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The Show - American Logger Council Annual Meeting Review

By Kenneth Boness

A few of the terms that were used to describe various methods of Great Lakes logging a hundred years ago are still valid today. A “cold deck” is a pile of logs that will wait for some time before being loaded and hauled out of the woods. “Hot logging” applies to bringing logs to roadside and immediately loading them onto whatever method of transportation is being used. More recently, a logging operation was referred to as a “show.” The logging show headed up by Brian Nelson, president of the American Loggers Council (ALC), could well have been called “The Greatest Logging Show on Earth!”

In the tradition of ALC, it is customary to hold the annual meeting in the home state of the sitting president. And this one—the 20th annual meeting—was special because the ALC’s first president, Earl St. John, a renowned Michigan logger, was present to see the ALC meeting come back to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for the first time since he hosted it. If there was anyone in the gathering who was regarded as royalty it was Earl St. John.

Ready to Wow

Special days require special planning. To Brian Nelson of Marvin Nelson Logging that meant experienced loggers from all points of this country would be coming to his home turf. And he was ready!

The “greatest show” only lasted one day, but it was something to see. The stumpage was provided by Plum Creek Timber Company Inc., with the assistance of Charlie Becker, senior resource manager-Lake States. Brian Nelson invited a number of manufacturers and dealers to bring in equipment to demonstrate.

Loggers from around the country watched harvesting, forwarding, skidding, chipping, grinding, and trucking as all facets of Lake States logging kicked in. On hand were machines from (in alphabetical order): Barko, Caterpillar, Hood, International, John Deere, Kenworth, Kesla, Peterbilt, Peterson, Ponsse, Rotochopper, Vermeer, and more. Biomass, tree length, cut-to-length, and chips; wood was moving in various forms. Tracked harvesters were working alongside rubber-tired units. A grapple skidder was pulling tree length to the landing, where it was later bucked by a harvester. Forwarders brought biomass to chippers and decked it or fed it into a chipper or grinder. Some forwarders cold-decked their loads while others off-loaded onto trucks.

In Control

The scene was surreal—like a logging site out of control. And yet it was all under control. Sightseers, equipment operators, and support people came together, and there was something different to be seen with every turn of the head. Even though trucks of all sizes—from pickup trucks to service trucks to Michigan log and chip hauling monsters—had to ease their way through the machinery and pedestrians, all went smoothly. Without question, Brian and brother David Nelson know how to run a logging show. Marvin, their father, had passed away not that long before the show. The show was evidence of how well he had taught his boys to log. ALC members commented later that it was one of the best logging demonstrations they had seen.

Successful Seminars

The following day saw something new at ALC annual meetings: seminars. The first, Industry Direction, Challenges, and Needs, was skillfully led by Tom Trone (John Deere) and members of the ALC. Panel and audience freely discussed “what a successful, profitable logging business might look like and the challenges and opportunities moving forward.”

The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seminars dealt with specific areas of equipment maintenance. Dan Brunner (Peterbilt) led the way through Tier IV Engines and Trucking; a discussion of maintenance, technology, and applications of Tier IV engines in the hauling of timber products. Jimmie Locklear (Forestry Mutual) presented a colorful and knowledgeable dissertation of On-Board Fire Suppression Equipment Systems. The last topic was Telematics. Jason Coskiners (Caterpillar) joined with Tom Trone to enlighten ALC members about the latest technology entering the marketplace, which allows for equipment on-site to be evaluated for certain electronic problems and repaired by a technician at a remote location.

Business Meeting

Highlights from the business side included election of a new president: Myles Anderson, Anderson Logging, Fort Bragg, Calif. The legislative report detailed progress of ALC activities in Washington, D.C., including the Right to Haul Act, the Future Logging Careers Act, and activities supporting USFS Timber Sale program improvements. Also announced was the completion of a web page (www.americanloggers.org/careers) and brochures that provide contact information to those interested in a logging career.

President-elect Anderson stated, “I plan on keeping the momentum we have built over the past twenty years. There is still much work needed at the federal level on the issues that will help those we represent participate in the economic recovery being seen around the country.”

ALC Legislative Committee Chair Jim Geisinger commented during his report that “over the past twenty years, the progress that the organization has made is amazing in the fact that where once there was no unified voice of loggers in Washington, D.C., now, 20 years later, they are calling us. Just this year, members of the ALC have been called several times to testify, either written or orally, on the issues and legislation that have the potential to impact their operations, and two of our issues, the Endangered Species Act and Truck Weights have been introduced as bills in both the House and Senate.”