Page 19 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - Fourth Quarter 2022

The forest products industry is such a tight-knit community that even with competition, everyone realizes we are all fighting the same battles and struggles. People always seem to be willing to
help any way they can. Building those relationships helps you get through the tough times.
Q: What steps does your organization take to
ensure healthy, productive, and sustainable forests?
A: We have the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification program
that we participate in, we hire foresters
to handle procurement, and the company encourages us to participate in continuing education programs with SAF and the NCFA. CFP approached me to get my Registered Forester certificate and paid
to get this certification. We have to be sustainable or it’s not a long-term business model. Loggers are the tool of restoration and are important to the supply chain. Markets are important as a way to incentivize landowners to keep forests as forests. Especially in the western parts
of North Carolina, there is a big public
The forest products industry is such
a tight-knit community that even
with competition, everyone realizes we are all fighting the same battles and struggles. People always seem to be willing to help any way they can. Building those relationships helps you get through the tough times.”
relations/education/perception issue of what forestry is. The NCFA is one of the best advocacy organizations for helping change the narrative, with their education programs and advocacy work.
Q: How does your organization support the local community?
A: They encourage us to be active in the community. Richard Taylor, a colleague of mine, builds homes for
Habitat for Humanity. They encouraged me to join SAF and the NCFA. Greg
Decker, who recently retired from CFP, is a past NCFA president and distinguished service award recipient, and was always
a part of the Log a Load fundraisers. We have the “Caring Team” of volunteers who go out and help in the community with things like flooding events or employees going through tough times. We also have a foundation, which assists employees who are victims of emergencies, disasters, and/ or catastrophe; provides scholarships to dependents of CFP employees; and makes gifts and grants to charitable, religious, educational, and scientific organizations. ■
Breaking Ground
on New Beginnings
Learn more and join our team!
www.RoanokeValleyLumber.com
ncforestry.org / FOURTH QUARTER 2022 17