The Northern Logger

In this month’s episode, we speak to Ethan Tapper, a Vermont forester who has spent the last eight years as the Chittendon County Forester for the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation. This June, he embarked on his own journey as a consulting forester, establishing his own company, Bear Island Forestry. In our interview we discuss the nuances of forestry and managi

In this month’s episode, we speak to Eryk Thurber, the sole proprietor of a small cable skidder operation in Etna, Maine. Eryk graduated from the University of Maine in Orono in 2020 and is just starting out in his career. We often hear about the current workforce challenges and the lack of “younger people” getting into logging and forestry. How can a young person get into ti

Winter is here, and with the cold, snow, and ice forming across the northern US, there is no better time to be reminded of the dangers of working in the woods and what to do to avoid accidents and injuries. This month on the podcast, we talk to Donald Burr, the Safety and Training Coordinator for the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC). Burr is also the lead ins

Earlier in September, The Northern Logger attended the Great Lakes Logging and Heavy Equipment Expo in Escanaba, Michigan. The show is organized by the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association (GLPTA) and alternates between Escanaba and Green Bay, Wisconsin every year. Thousands of loggers, foresters, and others attended the show, and there were over 163 exhibitors selling all

In this episode, Part 2 of our series on vertical integration, we interview Jason Brochu, who along with his brother and co-president Chris Brochu, have revived their family’s logging business after a 20-year hiatus under the umbrella of Pleasant River Lumber Company in central Maine. We’re also joined by Toby Pineo, the general manager of A&A Brochu logging. For more

In recent years, in large part due to a lack of logging capacity and also other regional factors including available wood and changing weather patterns, the forest products industry has seen some mills and large forestland management companies bring logging and road crews in-house — examples of taking direct ownership of various stages of a company’s production process rat

From May 19-20, The Northeastern Loggers’ Association hosted the Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo, also known as the Loggers’ Expo, in Bangor, Maine. We had amazing weather and attendance of over 5,000 people. Around 180 exhibitors promoted their products and services to an enthusiastic crowd of loggers, truckers, saw millers, and others who make their living in the

On this episode of the Northern Logger Podcast, I speak with photojournalist George Bellerose, from Weybridge Vermont, about his new book Portrait of a Forest: Men and Machine. Bellerose has spent 50 years as a writer, journalist, and photographer, and the last 20 years as a photojournalist documenting the lives of everyday people. In his own words, he says that he is interested in

One of the biggest challenges for forest products businesses is finding good workers and retaining them. The labor shortages across many industries in the US these last few years have made it even harder to attract and retain exceptional employees – essential to running a successful company. On this episode, five leaders in the industry share their thoughts, personal experiences,

Procurement forester Paul Snider talks to The Northern Logger about Baillie Lumber, a major hardwood lumber producer in the northeastern US. Paul speaks about Baillie’s Boonville operation, his experiences as a procurement forester, how the industry has changed in recent years, and the current economic climate. He also offers some advice for young people who are interested in get