On board
Pennsylvania is the nation's largest producer of hardwood lumber, cranking out more than 1 billion board feet per year with an annual economic contribution of $5 billion — and providing more than 90,000 jobs, according to Penn State Extension statistics.
Gerry Rodgers Jr., owner of G. Rodgers and Son Logging in Oakland Township, got into the business almost by chance. In 1996, he was working for AK Steel and trying to sell trees on his property.He soon became tired of dealing with some questionable logging companies, but became acquainted with an Amish man who asked him to be a timber buyer for him.Still working for AK, he also worked on the side for the Amish man, being paid finder's fees until 1999 when he went into business for himself.He left AK a few years later and since then has been making up to $3 million in gross sales annually.“It got to the point where I was buying timber for four different Amish companies, but I saw the opportunity to go out on my own,” Rodgers said. “I learned as I got into it. Just as being a timber buyer for those Amish businesses, I got into it. And I'm still learning to this day. You never know it all.”Today, Rodgers' son, Gerry III; daughter, Kaitlyn; and wife, Kimberly, help operate the logging business. Gerry III is part owner.A typical day for purchasing timber is to make a deal with a private landowner who is clearing a lot for construction or thinning out a woodlot.The company goes in afterward to perform selective cutting, which will promote further growth.Afterward, the logger is required to reclaim the property and grade the roads.Then the company takes the timber to one of several regional sawmills depending on which company can give the best price.“The customer gets paid directly from the sawmill and the customer is provided with tally sheets which show species, board footage, and price paid for each log,” Rodgers said. “Other big companies only specialize in certain markets. Our company provides the customer with a greater chance to obtain the best financial gain for their timber.”Rodgers Logging also has a specialty logging contract with Jim Beam Whiskey in Clermont, Ken., to sell lumber for white oak barrels for distilling.Federal law requires any whiskey that is marketed as straight whiskey be stored for at least two years in new, charred, white oak barrels.Timber is often exported to China where there is a market for it, especially red oak, white oak and cherry woods.Timber is used by a variety of markets, including saw logs, veneer, blocking logs and firewood.But Rodgers said they also try to impress upon the landowner the importance of doing the job correctly to promote further growth later. The focus is not on what timber is being harvested, but on what is left behind.Harvesting timber should remove the poorest trees, reduce competition of surrounding trees for the most desired stems, and establish regeneration of a desirable species to improve the forest over time.He said throughout his 20 years in the business, the timber market has had its ups and downs, with prices dropping significantly in 2005.Ash trees were part of the problem with the Emerald Ash Borer, a destructive wood-boring insect that attacks ash trees, pushing them to the point of extinction in Pennsylvania and other states. These adult insects were found in Cranberry Township and Butler County during that time.But despite the setbacks, Rodgers said, “It's a natural resource, so anytime you have a natural resource for future generations to come with proper forestry it's the right thing to do,” he said.
Eric Marsh established Penn Select Timber in Butler in 1997 after many years working in the industry. When he was a teenager, he worked stacking lumber at sawmills in his hometown of Titusville.Later, he decided he wanted to study forestry and majored in agriculture at Penn State University. Half way through the program, he decided to go an extra year and get his degree in landscape architecture.While he practiced landscape architecture for a time, he said he was more likely to be a consultant for private landowners on the sale of their timber.However, Marsh said he quickly discovered that the highest bidders weren't always doing the best job at protecting future growth.“I realized that whoever got the high bid didn't care about how well they cut their timber just that they paid more for it than anybody else. They were making a mess,” he said. “An unscrupulous company didn't care about the welfare of the trees. I realized I didn't have any control over that and I didn't like that at all.”Marsh then decided to start his own logging business to ensure everything was done correctly.Over the years, he also said the market for timber rises and falls depending on the type of wood that is in demand.For a time, the price of all hardwoods was climbing. Cherry in particular was in demand and carried a high price tag as a result.But when the recession hit, the price of every type of wood plummeted.Since then, prices have tended to go up and down quarterly. However, he said the market is beginning to take a turn with prices remaining consistent for all hardwoods.There is a greater demand now for white oak and red maple, which are normally considered low-priced hardwood.Many woodlot owners don't know what kind of timber they have on their properties, let alone how much it's currently worth. As a forester, he advises landowners about how to get the best price for their timber while still maintaining the health of the remaining trees, animal habitats and the property in general.If the cutting, loading, grading and cleanup are done improperly, Marsh said the landowner risks future growth. Harvesting should instead improve the health and growth rates of the remaining timber setting up the woodlot for the future.“Most timberland owners are surprised to find the wealth that is hidden in their woodlot. One of the worst things you can do is mark only the best trees no matter what size they are. Trees have a gene pool, so if you remove your best stock then you're removing the best genes,” he said.“Protecting that future growth is just as valuable as cutting the most valuable timber. After all, trees are America's only renewable resource,” he added.
