APP and others look to grow the forest economy of northern Maine
AROOSTOOK COUNTY - News this week of a new $30 million J.D. Irving sawmill in Nashville Plantation, which will employee 60, is another sign the forest products industry is on the upswing. Two additional potential mill projects in the Ashland region look to provide more jobs and an economic boost to the region.
This trend is being applauded by officials with the Aroostook Partnership for Progress (APP) and Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC), who earlier this year identified the forestry sector as a high priority in the Mobilize Northern Maine asset based planning initiative.
APP President Bob Dorsey formed a forestry tiger team that includes Don Tardie, who recently retired as general manager of Maine Woods Company in Portage; Dana Saucier, forestry consultant; Steve St. Pierre, KeyBank; Phil Bosse, Senator Susan Collins' staff; Bob Clark and Mike Eisensmith, NMDC; and Tim Hobbs, Maine Potato Board.
Dorsey said the purpose of the group is simple, "To increase the value-added processing of Aroostook timber industry which will grow more jobs and help grow The County economy."
The tiger team has met twice this summer. The most recent meeting was Aug. 13, when Joel Swanton, Northeastern Region Manager Forest Resources Association Inc., attended to give his perspective on opportunities and challenges facing the industry in Aroostook County and Maine.
"The County has 3 million acres of forest and Maine is 89 percent forested," said Dorsey. "The forest industry is between $8 billion to $12 billion a year to the Maine economy and is roughly 20 percent of the state's gross domestic product. It is a resource and industry that is worth our attention because it means so much to the region."
The group has developed some initial goals of increasing the number of mills in Aroostook, reduce the high cost of energy to make mills more competitive, address regulatory restrictions which make Maine companies less competitive, explore new value added products and promote best alternatives, enhance the image and work of the forest industry to maintain a viable workforce and assist and promote continuing business education for the forest industry business.
The current focus of the group is to gain more information by engaging industry officials. Dorsey added a push is also on for the state to maintain up to date economic and resource data. In the immediate future, the group will benchmark best practices in regions with a comparable forest sector and promote business education programs like the one conducted recently at the University of Maine Fort Kent for loggers, truckers and bookkeepers.
 |
|
More than 50 loggers, off road truckers and bookkeepers now have a better understanding of business and the role each person has in operating a successful enterprise thanks to two days of training at the University of Maine Fort Kent May 14 and 15.
|
Saucier, who helped organized the UMFK training, believes tackling the image of the forest worker and addressing business acumen are crucial to the industry.
"Unless we do something to encourage the growth of forest sector, I honestly believe we will not be in a position to respond to an increase in demand," he said.
The forestry tiger team is tentatively set to meet again on Sept. 25.
For more information, contact Dorsey at 498-8736, or by email at rdorsey@nmdc.org.
