Page 11 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - Second Quarter 2021

The NCFA’s Comments to Proposed
Revisions to the North Carolina Forestry
BMP Manual by the NCFS
The NCFA submitted comments to the 2020 North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS) revisions to the 2006 edition of the North Carolina Forestry Best Management Practices (BMP) manual. Our organization had three simple comments.
Nantahala/Pisgah National Forest Comments
Since 2014, several NCFA members in western North Carolina have been engaged in the forest management plan revision process for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. The NCFA would especially like to thank Rob Elliot, Jim Sitts, Susan Fletcher, and Orrin Goure for the time they invested into this process. The culmination of their hard work and input resulted in substantive comments that the NCFA filed on Monday, June 29, 2020.
Over the last several decades, annual timber harvests on
the Nantahala and Pisgah declined significantly. The NCFA will be engaging with the United States Forest Service and other stakeholders throughout the plan’s implementation. We are hopeful the new plan will make forest management more of a priority than the current plan.
ProLogger
The NCFA’s ProLogger program, which consists of a base course and an annual continuing education requirement, is one of the nation’s top logger training programs.
Since 1994, the ProLogger program has been teaching loggers how to be smart, safe, and environmentally conscious in the woods. The base course runs two days, of which one and a half days take place in the classroom. The final half-day is a field demonstration where soon-to-be ProLoggers learn proper felling techniques, in addition to updates from OSHNC officers, and a water quality review session from members of the North Carolina Forest Service.
Currently, there are more than 1,500 ProLoggers who have successfully maintained their ProLogger status by taking the required course. Typically, the base course is conducted in three different locations each year. The continuing education course, referred to as a module, is conducted throughout the year by NCFA member companies across the state and is now offered online. The annual training calendar for the program runs from July 1 to June 30.
The NCFA coordinates input from the North Carolina SFI Implementation Committee and the NCFA’s Safety, Logging, and Transportation Committee to develop the topics featured in each training module.
L to R: Jadie Andrews, former Wood Purchasing Manager at EGGER Group North America, with John Hatcher. Greg and Justin Moretz of Moretz Brothers Logging, LLC.
Communications
There are a plethora of options when it comes to engaging with the NCFA. We communicate through multiple outlets in order to make sure each one of our members has the opportunity to learn about the NCFA and all the wonderful programs we are working on throughout the year.
ZipLine – weekly email newsletter with up-to-date information on NCFA projects, member visits, and relevant partner information relative to the forest sector.
TreeLine – quarterly magazine with NCFA updates, feature articles for members, and information for all members.
Social Media
Facebook: @NorthCarolinaForestryAssociation
The NCFA’s Facebook page includes information about North Carolina forests, the forest products industry, and the NCFA’s continuing work to promote responsible and sustainable forest management. It also serves as a point of outreach and interaction for the organization to engage with all current and potential members.
Twitter: @NCForestryAssoc
The NCFA’s Twitter account provides frequent updates that include: information about North Carolina forests, the forest products industry, the NCFA’s educational programs, and legislative initiatives/updates that affect the forest industry. Twitter specifically focuses on engaging primarily with non-members and potential members to garner attention for the NCFA, and the forest industry in North Carolina.
Instagram: northcarolinaforestryassoc
The NCFA’s Instagram page was created in 2019 to complement the existing Facebook and Twitter accounts, while specifically focusing on and engaging with the next generation of NCFA members, to promote the NCFA and the forest industry in North Carolina through pictorial documentation.
LinkedIn: North Carolina Forestry Association
The NCFA’s LinkedIn account was created in 2020 in order to engage with members and potential members on a professional level. Engagement includes job postings, economic information, and other professional topics.
YouTube: NCFA - North Carolina Forestry Association
The NCFA’s YouTube channel houses all videos created by the association. There are playlists for Goods from the Woods, Just Ask Roy, and Get to Know Us.
Website: www.ncforestry.org
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