AFA NEWSROOM V17N39, September 28, 2022

Steve Marshall Announces Victory Upholding Trump Administration’s Reforms To Endangered Species Act

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Friday announced a victory in federal court to keep in place Donald Trump-era changes to the controversial Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Trump administration reforms reduced the regulatory burdens on private landowners. On Wednesday, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a motion by an Alabama-led coalition of states and a group of private landowners to retain the Trump administration rules. Critics of the Trump changes to the Endangered Species Act regulations make the ESA less effective at protecting endangered plants and animals.

Two Chances To Join AFA In Thanking Alabama's First Responders 

October 4th or October 6th

Please join us as we “Back the Blue” next week in Oxford, AL on Oct. 4 and Headland, AL on Oct. 6! Come out and enjoy lunch with us or volunteer to help feed the first responders in these areas. Contact aduke@alaforestry.org to volunteer!

Wildfire Advisory for Most of Alabama

With Hurricane Ian soon to make landfall in Florida, the state of Alabama will be situated on the dry side of the storm. On Wednesday, Alabama will be seeing lower than normal relative humidity and stronger winds across the state, meaning conditions are favorable for wildfires to start easily, spread rapidly, and be difficult to control. Because Alabama is already experiencing dry conditions heading into the event, this critical weather behavior will elevate fire danger for the state.

Forest Products Sustainability Projects Making Headlines in September

The push for decarbonization and a transition towards a circular global economy continues to drive innovations in nearly every business sector across the globe, and the forest industry is helping to lead the way. We wanted to share a few of the most exciting developments in this roundup of recent sustainability-oriented projects that are making headlines.

Lumber Producers Are Cutting Back, A Signal That Higher Interest Rates Are Taking Root

Lumber prices shot up early on in the pandemic in what proved to be a bellwether for rising inflation: stuck inside, many homeowners spent big on new decks, fences and other renovations and the increased demand for wood caused prices to take flight.

Economists often use that example to explain how pandemic policies such as social distancing created ripple effects in the economy, including a shift in consumer spending from services — think dining out or seeing a concert — to durable goods, which resulted in price inflation.

AFA Newsroom Special Feature:

AFA Political Endorsements

Check out our ForestPAC Voter Guide for the General Election on November 8! Find all of our endorsements here.

Which Industries Are Impacted The Most By Lumber Prices?

The pandemic saw many unique shifts in consumer spending habits as people were stuck at home and looking for things to do. Many individuals turned to unfinished DIY projects around the house as something to occupy themselves. The real estate market also started to heat up since interest rates were low and people looked to relocate as many jobs went remote.

Inside New York’s First Mass Timber Condo

Timber House is in the heart of Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood and is the first mass timber condominium building in New York. Co-developed by MESH Architectures and The Brooklyn Home Company, it includes six stories of post-and-beam construction—including studios as well as 1, 2 and 3-bedroom units—with exposed glulam columns and beams, and GLT floor plates.

Log-A-Load Events- Mark Your Calendar

Auburn University Forestry Club Sporting Clay Shoot

October 7, 2022

26th Delta District Log-A-Load Golf Tournament

October 13, 2022

Water Quality Workshop For Loggers & Foresters - 5 PLM/ 5 CFE 

September 29, 2022 -Tommorow

Economic Indicators Continue to Point to Likely Recession in 2023

Economic growth is projected to resume in the second half of 2022, but the combination of high inflation, monetary policy tightening, and a slowing housing market is likely to tip the economy into a modest recession in the new year, according to the September 2022 commentary from the Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group. The ESR Group continues to forecast 0.0 percent real GDP growth on a full-year basis through 2022, but it revised downward its expectations for full-year 2023 growth by one-tenth of a percentage point to negative 0.5 percent. Core inflation remains considerably higher than the Federal Reserve’s stated target; as such, the ESR Group maintained its expectation that the Federal Open Market Committee will raise the federal funds rate by 75 basis points at its September meeting. The ESR Group’s baseline forecast anticipates the federal funds rate topping out at a range of 3.50 to 3.75 percent in early 2023, though it sees significant upside risk to the eventual terminal rate.

Alabama ANRC Landowner Conference -

October 27 - 28, 2022

House Of Carbon: Your Home Stores Carbon For Decades

Wood is infinitely useful. Look around, and you’ll find it in all sorts of places, from cardboard boxes to pianos. It is even used in some frames for bikes and cars. If you live in the U.S., wood was also likely used to build your home. All these wood-based items are valuable to people in their own way. They also help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by storing carbon.

In the weeks leading up to and during our Alabama Woods to Goods Week 2022 celebration, we will be sharing stories about why forestry is "more than an industry" to people throughout the state of Alabama. Let us know what forestry means to you by clicking the link below.

Alabama Loggers Council Annual Meeting October 29, 2022

Join Loggers from all over the state. Special keynote speaker, Wendy Ferrand and a celebration of ALC's 30 year anniversary. This years program focuses on Transportation:

Main Topics

• Loggers - Don't Leave Culture to Chance
• Commercial Auto Insurance -What About the Future
• Alabama Motor Carrier Safety Unit Update
• Understanding Log Truck Gross Weights

Covid Era Impacts On Working From Home And Housing Market Impacts

While the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered many social and economic disruptions, it has also changed working arrangements and has accelerated the shift to work from home (WFH). During the COVID-19 outbreak in the early of 2020, many businesses across the United States closed and millions of workers experienced the work from home trend out of necessity. This sudden and massive work from home experiment generated major lifestyle changes for workers, homeowners, business owners, and our communities.

Mark your calendars for our ForestPAC Sporting Clays Fundraiser at Selwood Farm on Decembers 6! Help us keep and get quality candidates elected! Register now!

Time To Meet The Newest Member Of The Tiny Timber Crew, Travis!  Pre-Order Your Copy of Travis Visits A Tree Farm Today!

September 29 - Water Quality Workshop for Loggers and Foresters -Troy - (5 PLM, 5 CFE)

October 4 - Bibb County Forestry Workshop (5 PLM/CFE)

October 7 - AU Forestry Club Sporting Clay Shoot - Benefiting Log-A-Load

October 8 - Fall Project Learning Tree Workshop with Birmingham Zoo (5 CFE/PLM)

October 13 - 26th Delta District Log-A-Load Golf Tournament

October 18 - Why Do Leaves Change Colors in the Fall? Project Learning Tree Workshop (5 CFE, PLM)

October 27-28 - 2022 ANRC Alabama Landowners Conference

October 29 - 2022 Alabama Loggers Council Annual Meeting & Logger of the Year Award Luncheon(5 PLM)

October 29 -  Initial PLM Training Prattville (new PLM # only)