November/December 2019
COVER STORY – Steep Slope Systems: A Tale Of Two Loggers – 
Steep slope logging is more than just tethering and covers a wide variety of equipment and components. In this month’s issue read about two contractors plus equipment and component suppliers.
Operating two crews, Don Meng, owner of Meng Logging, is mechanizing steep slope operations for one of his sides – an innovative operation that blends steep slope tethering applications with shovel logging. In doing so, the logger is adapting the system to his ground-based operations while also cutting tracts and providing mechanized felling benefits for other loggers who operate traditional cable and yarding crews.
After falling in love again with cutting, Andy Postlewait started as a hand cutter in the 1990s when northern Washington was full of quality saw men. Cutting trees as often as seven days a week became the norm for Postlewait as he excelled with his saw. Then, the opportunity arose to strike out on his own as a cutting contractor in 1998, and he decided to begin his career as the owner and operator of Northwest Timber Cutting, a falling company based in Deming, that handles hand cutting, mechanized falling and winch assisted (tethered) falling work.
MyTAKE: Tackling Terrain, Industry Issues
This month’s “My Take” covers two areas: Loggers taking on steep slope work and also rolling up their sleeves and doing the dirty work in state houses, hearings, meetings and more to build a better business environment for the timber harvesting industry.
NewsLines
Enviva Action In Alabama, Mississippi; Weiler Forestry Comes Of Age; Alamo Group Acquires Morbark From Stellex; Weyerhaeuser Sells Michigan Timberland; Future Forests + Jobs Will Combat Untruths; Georgia-Pacific Idles Sawmill, OSB Facility; Martco Plans Upgrades At OSB, Plywood Mills; Mississippi Loggers Association Steps Up As 2019 Comes To An End; Georgia-Pacific Begins Upgrades At Gurdon; Management Options Abound For Tongass
Arizona Goes Big
Officials with the U.S. Forest Service in Arizona are hoping a 20-year commitment of logs and fiber is enough to attract investment in a massive new 4 Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI) Phase 2 stewardship contract that seeks to mechanically thin and treat up to 818,000 acres across four national forests in the state.
American Loggers Council Turns 25
Loggers from across the country gathered here in late September for the American Loggers Council’s 25th annual meeting, as the organization celebrated its quarter-century anniversary.
Steep Slope Technology
Deere M-Series Tracked Feller Bunchers; KMC Skidder Accesses Tough Terrain; Maxam LogXtra: Heavy Duty Performance Tire; Olofsfors EX Tracks Handle Steep, Rough Terrain; Ponsse Technology Tackles Steep Slopes; Summit The Leader In Steep Slope Systems; Tigercat LS855E Shovel Logger; Wallingford’s Supplies Clark Tracks
EquipmentWorld
From Woods To Office: Ticket Tracking Gone Digital; Construction Machinery To Deal For Tigercat; CBI Debuts Grinder At Factory Forum; Komatsu America Names TEC As Dealer; Rotochopper Hosts Ninth Demo Day; Doosan NW Dealership Expands In Idaho
Crazy Kudzu
Fond of the South’s climate, this tenacious vine overtakes whatever it encounters.
InnovationWay
Barko New Lighter Weight Loaders; MAXAM LogXtra Forestry Tire; Tigercat Wheel Harvester; John Deere Enhanced Swing Machinel Weiler Track Feller-Bunchers; Nokian Tyres Intuitu; John Deere Felling Heads; Tigercat E-Series 845 Felling Machines; John Deere TimberMatic
SelectCuts
Myers ‘Goes Pink’ In Honor of Mom; As We (ALC) See It: Follow the Plan, Achieve the Goal; Appalachian Honor Goes To Glotfelty; Tree Distribution Remembers Michael; First Earl St. John Golf Tourney Held; Dogwood ‘Environmentalists’ Sponsored By Bottled Water
