Newsletter Stories


Thursday, 18 October 2018
FSC Member Profile: Professional Logging Contractors of Maine

October 17, 2018


Name: Dana Doran
Job Title/Role: Executive Director

Describe your organization’s mission or focus: Since 1995 the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) has been the voice of Maine’s logging industry. The PLC is Maine’s only trade organization that exists to give independent logging contractors and sole proprietors a voice in the rapidly changing forest industry. Our Board is made up entirely of loggers, making us a logging organization that is run by loggers for loggers. From the outset, PLC has focused on logger advocacy, safety, quality operations and business innovation. Our members realize that harvesting is more than just cutting trees. They are highly skilled, business professionals and are an integral part of Maine’s economic engine. Our members do their best in the woods and are committed to excellence in the logging industry.

When did you join FSC? July 13, 2018

Describe your organization’s location & scope of work: Headquartered in Augusta, Maine, the PLC advocates for Maine loggers in the state capital and in Washington D.C.; communicates the message that responsible harvest of trees provides jobs for millions of Americans and that working forests are essential for a healthy environment, providing clean air, clean water, and wildlife habitat; cultivates relationships in the business community to provide members with a competitive edge; innovates by helping our members create new opportunities to position them competitively in the marketplace; and collaborates to work with other forest industry groups on issues where we agree, while standing strong for Maine loggers where we don’t.

Why is FSC important to you and your organization? The PLC provides a voice for loggers in Maine to ensure their long-term viability. It communicates a message that logging is good for everyone. Timber harvesting and trucking in Maine directly provides over 4,000 jobs, and indirectly spurs another 3,000. This employment has an enormous impact on the state, especially in its rural areas. Working forests are essential not only for the economy, but to promote a healthy environment, providing clean air, clean water and wildlife habitat. It is from this perspective that we believe there are tremendous synergies between FSC and our organization. Loggers have not traditionally been part of the work that FSC has done over the years. However, the work that loggers do in the forest is vital to upholding the objectives and methods of FSC. We believe strongly that our philosophies align with FSC and it is important for loggers to have a seat at the table with the work that FSC is doing.

Editor: More than 4.8 million acres of forest is FSC certified in Maine.