Page 19 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - Second Quarter 2020

Both Moretz brothers agree that getting the certification is worthwhile and opens a lot of doors for loggers anywhere in the state.
Justin recently served on the NCFA’s Executive Committee as the Western Region Vice President. As a logger, he brought unique insight and perspective to the association’s leadership.
“Being on the NCFA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee was
a great opportunity for me, and I’m glad that I was a part of it,” he said. “I learned a lot, and I figured out that I’m not much of a politician, but it allowed me to meet a lot of smart people from different parts of the business and that was a great opportunity. I could tell that the NCFA leadership genuinely cares about the membership.”
The Future of Logging in Western North Carolina
Before heading back to work, the crew took time to offer their final thoughts and discuss the future of logging in western North Carolina, given the region’s rich history in the forest industry.
“If it was easy, everyone would do it,” said Teague.
“We love what we do. When I’m not logging, I’m hunting or fishing; I can’t stay out of the woods,” said Simmons. “Logging in western North Carolina is difficult, and there are a lot of challenges,” Greg said. “The labor force has been an issue, particularly trying to find good help that is willing to work as hard as logging demands you to work. The younger generation, primarily millennials, has realized that they can make more doing other jobs that don’t require as much
hard physical labor. ... Mountain logging is challenging. There is a lot of manual labor involved, and the logging industry in western North Carolina is facing a lot of changes. But I still love what I do for a living. It’s a great job.”
Justin said he enjoys that the work brings different challenges each day. “Greg and I would never discourage anyone from going into this business. We would just ask them how badly they want to go into this line of work and if they understand the challenges. Logging has a lot of rewarding aspects, but sometimes that is the only compensation you’ll receive.”
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