Sunday, 01 July 2001
Forestry Cooperatives Create New Timber Markets
To restore forests degraded after repeated high-grading, community forestry cooperatives, like the FSC-certified Sustainable Forestry Cooperative in SW Wisconsin, are turning to new timber markets to make harvests economically viable.
Instead of selling low-value pallet logs, tie logs, and sawlogs to an area sawmill, forest owners are now joining together, processing their low-value logs and selling high-value finished products directly to consumers. Rustic flooring and character paneling are two of the best products that are easy to manufacture & sell — and utilize large volumes of wood. An unlimited array of other wood products are also possible. Retail sales direct to consumers gives forest owners fair treatment and generates the money needed to encourage them to manage their resources in a future oriented manner.
For more information on the Sustainable Forestry Cooperative and similar initiatives, contact Jim Birkemeir at 608.588.7342.