WVFA Mountain State Forestry Fall 2020

6 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry  | Fall 2020 www.wvfa.org A s we approach the transition to a new leadership team this fall my term as President will be coming to an end. As such, this is my final President’s message. Although the last two years have been tumultuous and challenging, I want to focus this message on the future of the association. But before I do, I want to thank the leadership team for their hard work and perseverance in navigating some rather turbulent waters. As far as the future is concerned, first and foremost association finances have been stabilized to the point that we have a firm foundation to build upon. There will be a concerted effort moving forward to grow our membership and therefore enhance our revenue streams, both through increased dues and other opportunities such as sponsorships. Our Executive Director, Eric Carlson, has implemented a number of new ideas that should prove very helpful in building the organization. A member survey was completed this summer. The survey responses provided some very interesting perspectives on where we are and where we should be heading as an organization. A summary of the survey findings is included in the Executive Director’s report in this magazine issue. Eric also initiated a candidate survey for those running for statewide office and for the legislature. Candidate responses will be posted on the WVFA website, so be sure to access them as you consider who to vote for in this very important upcoming election. Over the last couple issues of the magazine, there have been articles detailing the economic impact and importance of the forest industry to West Virginia’s economy which is substantial. As we maneuver out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the tariff situation, a lot of pent up demand will surge to the forefront, with an ongoing hope that losses sustained during this downturn will be restored and the forestry community will see a significant upward trend in growth and an even greater impact on our WV economy. And, with an anticipated push to repatriate businesses to the United States, there may be significant opportunities for WV to take advantage of this situation. That is why it is important for the association to be proactive in working to remove economic, judicial, and environmental barriers for those companies that see the richness of our Appalachian hardwoods and are open to locating in the heart of Appalachia. In this respect, we have an excellent legislative team that is well positioned to work on the important issues related to removing many of these barriers. Finally, the association has been working diligently to reestablish and reinvigorate a variety of relationships that have deteriorated over the last several years. First, we have a renewed relationship with the WV Division of Forestry (DOF) and one that we wish to foster and grow with the new Director of DOF. The association also has a strong relationship with the WV Commerce Department and the Governor’s office. And, there are a multitude of opportunities to engage with other associations, agencies, and organizations and I encourage the new leadership team to be proactive in pursuing these types of relationships. It has been an honor serving as your President these last two years and I look forward to have a continuing involvement with the Association as it continues to grow and prosper. As we maneuver out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the tariff situation, a lot of pent up demand will surge to the forefront, with an ongoing hope that losses sustained during this downturn will be restored and the forestry community will see a significant upward trend in growth and an even greater impact on our WV economy. Curt Hassler Board President M E S S A G E F R OM T H E P R E S I D E N T