will Cole of Trees 

Ltd. discussing 

how a mulching/ 

grinding head 

works. 

Skid steer-mounted 

mulcher/grinder in 

action. 

Members of the 

public examining 

mulcher/grinder. 


PLC News Briefs... 

1028 Calais Rd. 

Hodgdon, ME 04730 

207-532-4280 

From left to right: Kelly Pearson, philanthropy officer 

for Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center 

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Noah Tibbetts, 

and PLC Executive Director Dana Doran. 

The PLC presented a check for $118,000 to the 

Children's Miracle Network (CMN) at the Forest 

Resources Association Forestry Forum Dec. 6 in 

Brewer. The check represented the funds raised for Log 

A Load for Kids through PLC's Annual Log A Load 

for Maine Kids Golf Tournament in September and the 

PLC Annual Meeting in May. This monumental total 

was a reflection of the hard work, caring, and 

generosity of our members, supporters, and friends. 

Our friend, Noah Tibbett's, accepted the check 

on behalf of Children's Miracle Network. Noah is a 

CMN State of Maine Champion Child. Thanks to Noah 

and his family for attending. Thanks also to our friends 

Kelly Pearson, philanthropy officer for Northern Light 

Eastern Maine Medical Center Children’s Miracle 

Network Hospitals; and David Cole of American 

Forest Management for continued great work on behalf 

of the kids! 

And thanks to all who made 2018 another great 

year for Log A Load! With final donations we raised 

more than $122,000 for the year! 

Locally owned and family run since 1925 

We are here for all your insurance needs—focusing 

on Logging, Lumbering & Trucking 

Farmington: (207) 778-9862 Skowhegan: (207) 474-9561 

Rumford: (207) 369-0171 Livermore Falls: (207) 897-3602 

“Insurance is our only Business” - www.kyesinsurance.com 


PLC Executive Director Dana Doran addressing a legislative 

breakfast in Farmington Oct. 9. The series of five regional 

breakfasts hosted by the PLC, Maine Woodland Owners, and the 

Maine Forest Products Council offered attendees a chance to meet 

legislative representatives and hear from the three host 

organizations as well as getting a look at the new FOR/Maine 

"roadmap" for growing Maine's $8.5 billion forest economy. It was 

great to see PLC Members and Supporting Members at the 

breakfasts this fall. 

The PLC took delivery of a new 

Toyota Tundra this fall to replace 

the organization’s previous truck. 

The vehicle is used extensively for 

PLC business and events as well 

as being a visible promotion of the 

PLC and its associated programs. 


The American Loggers Council is “loggers 

working for loggers.” That’s more than just a motto to 

promote our organization as the national voice for 

professional timber harvesters. It’s a mission statement and 

a guiding principle, expressing our belief that if loggers 

don’t get involved to protect our industry, nobody else will. 

And when loggers are working to help fellow loggers, we 

see real results in the policy arena. 

An excellent example is the recent effort in New 

Hampshire to override a governor’s veto in order to protect 

biomass facilities in the Granite State. 

Loggers understand biomass facilities provide a 

key market for low-grade wood products. They are an 

important part of our industry’s infrastructure that allows 

us to compete in a global economy. Biomass is good for 

rural economies and provides a renewable alternative to 

fossil fuels. But some don’t understand the benefits, 

especially in light of slumping prices for other forms of 

energy. 

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu raised alarms when 

he vetoed legislation to require utilities to purchase a 

portion of their electricity from the state’s wood-burning 

power plants. Gov. Sununu blocked the bill under the 

guise of protecting electricity ratepayers. It’s no 

coincidence his position was fully supported by antilogging 

special interests in Concord. 

There were serious consequences to Gov. Sununu’s 

veto. Without a stable biomass sector, many forestry and 

logging businesses were preparing to close their businesses 

and lay off workers. Many in New Hampshire found this 

potential outcome unacceptable, so they rallied to form a 

campaign to convince the state legislature to override the 

veto. 

In addition to personally lobbying their legislators, 

loggers attended town halls and organized rallies outside 

the state capitol. Many sent letters to editors of their 

hometown newspapers. The New Hampshire Forest 

Industry and Forest Landowners orchestrated a Biomass 

Override Petition drive that was very effective, got citizens 

involved and impressed the legislators. 

These efforts paid off to protect New Hampshire’s 

logging industry. The House rallied just enough votes to 

meet the two-thirds threshold needed to override the veto 

on a 226-113 vote. The override easily passed the Senate, 

21-3. The organizers of this effort deserve applause from 

loggers across America. It should inspire us all to get 

involved and see what we can do to protect our industry in 

our communities, our states, and our nation. 

Our industry is under constant threat from antilogging 

politicians and their special interest supporters. We 

can’t afford to sit on the sidelines as bad policies threaten 

our businesses. ALC recognizes that many of us are too 

busy working in the woods, meeting payrolls and raising 

families to engage in public policy debates. That’s why we 

As We See It November 2018 

“This is How Loggers Win in the Policy Arena ” 

By Nick Smith 

constantly strive to make it easier for loggers to get 

engaged and make their voices heard. 

It’s why we organize the ALC annual Fly-In to 

make it easier to visit the nation’s capital, and why we have 

retained Steve Southerland to represent us when we’re not 

in Washington DC. It’s why we partner with the Federal 

Forest Resource Coalition and work with Healthy Forests, 

Healthy Communities to alert you to developments in 

federal forest management. 

ALC understands that time is one of your most 

important resources. We only ask that you invest some of 

your time, even if it’s very little, to get informed and 

engaged in the policy issues that affect you. When 

“loggers are working for loggers” everyone wins. 

Nick Smith is Communications Specialist for 

American Loggers Council and founder of Healthy Forests, 

Healthy Communities, a non-profit, non-partisan organization 

that advocates for active forest management on federal forest 

lands. 

The American Loggers Council is a 501 (c)(6) not for 

profit trade organization representing professional timber 

harvesters in 33 states across the United States. If you would 

like to learn more about the ALC, please visit their web site at 

www.amloggers.com, or contact their office at 409-625-0206. 

We Support Maine Loggers 


The 24 th annual meeting of the ALC held October 

11th-13th in Seaside, Oregon was a tremendous success. I 

would like to thank ALC President, Mark Turner and ALC 

Executive Director, Danny Dructor for a great meeting. 

With the passing of the gavel, I became your new 

President. I consider it an honor to serve as your president 

and invite you to contact me if I can help you in any way. 

As President, I look forward to continuing work on 

getting the bills passed on The Future Logging Careers Act, 

and the Right to Haul Act. 

In the spring of 2019, your Board will be going to 

DC for our Board Meeting and visits to the hill. We’re 

looking forward to that meeting and the opportunity to 

speak with our Congressmen/women about these two bills 

as well as other logging issues. 

Safety and Trucking issues are impacting all of us. 

On Thursday, October 11, 2018, we had a Team Safe 

Trucking Meeting with an impressive agenda put forth by 

Jimmy Locklear with Forestry Mutual Insurance Company. 

Obtaining qualified drivers is one of the most pressing 

problems loggers have today. There are only a few 

insurance companies remaining that will insure log trucks 

with some requiring a minimum of 3 yrs. experience 

driving a log truck. With this policy in place, 

inexperienced drivers will not be able to get the experience 

they need to be insured. This will eventually cause us to be 

unable to obtain drivers to haul our wood to the mill which 

will then become a mill problem as well. I know of one 

logging company that has hired someone to teach driver 

training and has an agreement with an insurance company 

to allow an inexperienced driver to be insured after a sixmonth 

training period. This might be a partial solution to 

the problem but an expensive one. 

Along with obtaining drivers, hiring and retaining 

trained equipment operators is also an issue. Alabama is 

addressing the issue of trained equipment operators with 

the help of the Alabama Forestry Association and the 

Alabama Loggers Council. They have started a five-week 

training program for skidder drivers. Two groups have 

already graduated this training with plans to continue this 

training around the state using a mobile classroom. 

As we move into our 25 th year, the American 

Loggers Council will be conducting a 5-year strategic 

planning meeting in Washington, DC on June 21-23, 2019, 

at the office of Capitol Hill Consultants, the consulting firm 

that the ALC has retained to assist us with our efforts in 

Washington. We will be determining goals of what the 

ALC would like to accomplish within the next 5 years. If 

you would like to share some of your thoughts and ideas, 

please contact me or other board members prior to those 

dates. 

I hope you will go ahead and mark your calendars 

for our 25 th annual meeting next year in Orange Beach, 

Alabama at Perdido Beach Resort on September 26th – 

As We See It December 2018 

“A Message from ALC President Chris Potts” 

By Chris Potts 

28 th , 2019. Plans are already underway for this to be an 

excellent meeting enjoyed by all. Be certain and check our 

web site at www.amloggers.com for information about this 

meeting and other logger events that will be taking place 

around the country. 

Chris Potts is the owner of Potts Logging based out 

of LaFayette, Alabama. The American Loggers Council is an 

501(c)(6) not for profit trade association representing 

professional timber harvesters throughout the United States. 

For more information please contact the American Loggers 

Council at 409-625-0206, or americanlogger@aol.com, or 

visit our website at www.amloggers.com 


As We See It January 2019 

“America’s Loggers Are Part of the Solution to Wildfires” 

By Chris Potts 

As debate rages over the cause of catastrophic 

wildfires, the American Loggers Council (ALC) says it’s 

time to put partisan politics aside and focus on solutions 

that reduce the risks to lives, property, and natural 

resources. The ALC was formed in 1994 to serve as a 

unified, national voice for professional loggers across the 

United States. Made up of a coalition of state and regional 

logging associations and councils, the ALC represents 

more than 30 states across the U.S. 

“President Trump blamed poor forest management 

for wildfires in California and throughout the West, and 

there is truth to statements he has made,” said ALC 

Executive Vice President Daniel Dructor. “Others focus 

solely on climate change, but there is truth that drought and 

changing conditions are contributing to the problem. It’s 

time to rise above political posturing and recognize that 

active forest management- including logging, thinning, 

grazing and controlled burning- are tools that can and must 

be used to reduce fire risks and help mitigate the impacts to 

landscapes.” 

In California and many states, the forests most 

prone to catastrophic wildfires are owned by the federal 

government. Approximately 60 to 80 million acres of 

national forest lands are at a high, to very high, risk of 

catastrophic wildfire. Data from the Forest Service 

indicates that thinning and prescribed burns reduce wildfire 

intensity and improve forest health, yet only a small 

fraction of high-risk acres are being treated. To increase the 

pace and scale of needed treatments, Dructor says the 

Trump Administration and Congress should expand publicprivate 

partnerships to efficiently and effectively manage 

forests at risk of catastrophic wildfire, insect infestations 

and disease. 

“The federal government does not have resources 

to treat every forest by itself,” Dructor said. “Yet 

America’s forest sector has the infrastructure to manage 

and improve the health of our federal forests. The raw 

excess material from overgrown forests can provide 

renewable energy and a number of American-made 

products and provide thousands of family-wage jobs.” 

“It is no accident that the U.S. Forest Service is 

struggling to reduce fire risks in places such as California 

and the southwest, where this infrastructure has been 

allowed to disappear due to the decline of timber harvests 

on federal lands. By partnering with the private sector on 

economical forest projects, the federal government can not 

only reduce the risks but have additional resources to 

support other values such as expanding recreation on public 

lands and protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat. 

ALC strongly supports forest management reforms 

that enable federal land managers to implement proactive 

and science-based forest management activities. ALC 

President Chris Potts of Alabama said Congress should 

include such reforms in the next Farm Bill, as well as give 

federal agencies the resources they need to confront the 

country’s wildfire crisis. 

“Loggers are America’s ‘boots on the ground’ to 

conserve our forests and reduce the risks of wildfire,” Potts 

says. “We work in the woods every day, we understand 

forestry and see the dangers every day, and we know what 

needs to be done. Without forests, we are out of business. 

That’s why we’ll continue to work with Republicans and 

Democrats on needed reforms that will help to sustain our 

forests and protect our forests and communities from 

wildfire.” 


Wood Supply Research Institute (WSRI) completes national 

study on Certified Master Logger Programs 

By Ted Wright, Executive Director, Trust to Conserve 

Northeast Forestlands 

HEMPHILL, TX – The nonprofit Wood Supply 

Research Institute (WSRI) has completed a six-month 

national study on the value of Certified Master Logger 

Programs, finding they have real worth to loggers and 

forest industry stakeholders, but face challenges achieving 

the recognition with the public that could expand their 

reach. 

In late March 2018, WSRI contracted with the 

James W. Sewall Company to explore the value 

proposition of these programs. The American 

Loggers Council (ALC) Master Logger Certification 

Program©, which is one of the programs included in 

the research, requires that the on the ground 

performance of professional timber harvesting 

businesses comply with seven areas of responsibility that 

ensure environmental protection, forest sustainability, and 

business accountability. 

The study focused much of its work on active 

programs in Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and 

Wisconsin. Interviews and data were collected from 

loggers, landowners, mills, and forestry consultants. Some 

of the key findings of the study include: 

1. Certified Master Loggers have a real sense of 

professionalism and take pride in being recognized for the 

good work they are doing in the woods. 

2. Industry stakeholders perceive that Certified 

Master Loggers offer more consistent compliance with 

“Best Management Practices” designed to protect water, 

soil, and forest quality and do a higher quality job on timber 

harvests. 

3. There is a real preference for Certified Master 

Loggers among forestry consultants and small landowners 

who are aware of the Certified Master Logger programs. 

“The top three benefits can be summarized with 

alliteration as pride, performance, and preference. They are 

the hallmarks of a successful certification program. While 

they are not true everywhere the program has been 

implemented and among every stakeholder, we were able 

to document that there is a definite beachhead established 

in most of the states,” the report stated. 

The study concludes Certified Master Logger 

programs are near the, “tipping point” of achieving real 

value nationally. 

“Efforts should be directed at getting bigger, better, 

and more widely known. Done well, these efforts can be 

expected to bring about preference and trust from 

stakeholders, which will result in improved opportunities for 

Certified Master Loggers,” the report stated. 

Richard Schwab, of the ALC Board of Directors 

and chairman of the Master Logger Certification Program© 

Committee, said he was happy that the study was 

undertaken and yielded information that will be valuable as 

the program moves forward. 

“As loggers who own this program, we are 

excited about the challenges and looking forward to 

addressing them,” Schwab said. “We plan to build on 

the successes where the program is working well, and 

work together with partners that support the program 

to expand into states that have laid the groundwork for 

adopting it but have not yet done so. This report tells us we 

are close to the tipping point for this program, and we will 

build off the momentum we have established in the past 

year to achieve national prominence and success for it.” 

Ted Wright, Executive Director of the Trust to 

Conserve Northeast Forestlands, which oversees the 

Certified Master Logger program in the Northeast and 

which is leading an effort by the ALC to promote the 

American Loggers Council Master Logger Certification© 

program nationally, said the report provides a solid 

foundation to build those efforts on, as well as documented 

evidence that the Certified Master Logger brand is 

succeeding. 

“We know these programs are already making a 

difference and have the potential to do even more, and this 

study shows us the good work Certified Master Loggers are 

doing as well as the opportunity to grow as more and more 

people, particularly small landowners and mills, become 

aware of and learn to value that good work,” Wright said. 

To learn more about the study, visit: https:// 

wsri.org/research/value-assessment-of-certified-loggerprograms/ 

Master Logger Certification programs are logger 

owned and logger controlled program that offers third-party 

independent certification of logging companies’ harvesting 

practices. The ALC Master Logger Certification© Program 

recognizes logging companies that meet the responsible 

forest management standards set forth by the American 

Loggers Council. These standards have been crossreferenced 

to all the world’s major green certification 

systems. 

The Logger’s Voice ▪ Winter 2018 2019 29 35

Congressional Delegation Update 

I am proud to come from a 

forest-products family. The S.W. 

Collins Company was founded in 

Caribou in 1844 as one lumber mill 

on the frontier. Five generations 

later, the company is still going 

strong. I grew up appreciating the 

contributions your industry makes 

to communities across our state and 

understanding the challenges you 

face. 

Sen. Susan Collins One significant challenge is 

developing a workforce to ensure 

that Maine’s heritage of family-owned logging businesses 

is strengthened for the years to come. That is why I 

strongly support the Future Logging Careers Act that 

would enable young people to learn to operate logging 

equipment safely through training and hands-on 

experience. 

This bipartisan legislation would amend the Fair 

Labor Standards Act of 1938 so that 16 and 17-year-olds 

would be allowed to work in mechanized logging 

operations under parental supervision. It would level the 

playing field for the logging trade with other agricultural 

fields by allowing family members to gain experience in 

logging from an earlier age so that they can pursue a 

rewarding career and carry on the family business. 

It is essential that existing, generations-old 

businesses be allowed to prepare the next generation for 

entry into the profession as experienced operators and 

business managers. Young people in forest-products 

families should have the opportunity to live and prosper 

in the communities they love. In addition to the key role 

they play in driving Maine’s rural economy, trained 

loggers have the skills and expertise to foster healthy, 

resilient forests. 

Maine’s working forests are an international 

model of successful, responsible ownership, where public 

and private interests are respected and shared by 

all. The Future Logging Careers Act will help to preserve 

this model and grow our 

economy. 

Don’t Be a Stranger 

As we look ahead to 2019, I am grateful to have 

earned the trust of Maine people for an additional sixyear 

term in the Senate. The responsibility Maine voters 

have given me is something I take incredibly seriously, 

and I’m more energized than ever to work in Congress to 

make sure that Washington’s actions represent Maine’s 

priorities. 

Over the past six years, I’ve fought to strengthen 

the future of our forest economy in the face of rapid 

market shifts. As many pulp and paper mills and biomass 

power plants closed, Senator Collins and I urged the 

Commerce Department to establish the Economic 

Development Assessment Team (EDAT). Led by 

industry, this integrated, multiagency effort has brought 

together government and industry partners, as well as 

attract investments in new technologies including Cross 

Laminated Timber, biobased manufacturing, Combined 

Heat and Power, and more. By bringing people to the 

table, we can strengthen our existing forest products 

sector and foster innovation and commercialization in 

Maine’s forest economy. 

We’re already seeing the benefits: in recent 

months, several forest industry businesses have 

announced significant investments into Maine operations, 

and in September 2018, the Forest Opportunity Roadmap 

(FOR)/Maine released an action plan to make sure this 

industry, and the rural 

communities it supports, can 

continue to thrive for generations 

to come. But none of this work 

has been an individual effort. It’s 

always been collaborative, relying 

heavily on the input of people like 

you. 

So, as I look ahead to a 

new term in the Senate, I have a 

request for you: don’t be a 

stranger. I mean it. Throughout Sen. Angus King 

my time in Washington, I’ve 

received so much important guidance from members of 

the forest products industry; whether I hear from you 

during a visit to a mill, at an event in town, or through a 

letter to my office, your feedback is vital to making sure 

our policies are crafted with you in mind. If you have a 

problem or an idea for how we can make something work 

better, let me know at https://www.king.senate.gov/ 

contact-home – at that link, you can write in to our office, 

or find the locations and phone numbers for our offices. 

I’ve got a terrific staff, both in Maine and in Washington, 

who are ready to continue the work we’ve started. 

Thank you all for your continued partnership, and 

for everything you do for our state. It’s an honor to 

represent you, and I’ll keep fighting hard on your 

behalf. 


From the arrival of the 

emerald ash borer in Maine to the 

onset of devastating fires in 

California, 2018 has been a year 

of challenges for American 

forests. Unfortunately, these 

issues don’t show signs of 

magically disappearing as we 

usher in a new year. 

But I do see reasons for 

hope in 2019. For one, I think the 

Rep. Chellie Pingree new Congress set to begin in 

January will be well positioned 

to address the challenges facing the forest industry. And I 

intend to advocate for those priorities by supporting 

strong funding for relevant programs, encouraging 

research, and ensuring the industry can capitalize on new 

opportunities. 

Once again, I am honored to represent the State 

of Maine as one of our two elected members of the House 

of Representatives, and am thankful for the opportunity to 

serve our state once again. In particular, I look forward 

to working in a bipartisan way on several issues of 

importance back home in Maine and for foresters and 

loggers in particular. 

I will continue to serve on the House 

Appropriations Committee. With my six years of 

experience on the committee, I am ready to take 

advantage of the opportunities the new Congress will 

offer to strengthen funding research and agencies that 

impact our Maine woods. These include the Economic 

Development Administration, U.S. Forest Service and 

Department of Interior. 

I am also eager for Congress to dig into some key 

issues more fully. We must place more attention on how 

extreme weather events like windstorms in Maine, 

droughts throughout New England, wildfires in the West, 

or category 5 hurricanes along our coasts are affecting 

our forests nationwide. And I am committed to working 

with my colleagues from other states with forested land to 

address the impacts of invasive species—the emerald ash 

borer in particular. 

Also, as a proud member of the Working Forests 

Caucus, I am eager to work with my colleagues on new 

forest opportunities in the upcoming session. Working to 

get the Timber Innovation Act over the finish line either 

in 2018, or in the new session, will be a priority for me. 

Please reach out to my office at any time to make 

your voice heard with issues that you would like to see us 

address in Congress. I am eager to hear from you and 

hopefully see you out and about in 

Maine. 

A recount of votes cast in the race for the House of 

Representatives seat in Maine’s second congressional 

district had not been completed when the deadline for 

content of The Logger’s Voice Winter 2019 edition expired, 

therefore there is no column in this issue for the seat. Since 

then, the recount has been suspended, however legal 

challenges have been filed in connection with the election 

and remain unresolved. The PLC looks forward to hearing 

from the second congressional district’s Representative in 

the Spring 2019 issue. 



The Logger’s Voice ▪ Winter 2018 31

Professional Logging 

Contractors of Maine 

110 Sewall St. 

P.O. Box 1036 

Augusta, ME 04332

PLC Logger's Voice Winter 2019

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