Summertime is officially here in mid-July as I write this, and the complainers are out in full force. You know what I’m talking about: those discontents that cry about it being too cold in February turn right around and whine that it’s too hot in July. We hear moaning about it being so wet in April, and then we hear groaning about the drought in June two months later. We certainly hear a lot of complaining and negativity these days, not just about the weather, but also as we find ourselves caught up in the midst of any When it comes to material things and technology, we have it so much better than any generation that preceded us, yet complaining is Chris Harris B PRESIDENT’S COLUMN 3808 Augusta Avenue Richmond, VA 23230-3910 Phone: 804-278-8733 • Fax: 804-278-8774 vfa@vaforestry.org • www.vaforestry.org OFFICERS (2024–2025) President Chris Harris Pinecrest Timber Co. Prince George Vice President and President Elect Jay Phaup Greif Packaging LLC Amherst Treasurer Christina Hager Dominion Energy Richmond Past President Dan Hockenberger Virginia Forest Resources, LLC West Point Executive Director Corey Connors Richmond EX-OFFICIO OFFICERS Paul Winistorfer Virginia Tech—CNRE Blacksburg Rob Farrell Va. Dept. of Forestry Charlottesville DIRECTORS Term Expiring 2025 Ben Cole Cole Timberland Management LLC Appomattox Laurie Wright Wright Forestry LLC Blackridge Term Expiring 2026 Scott Barrett Virginia Tech Blacksburg Eric Goodman WestRock Clarksville Brian Irvine Roseburg Roanoke Rapids, NC John Reid Forest Resources Mgmt. Aylett Term Expiring 2027 Jason Critzer Gaines & Critzer, Ltd. N. Chesterfield Michael Harold Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc. Harrisonburg John E. Jones, III Central VA Land & Timber Montpelior Steven Peter South Paw Forest Products Inc St Stephens Church Doug Pond Nutrien Solutions S. Chesterfield STAFF Corey Connors, Executive Director Sonnia Montemayor, Deputy Executive Director Chris Frost, Operations Assistant The Virginia Forestry Association, chartered in 1943, is a notfor-profit, non-governmental, privately-supported association of forest landowners, wood product industries and businesses, loggers, foresters, forest use groups, and conservation-minded citizens. New board members are elected annually by mail ballot to all VFA members. Any VFA member may be a candidate for the board. Summer 2024 5 —continued on page 28 I’m Not Complaining so commonplace today. Unfortunately, the world today is teeming with negativity and entitlement, and we seem to appreciate these incredible gifts less than any time in history. In my little neighborhood of about 10 homes, we have had a fair amount of neighbor turnover in the past several years. These new neighbors are nice people who moved here largely to escape more regulated lifestyles elsewhere and were seeking less urban, lower cost-of-living environments. They came here to own a house on five acres of land, to pay less taxes and make their dollar go further, and to be around the wonderful, friendly people of southern Virginia. However, they bring with them some expectations of the very life that they ran from. For example: “What do you mean we have to take our own trash to the dump? You can’t be serious!” “We need to hire more firefighters and EMT’s around here. You do realize that we live 10 minutes away from the nearest firehouse don’t you, Chris?” “Our road is in horrible condition. There isn’t even a protective shoulder if one of those reckless drivers runs us off the road and into the ditch. We need to stand up and make our voices heard to the Board of Supervisors and VDOT and get these dangerous roads fixed!” Well guess what friends? I have no problem tossing my trash in the pickup; I don’t have an expectation of immediate help to be there at my beck and call; and I love driving the country backroads just like they are! All of those “complaints” are part of my normal way of life and products of the environment in which I choose to live. We, too, might find ourselves guilty of complaining as it relates to our individual forestry interests. I don’t remember the last time I heard us all rave about how great things are in the forestry world. Let’s remind ourselves though: If prices aren’t where we’d like them to be, we should still be thankful to have a market. If we think our timber should be worth more, we should still be thankful we can afford to own or manage a little piece of God’s green earth. If we feel like we’re overtaxed, we should still be grateful that we have the means to somehow pay them. If we don’t have markets for our products … well … maybe some things actually are worthy of complaints! We can still count on things to change one day, so hang in there and persevere! My point is this: understand the consequences of complaining and be careful how you try to force change on others. We have a responsibility to be open minded because change can certainly be positive and is sometimes necessary. We must also remember that everything has a cost, and every action has conversation related to politics or the economy.
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