2021 First Quarter
Title: East Coast Firewood: From Surplus Arises Sustainability
Member/Company: East Coast Firewood
“We try to build synergy in all businesses. Our wood yards are the major source of raw material for our firewood operation. From our trucks to our logging operation, to the wood dealership, everything works hand in hand. We are always trying to find what else we can do to be efficient and grow the business at the same time. I’m always thinking forward, and ask myself every day, what else can I do for this industry? My fear is complacency. For me, that would be failure.” – Perry Hunt
Member/Company: Brandon King, M.F.
“The prudent forestland owner — working with a surveyor when needed — will always keep an eye out for changing jurisdictions and regulations over time, seek the counsel of a properly licensed attorney with expertise in land development regulations and zoning, and work with a landowner’s agent experienced in these same regulatory areas.” – Brandon King, M.F.
Member/Company: Dr. John Hatcher and Rob Elliot
“Whether it be through conducting educational advocacy, supporting regulatory reforms, or participating in collaborative community discussions, the NCFA will continue to make a positive contribution to the health of our state’s forests and the local economies that depend on sustainable forest management.” – Hatche & Elliot
2021 Second Quarter
Title: BTJ Cabinet Door Company: Prioritizing Family & Quality
Member/Company: Curtis Grindstaff
“Over the course of our 23+ years of crafting cabinet doors, we’ve discovered that the only way we can help our customers progress is to keep moving forward ourselves. That’s why we continually invest in cutting-edge equipment and tooling, commit to best-in-industry turnaround times, and are unwavering in our dedication to the quality of our doors… And we still subscribe to the ideals that made us successful over 20 years ago: pristine craftsmanship and impeccable customer service. That’s the family recipe; it always has been.” – Curtis Grindstaff, BTJ Cabinet Door Company
Member/Company: Chip Capps, Arcola Logging
“Once you work on your own and get involved in the woods, sawdust is in your blood. It’s always there, and once you get used to being independent, you can’t go back to the corporate world. In the corporate world, you do a lot of putting your ideals aside to toe the corporate line. With jobs like logging or contracting or driving trucks, you can tailor your business to your ideals.” – Chip Capps
Attribution: Dr. Park, North Carolina State University
“My main research takeaway is the importance of moving away from a fossil based economy. We want to develop environmentally sustainable technology to create a more robust bio-economy.” – Dr. Park
RESEARCH: A simple method for producing bio-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, W.J. Sagues, J. Yang, N. Monroe, S. Han, T. Vinzant, M. Yung, H. Jameel, M. Nimlos, S. Park. Green Chemistry, 22: 7093-7108 (2020). Publication Date: September 29, 2020. Copyright © 2020 Royal Society of Chemistry
2021 Third Quarter
Title: Feeding the Mill
Member/Company: Chris Charest, Procurement Forester, H.W. Culp Lumber Company
“The most important benefit of being a member of NCFA is getting the entire picture of forestry in the state. You can get really regionalized in your own operations, but NCFA gives you perspective on landowners, industry, and other forestry related organizations”
Member/Company: Joel Cathy, Ontario Hardwood Co., Inc.
“The company joined the NCFA in 2002 because the association advocates for its interests with the North Carolina legislature, and Ontario’s team enjoys the ability to network with others in the forestry industry. Hardwoods are not a scarce resource. They are plentiful because they regenerate — not as fast as pine regenerates, but faster than most folks realize.” – Joel Cathy
Member/Company: Fred P. Hain, Professor Emeritus & Director of Forest Restoration Alliance, NC State University
“Where they were most dominant — the Appalachian Mountains — it has been estimated that one in every four hardwood trees was an American chestnut.” – Fred Hain
2021 Fourth Quarter
Member/Company: Will Lampe, Lampe & Malphrus
“The NCFA benefits my organization by bringing the membership up to date on issues where we can support each other. There are many issues in forestry that we can tackle together as a collective and make a real impact, especially when it comes to working with local and state governments.” – Will Lampe
Member/Company: Tony Doster, North Carolina Region Manager, Resource Management Service, LLC
“Our commitment to environmental stewardship is evident in the daily management of the woods we are responsible for. One of the many positives of our work here is the sustainable production of wood products that are environmentally friendly and store carbon for the duration of their lifetime. Additionally, our forests provide other ecosystem services, such as wildlife habitat and clean water. It’s all about the relationships. Forestry is very relationship-oriented, so having sound, solid long-term relationships is important for getting work done. The NCFA is a good vehicle for forming those relationships.” – Tony Doster
Member/Company: Fred P. Hain, Professor Emeritus & Director of Forest Restoration Alliance, NC State University
Quotes: “The loss of hemlocks will have profound impacts on forest succession and long-term forest dynamics.” – Fred Hain