In this issue: OLC President's field trip visits Mount St. Helens, 4th Annual Clay Target Oregon Logging Conference Foundation fundraiser is held, several panel seminar topics have been set, and 2023 exhibitor contracts are available.

Easy Quick Links to the 2023 OLC program schedule, panel and seminar topics, social events, competitions, and other activities can be found on the last page of this newsletter.

Members of the Oregon Logging Conference Board of Directors and their families gathered in Vancouver, WA recently to attend the OLC President’s Field Trip. President Craig Olson and First Lady Kristi Olson welcomed the group to their neck of the woods for a work and play visit.

The Friday, September 23^rd field trip was to Mount St. Helens, a two-hour bus ride from the headquarters hotel, the Heathman Lodge. For some in the group it was their second visit to the mountain – the first being in 1987, seven years after the eruption for then OLC President Dave Bowden’s field trip. For others it was their first trip, with some who weren’t even born when Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980.

The first stop was at the Forestry Learning Center, which is managed by Weyerhaeuser, where Molly Rasor, Harvest Planner for Weyerhaeuser’s St. Helens Tree Farm, was introduced.

Rasor provided an overview of the impacts of the eruption then and still today, on the community and the landscape. She also talked about the industry’s recognition that reforestation was possible following such a landscape-devastating volcanic eruption.

Rasor shared that Weyerhaeuser has started production level harvest on the blast zone footprint and will sequence harvest across the footprint for the next 15 to 20 years, in accord with best management practices for harvest timing.

At Johnston Ridge Observatory, the next stop, Weyerhaeuser’s Director of Silviculture Erik Lease met with the group and talked about the recovery process at the St. Helens Tree Farm. He described as “amazing” the recovery over the past 42 years and the continued active management that has provided a healthy forest for Weyerhaeuser to harvest today.

It was noted that 42 years later, on a footprint where many questioned whether trees would grow again, operations in Weyerhaeuser’s blast zone offer a grand exhibition to the benefits our industry brings to sustaining forest environments and working communities.

The group then relaxed outside in the amphitheater and enjoyed a box lunch with Mount St. Helens as the backdrop.

At Saturday’s Board meeting an update was given on the 85^th Annual Oregon Logging Conference. Seminar and panel discussion topics and speakers are being selected, all to complement the coming year’s conference theme: Green Trees Matter. Healthy Forests = Healthy Future.

Above: Molly Rasor,

Harvest Planner

Below: Eric Leaser,

Director of Silviculture

OLC Group at Forestry

Learning Center

Exhibits inside

Forest Learning Center

Group having lunch with Mt. St. Helens as the backdrop

Specular movie of the fateful day, May 18, 1980

18 teams and many generous sponsors helped raise more than $46,000 at the 4^th Annual Oregon Logging Conference Foundation (OLCF) Clay Target Tournament fundraiser held on September 9, 2022. Proceeds will provide college and technical scholarships to be awarded by the OLCF.

“Once again we are very fortunate to be able to hold this fundraiser and at the end of the day, we raised more than $46,000 which will provide financial assistance to the next generation workforce in our industry,” said event chair and OLC Board Member Jeanne Shuttleworth.

The fundraiser was held at Creswell Clay Target Sports in Creswell, OR.

Participating teams rotated through the stations on the course, and for each broken “bird” or clay target, one point was awarded to the individual who shot it. In addition to paid registration, participants had the option to buy “do-over” tickets for missed rounds

Winning teams:

1^st place Ocean Terminals (for the fourth consecutive year)

2^nd place Bell Lumber & Pole

3^rd place Giustina Resource

4^th place RiverRidge Excavating

Cinderella award: Papé Kenworth

High Scoring: Steve Munsell and Liz Goll

Conservation award (lowest scoring individual) Rod Miller

“The event was a huge success, and we had a wonderful turnout,” said Rikki Wellman, OLC Manager. “This group of people always comes together to help and support and continue the future of the logging industry,” she added.

The fundraiser included a lunch catered by Chapala’s Catering, sponsored by Papé Kenworth, beverages sponsored by Modern Machinery, an auction, and an opportunity drawing.

Special thanks to those who donated auction items: Alta Forest, ShaneCo Timber, Kevin Merritt and Giustina Resources, Thompson Timber, Debbie Randall, Todd Bradshaw, Jim Search, and Flyway Forestry/Heidi Leib. Proceeds from the auction totaled more than $10,000.

Title sponsors were Bell Lumber & Pole, Giustina Resources, Swanson Group, and Papé Machinery.

Scholarship sponsors were Hart Custom Cutting, Nelson Bros Trucking, Stuntzner Engineering & Forestry, LLC, RiverRidge Excavating, Harold & Lory Huffman, ShaneCo Timber, Teevin Bros, Rikki & Dave Wellman, Western Forest Products, Weyerhaeuser, and Starker Forest.

Station sponsors were Boise Cascade, Cascade Timber Consulting, Douglas County Forest Products, Kriege Logging, LLC, Lone Rock Resources, Nelson Bros Trucking, Roseburg Forest Products, RiverRidge Excavating, Western Forest Products, and the 85^th Annual Oregon Logging Conference.

A tentative date has been selected for the 5^th Annual Clay Target fundraiser and that is September 8, 2023.

Visit the OLCF website for more information on the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation scholarship program.

Photos courtesy of Natalie Foglio

Ocean Terminal 

1st Place

RiverRidge Excavating

Hart Custom Cutting

4th place

Advanced Mechanical

Bell Lumber & Pole-

2nd place

Pape' Machinery

Giustina Resources 

3rd Place

Century Forest Management

Pape' Kenworth

The popular OLC panel topic Better Ideas / New Technology in Logging will be presented on Friday, February 24, 2023 in the Wheeler Pavilion from 2pm- 4pm.  

Topics of interest to be addressed:

• Load Cells for Towers and In Shackles. Presented by Brian Tours.
• TPR Industrial will talk about new technology in hardhats. These hardhats give more than vertical protection of conventional hardhats. Presented by Ted Rees, TPR Industrial
• New, Simplified Control System for Processing Heads. Presented by Wayne Cochran, Axis Forestry Inc.
• Connected Forest - Manage the Entire Forest Supply Chain. Presented by Pierre Rainville, Trimble Forestry

Moderator for the panel will be Jeff Wimer, Forestry Consultant from Albany, Oregon.   For complete program information visit www.oregonloggingconference.com

The Oregon Forest Practices seminar will be presented on Friday, February 24, 2023 from 8:30am - 11:30am in the Wheeler Pavilion. This seminar is sponsored by Weyerhaeuser Company.

The following will be presented: 

Operators of the Year Presentations - representative from ODF

Speakers will discuss the current state of the tether logging variance:

• Wayne Stone Logging will present from owner operator perspective.
• Tom Bozicevic Oregon OSHA
• Scott Swearingen, Field Support Field Manager, ODF
• Russ Smith, Modern Machinery, presenting the manufacturer's view for Falcon Forestry Equipment.

Idea: Eastern Oregon Forest Practices and PFA implementation:

• Joe Justice with Manulife

Idea: General state of Oregon Forest practices:

• ODF speaker TBA

Moderator for this session will be Dave Boyd with Associated Oregon Loggers. When attending this session you will receive 3 forest practices credits. 

For more information on the program visit www.oregonloggingconference.com

As the planning continues for the 85th Oregon Logging Conference in February of next year, we are now accepting applications for both inside and outside booth exhibitors.

Renewal contracts were emailed to 2022 exhibitors in September. If you plan to exhibit at the 2023 OLC, please complete the contract and return to the OLC office now, to reserve the same booth location for the 85th Annual OLC.

Deadline is October 25th to reserve the same booth location. After that date all open inside booth space will be allocated on a first received basis.

New exhibitors may visit the OLC website to download the contract packet or click here. 

Questions? Call 541.686.9191 or email events@oregonloggingconference.com

Sponsorship Opportunities Available

If you are interested in being a sponsor of the 85th Oregon Logging Conference call 541.686.9191 for more details.