28 VIRGINIA FORESTS PRESIDENT’S COLUMN, continued from page 7. One thing is for sure: change. It is always nice to think about how things were way back when, but that will get you nowhere as you move forward. In the forest products industry, we have seen a lot of changes. It is the end of the way we knew then, but most often there is new opportunity that comes along. Chesapeake Corporation was a huge landowner around the West Point area where I live and work today. In the late nineties the land was sold off to Timber Investment Management Organizations (TIMOs), the Nature Conservancy, and eventually some to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The paper mill has changed hands a few times since. New landowners had different goals and objectives. From all this, the logging force became more independent of the mill. The paper mill continues to obtain fiber from many of the same properties and from many of the same logging crews that cut for Chesapeake. At the time this was an unprecedented change, but everyone has adapted. VFA recently held its first Forestry Leadership Retreat at Wintergreen Resort. It was attended by many of our local industry leaders, as well as a few from outside our area. This was a great opportunity to learn what others have done and continue to do to make their companies viable and relevant in an ever-changing business environment. Of course, we heard much about leadership and how to be an effective leader—very important stuff to discuss and to reflect on as a business leader and to consider how you handle yourself daily. I think the most important takeaway from the Leadership Retreat was that we are facing many challenges. This was evident coming from our panel discussion with Don Bright of Meherrin River Forest Products, Andy Shorter of Mid Atlantic Tree Harvesters, and Glen Worrell of F&W Forestry Services, Inc. Each touched on their unique challenges and successes within their sector of our industry. None very different from the other, but it all comes back to adapting and changing with the times. Our speaker, Marshall D. Thomas, President at F&W Forestry Services, shared the history of F&W and their ability to adapt and change while keeping to the company’s vision and strategic plan. Planning has been key for F&W and their ability to be prepared for growth as opportunity presented itself. Marshall shared the truism: “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” This is how the company has evolved into an international timberland management organization. Planning and being prepared for opportunity were two of my main takeaways from Mr. Thomas’ presentation. The forest products industry has many changes and challenges ahead. We recently have seen paper mill closures in our neighboring states of North Carolina and South Carolina as well as in Florida and Washington state. All sectors of our industry are aging with fewer young people willing to take on the family sawmill or logging company. Land ownership is changing, and more land is being converted to other uses. All are great concerns but let us look at the opportunities that present themselves. The population is growing, and the need for our products still exists. We can grow trees faster on less acreage with the genetics we now have in our seedling growing stock. There are innovations in producing building materials from tree species not traditionally used for dimensional building material in CLT (cross-laminated timber) among other manufactured wood products. As an industry, we must be prepared for change and be ready to adapt to it. When I go back home this November to hunt with my buddy of 50 years, rather than doing our deer drives of the past with the Devlin’s on the Prentice’s wood lot, we will hunt on public land in the Jay Mountain Wilderness Area. I am sure we will be talking about how things have changed. “The forest products industry has many changes and challenges ahead. ... As an industry, we must be prepared for change and be ready to adapt to it.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTY1NDIzOQ==