ALC: Loggers Return to Washington

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ALC: Loggers Return to Washington

American Loggers Council
Daniel J. Dructor
Executive Vice President
American Loggers Council

Loggers Return to Washington

Hemphill, Tx. – On March 22-23, members of the American Loggers Council (ALC) returned to Washington, DC to discuss logging industry related issues with their elected officials, as well as attend the American Loggers Council Spring Board of Directors meeting held March 24th. In all, thirty-four members of the American Loggers Council completed 80 visits with Senate and House representatives as well as agency officials.

Issues discussed on the Hill included woody biomass utilization, forest health issues, transportation issues and responding to natural disasters such as hurricanes and other wind events. There were key visits with agencies including the USDA Forest Service, US Department of Interior, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Visits to both House and Senate Committees relevant to timber harvesting issues and legislation impacting the timber harvesting community were made as well.

During the Board of Directors meeting held on Saturday, the members were able to review their visits and felt that there was more optimism towards proposals made by the members and most felt that they were well received by members of Congress.

Also during the meeting, the Board voted to accept the membership of the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association (GLTPA) to the ALC. The GLTPA was recently formed by combining three organizations in Wisconsin and Michigan that represent loggers in their states.

Logger certification remains a relevant issue for the ALC and Board members discussed a study being conducted by SFI, Inc. that would investigate the role that logger certification programs could play in the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® program.

Current President of the ALC, Charles Johns of Hilliard, Florida, stated, “I am proud of the work that the members of the American Loggers Council have done this week here in DC. They did their homework and delivered our message. Johns went on the say, “One could only imagine what we could accomplish if we had representation from all of the states where commercial timber harvesting operations exist.”

The American Loggers Council is a non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization representing 29 states throughout the U.S on timber harvesting issues. They offer a free weekly newsletter which may be obtained by signing up on their website at http://www.americanloggers.org .