Page 17 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - Second Quarter 2023

Q: What steps does your organization take to ensure
healthy, productive, and sustainable forests?
A: The biggest one is that Roseburg has committed all of the eligible
timberlands in the Southeast to be certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative standard. We are more proactive in measuring and monitoring resources, and productivity is our target. Every available acre that we own and operate needs to be as productive as it can be. We operate within the guidance of a non-declining yield modeling scenario — to ensure that we can operate within sustainable bounds. The goal is to always have a positive growth trend for timber volume.
Q: Are there economic reasons for taking these measures?
A: There are. One is to maintain the social license to operate and
to validate that we are operating in a sustainable manner. What we do on the ground is valid, proven, and sustainable. Right now, we benefit from thinning plantations that I watched get established. I am trying to instill that in the younger generation and help them understand they’ll get to see a full rotation of
many stands of timber in their careers. Timberland’s biological growth ensures you get a return on investment.
Q: How does your organization support the local community?
A: Roseburg supports local chambers of commerce, sponsors a youth soccer
team, sponsors the local 4-H Harvest Day, and anything local we can support. In addition, Roseburg offers a 75% donation match for team member contributions
to charity. In 2022, the Roseburg Team Member Giving Campaign raised over
$1.1 million for charity. Roseburg runs
a grant program for local volunteer fire departments. In rural communities where they own timber, there are often local fire departments, and if the departments have resources to control wildfires before the NC Forest Service can mobilize, that is a critical resource. Roseburg supports these public servants to maintain equipment and certifications. This past year, we supported seven fire departments. Roseburg also reached out to the NC Forest Service
to give them the opportunity to train their equipment operators on part of the Roseburg cutover land so they are efficient and capable.
G. Clay Creed, R.F.
P.O. Box 159 Laurel Hill, NC 28351
NC Registered Forester No. 1655 NC Certified Prescribe Burner 313 C Registered Forester No. 1794 SC Prescribed Fire Manager 899
Society of American Foresters
Contributing member of NCSU Cooperative Tree Improvement Program
610-5841
ncforestry.org / SECOND QUARTER 2023 15