Department of Conservation
Bureau of Parks and Lands Maine Forest Service
Maine Geological Survey and Natural Areas Program
Land Use Regulation Commission
Media Advisory
Please deliver to the city or assignment editor
Nov. 21, 2008
Contact: Jeanne Curran, (207) 287-3156
Maine Forest Service Holds Regional Congress Sessions
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Forest Service, Maine Department of Conservation, has been holding a series of Logger/Trucker Congresses around the state, the most recent one on Thursday, Nov. 20, in Fort Kent, attended by MDOC Commissioner Patrick McGowan.
The gatherings – the first of their kind to be held by the forest service -- are designed to secure the supply chain of the forest products industry by seeking grassroots involvement in developing recommendations to strengthen the logging and forest products-trucking community.
Many loggers and truckers so far have attended the three dinner sessions held to date in Lincoln, Houlton and Fort Kent. Those attending have been asked to consider the current strengths of the supply chain and what needs to be maintained; opportunities for improvement; and solutions to specific problems.
“These sessions have been extremely informative and productive,” Commissioner McGowan said Friday. “I certainly enjoyed meeting with the group of professionals in Fort Kent and hearing their insightful comments. We need to assure that our logging and trucking community – an integral part of one of Maine’s most valuable resources -- is adequately supported and continues to be profitable, especially in these precarious economic times.”
Sandy Brawders of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, which helped organize the congresses, praised Commissioner McGowan and MFS Director Alec Giffen for their attendance, saying they “came prepared to listen for possible solutions, short-term and long-term, which loggers are suggesting to keep all the components of the supply chain healthy.
“Maine's past and future is in its natural resources, and it is not just through tourism,” Brawders said Friday. “Working forests are healthy forests, and we need loggers to harvest. None of us will let this profession slip away.”
Maine has 17.2 million acres of timberland, with 15-17 million green tons harvested every year in the largest and most diverse forest harvest in New England. The forest industry has a $6.5 billion direct economic impact in the state and a $10.1 billion total economic impact.
Loggers and truckers are facing significant challenges affecting their profitability, including a decrease in the number of loggers and truckers; the high cost of equipment, operations, and fuel; and a critical deterioration in road and infrastructure conditions.
The congresses are intended to encourage truckers and loggers to comment on these issues and consider ways in which they can be better supported to ensure economic viability.
The Logger Congress series is expected to result in a report comparable to the Future Forest Economy report in 2005 addressing the problems and opportunities confronted by Maine's logging and trucking community. It will include specific recommendations for how to address issues and capitalize on opportunities.
A plenary session involving financial, manufacturing and industry experts will be held Jan. 27, 2009 in Orono to develop recommendations to secure the future of the logging and trucking industry.
Many participants attended the Fort Kent session. More loggers and truckers are invited to attend the upcoming events. Three more congresses are scheduled for the month of December. They will be held:
- Dec. 8, 2008 at Ellsworth;
- Dec. 9, 2008 at Farmington;
- Dec. 15, 2008 at Gray.
Loggers and truckers interested in attending are encouraged to respond to Ausilia Evans at 688-8195 or email at: ausilia@tcnef.org Space is limited to the first 40 signups.
For more information, contact Sandy Brawders, Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, at 834-3835 or email at brawders@aol.com; or, Donald Mansius, Maine Forest Service, at 287-4906 or email at: donald.j.mansius@maine.gov
Or go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/mfs/events.shtml
-30-
Jeanne Curran
Public Information
Maine Department of Conservation
207-287-3156
http://www.maine.gov/doc
Department of Conservation
Bureau of Parks and Lands Maine Forest Service
Maine Geological Survey and Natural Areas Program
Land Use Regulation Commission
Media Advisory
Please deliver to the city or assignment editor
Nov. 21, 2008
Contact: Jeanne Curran, (207) 287-3156
Maine Forest Service Holds Regional Congress Sessions
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Forest Service, Maine Department of Conservation, has been holding a series of Logger/Trucker Congresses around the state, the most recent one on Thursday, Nov. 20, in Fort Kent, attended by MDOC Commissioner Patrick McGowan.
The gatherings – the first of their kind to be held by the forest service -- are designed to secure the supply chain of the forest products industry by seeking grassroots involvement in developing recommendations to strengthen the logging and forest products-trucking community.
Many loggers and truckers so far have attended the three dinner sessions held to date in Lincoln, Houlton and Fort Kent. Those attending have been asked to consider the current strengths of the supply chain and what needs to be maintained; opportunities for improvement; and solutions to specific problems.
“These sessions have been extremely informative and productive,” Commissioner McGowan said Friday. “I certainly enjoyed meeting with the group of professionals in Fort Kent and hearing their insightful comments. We need to assure that our logging and trucking community – an integral part of one of Maine’s most valuable resources -- is adequately supported and continues to be profitable, especially in these precarious economic times.”
Sandy Brawders of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, which helped organize the congresses, praised Commissioner McGowan and MFS Director Alec Giffen for their attendance, saying they “came prepared to listen for possible solutions, short-term and long-term, which loggers are suggesting to keep all the components of the supply chain healthy.
“Maine's past and future is in its natural resources, and it is not just through tourism,” Brawders said Friday. “Working forests are healthy forests, and we need loggers to harvest. None of us will let this profession slip away.”
Maine has 17.2 million acres of timberland, with 15-17 million green tons harvested every year in the largest and most diverse forest harvest in New England. The forest industry has a $6.5 billion direct economic impact in the state and a $10.1 billion total economic impact.
Loggers and truckers are facing significant challenges affecting their profitability, including a decrease in the number of loggers and truckers; the high cost of equipment, operations, and fuel; and a critical deterioration in road and infrastructure conditions.
The congresses are intended to encourage truckers and loggers to comment on these issues and consider ways in which they can be better supported to ensure economic viability.
The Logger Congress series is expected to result in a report comparable to the Future Forest Economy report in 2005 addressing the problems and opportunities confronted by Maine's logging and trucking community. It will include specific recommendations for how to address issues and capitalize on opportunities.
A plenary session involving financial, manufacturing and industry experts will be held Jan. 27, 2009 in Orono to develop recommendations to secure the future of the logging and trucking industry.
Many participants attended the Fort Kent session. More loggers and truckers are invited to attend the upcoming events. Three more congresses are scheduled for the month of December. They will be held:
- Dec. 8, 2008 at Ellsworth;
- Dec. 9, 2008 at Farmington;
- Dec. 15, 2008 at Gray.
Loggers and truckers interested in attending are encouraged to respond to Ausilia Evans at 688-8195 or email at: ausilia@tcnef.org Space is limited to the first 40 signups.
For more information, contact Sandy Brawders, Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, at 834-3835 or email at brawders@aol.com; or, Donald Mansius, Maine Forest Service, at 287-4906 or email at: donald.j.mansius@maine.gov
-30-
Jeanne Curran
Public Information
Maine Department of Conservation
207-287-3156
The Logger/ Truckers Congress Statewide Meetings have concluded , the steering committee is now processing all the information . August 1, 2009
