The State and Private timber harvests have
held relatively constant over the last few
years and they have been providing about
two-thirds of the employment while the Forest
Service struggles to restore a working timber
sale program.
Southeast Alaska's timber manufacturing industry
is at its lowest point in half a century.
The good news is that the survivors are making
a small profit. As long as the timber supply
from federal lands (which constitute about
80% of the land in Southeast Alaska) continues
to grow and as long as the new Forest Supervisor
continues to make timber sale economics a
priority, the industry now begin growing
back to a viable, sustainable level.
Southeast Alaska's public lands timber harvest
in 2003 totaled approximately 50 mmbf (million
board feet). Coupled with an approximate
150 mmbf harvest of State and private timberlands,
that brings total harvest to roughly 200
mmbf.
Southeast Alaska mills produce a wide range
of products that are currently weighted towards
the primary processing side of the industry.
Products include: large export cants and
sawlog slabs, shop lumber destined for remanufacture,
dimensional lumber, railway ties, shakes
and shingles, tone woods for musical instruments
and a host of specialty millwork and craft
products.
The manufacturing industry in the Interior
Region continues to be small, but relatively
stable. There has been a reduction in the
amount of private timber harvest in the Interior
Region.
The manufacturing facilities around Anchorage
and the Kenai Peninsula are struggling to
find sufficient “green” timber sales to sustain
their operations because the State timber
sale program has been focused on salvaging
as much of the beetle-killed timber as possible.
The Private timberland owners in this region
also continue harvesting their timber at
a reduced level.
Industry Issues and Outlook
Much of the uncertainty over the timber supply
in Southeast Alaska has been resolved with
the completion of the federal land management
plans and the congressional action to finally
bring an end to the appeals and lawsuits
over the plan.
On the Kenai Peninsula, the wood-chip operations
are struggling, in part because the beetle-killed
timber has deteriorated significantly. Two
operations are closing, but one new operation
will hopefully start up soon.
The Ketchikan Wood Technology Center is now
very close to having Alaska Standards approved
so that the higher strength characteristics
of the old-growth timber can be better marketed.
The Viking sawmill in Klawock has added a
small-log mill to their operations. That
mill operated all through 2003. The Pacific
Log and Lumber sawmill in Ketchikan is adding
a kiln and other specialty sawmill equipment
to improve their profitability. The State
and the Ketchikan Borough are working diligently
to find a company to purchase and operate
the Ketchikan veneer mill.
Key Contacts
Alaska Forest Association
Owen Graham, Executive Director
111 Stedman, Ste. 200
Ketchikan, AK 99901
Tel: (907) 225-6114
Fax: (907) 225-5920
Alaska Division of Forestry
Jeff Jahnke, State Forester 400 Willoughby
Ave.
Juneau, AK 99801
Tel: (907) 465-3379
Fax: (907) 586-3113
Alaska Department of Community & Economic
Development
Edward Blatchford, Commissioner
P.O. Box 1108000
Juneau, AK 99811
Tel: (907) 465-2500
Fax: (907) 465-3767
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