News & Events

PANHANDLE WILDERNESS: Collaborative forms to craft public lands legislation for North Idaho. MORE HERE

ROAD WORK: Explosions expected south of Clearwater for timber sale road project. MORE HERE

BURN PERMITS: Closed fire season extended statewide due to dry conditions, low precipitation. MORE HERE

INNOVATION: Kodama Systems unveils machine teleoperation platform at American Loggers Council in collaboration with Weiler Forestry. MORE HERE

PARTNERSHIP: Supporting America’s loggers, partners in forest management. MORE HERE

OPINION: It’s time to reform the endangered species act. MORE HERE

PLEASE VOTE NOV. 5: Officials say Idaho’s elections are secure. MORE HERE

STUDY: Wildfires are burning through humanity’s carbon budget. MORE HERE

Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho has hired Clete Edmunson as its new executive director.

Born into a logging family, Edmunson worked as a logger in southwest Idaho before teaching in the Council area and later working in school administration. He served three terms in Idaho’s House of Representatives starting in 2002 and then worked three years as an advisor to then Gov. Butch Otter on matters concerning education and transportation.

Edmunson replaces Shawn Keough who is retiring after 24 years as executive director. Keough will work alongside Edmunson through the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.

“Clete’s background as an educator will help ALC-Idaho with its efforts to expand career and technical education courses to train the next generation of Idaho’s loggers and log haulers,” Keough said. “His political experience will help ALC-Idaho and its members stay at the forefront of state and federal issues that impact our logging and trucking businesses.”

As executive director, Edmunson will work to represent the interests of ALC-Idaho’s 500-plus logging and wood hauling member businesses.

The 58-year-old Coeur d’Alene resident holds two bachelor’s degrees from Idaho State University, a master’s degree in history from Boise State University, and two master’s degrees in education from University of Idaho. Prior to joining ALC-Idaho, Edmunson most recently spent 10 years as a high school principal and district superintendent in Idaho.

“It’s exciting to return to my logging roots,” Edmunson said. “Idaho’s forest products industry is one of the strongest in the nation and I’m committed to ensuring its vitality and advocating for the loggers and haulers who make sure the people of Idaho and this nation have access to the forest products they rely on every day.”

For more information visit www.idahologgers.com

JOB LOSSES: Oregon mill closures emblematic of US timber industry decline. MORE HERE

PASS THE GRANOLA: Idaho media suggests you’re to blame for summer wildfires! MORE HERE

PLYWOOD IMPORTS: New sanctions won’t stop Russian plywood from flooding USA ports. MORE HERE

CONSEQUENCES: Wildfires are contaminating water supplies. MORE HERE

DOMESTIC FREIGHT: Ever wonder what’s inside big rigs? These are the most common goods shipped by trucks. MORE HERE

SMOKY SKIES: Idaho news media promotes tree-hugging to stop wildfires. MORE HERE

INNOVATION: USDA backs research into making sustainable jet fuel and fish feed from wood. MORE HERE

DEMAND: Wood production could jump 49% – but not where you think! MORE HERE

ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS: Imagine a world where wood does not exist. What do you think it would look like? MORE HERE

BOISE COMMAND CENTER: When all of the West is on fire at once, this is who deals with it. MORE HERE

COST SHARE: USDA announces $190M grant opportunity for payment programs that help private forest landowners address climate change. MORE HERE

LIGHTNING STRIKES: Idaho residents flee rapid wildfires, escape through ‘tunnel of smoke.’ MORE HERE

Here’s your Weekly Wrapup of industry news!

DROUGHT & WILDFIRES: A University of Idaho research team received a $15 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study how microorganisms in Idaho forests respond to stress and how they rely on each other to survive. Read more HERE

AT A CROSSROADS: Missoula County’s timber industry has taken a harsh hit not because of low timber prices but because of soaring home prices. Watch the ABC News report HERE

WILDFIRE FORECASTS: A newly enhanced database could help predict where and when wildfires may occur by incorporating hundreds of additional factors that impact the ignition and spread of fire. Read more HERE

AMERICAN WOOD COUNCIL: EPA grant aims to improve transparency in U.S. wood products industry. Read more HERE

RISING COSTS: Lumber industry in crossroads with changing economy. MORE HERE

COMPLAINT: Land use coalition sues over new BLM rule. MORE HERE

MIKE ALBRECHT: A better understanding. MORE HERE

EMBER PROJECT: This University of Idaho research could change how we manage our forests. MORE HERE

HIGHWAY 95 HAZARDOUS FUELS PROJECT: North Idaho forests get $4.8M investment in wildfire mitigation. MORE HERE

CHANGES AT IDAHO’S DMV: $5 online license renewal discount, eight-year CDL and more. MORE HERE

ONLINE DASHBOARD: Idaho offers alerts to carriers of driver record changes. MORE HERE

PUSHBACK: Congressional Republicans target EPA rule. MORE HERE

TRAINED SHOOTERS: To save spotted owls, US officials plan to kill hundreds of thousands of another owl species. MORE HERE

KAMIAH: Molly Ryan joins Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests as acting forest supervisor. MORE HERE

FOREST MANAGEMENT: Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Supervisor Cheryl Probert announces retirement. MORE HERE

JUDICIAL RESTRAINT: Supreme Court to hear critical case on NEPA’s scope and application. MORE HERE

RED TAPE: Biden administration old-growth forest proposal doesn’t ban logging, but still angers industry. MORE HERE

SURVEY SAYS: US logger survey identifies industry’s headwinds. MORE HERE