The head of the Kentucky Forest Industries Association says consistent damp weather over the past year has impacted timber harvesting. The organization, which Association Director Bob Bauer says represents an eight billion dollar industry, held its annual meeting recently in Lexington.
Bauer says timber can be cut, but rainy weather still hinders removal. “Once they’re harvested, they have to be skidded out and often taken on roads to get out to the main roads, so that can cause water pollution if it’s raining. So, they’re sort of limited what they can do out there due to mud and everything else when it’s that wet,” said Bauer.
Bauer says that can cause a slow down or even stoppage, which affects workers. He says some mills have only been running two to three days a week because of the reduction in available logs.
A bright spot is a continual cry for white oak. “The hot thing out there in the industry is the white oak, very much in demand, especially for staves for the bourbon industry and wine industry. People that have owned forest land have seen increases in what they get for those logs because of the demand,” noted Bauer.
Bauer says the association represents some 28,000 direct jobs.
