State & Private Forestry
Forest Products Laboratory
The individual items included in the Review reflect the content and tone of the original articles. Inclusion of an item does not imply agreement nor endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of facts or opinions contained in any article. The Review does not evaluate the accuracy of the information reported.
USDA Forest Service
Look for items in these categories:
National Forest Products Conservation and Recycling (FPC&R;) Workshop is being planned for August 18-20 in Atlanta, GA. This workshop will overlap the International Woodworking Fair (IWF) scheduled for August 20-23 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Attendees to the workshop will be able to attend the IWF to learn more about new technology that is changing the secondary wood products industry.
The Northeastern Area has funds to support this workshop. A portion of these funds will be used for speaker expenses and the remainder will be used to support travel to the workshop by State forestry agency representatives or their equivalents. These funds are targeted to support one non-Forest Service attendee from each state outside the Northeastern Area; approximately $500 per State will be available to help defray costs. Names and affiliation of non-Forest Service candidates must be sent to John Sebelius, Cooperative Forestry, State & Private Forestry, Washington, DC, by July 15. John can be reached at (202) 205-1383; Fax: (202) 205-1271; or e-mail: jsebelius/wo@fs.fed.us.
For more information on the workshop (including lodging and transportation to and from the airport) contact Lew McCreery, Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry, Morgantown, WV. Tel: (304) 285-1538; Fax: (304) 285-1505; e-mail: Lew.McCreery/na_mo@fs.fed.us.
Call for Marketing and Utilization Forester - Based in Amherst, MA, this position
carries Statewide responsibilities. Duties include, but are not limited to,
coordinating forest products economic development activities; collecting,
analyzing, and disseminating information on forest products and the forest
products industry in Massachusetts; providing technical and business planning
assistance to individual companies and producers; and participating in
educational efforts to improve the quality of forest practice, timber
harvesting, and manufacturing operations. Minimum entrance requirements include
at least 4 years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, technical or
professional experience in the field of forest resource management, of which at
least 2 years must have been in a professional capacity and at least 1 year must
have been in a supervisory capacity. Educational substitutions will be
permitted for some of the experience required. The salary ranges from $40,770
to $51,964. Closing date is July 24. For additional information and a full
position description, contact Sylvia Stokes, Director of Human Resources,
Department of Environmental Management, 100 Cambridge St., 19th Floor, Boston,
MA 02202. Tel: (617) 727-3159. Please refer to Posting ID Number 3579.
[Source: Dean Huber, USDA Forest Service, S&PF;, Durham, NH]
Two Upcoming Training Opportunities in Small-Diameter Utilization are in the planning phase. The Canadian Woodlands Forum (CWF) will host a 2-day commercial thinning (CT) workshop this summer in New Brunswick, and PartCuts will return to British Columbia in September.
CWF's CT Workshop II is slated for August 11-12 in Miramichi, NB. This workshop will pay special attention to the economic side of CT programs, comparing costs and quality of manual versus mechanical thinning systems. The operational side will include information on job layout, wood extraction, training, supervision, equipment application, and productivity. For information on this event, contact Peter Robichaud of the CWF Atlantic Branch at (902) 897-2568.
PartCuts '98 will be held in Campbell River, BC, on September 16-17. This 2-day field trip to watch partial cutting equipment in action is aimed at forestry personnel who review and approve prescriptions, woodlot owners, and contractors who seek information on suitable equipment for partial cutting. For more information, contact Tom Hedekar at (250) 741-2579; Fax: (250) 741-2190.
The 1998 Forest Products Research Conference will be held September 23-25 at the Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI. This year's topic is a forum on durability issues in housing. Presentations will address the state of the art of materials and products; architectural and engineering design, codes, and standards; and construction practices. Questions for discussion will include: What do we know about durability? How can we improve durability to strengthen our Nation's housing infrastructure? What future directions should be taken to improve durability? For registration and information on accommodations, contact Karen Martinson, Meeting Planner, at (608) 231-9450, by Fax (608) 231-9262, or by e-mail: kmartinson/fpl@fs.fed.us .
Hardwood Marketplace - Buyers of North American hardwood species such as white
oak, hard maple, and cherry can access inventories and request price quotes from
various suppliers on-line at http://www.hardwood.net. An "item watch" feature
notifies users by e-mail when species and specifications they have requested are
entered into the system. For a description of this and other features, see
"About hardwood.net" at the Web site.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 48(5): 9, 1998]
"Planning Guide for Small and Medium Size Wood Products Companies: The Keys to Success," by Jeff Howe and Steve Bratkovich, has been reprinted for the second time due to popular demand. This 70-page publication provides a step-by-step guide to writing strategic, marketing, and business plans for wood products companies. To request a copy, contact Steve Bratkovich, USDA Forest Service, State & Private Forestry, 1992 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108. Tel: (612) 649-5246; Fax: (612) 649-5238; e-mail: bratk001@tc.umn.edu.
The 4th Annual Selling Forest Products Short Course will be held September 17 in Roanoke, VA. Personal sales is the primary tool used for marketing most forest products. Yet, very few individuals in the industry have professional sales training when they start their career. This course is designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of sales personnel. It is intended for new sales and marketing personnel and those wishing to improve their skills in the forest products industry. For more information and/or registration materials, contact Bob Smith, Department of Wood Science and Forest Products, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Tel: (540) 231-5876; Fax: (540) 231-8868; e-mail: rsmith4@vt.edu.
Lumber Markets Generally Weak - In the latest Southern Lumberman rundown on
lumber markets, the hardwood market is reportedly stronger than the softwood
market, but both markets tend to be unfavorable. Only slight changes in demand
and lumber prices have occurred for several weeks. The greatest demand has been
for red oak, with hard maple and cherry not too far behind. The market for ash
has been fairly sluggish. Sources for softwood sales report fairly depressed
prices and weak demand.
[Source: Southern Lumberman, June 1998]
Data on U.S. Wood-Based Panel Plants and Available Timber - A report by Tim McKeever and Henry Spelter of the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) lists locations of plants, production capacities, timber inventories, and wood costs for 24 States. Industry sectors include medium-density fiberboard, particleboard, softwood plywood, and oriented strandboard. Maps of major forest-producing States show both the locations of panel plants and density of timber stock by county. The study relates physical measures of timber availability to market measures of timber scarcity and draws inferences about the potential of selected States to increase timber output at their present rate of forest productivity. A limited number of copies of this publication (FPL-GTR-103) are available through FPL. Tel: (608) 231-9200; Fax: (608) 231-9592; e-mail: mailroom/fpl@fs.fed.us.
"Harvesting Hometown Jobs: The New Small Town Guide to Local Economic Development" is one in a series of guides and training modules developed by the National Center for Small Communities (NCSC) of Washington, DC, to respond to the needs of leaders, trainers, and assistance providers in small towns. The introductory chapter explores some new ways of thinking about economic development in response to changing conditions and circumstances, such as globalization, technological advances, demographic shifts, downsizing and productivity campaigns, and welfare reform. Other chapters deal with developing new small businesses; retaining and expanding existing businesses; recruiting business and industry; attracting tourists and retirees; managing growth; and developing innovative partnerships for economic development. The publication also includes an extensive list of organizations that offer research, training, and technical assistance on economic development. To purchase this publication, contact the NCSC at (202) 624-3550; Fax: (202) 624-3554; or e-mail: natat@sso.org.
For more information about NCSC, visit their Web site at http://www.natat.org/. The NCSC site also offers access to a comprehensive list of other Web sites on rural development issues.
Pulp and Paper Capacity Growth Slows - AF&PA;'s annual capacity survey, released in December 1997, projected the lowest growth rate in U.S. pulp and paper capacity since the organization began polling industry participants 38 years ago. The survey indicated that U.S. paper and paperboard manufacturing capacity is projected to expand an average 1.2% annually from 1998 through 2000, or less than one-half the average 2.5% rate of the previous decade.
Increased reliance on recovered paper (with the fastest growth in mixed paper
consumption) is expected to repress wood pulp capacity expansion to an average
annual growth rate of only 0.4% over the next 3 years, compared to 1.3% over the
last 10 years. Total recovered paper consumption is projected to grow 2.1%
annually through the year 2000. The projections do not reflect aggressive
capacity growth outside the United States.
[Source: Tappi Journal 81(2): 18-20, 1998]
Thought of the Month - What do hot dogs and oriented strandboard have in common?
Both are successful products, both have major markets, and both are made from
waste materials.
[Source: Margaret Thorpe, Venture Catalyst, St. Paul, MN, and
Cliff Havener, Growth Resources Group, Inc., Forest Lake, MN]
Wood Ash Beneficial for Crop Production - Application of wood ash as a fertilizer to agricultural land has been limited, and most wood ash is landfilled. University of Wisconsin researchers Larry Myers and Mark Kopecky studied the feasibility of landspreading wood ash as an alternative to landfilling. The study was designed to identify the maximum amount of ash that could be applied to farmland without reducing crop yields. However, the impressive crop yields obtained with wood ash convinced the authors that this material is a valuable resource and not merely a benign waste product.
Ash applications of up to 20 tons/acre (0.405 hectare) provided yields equal to or greater than yields obtained by application of commercial lime and fertilizer at rates recommended by Wisconsin's Soil Testing Laboratory. Most important, there was no accumulation of undesirable elements in plant tissue or soil.
The authors estimate that the benefits of recycling wood ash, in terms of lower
fertilizer costs and better crop growth, have an economic potential of $10
million in Wisconsin alone.
[Source: Tappi Journal 81(4): 91, 1998]
New Sources of Post-Consumer Fiber for Recycling may provide a high-value
resource at favorable cost. The experience of an Abitibi-Consolidated, Inc.
newsprint mill in Stielcoom, Washington, is a case in point. Its strategy is to
identify potentially useful fiber sources using the concept of "attribute fiber
buying." This approach abandons all preconceived notions of fiber value,
focusing instead on objective measures of fiber attributes, cost of delivery to
the headbox, and product quality. As an example, this mill has produced
newsprint with fibers from mixed residential waste and post office waste
(undelivered mail). It has also mined useful fiber from a landfill containing a
decade's worth of sludge from a fine-paper mill.
[Source: Tappi Journal 80(9): 105, 1997]
Wildland/Urban Interface Publications and Videos are available from the NWCG Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Protection Advisory Group, an outgrowth of the partnership of the National Fire Protection Association, National Association of State Foresters, and National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG). The following items were produced as part of an ongoing program to improve fire prevention and protection methods:
Risks of Imported Pests Assessed - Pest specialists from various USDA Forest Service offices have published an assessment of potential risks associated with importing unprocessed Pinus and Abies logs from Mexico. The objectives of the Wood Import Pest Risk and Mitigation Evaluation Team were to identify potential pests throughout Mexico, estimate the probability of their entry and establishment in the United States, and evaluate the economic, environmental, and social consequences. The Team compiled lists of insects, parasitic plants, and microorganisms known to be associated with Mexican species of Pinus and Abies. Insects and pathogens having the greatest risk potential as pests on imported logs were identified. The report on this work (FPL-GTR-104) is available, in limited quantities, from the Forest Products Laboratory. Tel: (608) 231-9200; Fax: (608) 231-9592; e-mail: mailroom/fpl@fs.fed.us.
"Update of Formaldehyde", a publication of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission, a Federal agency, was recently revised using extensive input from
the Composite Panel Association (CPA). This booklet describes the sources and
effects of formaldehyde in indoor air. For more information, contact the CPA,
18928 Premier Ct., Gaithersburg, MD 20879-1569. Tel: (301) 670-0604; Fax:
(301) 840-1252.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 48(4): 10, 1998]
Protecting Wetlands and Natural Vegetation Surrounding New Golf Courses has created an industry that specializes in timber bridges, elevated walkways, and cart paths. Environmentally conscious developers and designers are elevating such boardwalks above the natural golf course terrain. The structures eliminate the need for fill for cart paths through wetland areas.
Designers aim to enhance the rustic characteristics of the golf course,
incorporating structures that blend with the environment. Timber provides an
aesthetic advantage over other materials. Most timber structures are built of
pressure-treated Southern Pine, which provides long-lasting resistance to
termites and decay. When properly treated, timber bridges can last up to 40
years, depending on the climate and traffic volume.
[Source: The Timber Producer, April 1998]
Bioenergy '98 Conference, a premier international event hosted biennially by the U.S. Department of Energy's Regional Biomass Energy Program, will be held October 4-8 in Madison, WI. The focus of the conference is to build a thriving biomass energy industry through partnerships that address energy, the environment, and the economy. Special emphasis will be placed on bioenergy mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, financing issues, and innovative and successful bioenergy projects around the world. Other conference topics include liquid biofuels (ethanol, biodiesel, and biocrude), electric power production from various feedstocks and technologies, biomass cultivation and harvesting, technical and economic assessments of cropping and production systems, market opportunities, and environmental aspects of bioenergy production and use. The conference is targeted toward biomass feedstock producers and users, equipment manufacturers and vendors, plant managers and operators, consultants, design engineers, farmers/agricultural specialists, solid waste management companies, government energy officials, researchers, and academicians. For more information, visit the conference Web site at http://www.cglg.org/bioenergy98 or contact Fred Kuzel at (312) 407-0177 or by e-mail (fkuzel@cglg.org).
PETE 98: The International Panel and Engineered-Wood Technology Conference & Exposition will be held October 20-22 in Atlanta, GA. PETE is a forum for information interchange for the panel and engineered wood products sector. PETE focuses on the production of new environmentally friendly engineered wood, reconstituted and recycled wood, composite products, and structural components. In the planning stage are tours to Atlanta-area sites of significance to managers and technicians in the rapidly growing panel and engineered wood products industry; a full-day seminar on adhesive process developments, such as lignin-based adhesives, foam gluing, and fast-cycle phenols for engineered lumber and panels; and 30 educational sessions. For information, contact Miller Freeman, Inc. Tel: (415) 905-4940; Fax: 415-905-2630; e-mail: woodtech@mfi.com; Web: http://www.woodwideweb.com.
OSB Becomes Predominant in Wood Panel Market - According to CINTRAFOR News, in less than 17 years oriented strandboard (OSB) has become the market share leader in the U.S. structural wood panel market. In 1995, OSB represented a 45.5% market share, compared to southern pine plywood's 44% share and western plywood's 10.5% share. OSB's takeover of the structural wood panel market took 1 year longer than did southern pine plywood's takeover of the western plywood market. However, southern pine plywood is not nearly as different in appearance and production from western plywood as OSB is from western and southern pine plywood. Therefore, the ability of southern pine plywood producers to piggy-back on consumer perceptions of western plywood were probably much greater than that of OSB producers.
The relative success of OSB over waferboard in the structural wood panel market
can be attributed to superior product attributes and a similar method of
production, including economies of scale. Since 1980, OSB has cost less on
average than western and southern pine plywood, given equivalent thickness.
[Source: CINTRAFOR News 13(1), Spring 1998]
Preliminary Court Approval of L-P Class Action - The U.S. District Court in San
Francisco, CA, gave preliminary approval to the settlement of a class action
suit concerning Louisiana-Pacific's (L-P's) OSB construction panels. The key
element of the settlement is a 20-year retroactive warranty on all L-P
construction panels sold since the product was introduced in 1984. L-P has also
instituted a 20-year warranty on all new OSB construction panels. The two
warranty programs mesh so that all consumers will be covered.
[Source: Tappi Journal 81(2): 40, 1998]
Manzanita Sold to Japanese Pharmaceutical Company - Last year, the Rogue
Institute for Ecology and Economy got an unusual request from Japan: 3,000 lb
(1,360 kg), dry weight, of whiteleaf manzanita leaves. Since Manzanita is
commonly considered a weed and a fire hazard, this request was an opportunity to
profit from planned thinning of manzanita and buckbrush in Oregon. As a part of
a fire reduction effort, more than 7,500 lb (3,405 kg) of manzanita leaves were
harvested and dried (to nearly half that weight) for shipment to Japan.
[Sources: Community Ecology III(3): 6]
Borate Compounds Prevent Insect Damage to Hickory Rounds - Daniel L. Cassens and
Elmer L. Schmidt report the success of borate dip diffusion for protecting
hickory rounds from insect damage. The small hickory rounds with intact bark
used to make rustic furniture are often subject to insect infestation during
storage and in the finished product. In the study, two different borate
solutions were field tested to determine their efficacy. Both solutions were
effective in penetrating the green bark and outer sapwood. After prolonged
exposure and subsequent storage, all controls were damaged by insects, but only
1 of 28 treated specimens was infected.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 48(3): 36-37, 1998]
Virginia Tech Workshops - The Department of Wood Science and Forest Products has announced the following workshops to be held in Roanoke, VA.
Training for the Lake States Wood Industry provided by the Lake States Lumber Association (LSLA) will take place in Wisconsin and Minnesota through December:
Contents
Forest Products Laboratory |
Forest Service |
USDA
Please send any questions or comments to
TMU/fpl@fs.fed.us.
Contact-Name: Adele Olstad
Contact-Phone: 608/231-9329
Document-Date: 1998 July 1
Abstract: June 1998 Issue of FPC&R; Review