Martinez named
Louisiana
Outstanding Logger
VOLUME 21 • NO. 4 • OCTOBER 2016
Teaser 1.................................................................Page #
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“I really enjoy working with Louisiana Cat
because they go over and beyond to help us.”
- Bob Richards,
Richards Logging
Georgetown, La
with Robert J.
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’16 a rough year for loggers across Louisiana
Louisiana, on average, usually gets
more than 62 inches of rain over a year’s
time.
In March, areas of North and Southwest Louisiana got more than a third
of that in just a week’s time. In August,
parts of the state in the Baton Rouge and
Florida parishes area got almost the same
amount in just two days.
It has been a tough time for our loggers with 37 parishes declared federal disaster areas in the spring and 26 parishes
declared disaster areas in August. Even
those not affected by the loss of equipment or, like thousands of other Louisiana residents, the loss of their homes
due to flooding, are affected by the rain
because they can’t get out in the woods
to work.
For loggers who tragically lost equipment and shop, there is help with low-interest loans through the Small Business
Association (SBA). The deadline is really
close for loggers affected by March flooding, but there’s still time for those who
were flooded in August as there is a sixmonth time limit to apply.
FEMA can help loggers apply for the
loans, which are based on the business’
tax returns, but like any other government program, it is a lengthy process,
FEMA can help loggers
apply for loans, which are
based on the business’ tax
returns, but like any other
government program, it is
a lengthy process, sometimes
taking up to six months.
sometimes taking up to six months. They
need to start by going to the FEMA website, www.fema.gov.
On top of our industry enduring one
disaster after another, when loggers have
been able to work in the woods, several
mills limited the number of loads they
could take. Who would have thought in
a year when so much rain fell there would
be quotas at mills all summer, and a flood
in August, typically the driest month of
the year?
Is our equipment that much more efficient now? Have loggers become so good
at what we do in producing so much
material for mills? These are some of the
questions that are
being asked at meetings I attend around
the state.
We are hearing
about fewer breakdowns as equipment
is better maintained
overall and how
more
productive
McFarland
employees are becoming, but the
questions remain.
If there is a silver lining to such disasters that between 150,000 and 160,000
homes lay destroyed, a lot of lumber will
be needed to rebuild. Hopefully some
product will be sold and the market will
improve, especially at a time loggers need
it to get better.
It has been a strange and difficult year,
loggers no exception. But despite these
troubles, like we’ve made it through
many others, the Louisiana logger will
survive these times, too.
(Jack McFarland is president of the Louisiana Logging Council and owner of McFarland Timber in Winnfield. He also is a
state legislator representing District 13 in
the Louisiana House of Representatives.)
Louisiana Logger
Published quarterly by the Louisiana Logging Council
P.O. Box 5067
Alexandria, LA 71307 • (318) 443-2558
President Jack McFarland
Winnfield
(318) 727-9696
[email protected]
Gracee Malone-Texada
Staff Assistant
(318) 443-2558
[email protected]
Chapter Chairmen
Chapter 1 - Lawrence Hill
Chapter 7 - Clifton Malmay
Spearsville • (318) 778-9900 Zwolle • (318) 645-9724
[email protected]
[email protected]
Caskey Terral
Farmerville • (318) 368-8822
[email protected]
Chapter 2 - John Keith and Skeet
Hodgkins
Haughton • (318) 949-3672
For information
[email protected]
about articles or
Chapter 3 - Joshua McAllister
advertising, please
Winnfield • (318) 729-1727
call Jeff Zeringue at
[email protected]
(318) 443-2558.
Chapter 4 - Casey Durand
Pollock • (318) 542-2826
For information on
[email protected]
classes or training
Chapter 5 - Angie Bonner
records, consult the
Evans • (337) 286-9837
website:
[email protected]
www.laforestry.com
Chapter 6 - Malcolm Sibley
or call Gracee
Walker • (225) 686-7955
Malone-Texada at
[email protected]
(318) 443-2558.
Janet Tompkins, known to most Louisiana
loggers as “Mrs. Janet,” was recognized
for her 22 years of service to the Louisiana
Forestry Association at the 69th annual
meeting Sept. 1 in Lake Charles. Tompkins
retired in June.
Fourth Quarter 2016
3
KLM
Logging Inc.
Kevin Martinez
2016 Louisiana
Outstanding
Logger
By Janet Tompkins
Kevin L. Martinez of Zwolle, owner and operator of KLM Logging Inc., was selected the 2016
Louisiana Outstanding Logger by the Louisiana Logging Council. (Photo by Jeff Zeringue)
Martinez is ‘Man’ of the year among loggers
Two days after he finished high school, daddy is so happy right now.”
including Sherry Rivers (his sister) who is
Kevin “Man” Martinez of Zwolle started
“Kevin is extremely professional and the bookkeeper. One of the benefits Marin the logging business working for his safety conscious,” said David Cupp, pres- tinez offers his crew is health insurance, a
dad with his two brothers. Thirty-two ident of Walsh Timber Co. who nomi- rarity in the business.
years later he is standing alongside them nated Martinez for the award. “He is also
“Insurance means a lot; it’s expensive,
again as he was named Louisibut I know how much it means to
ana Outstanding Logger, just as
a family,” he said.
they have been.
Included on the woods crew are
“This award is very special to me. I’ve three
There are no shoo-ins for this
sawhands and a dozer operaward — an impartial team of
ator.
Few
loggers have sawhands
looked up to my dad and my brothers.
three judges do on-site obserthese days, but Martinez likes
It means a lot to me to get this award.” their versatility.
vations of those nominated for
the statewide award sponsored
“There have been tracts
by the Louisiana Forestry Assowe’ve gotten because we have
ciation and the Louisiana Logging Coun- a people person so he cuts a lot of private sawhands.”
cil. Dr. Niels de Hoop of LSU, Alvin Bell timber for us. We have a lot of repeat
Driving the dozer is 75-year-old Philof the U.S. Forest Service and Malcolm business that is generational (asking for lip Parrier, whose two sons also work on
Sibley, last year’s winner, served as judges. Martinez by name).”
the crew. Three Sepulvados are also part
Martinez’s father, the late A.T. MartiDespite multiple rainouts and delays of the close-knit team.
nez, was the first award winner. Brothers he has experienced this year, Martinez is
There isn’t a lot of turnover for his emMark and Jeffrey won in 2009 and 2012, convinced he is in the right career.
ployees, but he and his brothers do swap
respectively.
“I never wanted to do anything but crew members back and forth as needed.
“This award is very special to me,” logging,” said Martinez during a June
“We are all close family,” Martinez
Martinez said. “I’ve looked up to my dad interview on a logging site in DeSoto said. “Our dad instilled in us to help
and my brothers. It means a lot to me to Parish. “Dad taught us to work when we each other out. When we have a probget this award.”
can and put back some for rainy days and lem (with work), we get together to talk
His mother, Nanette, was tearful at quota days,” he said.
about it.”
the news, telling her youngest son, “Your
KLM Logging Inc. has 12 employees,
Forestry consultant Steve Muslow uses
4
Louisiana Logger
The KLM crew includes, from left, Phillip Parrier, Robert Sepulvado, Dave Cupp (of Walsh Timber), Phillip Sepulvado, Eric Parrier, Butch
Sepulvado, Rayford McComic, Dean Parrier, Anthony Sepulvado, Wayne Ebarb and owner Kevin Martinez. Not pictured are Adolph Spencer, Cody Rivers and Joseph Allen, truck drivers. (Photo by Jeff Zeringue)
Kevin Martinez for both his personal
work and for his clients.
“I’ve known this family dating back to
his father, A.T., and they have been very
dear to me. He (Kevin) is one of the most
hardworking and honest people you ever
want to do business with.”
Martinez said he doesn’t see himself
ever retiring. He made the first move to
being an independent contractor in 1988
when his dad helped him and his brother Jeff get their first skidder. Today he is
still a hands-on owner for KLM Logging
Inc., running the loader on the crew
most of the time.
There is a genuine team atmosphere
with the crew and Martinez adds other incentives to keep them all motivated. When International Paper offered a
bonus for hauling on the weekend, he
passed that on to the workers. When they
cut a tract with some higher value poles
“The biggest impression
that my dad made on me
was when I was woken up
each morning to the sound
of a cranking crew truck
at 3 a.m.
That’s the way he said ‘I
love you.’ ”
in the mix, he offers a bonus for finding
those.
“It gives them an incentive to look for
poles,” he said.
That high level of merchandising is
echoed by Cupp who said the crew gets
the highest value out of the tracts they
cut. Martinez averages about 85-90 loads
weekly, although wet weather has hampered that.
Crew members are Phillip, Dean and
Eric Parrier; Robert, Butch and Anthony
Sepulvado; Wayne Ebarb; and Ray Mc-
Comic. Truck drivers are Adolph Spencer
and Joseph Allen.
Maybe the best compliment about
Kevin Martinez comes from his son Kyle,
who is in the retail lumber business.
“The biggest impression that my dad
made on me was when I was woken up
each morning to the sound of a cranking
crew truck at 3 a.m.,” Kyle said. “That’s
the way he said ‘I love you.’ ”
Martinez has three sons: Kyle, Kent
and Kade, but it was his daughter Kendall who was most interested in logging.
Kevin Martinez, second from left, poses with his mother, Nanette Martinez, and brothers
following the Drax Biomass Fun Night where Martinez was honored as the 2016 Louisiana
Outstanding Logger. Brothers Mark Martinez, left, and Jeffrey Martinez also were loggers
of the year for 2009 and 2012, respectively. A.T. Martinez, the family’s patriarch, was the
inaugural recipient for the Louisiana Outstanding Logger in the 1980s.
Fourth Quarter 2016
5
Louisiana Outstanding Logger for 2016 Kevin Martinez, center, listens as 2015 Logger of
the Year Malcolm Sibley reads from the plaque he is presenting to Martinez. The presentation was Aug. 31 at the 69th annual convention of the Louisiana Forestry Association at the
Golden Nugget Casino and Resort in Lake Charles. Louisiana Logging Council President
Jack McFarland, left, is shown helping Sibley.
Kendall remembers heading out with her
dad to the woods and riding along in the
equipment as the work progressed.
“I even learned to skid,” she said with
a smile. But like her brothers, she opted
for another line of work. In her case, she
is a registered nurse.
Martinez is also close to his three
grandchildren AnnaBelle, Keegan and
Thomas, and his girlfriend, Renee Mal-
Alexandria and
Baton Rouge
Alexandria • 318- 448-6211
Baton Rouge • 225-923-3450
may’s children Courtney, Destiny and
Connor Malmay.
The judges offered other points they
considered in their award:
• The dozer on site is working continuously and the company is self-sufficient
in building water bars and completing
other Best Management Practices.
• The site was safe: Sawhands were
working in safe zones and wearing hearing protection; all hands were wearing
PPEs that looked like they were worn
often; and truckers were safe, courteous
and wearing safety vests when dismounting.
• Martinez is involved in community
efforts, including a significant fundraiser for children with cancer and local ball
teams.
Martinez’s other off-work pursuits, he
explains, are hunting, the Houston Astros
and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hunting is a
family event, with the group sometimes
heading to the west Texas ranch that was
a favorite of his dad.
“You go out and you come back refreshed,” he said, especially after working
5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those weeks when it
doesn’t rain.
With the family aspect of his business
so apparent, it is no surprise that he is
committed to safety.
“We communicate on the CBs so we
always know where everyone is on the
job,” he added.
Workers also are versatile, as some of
the crew members are cross-trained so
they can fill in on equipment as needed.
On this day, the trucks were heading
to the RoyOMartin mill at Chopin, to
Idaho Timber in Coushatta and the tree
length logs were going to Pineland, Texas. The pulpwood, which made up about
45 percent of the tract, would be delivered to International Paper at Mansfield.
The Martinez crew works any kind
of tract: clearcuts; thinnings; pine; and
hardwood.
Martinez said receiving the award at
the annual convention of the Louisiana
Forestry Association in Lake Charles was
“awesome.”
“My oldest son Kyle said, ‘Daddy, that
was a night I’ll always remember ...’ and I
said ‘I sure will, too.’ ”
As enjoyable as the night was, it also
was an emotional one as he and his family recalled his father, that although he
has passed, “I know he was there with us,
smiling,” Martinez said.
After receiving his award Aug.
31, the Martinez circle will be
complete.
The family circle started by
A.T. and Nanette Martinez, who
cried again when Kevin received
his award, will have brought the
logging honors home to Zwolle
four times over. Their businesses
are indeed strong, but their families are even stronger.
Kevin Martinez shows off one of his logging trucks
with driver Cody Rivers.
6
Louisiana Logger
Janet Tompkins is retired editor
of Forests & People.
Kevin Martinez, second from right, poses outside his shop in Zwolle with family members celebrating him being selected Louisiana Outstanding Logger for 2016. Pictured are Sherry Rivers, from left, Martinez’s sister; his daughter, Kendall and granddaughter AnnaBelle; his
mother Nanette; and girlfriend Renee Malmay. (Photo by Jeff Zeringue)
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Time now, as always, to stay focused, engaged
By C.A. “Buck” Vandersteen
A logger recently told me that as long as he stayed focused
and looked to the future things would change and likely for the
better.
With mill quotas, wet weather and rising insurance costs,
it is easy to get tied up with the here and now. It takes stamina, confidence and communications with the crew to deal with
these issues while keeping an eye to the future.
We have seen time and time again that the only thing constant is change.
The Louisiana Forestry Association’s annual convention in
Lake Charles brought 600 people together to talk about issues
affecting loggers, industry and landowners. The speakers on
logging costs and regulations were good but even more important were the opportunities to interact and share issues with fellow loggers. If you didn’t make this year’s convention, plan to
join us next year in New Orleans, Aug. 29-31, 2017.
During the convention on Logger Appreciation Night, the
Louisiana Logging Council and Louisiana Forestry Association
recognized the outstanding work, safety and stewardship of
Kevin Martinez, KLM Logging Inc., as Louisiana’s Outstanding Logger for 2016. In addition to the excellent work they do,
this award was the fourth given to the Martinez family of log-
gers dating back to 1989 when their
late father, A.T. “Beebe” Martinez,
received the recognition.
This family dynasty of professional
loggers has worked through the problems of the day and kept their eye on
the long-term future of logging. Kevin was humbled by all the recognition
from the crowd of more than 500
attending the evening to support this
outstanding logger.
Louisiana’s inclement weather
Vandersteen
brought flooding in north Louisiana in the spring and flooding in the
southern part of the state in August. Both events have affected
forestry. The recent flooding in the Florida parishes is being
called the Great Flood of 2016. Gov. John Bel Edwards has
stated it could result in more than $8 billion in damages.
It has been reported that 30 bridges and 1,400 miles of road
may need immediate maintenance or repair. The governor has
requested federal help, but we all know that Louisiana will be
picking up a good portion of the tab.
Before the flooding, Louisiana legislative appointed committees were studying an increase in fuel taxes and permit fees for
heavy trucks. The need for additional revenue might overshadow the argument against raising taxes on loggers and industry
who are faced with rising costs and tough financial conditions.
This is a critical time for our industry and definitely a time to
stay informed.
Many loggers are active in their community in a variety of
ways, from sponsoring baseball teams to serving in government.
This involvement shows our commitment to community,
shapes our character and helps people understand the logging
business.
The American Loggers Council will recognize a Logger Activist at its annual convention in Florida this year. This recognition is given to an individual who is passionate about logging
and finds the time to give back to his state and community.
The nation will look to Louisiana, not for the flooding or other
problems Louisiana has, but to a man who is a leader in the
logging business.
Jack McFarland, owner of McFarland Timber, will be this
year’s national recipient of the Forest Activist Award by the
American Loggers Council.
Jack is passionate about loggers and found the time to help
start a school to train individuals in timber harvesting equipment operations. He served as the president of his parish Police
Jury and was recently elected to the Louisiana Legislature as
state representative. He is the first logger elected to the Legislature and has made his colleagues more aware of what we do in
the woods.
We appreciate and thank Kevin, Jack and all loggers for all
you do.
Be safe!
(Buck Vandersteen is the executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association and the Louisiana Logging Council.)
Fourth Quarter 2016
9
Trucking issues set public’s image of logging
By Niels de Hoop
LAKE CHARLES — Log truck drivers every day enter the most dangerous
work area in the United States: the highway.
That was Jimmie Locklear’s message
to loggers who attended the Louisiana
Logging Council meeting Aug. 31 at the
69th annual convention of the Louisiana
Forestry Association in Lake Charles.
Locklear was one of three speakers for
the meeting.
Locklear, of Forestry Mutual Insurance Co., talked about the “Transportation of Forest Products: Understanding
the problems and creating solutions.” He
started off by showing a picture of the
overloaded shortwood truck he drove as
a youngster, before he knew better.
Locklear also talked at length about
various log truck wrecks. Obviously, these
are bad for the truck drivers and others
killed in crashes involving log trucks, but
they are also bad for the forest products
industry’s image and for income.
Locklear emphasized that we are all in
the same boat — loggers, forest industry,
10
Louisiana Logger
Logger and insurance representative Jimmie Locklear speaks at the Louisiana Logging
Council session at the 69th annual convention of the Louisiana Forestry Association.
mills, insurance, etc.
Some loggers might ask, “If I’m doing all the right things, why should I be
concerned?” One answer is because insurance premiums are based on industry
performance, not just individual performance.
To emphasize the danger log truck
drivers face, Locklear gave the example
of a log truck that tangled with a pickup
“Don’t we want good,
professional drivers
on the road?”
truck. The pickup driver survived, but
the log truck driver did not.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, trucking is one of the most
dangerous jobs and has been getting dramatically worse over the past five years.
“Don’t we want good, professional
drivers on the road?” Locklear asked.
Last year, the trucking industry nationwide was short 50,000 drivers, so
finding quality drivers is a big problem.
As loggers, maybe an experienced truck
driver can be found, “but does he understand the dynamics of a log truck?”
Locklear showed research data that
demonstrated a relationship between
poor driving records and wrecks. Surprisingly, failure to use turn signals is the No.
1 indicator of high risk.
In the southeastern United States (as
opposed to the Mid-South), a group organized something called TEAM Safety
Trucking. Membership includes logging
companies, trucking companies, forestry associations and others in the forest
products industry. They emphasize a
one-hour truck driver training program
for all truck drivers — new, experienced
and future.
TEAM stands for Together Everyone
Accomplishes More. Details can be found
at teamsafetrucking.com or the TEAM
Safe Trucking group on Facebook.
Call to Action
Logging Council President Jack McFarland opened the seminar, welcoming
loggers and thanking sponsors Lott Oil,
Regions Insurance, Sabine State Bank
and Southern Loggers Coop. Following
Locklear’s presentation, he emphasized
that loggers have to do their part of countering the negative image of the industry.
“This means getting out of the woods,”
McFarland said. “Legislation and bills affecting logging will require you to come
to Baton Rouge and represent our industry.
“As a legislator myself, I know. If industry fills the room, we as legislators feel
it — no matter which industry.”
Brent Saltzman, right, damage prevention manager for LA One Call, talks about the new
GPS program set to go online by the end of the year that will allow loggers to locate the exact tracts they are logging. Thelma Coleman, left, is setting up her computer to give loggers
attending the seminar at the 69th annual LFA convention a demonstration.
McFarland also talked about what a
challenging year it has been, particularly
with floods in western Louisiana and the
Florida parishes presenting their own set
of challenges for logging.
Many logging workers and their extended families had their homes flooded,
affecting their ability to work productively.
McFarland asked the audience to remember those who lost their homes, lives
and livelihoods and to donate generously
of our time and money.
Log a Load for Kids
Kara Wyland of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation headquartered in Lake
Charles reported
on the loggers’
donations to the
Children’s Miracle
Network. She was
amazed at how
people continue
to give despite so
many
challenges. Although the
Kara Wyland
Network is nationwide, she emphasized that the money raised in our geography stays in our geography. These are
a few of the things the donations make
possible:
• Defibrillators in schools. Louisiana
law requires defibrillators in schools but
provides no funding.
• Ear Nose Throat surgical equipment
in hospitals (children’s faces have very
small structures). Having the best equipment is important.
• Vein finders. Pediatric equipment
has to be smaller.
• Pediatric environment. Competent artists are charged with painting
kid-friendly murals in pediatric wards,
giving ailing children more comfort.
Wyland said the money you, the loggers, give really makes a difference, and
she expressed appreciation for the donations given.
LA One Call
By now, every logger in Louisiana
knows to call 811 or to enter the request
at www.LaOneCall.com before putting a
blade in the ground.
Brent Saltzman and Thelma Coleman
of Louisiana One Call gave loggers a preview of a new website program called
ITIC that will be rolled out later this year.
Instead of being limited to 911 addresses to explain locations, loggers will
be able to read the latitude/longitude coordinates from a GPS, enter them into
the website and draw the actual boundaries of the property.
This promises to be a major improvement for loggers and foresters. A mobile
version also is planned.
C.F. “Niels” de Hoop is an Associate
Professor at the Louisiana Forest Products
Development Center, School of Renewable
Natural Resources, Louisiana Cooperative
Extension Service, LSU AgCenter. Contact: [email protected]; 225-578-4242.
Fourth Quarter 2016
11
LIVE PREVIEW
Sunday Oct. 9th • 2pm-4pm
Meet a Bonnette Auction
Representative on the Property.
12
Louisiana Logger
Shotgun winner ’16
Each year, the Louisiana Logging Council holds a card
raffle for a Beretta A300 Outlander shotgun. Two decks of
cards are dealt to participants for $20 per card. The participant keeps one half of the card and the other is put in a drum
to be randomly selected. This year’s winner was Jim Caldwell
of the U.S. Forest Service.
Jim Caldwell, right, was this year’s winner of the Beretta A300 Outlander shotgun during the Louisiana Logging Council card raffle. Presenting the shotgun are LLC president Jack McFarland, left, and LLC
Vice President Angie Bonner.
Loggers get ready to participate in the annual shotgun card raffle
at the 69th annual convention of the Louisiana Forestry Association.
Join the Louisiana
Logging Council today!
The Louisiana Logging Council works for you — lobbying our
Legislature and working with regulatory agencies. Do you
have time to make your voice count? All you have to do is join
the council today. Membership in the LLC also automatically
makes you a member of the Louisiana Forestry Association.
The LLC is an affiliate of the American Loggers’ Council, the
national voice for logging.
Before digging, call 811
at least two full work days in advance.
That’s all it takes to notify LA One Call
members, so they can mark nearby utility
lines and pipelines to prevent injury and
costly accidents.
IT’S THE LAW. IT’S FREE.
Call or click www.LAOneCall.com
Annual membership
q Logging Contractors--------------------- $250
q Wood Dealers----------------------------- $250
q Trucking Contractors--------------------- $250
Associate Membership
q Equipment Dealers----------------------- $300
q Insurance & Banks----------------------- $300
q Service and Supplies--------------------- $150
Name________________________________________
Address______________________________________
City_______________________________ State_____
Zip_______________ Phone_____________________
Email________________________________________
Make checks payable to the
Louisiana Logging Council.
Mail to LLC, P.O. Box 5067,
Alexandria, LA 71307
Fourth Quarter 2016
13
Louisiana Loggers Association
Louisiana Loggers Self-Insured Fund
Facts:
 Twenty-One Years of Consecutive Distributions to Members
 $21,078,949 Returned to Fund Members
 Program Managed by a Board of Trustees who Know and Understand the
Logging Industry – Logging is Their Business
 Only Provider of Workers’ Compensation Dedicated to the Louisiana
Logging Industry
Conclusion:
If you are NOT a member of the Louisiana Loggers Association and the
Louisiana Loggers Self-Insured Fund, you need to call 318-628-4031.
14
Louisiana Logger
Dealing with snakes displaced by rising waters
By Don Reed
The unprecedented high water experienced in North Louisiana in the spring
and in South Louisiana in August, displaced many of our wildlife species from
their normal habitat.
Snakes are often driven to higher
ground in these flood events and individuals cleaning up under these conditions
should exercise caution. Of the approximately 40 different species of snakes
found in Louisiana, seven are poisonous.
They include the canebrake rattlesnake,
the copperhead, the cottonmouth, the
eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the
harlequin coral snake, the pygmy rattlesnake and the Texas coral snake.
Identification is often the biggest problem when dealing with snakes and for
this reason, many non-poisonous species
are mistaken for those that are poisonous.
Of our seven poisonous species, five
are classified as pit vipers — cottonmouth, copperhead, pygmy rattlesnake,
canebrake rattlesnake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake — with distinct characteristics.
The loreal pit is an opening found between the eye and nostril of all pit vipers.
This structure is used for heat sensing,
allowing pit vipers to judge the size and
distance of objects.
There is a unique feature that can be
used to identify if a snake is one of our
poisonous pit vipers, based on how the
scales are arranged on the underside of
the tail. All pit vipers have tail scales on
their underside arranged in a single row,
while nonpoisonous snakes have a dividing line with two rows of scales.
Our only poisonous snakes not classified as pit vipers are the colorful harlequin coral snake and Texas coral snake.
An easy way to remember the color pattern that distinguishes these snakes from
the non-poisonous mimics is by the old
rhyme: “Black on yellow, killer fellow;
red on black, friendly Jack”.
When the black bands contact the yellow bands on the snake’s body, the snake
is the poisonous coral snake. When the
black bands contact red bands, the snake
is either the harmless scarlet king snake
or milk snake. The color patterns on all
other snakes tend to differ greatly with
age and habitat, making the use of field
guides essential for identification.
Precaution is the biggest factor to consider when going into the outdoors and
trying to avoid problems with snakes.
Most bites in our state and throughout
the nation occur when individuals handle snakes.
Most individuals would never do this
intentionally but care should be taken,
especially with the situation created by
floodwaters. Under these conditions,
snakes often move into pockets of dry
habitat where residents have a greater chance of coming into contact with
them. When working in these areas, care
should be taken, especially when cleaning up debris piles where snakes will often take refuge.
Bites from pit vipers are hemorrhagic
in nature, breaking down the victim’s vascular tissue. Severe pain and swelling are
indications that venom has been injected
from a pit viper.
The venom from coral snakes is neurotoxic and affects the central nervous system. In these bites, there may be very lit-
Copperhead (photos courtesy of Louisiana
Department of Wildlife & Fisheries)
Cottonmouth
Eastern diamondback rattlesnake
tle pain or swelling
but without treatment the loss of involuntary muscles
that control breathing and heartbeat
can develop. Individuals vary in
their susceptibility
Don Reed
to venomous snake
bites just as they do
from susceptibility to bee stings.
In any case where a bite from a poisonous snake has occurred, medical attention should be sought as quickly as
possible and the bitten body part immobilized. Additional treatment steps for pit
viper bites include applying a constricting band 2 to 4 inches above the bite to
help slow the venom if medical attention
is more than 30 minutes away. This band
should never be so tight as to cut off circulation to the bitten body part.
A suction device, often found in commercial snake bite kits, can be used to
draw venom out of the wound without
making cuts as was once recommended
in the past.
While not as serious a medical matter,
a bite from a nonpoisonous snake can
also cause problems, especially from infection to the bite area.
There are no chemicals labeled for the
lethal control of snakes and those marketed as repellents have drawbacks in regard to length of effectiveness and species
controlled.
Snakes found inside houses or other
buildings can be removed by the placement of glue boards around the perimeter
of the room where they have been spotted.
The No. 1 method to deter snakes is
by habitat manipulation. Yards kept free
of low spots that hold water, along with
weeds and tall grass will be much less likely to serve as an attractant for snakes seeking food and shelter. Simple routine yard
maintenance will do more to rid an area
of snakes than anything else one can do.
The key point to remember when trying to lessen the probability of a snake encounter is to keep dry areas that are adjacent to flooded areas, as clean as possible.
Dr. Don Reed is a retired forestry and
wildlife specialist with LSU AgCenter. You
can email him at [email protected].
Fourth Quarter 2016
15
Time to assess five-year plan that began 2011
By Danny Dructor
For the past five years, the members of
the American Loggers Council have been
working off of a strategic plan that was
put in place in July 2011.
The goal was to initiate programs and
activities that were board approved in
2011 and then revisit that plan in July
2016 and see how we are doing, what has
worked, and what is not working so well.
By the time this editorial reaches the
monthly newsletters and publications
that it is intended for, the members of
the American Loggers Council’s Executive Committee will have concluded their
work on the 2016 strategic planning session scheduled for July 9 in Dallas. The
meeting was held as a part of a continual
improvement process that the organization self imposes to make certain that we
are meeting the needs of our membership
and adding value to all of those that continue to support the organization.
Following the 2011 meeting, and prior
to the July 2016 meeting, we are pleased
“We are still challenged
with the desire to be
‘The National Voice
for Independent Loggers’
and to make certain
that our positions are those
of whom we represent.”
to report that we have made significant
improvements in many areas, including
advocacy work in Washington, D.C.,
for the timber harvesting community,
improving our presence on social media
sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and
building a new and better website found
at www.amloggers.com where visitors
can explore current issues we are working
on, as well as read the latest in “Logger
News” that is having
a national impact on
timber harvesting operations.
We also have contracted with a consultant to help us determine what next steps
are needed to better
communicate
with
Dructor
not only our peers,
but the general public
and policymakers in D.C.
Our Spring Fly-In to Washington,
D.C., has grown with more loggers participating in 2016 than ever before, and
making more one-on-one contacts with
lawmakers and decision makers than in
the history of the organization in order
to educate and make them aware of the
impacts that their decisions have on our
industry.
While we have grown in numbers, inContinue on Page 18
Lowell Hubbard, from left, Greg Williams, Todd Martin and Jason Slatten
enjoy the bloody mary brunch at the LFA convention in Lake Charles.
Danny Dructor, right, the executive vice president for the
American Loggers Council, attended the 69th annual convention of the Louisiana Forestry Association.
16
Louisiana Logger
These bumper stickers at right were sold
at the LFA annual
convention.
Anyone wanting one of
these can still purchase them for $1
each. Contact Gracee Malone-Texada,
[email protected], for more information.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
MASTER LOGGER CLASSES
Master Loggers are required to take six hours CLE each
year to keep their Master Logger certification. Below are the
FINAL classes to be offered in 2016!
Core classes for Master Logger certification are completed
for 2016. New classes for core classes are being scheduled for
2017, but schedules were not completed before the deadline for
October’s Louisiana Logger.
The SFI committee updated the Master Logger Core Classes, reducing the number of days required to take the classes to
two.
Committee members also updated teaching tools for the
classes, which be used when Core Classes are set for 2017.
Please note that the former Business Management class is no
longer required to complete the Core Classes. However, Business Management for Logging and Forestry will be offered in
2017 as Continuing Logger Education class, as it was offered
in September.
Also, Master Loggers should note that Core Classes that will
be scheduled in 2017 cannot be taken as Continuing Logger
Education Classes.
The new Core Classes schedule will be published in the First
Quarter issue of the Louisiana Logger and posted on the Louisiana Forestry Association website, www.laforestry.com, once
completed.
For more information, you can contact Gracee Malone-Texada at [email protected].
Business Management for Logging & Forestry, $40**, 6
hours CLE.
______ Oct. 20, 2016, Waskom, Brown & Associates, 816
University Parkway #A, Natchitoches.
______ Oct. 27, 2016, Louisiana Tech - Shreveport Center,
8028 Shreve Park Drive, Shreveport.
______ Nov. 10, 2016, Country Inn & Suites Conference
Center, 2727 Monroe Hwy., Pineville.
______ Nov. 17, 2016, War Memorial Civic Center, 150 W.
Seventh St., DeRidder.
** All classes are $20 for Louisiana Logging Council members if pre-registered. The cost for registering at the door is
$100.
Name: ______________________________________
Company: ___________________________________
Address: _____________________________________
City, State Zip: _______________________________
Phone: ______________________________________
Cell phone: __________________________________
q Check here if Louisiana Logging Council member company
Make check payable to LA Forestry Association and mail to:
LA Forestry Association
PO Box 5067
Alexandria, LA 71307
Or charge to credit card:
AmEx qMasterCard qVisa qDiscover q
Card Number ___________________________________
Expiration ______________________; CSV# __________
Name on Card __________________________________
Signature _______________________________________
If paying by credit card, fax registration to (318) 443-1713 or
scan and email completed form to [email protected].
Fourth Quarter 2016
17
Crimes & Convictions
BATON ROUGE — Two men are accused of theft of timber following a six month investigation by enforcement agents,
according to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Kevin Wayne Hill, 49, of Coushatta and Tommy Morgan,
68, of Natchitoches were charged with defrauding three timber companies of almost $954,000 in Rapides, Jackson and
Ouachita parishes, LDAF announced in a press release in August.
The investigation began after complaints were filed by RoyOMartin Timber Co. of Alexandria, WestRock of Hodge and
Graphic Packaging of West Monroe.
According to investigators, Morgan was doing business as
Diversified Timber Co. of Winnfield and had premium-rate
contracts with the three companies.
“Morgan had to deliver timber from high-volume tracts of
land that were farther away from the mills in order to be paid
the premium rate,” according to the release.
Also cutting timber from tracts of land that did not qualify
for the premium-rate contracts, Morgan is accused of ordering
his loggers and truck drivers to tell mills those loads had been
taken from premium-rate tracts, according to LDAF. Loads
reportedly were turned in under the wrong landowner’s name
and locations.
Investigators allege Morgan and Hill ordered loggers to report the wrong information verbally and in writing “or lose
their equipment which was financed through Diversified Timber,” according to the release.
Morgan was charged with theft by fraud and extortion. Hill,
who worked as a timber buyer for Diversified Timber, was
charged with theft by fraud and conspiracy, LDAF said.
The allegations were discovered through records from the
mills and those obtained through a search warrant from Diversified Timber going back to January 2012. They allege 5,731 of
almost 19,000 loads of timber were fraudulently turned in, accounting for $1.049 million; however, the statute of limitations
expired for overpayments totaling $95,009.
“LDAF enforcement agents take agriculture and forestry-related crimes seriously and they will seek justice when individuals break the law,” Commissioner Mike Strain said. “I advise
anyone who believes they may be victim of timber theft to immediately report a suspected crime.”
To report an alleged timber theft, contact the Office of Forestry at (225) 925-4500 to file a complaint.
Reward
The Forestry Enforcement Division of the Louisiana
Department of Agriculture & Forestry is responsible
for the protection of life and property throughout forested
areas of the state. Officers enforce forestry-related
crimes including but not limited to arson, timber theft,
forestry equipment theft and vandalism as well as
offenses against departmental employees and property.
Forest related crime rewards are co-sponsored
by the Louisiana Forestry Association.
Call 225-925-4500 to report a suspected crime
as described above.
18
Louisiana Logger
Continued from Page 16
cluding new states and Individual Logger members, we are still
challenged with the desire to be “The National Voice for Independent Loggers” and to make certain that our positions are
those of whom we represent.
In 2011, we changed the title of our monthly editorial from
“As I See It” to “As We See It” as a direct reflection of who we
wish to represent; not one logger, but all loggers. All professional timber harvesters can be a part of the American Loggers
Council, and what you think does matter to our organization.
We not only invite your input but encourage your input into
this organization.
If you have something that you would like to share with us,
please do so. Our phone number is 409-625-0206, our fax
number is 409-625-0207, and our email address is [email protected]. If the line is busy, we do return calls. Looking
ahead, your input, ideas and recommendations are what will
keep us growing strong.
Log safe!
Danny Dructor is the executive vice president for the American
Loggers Council with offices near Hemphill, Texas. The American
Loggers Council is a 501 (c)(6) not for profit trade organization
representing professional timber harvesters in 32 states across the
United States. If you would like to learn more about the ALC,
please visit their web site at www.amloggers.com, or contact their
office at 409-625-0206.
Subscribe to the
Louisiana Logger
Only Active Master Loggers have free
subscriptions, but you can order one for your
crew members for $12 per year.
(4 issues per year)
Name: ____________________________________
Mailing address: ____________________________
__________________________________________
City, State, Zip: _____________________________
Phone: ____________________________________
Mobile phone: ______________________________
Make checks payable to:
Louisiana Logging Council
Mail to: P.O. Box 5067
Alexandria, LA 71307
EAB quarantine spreads to fifth La. parish
By Jeff Zeringue
Union and Lincoln have been added to the list of Louisiana
parishes where the emerald ash borer has been found, according
to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
In early July, the LDAF announced a quarantine was expanded to include Union Parish after the destructive insect was
found in traps about a month before. By the middle of July,
EAB were discovered in traps set by a federal contractor in Lincoln Parish.
“This new find makes Lincoln the fifth parish to have EAB,”
Richard Miller, administrative coordinator of quarantine programs for LDAF, said in an emailed statement.
The process to quarantine Lincoln Parish, which is required
by the federal government but issued by the state, began immediately.
The traps set by Delta-21 Resources, a contractor for the
U.S. Department of Agriculture that is monitoring the movement of the Asian invasive beetles, reported its findings in July.
The USDA reported the Lincoln Parish finding July 11.
While a quarantine was being established by LDAF, the state
agency was expected to receive information from other agencies
that also set traps seeking to find the spread of EAB. About
120 traps are set by the other agencies. Delta-21 Resources sets
about 350 traps. Parishes under the EAB quarantine include
Bossier, Claiborne, Lincoln, Webster and Union.
The U.S. Forest Service also has some of the other 120 traps.
Wood Johnson, an entomologist for the Forest Service who,
with three other scientists, first discovered EAB in Webster Parish Feb. 6, 2015, said the insect’s spread has been about typical
here as it has in other areas of the country.
Tracking EAB is difficult, which is compounded by the
wood being moved from an area that might be infected but has
been undetected in traps so far. It is likely the insect will spread
statewide eventually.
Although the EAB has been discovered in Union and Lincoln parishes, no ash trees have been reported to be infested and
no symptoms of an EAB attack were evident in those parishes,
Miller said.
The quarantine in Louisiana restricts the movement of raw
ash products to areas outside of the quarantine unless treated
according to USDA requirements. Such treatments include but
are not limited to fumigation, heat treatment and chipping.
Log trucks containing ash products can move within quarantine areas in north Louisiana and south Arkansas.
The emerald ash borer is a native insect of Asia, originally
found in the United States in Michigan in 2002.
It is a deadly pest to all types of ash trees and the white fringe
tree but does not attack other hardwoods or pine.
Tens of millions of ash trees have been killed in the 25 states
where the insect is now present. Some stands affected by the
EAB have up to a 99-percent mortality rate.
During a quarantine, ash nursery stock also is prohibited
from being moved outside the quarantine areas as there is no
treatment available for the nursery stock.
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry also
is continuing its “Don’t Move Firewood” campaign, which is
geared to educating people about the risks of transporting pests
to other locations. It is best to purchase firewood no more than
10 miles from where it will be burned.
Louisiana Logging Council Vice Present Angie Bonner holds the
Beretta A300 Outlander shotgun the Logging Council raffled off at
the LFA convention in Lake Charles. Bonner will begin her term as
president of the council in 2017. Livingston logger Malcolm Sibley
was selected LLC vice president at the September LLC meeting.
You know your business. And we do, too. That’s why we build machines
proven to withstand whatever the woods have in store — and then
some — so you can keep working and earning, all day, every day.
We’re for Loggers
BATON ROUGE, LA
10110 Daradale Avenue
225.291.3750
LUFKIN, TX
4006 Ellen Trout Drive
936.634.8801
KENNER, LA (ST. ROSE)
10288 Airline Hwy.
504.466.5577
ALEXANDRIA, LA
6321 Masonic Drive
318.442.0455
MONROE, LA
7370 Frontage Road
318.343.8787
LAFAYETTE, LA (BROUSSARD)
3519 Hwy. 90 East
337.837.9481
LONGVIEW, TX
413 South Eastman Road
903.758.3326
SHREVEPORT, LA
6725 Greenwood Road
318.631.3090
LAKE CHARLES, LA
6234 Hwy. 90 East
337.430.3045
TYLER, TX
1126 North NE Loop 323
903.592.8900
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17312 Norwel Drive
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