AFA NEWSROOM V17N43, October 27, 2022

Last Week We Traveled The State Celebrating Alabama Woods to Goods Week

We packed a lot of celebrating in 5 short days including:

8 Lunches provided to Logging Crews
6 High School Forestry Field Days
5 Legislative Mill Tours
5 Logging Site Visits
2 Forest Product School Donations
2 “Lucy Meets a Logger” Book readings
A Landowner Tour
A Legislative Tour of the Jack Daniel’s Cooperage in Trinity, Alabama
Women in the Woods Learn & Burn demonstration at Little River State Forest

That’s 31 events in 5 days! Thank you to all of our partners and sponsors who made it possible. Also, special shoutout to all of our members and partner organizations who hosted their own #ALWoodstoGoods2022 celebrations! There is nothing better than celebrating forestry’s professionals, products and industry. Check out our Flickr album to see more photos from the week!

Take a Look

Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)? SAF is a broad-based segment of biofuels used to power aircraft that has similar properties to conventional jet fuel, but with a smaller carbon footprint. Depending on the feedstock and technologies used to produce it, SAF can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions dramatically compared to conventional jet fuel. SAF’s lower carbon intensity therefore makes it an important solution for reducing GHGs in the energy-intensive transportation sector.

Join AFA In Backing The Blue In Decatur - TODAY

U.S. Housing Starts Outlook, Q4 2022 Update

The U.S. housing market fell in September, with both single and multifamily starts declining. The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 1.439 million units represents an 8.1% decrease from August. Single family starts fell 4.7% to a SAAR of 892 thousand units; multifamily starts declined 13.1% to a SAAR of 530 thousand units. While seasonally adjusted housing permits rose slightly in September (+1.4%), this was largely a result of an increase in multifamily permits, rising 8.2% to a rate of 644 thousand units. Single family permits declined 3.1%. The sector continues to show signs of tapering as builder confidence sits at the lowest level since May of 2020

AFA Health Care Plan Open Enrollment

IS OPEN! Oct 20th - Nov 23rd

Convenient Blue Cross Blue Shield Options To Fit Your Company's Needs

Click the link below to learn more about the Blue Cross Blue Shield plan benefits, options, & how to enroll.

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Alabama Loggers Council Annual Meeting October 29, 2022 - This Saturday

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

Automotive Supply Chains of the Future & Tire Sector Circularity

While skyrocketing fuel prices make national headlines, the other input costs that go into producing and transporting logs and wood fiber generally do not. Costs for many of these products - steel, tires, oils and lubricants, maintenance parts, etc. - have also surged over the last two years, which ultimately impacts the cost of producing forest products. Ongoing supply chain issues have driven costs +30% higher in some cases. For example, commercial truck tires have increased by ~35% since 2020… if they’re even available. Maintenance parts for logging equipment are following the same pattern, and are simply hard to come by in this market.

Because the harvesting and trucking links of the forest supply chain are integral to the forest industry's success, we wanted to share this analysis from our partner Tecnon OrbiChem exploring recent developments in the global tire sector .

LAST Initial PLM for 2022 -

This Saturday

The Initial Professional Logging Manager (PLM) course will be offered on Saturday, October 29, 2022, at 7:30 am in Prattville at the Marriott Capitol Hill (same location as the Alabama Loggers Council Annual Meeting). The October 29 Initial PLM will be the LAST Initial PLM course offered in 2022. Please note the Initial PLM course is for NEW PLM numbers only.

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.

AFA ForestPAC Voter Guide

Forest Carbon Markets: Forests’ Role in Climate Change

Forest carbon markets are quickly evolving as the importance of forests in tackling climate change is increasingly recognized and rewarded – something we are pleased to see and are very excited about.

Almost 25% of global carbon dioxide emissions are now covered by pricing mechanisms, with market value of more than USD 80 billion in 2021. Nature-based credits, such as forestry projects, often sell at a significant premium. In the rapidly growing market for voluntary offsets, forestry projects represent 50% of all credits issued in Q1 2022, with an expected value of almost USD 1 billion in 2022. This is the first of a series of blogs about forest carbon markets as we try to understand what is happening, and how it can impact global forest product markets. The focus of this blog is the role of forests in addressing climate change, and how that reflects the types of projects providing forest carbon credits.

AFA Young Leaders Returns in 2023

Applications are being accepted for the upcoming 2023 Alabama Forestry Association Young Leaders program. The professional development and networking program targets young professionals involved in Alabama’s forest community (landowners, loggers, foresters, wildlife biologists, and other natural resource professionals). In order to increase the influence of forestry throughout Alabama, the program strives to develop a community of forestry leaders. Program fees include five sessions in 2023 (including the AFA Annual Meeting) covering topics such as communications, education, outreach, law, forest products manufacturing, and more. The 2023 cohort will be the seventh AFA Young Leaders group.

Click below to register (Program fees include materials/resources, accommodations, and most meals during the sessions)

Mountain Lakes Chapter, SAF, Hosts Fall-Themed Project Learning Tree Workshop

On October 18, 2022, the Mountain Lakes Chapter of the Alabama Division of Society of American Foresters hosted and sponsored a fall-themed Project Learning Tree workshop. The Land Trust of North Alabama provided the location and facility at Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve, a 472-acre outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation area. “Workshop success was due to the collaborative support from state and local partners,” shares Bob Houseman, USDA Forest Service. Additionally, local retired foresters donated their time and professional experiences to the preparation and presentation of workshop material. Participants included formal and non-formal educators, loggers, and foresters. “As foresters and members of our professional society, the Society of American Foresters, we are responsible for providing leadership to advance the understanding of forestry in general,” says Callie Schweitzer, USDA Forest Service. “By engaging with our local community through this workshop, we put faces and voices to this message – we handled tree cookies, we crumpled leaves, and we stomped about in the woods, together.” The diversity of forests and biological explanation behind fall colors was a highlight of discussion.

Flickr Album

ForestPAC Sporting Clays Fundraiser

Dec 6, 2022

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!