Ensuring that sawmills and pulp and paper plants had sufficient supplies of logs and wood fiber used to be the primary objective forestry companies had to be concerned with. Today, however, environmental constraints, wildlife, ecological and aesthetic considerations as well as the accommodation of recreational uses are all factors that have to be balanced with economic targets and business goals.

Those attending Richmond Expo on May 19-20 had plenty of opportunities to catch up with old friends and acquaint­ances. No one, I venture to say, had as much to talk about as Franklin Equipment Co.’s venerable Charles Thompson. Thompson, you see, was the person most grateful to be seeing the old familiar faces of industry, many of whom he considers close, personal friends. Indeed, Thompson was grateful to be seeing anyone.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), upon revising its proposed TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) program, has elected to hold off on giving itself the authority to turn non-point forestry operation sources into permit-required point sources. EPA is not saying it never will, but for now “will continue to evaluate how to best address the water quality impacts from forestry.”

Partek Forest of Sweden recently hosted an entourage of international trade press reporters representing 17 countries. The group toured two Partek factories, visited Skogsmuseet Museum of Forestry and also visited a logging operation. The journalists covered a lot of ground in both time and space. Presentations described the development of the forest products industry in Sweden, Partek’s role in key technological advancements and its commitment to the future of responsible and sustainable forestry worldwide.

We haven’t had a whole bunch over here but I’ve talked to a lot of guys from the South, in the Northeast and the North Central locations. Those guys are really concerned that one mill could tell you pretty much what the price would be. That’s their big concern. That would be a general concern here, too, although we haven’t had a lot of the consolidation.

Potlatch Corp. has contributed a lodge and more than 70 acres to the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation to create the Potlatch Conservation Education Center on the edge of an oxbow lake of the White River at Casscoe. In related news, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has purchased Seven Devils Swamp, a 3,445 acre tract of wildlife land in Drew County, from The Timber Co. The deal closed at $4 million.

Magnum Mulching Mowers offers the 500 Mulcher for roadside maintenance, land clearing, forestry site preparation and other applications. Features include: forward and backward tilt cutting head; 13' cut height; dual hydraulic power; hydrostatic carrier; ROPS; brush guards; and patented air cleaner and side shift.