A forest roundtable meeting, sponsored by As- sociated Industries of Vermont in conjunction with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative was held December 6, 2013 at The Steak House Restau- rant in Berlin, VT. This is a day-long meeting of some 50 people, members of the greater forest industries of Ver- mont together with members of State regulatory agencies and managers of State and Federal for- est land. Michael Snyder, Commissioner of Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation and Steve Sin- clair, Director of Forests, reported on the Tim- ber Harvesting Study. They reviewed 81 sales, and are still evaluating the data from those, which as most timber professionals believed, shows excellent care for our timber re- sources. A draft of the Proposed Revisions to the AMP’s was circulated, and remarks were recorded from the audience. The issue of Vol- untary Harvesting Guidelines was discussed, and several recent court decisions regarding stormwater management and other issues related to Act 250 jurisdiction. Biomass utilization and its effect on the forest economy was discussed by Darren Springer and Michael Snyder. ANR Secretary Deb Markowitz spoke during luncheon, expressing her hope that cordial coop- eration between her agency and the forestry INSIDE THIS ISSUE AIV Forest Policy Task Force Meeting 2014 Legislative Forecast 1 2 Current Use Public Hearing Report 3 SFI Legislative Breakfast 3 Legislative Priorities 4 2013 Economic Value of Vermont’s Forest Economy 4 Summit on the Future of Vermont’s Working Landscape 5 Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program 6 2014 Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo 6 New Orleans County Forester 7 Cold Could Kill Some Invasive Insects 8 2013 Heavy Cut 9 VT AMP Annual Statewide Summary 10 Vermont Skidder Bridge Program 11 Goodridge Lumber Celebrates 40 years 11 Report on FMCSA’s CSA program 11 Our Tech Centers 12 NELA/William J Cox Scholarships 13 Timber Talk 13 VT Wood Pellet New Executive Staff 13 VFF & LEAP 14 Swamp Logger at Annual Banquet 15 Farm Bill Favors Forests 15 Winter Safety 15 Annual Meeting Sign-up 16 Logger List 17 VFPA New Mailing Address 17 VFPA Chainsaw Raffle 17 Vermont Forest Products Association since 1977 WINTER,2013 VOLUME 1, ISSUE XI The Mission of the VFPA is to promote and defend the interests of our members. VFPA represents all aspects of the forestry community and the member businesses and individuals that are located throughout the State of Vermont . VFPA meets its mission through: Information and continuing education to its members Public outreach and education Working with other organizations through partnering and coalition building Networking with others within the forest products industry Lobbying state and federal government officials and lawmakers “The voice of the forest products industry in Vermont since 1977“ community could continue. Endangered Species developments, and solu- tions to the problem of deer and moose over- population were discussed by Michael Snyder, Patrick Berry, and Bill Jackson (Manchester District Ranger, GMFLNF). Preliminary report on Vermont timber harvest, including reports on State and Federal Lands activity, with special details on the former Champion Lands given by Steve Sinclair of FPR, and Jeff Tilley and Chris Casey of GMFLNF. Michael Snyder wrapped up leading a spirited discussion of proposed alterations to the Use Value Appraisal program. These range from a move to electronic administration of the files, to digital recording of maps and management plans, how to resolve “parking” issues, and make town treatment of conserved lands more uniform. VFPA 2014 Annual Meeting Wednesday, February 19, 2014 ~ 4pm to 8 pm At The Steakhouse Restaurant, Berlin, VT All members and friends of the industry are invited to attend AIV Forest Policy Task Force Meeting Report submitted by Bruce Shields Photo/Art by Corey Hendrickson
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Transcript
A forest roundtable meeting, sponsored by As-
sociated Industries of Vermont in conjunction
with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative was held
December 6, 2013 at The Steak House Restau-
rant in Berlin, VT.
This is a day-long meeting of some 50 people,
members of the greater forest industries of Ver-
mont together with members of State regulatory
agencies and managers of State and Federal for-
est land.
Michael Snyder, Commissioner of Department
of Forests, Parks & Recreation and Steve Sin-
clair, Director of Forests, reported on the Tim-
ber Harvesting Study. They reviewed 81 sales,
and are still evaluating the data from those,
which as most timber professionals believed,
shows excellent care for our timber re-
sources. A draft of the Proposed Revisions to
the AMP’s was circulated, and remarks were
recorded from the audience. The issue of Vol-
untary Harvesting Guidelines was discussed,
and several recent court decisions regarding
stormwater management and other issues related
to Act 250 jurisdiction.
Biomass utilization and its effect on the forest
economy was discussed by Darren Springer and
Michael Snyder.
ANR Secretary Deb Markowitz spoke during
luncheon, expressing her hope that cordial coop-
eration between her agency and the forestry
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E
AIV Forest Policy Task Force
Meeting
2014 Legislative
Forecast
1
2
Current Use Public
Hearing Report 3
SFI Legislative Breakfast 3
Legislative Priorities 4
2013 Economic Value of
Vermont’s Forest
Economy 4
Summit on the Future of
Vermont’s Working
Landscape
5
Vermont Farm & Forest
Viability Program 6
2014 Northeastern Forest
Products
Equipment Expo 6
New Orleans County Forester 7
Cold Could Kill Some Invasive
Insects 8
2013 Heavy Cut 9
VT AMP Annual
Statewide Summary 10
Vermont Skidder Bridge
Program 11
Goodridge Lumber
Celebrates 40 years 11
Report on FMCSA’s
CSA program 11
Our Tech Centers 12
NELA/William J Cox
Scholarships 13
Timber Talk 13
VT Wood Pellet New
Executive Staff 13
VFF & LEAP 14
Swamp Logger at Annual
Banquet 15
Farm Bill Favors Forests 15
Winter Safety 15
Annual Meeting Sign-up 16
Logger List 17
VFPA New Mailing Address 17
VFPA Chainsaw Raffle 17
Vermont Forest Products Association since 1977
W I N T E R , 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E X I
The Mission of the VFPA is to promote and defend the interests of our members. VFPA
represents all aspects of the forestry community and the member businesses and individuals
that are located throughout the State of Vermont . VFPA meets its mission through:
Information and continuing education to its members
Public outreach and education
Working with other organizations through partnering and coalition building
Networking with others within the forest products industry
Lobbying state and federal government officials and lawmakers
“The voice of the forest products industry in Vermont since 1977“
community could continue.
Endangered Species developments, and solu-
tions to the problem of deer and moose over-
population were discussed by Michael Snyder,
Patrick Berry, and Bill Jackson (Manchester
District Ranger, GMFLNF).
Preliminary report on Vermont timber harvest,
including reports on State and Federal Lands
activity, with special details on the former
Champion Lands given by Steve Sinclair of
FPR, and Jeff Tilley and Chris Casey of
GMFLNF.
Michael Snyder wrapped up leading a spirited
discussion of proposed alterations to the Use
Value Appraisal program. These range from a
move to electronic administration of the files, to
digital recording of maps and management
plans, how to resolve “parking” issues, and
make town treatment of conserved lands more
uniform.
VFPA 2014 Annual Meeting Wednesday, February 19, 2014 ~ 4pm to 8 pm
At The Steakhouse Restaurant, Berlin, VT All members and friends of the industry are invited to attend
AIV Forest Policy Task Force Meeting Report submitted by Bruce Shields
Ph
oto
/Art
by
Co
rey H
end
rick
son
P A G E 2
Directors ~ 2013-2015
Dennis Allard, Springfield
(802) 875-4304
Sean Barrows, N.Clarendon
(802) 775-0032
Steve Hardy, Chesterfield, NH
(802) 2571644
Robbo Holleran, Chester
(802) 875-3021
Michael Molleur, E. Hardwick
(802) 533-7001
Mark Rivers, Brattleboro
(802) 254-4939
Bill Sayre, Bristol
(802) 363-3341
Mark Doty, Fairfield, ME
(207) 453-2527
Eric Parenti, Orford, NH
(603) 655-6980
Officers for 2013
President
Steve Hardy, Chesterfield, NH
(802) 257-1644
1st Vice President
Colleen Goodridge, Albany,VT
(802) 755-6298
2nd Vice President
Bob Toppin, Ira, VT
(802) 235-2361
Secretary/Treasurer
John Meyer, Montpelier , VT
(802) 223-6666
Directors ~ 2012-2014
Ray Colton, Pittsfield
(802) 746-8033
Doug Edwards, Enosburg
(802) 279-2199
Delwin Fielder, Whiting
(802) 623-7601
Joe Gagnon, Pittsford
(802) 483-6550
Colleen Goodridge, Albany
(802) 755-6298
John Meyer, Montpelier
(802) 223-6666
Steve Galbreath, Ascutney
(802) 674-5834
Bruce Shields, Wolcott
(802) 888-5165
Bob Toppin, Ira
(802) 235-2361
2014 Legislative Forecast &
Review of Autumn
Public Policy Activity By Steve McLeod
Vermont Traditions Coalition & VFPA Lobbyist
At the December 19, 2013 Vermont Forest Products Association Meeting, we discussed the 2014
Legislative Session and some of the 2013 VFPA public policy activities leading up to the Legisla-
ture. For those of you who weren’t there, here are some of the highlights.
Tax Increases On Current Use Tax Program Participants: Legislation to increase the penalty on sell-
ing land by several hundred percent passed the House of Representatives in 2013, but stalled in the
Senate when Senator Bobby Starr (D-Essex/Orleans Counties) announced he wanted to hold Regional
Summer Hearings before the tax increase legislation was considered any further. A good number of
VFPA members participated in the Summer Regional Hearings where there seemed to be consider-
able sentiment for leaving the Current Use Program as it is or at least minimizing tax increases. At
the December 17 Summit On the Working Landscape, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Tim
Ashe (D-Chittenden County) stated that he thought the Senate would reject the House proposal and
focus on non-controversial improvements to the Current Use Tax Program. Ashe explained that the
land use change tax was controversial, so the Senate may leave it alone. VFPA discussed our posi-
tion on the tax increase at the December 19 meeting, and adopted John Meyer’s suggestion that we
oppose any tax increase. John, as VFPA’s delegate to the Current Use Tax Coalition was given flexi-
bility to work within the coalition and go with a compromise if political circumstances made compro-
mise advisable.
Senate Bill 100: Senator Peter Galbraith (D-Windham County) and others introduced this bill pur-
porting to address forest fragmentation on forest parcels of more than 1000 acres. Last year, VFPA
worked aggressively during several days of Senate Natural Resources Committee testimony to suc-
cessfully help convince the Committee to reject a proposal to bring forest roads on parcels over 1000
acres under ACT 250. It goes without saying that this proposal would have had crippling conse-
quences for the forest products industry if it had passed. Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
Department Commissioner Michael Snyder played perhaps the most pivotal role in convincing the
Committee to abandon this proposal. At the Associated Industries of Vermont Forest Policy Task
Force meeting on December 7, Commissioner Snyder advised the sizable crowd from the VFPA and
AIV communities that there will be a new bill of some sort purporting to address forest fragmenta-
tion, but it is impossible to know right now what form the bill will take. This bill continues to have
potentially significant ramifications, and VFPA will be heavily involved in any deliberations in 2014.
Lake & Pond Shore Land Zoning: You should have received the Vermont Traditions Coalition Alert
on the January 8 Public Hearing on this bill by now. This bill would restrict activities within 250 feet
of the shoreline of lakes and ponds in a variety of ways purportedly because the restrictions will help
bring us cleaner water. This bill passed the House last year and was subject to Regional Summer
Hearings over the summer and fall. The bill requires silvicultural activity within 250 feet of the water
to meet the Flood Hazard Rules (which haven’t even been adopted yet), a Forest Management Plan
approved by the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation, and the Accepted Management Prac-
tices. VFPA aggressively testified last year and will do so this year to the effect that all that is needed
is AMP compliance. Current use participants have to comply with a Forest Management Plan any-
way and Flood Hazard Rules compliance is duplicative. Worse yet, silvicultural activities are not
even defined so does cutting a few trees fall under all of these requirements? Ponds and lakes are
defined as any body of water over 10 acres. If you or your company have land next to these water
bodies, you should let me know as you may make a good witness. Secondly, you should immediately
file an official Written Public Comment making the above points. Written Public Comments should
be sent to: [email protected] . This Lake and Pond Shoreland Legislation is not the last
of the clean water bills. The clean water issue will be with us for the next several years. Look for a
rivers and streams bill this year or next and a more wide ranging bill to purportedly eliminate phos-
phorous from Vermont’s waters sometime within this time frame also.
House Bill 394: This bill would make it easier to convert waters to more restrictive classifications,
Vice President: Steve Hardy, Chesterfield, NH, Forester (603) 254-1644
Secretary/Treasurer: Bruce Shields, Eden, Landowner/Sugar maker (802) 888-5165
Trustees:
Dennis Allard, Springfield, VT, Logger ~ Delwin Fielder, Goshen, VT Logger ~ John Meyer, Montpelier, Forester ~ Bill Sayre, Bristol, Sawmill
~ Mark Doty, Fairfield, ME, Landowner ~ Sean Barrows, West Rutland, Sawmill ~ Warren Hill, Greensboro, Logger Please contact the
VFF if there are specific courses, workshops or training that will help you in your business
LEAP~Logger Education to Advance Professionalism Submitted by David Birdsall
How it works! The LEAP Program
Step 1. Provisional LEAP Certification for Loggers new to Logger Education:
A logger must complete 24 hours (three days) of instruc-tion, in the Primary Curriculum to achieve Provisional
Status.
Step 2. Full LEAP Certification – for loggers who have completed the Primary Curriculum.
A logger must complete 3 additional workshops, within 2 years of obtaining Provisional status to achieve Full Certification. One of which must be First Aid & CPR
The other two can be Electives of choice.
Step 3. Maintaining Full Certification – Continuing Education (CE) – for loggers who have completed the
Secondary Curriculum. To maintain Full Certification, a logger is required to participate in 2 days of related CE programs or public
service, within 2 years thereafter. First Aid and CPR cer-tification must be kept current as well.
Bottom Line – once certified, complete one workshop a year to remain certified!
How much does it cost? LEAP requires a one-time Registration fee: $250 for VFPA members, $300 for others.
There will be day fees associated with the different work-shops, these rates vary depending on the presenter or
topic. The fees typically range from Free to $150.
Contact David Birdsall, LEAP Coordinator 41 Northrup Road, Middletown Springs, VT 05757
MISSION: The purpose of the Vermont LEAP program is to promote a professional approach to logging by providing the knowledge necessary for LEAP participants to work safely, efficiently, and in an environmentally conscientious manner while harvesting timber in Vermont.