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Each month we will profile a different member company and contact person. Always on the cutting edge of product development, Mount Baker Products has developed a program for high quality Alder plywood. After their program kick-off in February 2001, sales have surged on this premier product. "We have the highest quality Alder plywood in the market today and sales just keep growing." Originally founded in 1954 as an employee-owned cooperative, Mount Baker Plywood has undergone many changes to become "the premier quality supplier in the hardwood plywood market". Owned by the Swaner Corporation, the name has been changed to Mount Baker Products to more closely identify with their product mix and core competencies. Above all, Mount Baker Products is known nation-wide for their fast turnaround, order flexibility, and high quality products. Donnie, as he is known to his friends, and we are his friends, has been involved in the timber industry spanning 4 decades, with the last 8 years being devoted to the hardwood plywood industry. With his beginnings at Goodyear-Nelson Hardwood Lumber Company, Donnie started on the ground floor of the industry, learning every detail to become one of Mount Baker's managers. When asked to sum up his thoughts on the future of the hardwood plywood industry, Donnie replied with two words. "Quality sells." Mount Baker Products is located at P.O. Box 997, Bellingham, WA 98227. Phone 800/822-5211, fax 360/676-0944. Workshop Scheduled for September 7, 2001 It is now set. The most exciting and informational workshop ever sponsored by the Western Hardwood Association is scheduled September 7, 2001 at the World Forestry Center in Portland, OR. Invitations will be going out soon, but please make sure you mark your calendars, today! It will take most of the day from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with lunch included. Registration cost is $25. AGENDA
Grading School - September 27 & 28, 2001 The new-style grading school will commence September 27 & 28, 2001. Ludwig Rabold, retired PLIB Senior Supervisor, has changed the format of the class to your wishes. That is, discuss the proprietary grades in greater detail, in addition to presenting the standard NHLA grades. A must for wholesalers, manufacturers, mill salesmen and graders. Two day class from 9:00 to 5:00 each day costs $200 for members and $350 for non-members. The extra $150 for non-members can be used for your full first year introductory membership. Grading stick is required for $40 or bring your own. Room and meals are the students' responsibility. Register today for the school by completing this form and sending it with your payment to the Western Roger Scott, a professional forester, has been hired by the Association to continue the Non-Industrial Private Forest landowner education program. This program has been very successful under the direction of Glenn Ahrens for the past three years. Glenn has presented dozens of programs reaching thousands of small woodland owners and professional foresters. Roger will continue to emphasize that Alder and other hardwoods should be managed rather than destroyed because it is economically viable. In addition, he will be able to help small landowners in their alternate plans for harvesting in sensitive areas. The Association believes that much of the future Alder and other hardwoods will come from these lands and the owners need to know all about profitable management. Roger has thirty-six years experience in the timber resource industry. He is experienced in log price data and log market studies. He has expertise in timber cruising and appraisal. Roger is the publisher of the Western Washington Log Market Report and Oregon Log Market Report. He is a graduate of the University of Washington in Forest Resource Management. This year from the April, 2001 annual meeting to Jun 22, 2002 marking the 2002 annual meeting, every member can win money for getting new members. For every new member you bring in you receive $25, doubled if you attend the annual meeting in Sunriver, Oregon in 2002. You get another $50 if the new member renews for the second year. Plus, if you bring in 5 new members, your dues are waived the following year. So, every member wins and the Association wins because we have greater representation in the influencing of positive results in out industry. The new Association website should be accessible to everyone with updated information. There are still some items that need to be updated but all-in-all it is shaping up nicely. Please go to the site at www.westernhardwood.com, browse through it, and let us know thoughts you might have. Mark your calendars for June 22-25, 2002 for the Annual Meeting to be held at Sunriver, Oregon. Topics of the program will include Roger Scott on education of small woodland owners, Pat Moore of Potlatch on Hybrid Poplar, plus a discussion of BC hardwoods, hardwood plywood, Washington Forest & Fish Rules, chain of custody certification, and policy makers at the state level. The Washington Hardwoods Commission held a most successful and informative annual meeting June 21st. Headlining the list of speakers was Doug Sutherland, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands. He told the group that they need to increase harvest and decrease DNR expenses during the next bi-ennium. They need to look at a 10 year defensible harvest plan by next year at this time. And they need to take another look at owl circles and the Habitat Conservation Plan in connection with more harvest. Pat McElroy, Washington State Forester, said alternate plans are absolutely necessary to the harvesting process and they must be done at a lower cost. DNR will make the final decision on alternate plans after counsel from agencies. He said hardwood conversion is a high priority and it begs to have adaptive trials to change the conversion process. Norm Schaaf of Merrill & Ring outlined their success with alternate plans and pointed to one project that resulted in more fish after harvesting down to the stream. Nels Hansen, WA Farm Forestry Assn., discussed the negative impact of the new Forest Practices Rules on the small landowner.
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