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Make sure to get the reduced room rate by September 1! See details here.
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Plan to join the Wisconsin Society of American Foresters for their state meeting on October 2 and 3 in Stevens Point at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center. “Boards, Cords and Beyond: Managing Your Woods for Maximum Value” is the title and will feature quality speakers covering a variety of topics providing up-to-date information on markets affecting timber products and alternative forest-based products. The second day involves a field tour to two local forest industries; Marth Wood Shavings in Marathon and the WE Energies biomass plant in Rothschild. Check this link for the tentative agenda: Draft Agenda 2019, pdf.
We are excited to have two keynote speakers for the day. Dan Meyer, from Hardwood Review will give a hardwood market review in the morning to set the tone. Hardwood Review is a subscription based publication that provides pricing and market information on North American hardwood lumber imports and exports. More information can be found at the website www.hardwoodreview.com
Pete Coutu, from Forest 2 Market will lead a market discussion in the afternoon. Forest 2 Market is a global provider of timber pricing, cost benchmarks and in-depth analytics for the raw wood markets. The organization’s website is www.forest2market.com
Marth Wood Shavings specializes in alternate wood products such as fuel pellets, shavings for animal bedding, and wood flour that is used as the base ingredient for composite materials for uses such as animal feed fillers, plastic fillers decking, automotive components and others. More information about the company is found at www.marthwood.com
The WE Energies Biomass plant uses wood residues from saw, lumber and paper mills, forest residue, and right-of-way clearings to provide electricity for the area and steam for the Domtar Rothschild paper mill. More information about the plant is found at https://www.we-energies.com/home/rothschild_biomass_cogenerationplant.pdf
To register with Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wisconsin-society-of-american-foresters-statewide-training-conference-2019-tickets-59399545640
For any questions feel to contact the meeting chairperson, Nick Holmes at holmes516 @ gmail.com
And Now for the National SAF Convention in Kentucky
Kentucky convention to feature interactivity and contemporary topics. Louisville is known for bourbon, bluegrass, the Kentucky Derby, baseball bats, and now, as the destination for this year’s SAF National Convention. You won’t want to miss this exciting event, to be held October 30-November 3 at the Louisville Convention Center, featuring over 200 speakers, 80 exhibitors, 20 CFE credit hours, and endless networking opportunities. Approximately 1,300 foresters attend from around the country, and among those in attendance are many under-30 young professionals representing the future of our profession.
What can you expect at this year’s convention? Under the theme of “Goods from the Woods” there will be educational sessions spanning the full range of topics in natural resource management from silviculture, economics, urban forestry, biometrics, and more. Wednesday kicks off with a great slate of tours to showcase forestry in Kentucky, as well as more than a dozen workshops teaching the latest in forest technology and more. On Halloween, be sure to join the night hike in Jefferson Memorial Forest (we’ll provide the flashlights, you provide the costumes!) and on Sunday visit the renowned Mammoth Cave.
Plenary sessions will feature top-notch speakers on contemporary topics like new products from cellulose and a deeper consideration of right-doing than codes of conduct and rules of behavior can provide. And don’t miss the parade of SAF national award winners during Plenary 2 as we recognize our worthy colleagues. New this year are three “Advancing Our Profession” sessions that explore oak forests to meet current needs and demands; wood products of the future; and an open conversation on creating inclusive cultures.
The real hub of activity at convention is the exhibit hall. Exhibitors from equipment companies and tech companies, as well as universities and organizations, are anxious to share the latest technology and new products and develop new business relationships.
A new feature this year are innovation zones where live presentations, product demonstrations, and other activities will be held in an informal setting. Also in the exhibit hall is the SAF raffle and silent auction, featuring excellent items such as wood bowls, beautiful photos, trips, tools, jewelry, and hard-to-find books. And your dollars support the Foresters’ Fund and Kurt Gottschalk Science Fund.
Many have come to enjoy the hour-long Popcorn, Policy, and People (P3) sessions sprinkled throughout convention. Structured to encourage dynamic discussions, P3s will cover a range of topics connecting forests to human health, understanding the Farm Bill, and what’s next for the forest products and how SAF can play a role. US Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen will also offer insights and reflect on her experiences as chief.
We hope you take advantage of everything convention has to offer and meet new friends, reconnect with colleagues, and learn about the issues facing foresters and natural resource managers, all while enjoying the hospitality and atmosphere of Kentucky.
Register by September 19 to take advantage of early-bird convention rates. Convention details can be found at eforester.org/convention.
