Stimson Lumber hosted Fellows at their Forest Grove forestland and mill. Stimson, a privately-held forest products and natural resource company, is based in Portland and has its roots dating back to the 1850s. Fellows visited with managers to learn more about the business of one of the oldest, continuously operating forest products companies in the United States.
Stimson’s Resource Group manages 500,000 acres of company-owned timberland, which are certified through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. The company primarily sells lumber to Home Depot, a retail outlet catering to the home remodeling and construction industry and “do-it-yourselfers.”
Fellows traveled through the snowy hills with forest managers Scott Gray and Dave Sweeney to visit a harvest site and learn about forest operations. They watched as a local contractor, Cross and Crown, felled trees and loaded them with ease onto log trucks. Fellows were impressed with the 40 to 45 year rotation age and the efficiency of harvesting.
The group followed the logs to the nearby Forest Grove mill, which employs 220 people. Mill manager Bob Banchero walked the group through the manufacturing process, where Fellows watched as logs were converted into dimensional lumber. Waste from the sawmill is then used to create hardboard on site, which has a variety of uses, including home siding. Fellow Shouxin Xie was particularly impressed with the operations and technology used. “This kind of scene is entirely different from China’s factories,” he said. “It’s high level of automation really makes me surprised.”
Monday, April 20, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
Fellows in the Oregonian!
Portland residents may have seen the Oregonian newspaper's recent article highlighting the WFI Fellowship program in its Sustainability section's front page. The article was entitled "World Forestry Program Sends a Global Message: Overseas experts come to Oregon to learn the latest about sustainably growing and harvesting forests." Following the WFI Fellows on a field trip excursion to Hopkins Demonstration Forest, Victor Kawanga (Zambia), Milan Mataruga (Bosnia), Roslyn Henricks (Australia), and Shouxin Xie, Min Zhao, and Lanhui Wang (China) were interviewed by about why they came to Oregon and how the will apply their learning at home.
View the article at: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/03/world_forestry_program_sends_a.html
View the article at: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/03/world_forestry_program_sends_a.html
Brazilian Alumnus Joins WFC Board of Directors
In 1996, Claudio Ortolan completed a one-year Fellowship at WFI as the Brazilian representative, and WFI is proud to announce his election to the Board of Directors at the World Forestry Center. Claudio joins Jes Munk Hansen as the second WFI alumnus to sit on the board.
“I am very flattered and I hope to be able to collaborate,” says Claudio. “The time I spent in WFI was a continental divide in my career and was a very enjoyable time in my personal life too.”
“I see room for experience exchange between the North and South. In the South you have the intensively managed plantation forestry; everyone gets amazed seeing mature forest for harvest only 7 years old,” he explains. “The North is still the source of capital. And WFI has proved to be the meeting point of choice for the forest investment community.”
“The northern hemisphere companies also have the experience of dealing with environmental concerns. The environmental pressure may have changed sides. Forest companies are well positioned to supply sustainable and carbon neutral products and clean energy, and at the same time protect water and wildlife. WFI has been conveying this message for a long time.”
“I am very flattered and I hope to be able to collaborate,” says Claudio. “The time I spent in WFI was a continental divide in my career and was a very enjoyable time in my personal life too.”
“I see room for experience exchange between the North and South. In the South you have the intensively managed plantation forestry; everyone gets amazed seeing mature forest for harvest only 7 years old,” he explains. “The North is still the source of capital. And WFI has proved to be the meeting point of choice for the forest investment community.”
“The northern hemisphere companies also have the experience of dealing with environmental concerns. The environmental pressure may have changed sides. Forest companies are well positioned to supply sustainable and carbon neutral products and clean energy, and at the same time protect water and wildlife. WFI has been conveying this message for a long time.”
Australian Phil Lacy Moves to PF Olsen
Phil Lacy (Australia 2004) recently began working for PF Olsen Australia after many years at Forests New South Wales. PF Olsen is based in New Zealand, and they manage native and plantation forests for investors. They recently expanded their operations into Australia, and Phil will be working out of Emerald Beach, New South Wales. Phil can be reached at phil.lacy@pfolsen.com. Phil is also nearing completing of his Ph.D. in Forestry, focusing on prescribed fire in eucalyptus plantations.
Phil’s wife Janice is working as a physical education teacher at a local high school. Daughter Skye is now in 4th grade, and daughter Tiana is in 1st grade. They family spends time at their nearby tree farm growing eucalypts, and they recently bought a portable sawmill and tractor to begin milling their own wood. The first batch of lumber will be put to good use creating a deck for their home, which is a few short blocks from the beach.
Phil’s wife Janice is working as a physical education teacher at a local high school. Daughter Skye is now in 4th grade, and daughter Tiana is in 1st grade. They family spends time at their nearby tree farm growing eucalypts, and they recently bought a portable sawmill and tractor to begin milling their own wood. The first batch of lumber will be put to good use creating a deck for their home, which is a few short blocks from the beach.
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