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Kentucky Wood Industry E-News |
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| Foresters Tour Industry Mills
The East Kentucky chapter of the Society of American Foresters recently toured two sawmills in Morehead, Kentucky. A fter the chapter's business meeting the group was led through the Harold White Lumber Company sawmill and secondary manufacturing facility by Mike White. The tour concluded in the showroom with displays of all the products offered for sale. After lunch at the onsite pavilion, the group drove down the road to visit Valley View Hardwoods sawmill. Both facilities discussed how they have faced and dealt with the economic challenges of the past few years and the outlook of the future for their businesses.
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Carbon Life Cycle
Analysis of Wood Pellets
For a very short summary article on the carbon footprint of wood pellets click here. In short, heating with wood pellets can produce one tenth the carbon as heating with oil and one sixth the carbon of heating with natural gas.
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If you read our inaugural Kentucky Wood Industry E-Newsletter issue you learned about UK Forestry Extension's certification efforts and our involvement with the Center for Forest and Wood Certification (CFWC). One of the goals of CFWC is to break down barriers in the certification world that prohibit easy exchange of information, knowledge, and the ability to become certified. The Center can provide technical assistance and assist large industries (over 5 million in annual sales) with certification of operations and help get your forest acreage certified through the Centers forest management certificate. The Center can also help small industries with certification through the Centers group certificates for Chain of Custody (CoC). To read more, click here.
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Emerald Ash Borer Update:
In 2011 there were 6,800 Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) traps set in 96 of Kentucky counties. EAB were found in traps in six new counties, Anderson, Boyle, Bracken, Scott (already in the quarantine area), Garrard, and Hardin counties. As a result, the st ate of Kentucky has extended the quarantine to include these counties. There have been some wasp releases in Kentucky in an effort to reduce the spread and population of EAB in Kentucky. These wasps have been very successful in controlling populations of EAB in their native country of China....more.
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Thousand Cankers Update:
Thousand Cankers Disease (TDC) is a disease that attacks and eventually kills walnut trees. The disease is spread by a very small bug called a Trig Beetle. The bug carries a fungus that is vectored into the tree. After several attacks, the sites of the attacks start to resemble canker sores on the tree - hence Thousand Cankers Disease. No one seems to know exactly how long it takes for a tree to die once it is invested with the beetle. Some have claimed it may take up to ten years. Early symptoms are yellowing of leaves and foliage and thinning of the upper crown of the tree. In the summer of 2010 the TDC was discovered in some walnut trees just outside of Knoxville TN. This was the first time the disease was found east of the Mississippi River. Since the first discovery it has also been identified in the Richmond, VA and Philadelphia, PA areas. To read more click here.
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US Hardwood
Lumber Sales to China
The Hardwood Leader April 2012, edition reported hardwood lumber shipments to China may be on the increase for the first half of 2012. The following is what was reported:
"Hardwood lumber shipments to China in January were stronger than any January in the past, and the 5th strongest of any month ever... and that's with Chinese New Year taking up a whole week of the month. Historically, February-March shipments to China are much stronger than January so the first 5 months of 2012 could shatter previous records, potentially reaching 55 MMBF per month."
In spite of the increased lumber shipments to China, don't anticipate a reduction or slower growth in US furniture manufacturing. Click here to read more.
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| March 2012 Housing Notes
These notes give and in-depth look at the March housing data and the intent is to provide an assessment of the current conditions in the United States housing market. This report includes data for new home starts and sales, building permits, housing completions, and construction spending - including remodeling. Also included are comments concerning existing home sales, foreclosures and distressed homes, economy and employment, housing demographics and trends, the Eurozone, and conclusions. Click here to learn more....
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Are Green Certified Products Always Best Choice When Building Homes?
Here is an interesting article that mentions green-certified products, especially in the context of home building, are not always the best choice according to builders and architects. There were concerns that green products do not necessarily perform well, costs can increase and the certification can be unnecessary. Interestingly, there were a couple specific comments referencing wood and forest certification and whether or not the certification added anything to the final product. There were also concerns that certification did not insure quality and durability of the product.
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EPA Compliance Guide
for Small Businesses Published
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a compliance guide to assist small business in determining how or if they are affected by the National Emissions Standards for hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Area Sources: Industrial, Commercial, and Industrial Boilers. If you own or operate a boiler, then you should use this guide. You may download this guide here SMALL ENTITY COMPLIANCE GUIDE FOR AREA SOURCE BOILERS. For more information and assistance contact: Division for Air Quality Jim Eubank, 502-564-3999 ext. 4419, or Kenya Stump, Emily Ohde, or Kerri Cope at 800-926-8111.
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May 2012
University of Kentucky
Department of Forestry
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Dates To Note:
June 12, 2012
LaGrange, KY
INFO: Tony Leanhart, Northland Trading, LLC
502.594.1330
June 19, 20 & 21, 2012
Kentucky Master Logger
3-day program
Hopkins County
INFO: 800.859.6006 www.masterlogger.org
July 26, 2012
KFIA Western Regional Meeting - Owensboro, KY
INFO: Steve Rogier, NewPage
270.274.7666
July 31, 2012
Ky Master Logger
Business of Logging - Marshall Co.
INFO: John Smith,
Forest Products, Inc. 606.528.543 August 14, 2012
KFIA Northeast Regional Meeting - Morehead, KY Contact: Yvonne A. Bradley, Homer Gregory Co., Inc. 606.784.4707 For more Dates To Note, click here. |
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