Bulletin Duluth, Minnesota September/October 2000 Volume 56
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THE VOICE OF THE TIMBER INDUSTRY TIMBER BULLETIN DULUTH, MINNESOTA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000 VOLUME 56 NorthNorth StarStar ExpoExpo 20002000 RutarRutar LoggingLogging THE VOICE OF THE TIMBER INDUSTRY Volume 56 TIMBER September/October 2000 BULLETIN Duluth, Minnesota IN THIS ISSUE North Star Expo 2000 ....................................8 ________________________________________________________________________________ Rutar Logging.............................................14 ________________________________________________________________________________ Second Annual “Minnesota Forest Educators of the Year” Selected.................16 8 ________________________________________________________________________________ Green Future? .............................................20 ________________________________________________________________________________ Meet the Directors ......................................24 ________________________________________________________________________________ American Tree Farm System Field Day....26 ________________________________________________________________________________ Loggers of the Past .....................................34 14 ________________________________________________________________________________ Classifieds....................................................38 ________________________________________________________________________________ Advertisers Index .......................................38 ________________________________________________________________________________ TIMBER PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION ON THE COVER 16 President Greg Cook Logging, winner of the RAMON KILLMER 2000 Best Load Contest. 1st Vice President CLARENCE JOHNSON 2nd Vice President The Timber Bulletin is published six times annually, LOWELL PITTACK in February, April, June, August, October and December by the Minnesota Timber Producers Secretary/Treasurer Association, located at 903 Medical Arts Bldg., RICHARD OLSON JR. 324 W. Superior St., Duluth, Minn. Minnesota Timber Producers Association members receive Editor the Timber Bulletin at an annual subscription rate WAYNE E. BRANDT of $15 which is included in their membership dues. Periodicals postage paid in Duluth, Minnesota. Graphic Design, Editorial and Advertising rates and data on request. The views Mechanical Production expressed in the Timber Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Minnesota STEWART-TAYLOR PRINTING Timber Producers Association. 26 Postmaster: Please send address corrections Minnesota to TIMBER BULLETIN, Minnesota Timber Producers Association, 903 Medical Arts Bldg., Timber Producers 324 W. Superior St., Duluth, Minnesota 55802, No articles may be reprinted without written permission Association Phone 218-722-5013. from the Minnesota Timber Producers Association. Issn: 10973532 – USPS: 016208 Timber Bulletin September/October 2000 3 Minnesota State Information Center at (651) 296- 6157 from the Twin Cities metro Forests Celebrate area or toll free 1-888-MINNDNR 100 Years from the remainder of Minnesota. The word politics is one most “Minnesotans should take pride of us would rather forget, but in their rich and diverse forests,” Rose said. “Indeed, almost one- unfortunately it is one that utumn comes to Minnesota in A third of Minnesota's total land area, becomes more important every showy bursts of color from mid- 16.7 million acres, is covered with year for the timber industry. September through October. Bluffs forests. Of this, the 4 million plus This being an election year, it and hills abound where nature acres managed by the state is the becomes doubly important. shows her palette. But where are largest such landholding in the When the federal administration these vistas located? lower 48 states.” changes hands with the “Minnesota's 58 state forests People interested in fall color November elections, it will offer plenty of opportunities to touring might try these places determine who makes forest view colors,” according to state suggested by Rose: policy. Will it be professional forester Jerry Rose. “Our state • Finland State Forest off the foresters forest system encompasses more Lake Superior North Shore; or than 4 million acres and extends follow the Baptism River President’s from southeastern Minnesota north valley north and east of to the Canadian border.” Finland Minnesota's state forest system, • Richard J. Dorer Memorial Column which is 100 years old this year, Hardwood State Forest south continues to be essential to of Red Wing with spectacular professional sustaining and vitalizing the state's bluffs on the Mississippi River; environmental environment, economy and follow Highway 61 from Red protesters? communities. Wing to La Crescent What happens State forests: • Savanna State Forest, Hay on the federal • produce timber and other Lake Campground, 20 miles level has a trickle crops; east of Hill City; off the beaten down effect on the state, county, • provide open spaces for path with remote roads in and, in the end, private lands. If hunting and birding, skiing mixed hardwood forests. the president or Congress were and snowmobiling, camping For additional information about to declare all national forests off and canoeing; autumn colors, check out the DNR limits to logging, preservationist • protect surface waters by Web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us efforts would be refocused and preventing erosion; and click on “Current Conditions.” intensified at the local levels. • provide homes for countless Much of a president’s power animals and plants; comes from his appointments to • contain 46 campgrounds, 44 rule-making bureaucracies such day-use areas, 1,200 miles of as the EPA. We have already had trails, 142 water accesses, and a taste of what this can mean 17 canoe and boating route with the Forest Service roadless campsites; and initiative and the proposed • provide public access to more D.O.T.’s hours of service as than 4 million acres of state examples. forest land through 2,000 miles So you see, there is a difference of forest roads. depending on who gets elected The first state forest was and it is time to remember who established in 1900 when a the friends of the timber industry thousand acres of cutover pine are. Although we can’t do as a lands in Cass County were donated famous Chicago politician once to the state by Gov. John S. said, “vote early and vote often,” Pillsbury to become the Pillsbury it is important that we support State Forest. One hundred years our political friends and vote. later, in 2000, the Minnesota As you gear up for the winter Legislature created the 15,000-acre season, take time to be safe. Waukanabo State Forest in north- central Minnesota. To obtain a state forest anniversary poster, or a recreation guide that includes directions to state forest recreation areas and lists state forest trails, campgrounds and day-use areas, contact the Department of Natural Resources 4 Timber Bulletin September/October 2000 also seeking a meeting with the people can once again have jobs What’s at stake in this year’s Northeast MN Synod’s bishop to and support their families. presidential election? The entire discuss this issue. National Forest system. After eight My guess is that if one checked years of open hostility to logging out the web sites for other TPA extends its deepest and loggers by the Clinton denominations, similar positions sympathy to Assistant Vice administration and its political would be found. I’m not going to President Bruce Barker and his appointees, national forests are check them out right now myself, family over the loss of his wife largely unmanaged today. If Al fighting with one church at a time Janice. She was a vibrant part of Gore is is plenty for me. many TPA functions and her elected, the I guess this all may prove the old sudden and unexpected passing Executive Vice adage: “fools rush in where angels saddens us all. President’s most likely outcome is fear to tread.” Either that or it an end to all proves that we’re fearless in commercial advocating for our TPA members. Column timber sales on federal lands. $60.80 a cord for winter access aspen. It happened at the DNR’s September sale in Onamia. I’m Senator Bob quite sure that this is the all-time Lessard has filed state record for aspen. for re-election as an independent. Lessard’s independent, now there’s Even with that big price for a news flash. He does appear to aspen stumpage, TPA thanks the have a tough race. One thing is DNR Division of Forestry field staff clear about Senator Lessard, he’s for their efforts, which increased been there fighting for us on every DNR timber sales by 80,000 cords forest management issue that has last year. We also appreciate the been in front of the legislature. support from DNR leadership for increasing management efforts. Hopefully the forest management Now, if the preceding two bits of program will increase to the total political commentary don’t have estimated sales volume in their your attention, read this story. plans of over 800,000 cords per Retired TPA Executive Vice year. President Russ Allen called me one day. It seems he’d been “surfing the net” and came across a website From their inception in 1914 for the Lutheran Church. He until this year Hedstrom Lumber noticed that they had a spot on had not laid anyone off other than environmental issues. Being a the times that fire destroyed parts good Lutheran, Russ was interested of the mill. High stumpage prices, in his church’s views. After imports and depressed