METCALFE, Georgia — Hood Industries’ company president, Jay Galloway, announced news of the plant’s closure in Metcalfe, effectively laying off 100 employees. Reasons cited for the closure were the current volatile economy and its impact on the lumber market along with raw material and labor challenges. “We have looked at this problem from every conceivable angle, carefully studied the numbers, and considered many factors,” Galloway told employees. “We have made the difficult decision to close the mill.” …Galloway said that operations will officially cease after the remaining product has been processed, which will likely be by the end of the month. Hood Industries plans to reevaluate the viability of the Metcalfe operation in the future, but until that time, the facility will remain closed.
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NORTH CLARENDON, Vermont — Fire crews in North Clarendon battled flames at Mill River Lumber Tuesday. Crews were faced with an immense amount of smoke at the Middle Road location. That is near the Mill River Union High School. We reached out to the Rutland Fire Department to get more information — they tell us crews are still on the scene. No word yet on what started the fire or whether anyone was hurt. [Mill River Lumber is a manufacturer of Eastern White Pine]
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A new study finds that creating physical gaps in the forest canopy gives Eastern hemlocks more access to resources and help those trees withstand infestation by an invasive insect. The approach adds another tool to the toolkit that foresters can use to protect these trees. The paper is published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management. …The hemlock woolly adelgid—an invasive insect that was introduced to North America 70 years ago and has spread along the East Coast—can kill a hemlock tree in as little as four years. …”Integrated pest management utilizes multiple tactics to combat insect pests… This study focused on silviculture. Is there a way to actively manage a forest to improve the health of Eastern hemlocks?” says Robert Jetton, associate professor of forest health at North Carolina State University and study co-author.
Two renowned Minnesota old-growth forests — the Lost 40 Scientific and Natural Area in Itasca County and the Itasca Wilderness Sanctuary SNA in Clearwater County — will be the first in the state to join the national Old-Growth Forest Network. The network recognizes existing old-growth forests across the nation and highlights the importance of preserving these areas. “Minnesota has 48,000 acres of protected old-growth forest” Minnesota DNR Forest Ecologist Emily Peters said. …The DNR has a longstanding goal to protect this rare and important forest resource on state lands.” The Old-Growth Forest Network is a nonprofit working to connect people with nature by creating a voluntary national network of protected, publicly accessible forests. The network’s goal is to identify and ensure the preservation and recognition of at least one forest in every county in the U.S. where forests grow.
Greenville, SC and New York, NY – The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and New Leaf Climate Partners are proud to announce the release of their comprehensive Nursery Landscape Assessment, a pioneering effort to examine the investment needs of tree nurseries to increase their production capacity—and meet the growing demand for reforestation. This research explored the financing challenges that different types of nurseries face and determined investment interventions to unlock capacity. …“The Nursery Landscape Assessment showcases the critical role nurseries play in restoration and reforestation and begins to address how to meet investment needs of the nursery market,” said Delie Wilkens at the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. The Nursery Landscape Assessment report delves into several key topics, such as location distribution, seedling volume, forecasted demand, and workforce issues. Furthermore, it highlights region-specific considerations for those interested in reforestation and restoration initiatives.
Exposure to wildfire smoke and air pollution from farming operations could be making Americans more susceptible to developing dementia, a recent study found. It’s among a growing body of research to draw attention to the long-term health impacts of wildfire smoke as climate change drives increasingly destructive, deadly and smoky blazes around the world. The 
A Wisconsin sawmill operator has said it will stop employing children after the “devastating” loss of a teenager who died on the job this summer. That pledge came after the US Department of Labor accused the company of risking kids’ lives for profit. In July, 16-year-old Michael Schuls died of “traumatic asphyxia,” two days after he became trapped on a conveyor for freshly cut stacks of lumber while working at Florence Hardwoods. …Under federal law, no one under the age of 18 is supposed to be employed in a “hazardous” occupation, which the department explicitly defines to include sawmills. …Florence Hardwoods has agreed to stop hiring anyone under the age of 18, and to pay $190,696 in civil fines. …Some states have also expanded the ability of children to work in hazardous occupations… provided they are part of an educational or work training program.