Maine Forest Products 2024

Upgrading Maine’s aging homes for the future

COURTESY OF passivhausMaine Maine’s aging housing stock and a reliance on inefficient technologies are key challenges for the state’s residents. With many homes built decades ago, often using now-outdated materials, the need for energy-efficient upgrades is more pressing than ever. Enter low-carbon retrofitting — a push…

Sustaining Maine’s economy: a legacy of trees, woodlands & stewardship

COURTESY OF THE MAINE FOREST SERVICE Maine’s economy and many local communities depend on the forest products supply chain, which starts in the woods. Decades before a tree can be harvested for lumber, paper, fuel, or countless other products, it begins as a seedling or sprout…

2024 mechanized logging operations and forest trucking program underway

The Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking (MLOFT) Program, a unique 20-week certificate course providing unmatched training and preparation for careers in logging and forest trucking, is now underway for its eighth straight year. The program is an expanded version of the original logging operations certificate…

Hat’s off to the family businesses that make up Maine’s forest products industry

COURTESY OF TREELINE, INC. In an era where large corporations often dominate the commercial landscape, family-owned businesses like Treeline make a real difference in the communities they serve. Maine’s Forest Products Industry (MFPI) is a rich tapestry of independent contractors, sole proprietors, and small businesses who…

Christmas in July: spruce budworm’s calling card

COURTESY OF THE MAINE FOREST SERVICE People who spent time in the north woods of Maine in the late 70s remember smelling Christmas in July, not at a craft bazaar, but due to the damage caused by spruce budworm feeding. In the spring of 2013, in…

PLC of the Northeast log a load for Maine kids effort raises record total amount

COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF THE NORTHEAST The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of the Northeast raised a record $287,691 for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals in Maine in 2023 through its annual Log A Load for Kids fundraising efforts. The total shattered the previous record…

Maine study shows impact of master logger water protection workshops

COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF THE NORTHEAST The Maine Forest Service (MFS) has announced results of its 2022-2023 study on the implementation and effectiveness of Best Management Practices (BMPs) intimber harvesting across the state. According to MFS, the 2022-2023 results are consistent with previous years,…

Sappi’s packaging products can be used to replace or reduce plastic

COURTESY OF SAPPI The world has a single-use plastic problem: the majority of plastic does not get recycled, and much of it ends up in the ocean or landfills. Most consumers are in favor of reducing plastic. In fact, 87% of customers think retailers should curb…

Advancing Maine’s evolving forest-based economy through innovation and collaboration

COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE Maine’s forest-based economy has long been a pillar of the state’s identity, providing jobs, sustaining communities, and nurturing the environment. However, as global economic and environmental challenges evolve, Maine has an opportunity to position itself as a leader in sustainable…

A highlighted history of logging in Maine

WRITTEN BY AISLINN SARNACKI The most forested state in the nation, Maine is a land of trees. Towering pines, bone white birch, fragrant firs, and windswept spruce. The people of this area have long relied on these abundant resources. For thousands of years, the indigenous tribes…