Matt Bumgardner, Research Forest Products Technologist for the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station (Delaware, OH); Gary Keaton, General Manager for Mountaineer Forest Management LLC (Crab Orchard, WV); and Joe Currie, Director of Harvest Operations & Forest Engineering for Lyme Timber Co. & Mountaineer Mechanized LLC (Crab Orchard, WV) presented on forestry issues relevant to the Appalachian Region.

The 2020 elections are shaping up to be both contentious and incredibly significant for the future of the United States. At the presidential level, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are attempting to win reelection against former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA).

Craig Loehle from the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI), and Grant Domke from the USDA-Forest Service led this webinar on the role of forests in mitigating climate change.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, FRA members have implemented new safety practices into their daily operations to make sure that their employees and overall operations remain safe.

Jeff Maynard of International Paper and Aaron Gilland of Dendro Resource Management led this webinar on the basics of timber security. Jeff Maynard, Fiber Security Manager for International Paper, spoke on “Elements of a Successful Timber Security Program.” His presentation is designed to help management or ownership of a company determine if they need a timber security program, and what questions should be asked when making this decision. Aaron Gilland, President of Dendro Resource Management, a timber security company based out of South Carolina, spoke on “Ten Things Everyone Needs to Know About Timber Security.” This presentation included reviewing the basics every forester, wood buyer, and wood supply chain manager should know about preventing fraud and theft related to timber transactions and other timber security-related issues. Both presentations are an excellent training tool for entry-level natural resource professionals and a good review for experienced foresters and wood supply chain managers.

David Libby, Partner at Krause Bell Group, led this webinar on specific actions people can take at the workplace to implement safety leadership, and discover what it takes to create a culture that is more supportive of safety.

Charlie Levesque, President of Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC, presented on how the forest products industry might benefit – and be challenged by – the consumer, demographic and economic trends that are shaping society. Please take this opportunity to broaden your discussions on how the industry can position itself for long-term success.

What to expect.

Miranda Gowell with TEAM Safe Trucking, Inc., Mike Macedo with International Paper, David Cupp with Walsh Timber Company, and Scott Copeland with Guffin & Eleam, Inc. gave a firsthand account of how others in the forest products industry are taking advantage of the tools provided by TEAM Safe Trucking...

For the first time in history, there are five distinct generations in the workforce: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and now Generation Z, all with their own perspectives, styles, and expectations. These differences often create misunderstandings, stereotypes, and conflicts. What if we could leverage the differences between generations? Mike Burnett from Empire CAT shared with us the reasons for the differences and how to find creative solutions.