PLC of the Northeast - Professional Loggers

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day from the PLC of the Northeast!

We hope you're spending the day relaxing, recharging, and celebrating the hard work and dedication that make a difference every day.

09/04/2026

Last night, PLC members had the opportunity to meet with Governor Phil Scott and members of his cabinet at the home of Member Sam Lincoln in Randolph Center.

Joining the discussion were Secretary Tayt Brooks (Department of Commerce and Community Development), Secretary Kerrick Johnson (Department of Public Service), and Commissioner Danielle Fitzko (Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation), along with PLC Board Members Dakota Harvey and Everett Thurston, and PLC Members Sam Lincoln, Jed Lipsky, Mel Gilman and Matt McAllister.

The conversation focused on the challenges facing Vermont's logging and forest products industry as a result of the Finch Paper announcement and ways the administration can help strengthen and support this vital sector. The group focused on the impact of Finch on contractors and opportunities to use low grade wood in Vermont. Many of the ideas discussed would provide direct relief to contractors but could also create new markets. The Vermont General Assembly and Governor Scott's team will need to work together to move these ideas forward.

We appreciate Governor Scott and his team taking the time to meet with us at the kitchen table, listen and engage in a productive conversation about the future of Vermont's forest economy.

09/02/2026

Congratulations to William A Day Jr & Sons, Inc., winners of the PLC's 8th Annual Log A Load for Kids Southern Maine Golf Tournament with a score of 55!

Together, golfers, sponsors, and supporters helped raise a record-breaking $55,407 for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, benefiting MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital.

Read more about the event and its impact: https://plcloggers.org/plc-raises-record-55407-at-log-a-load-for-kids-southern-maine-golf-tournament-friday-aug-28/

09/01/2026

Thanks to independent candidate for Maine Governor, Rick Bennett for Governor for visiting an active timber harvest this morning in Clifton, Maine hosted by PLC member and Master Logger Certified, Madden Sustainable Forestry of Milford, ME.

The PLC appreciates the time Rick spent learning about the logging and forest trucking industry and the challenges facing the workers, families and communities that depend on it.

Special thanks to Derek Madden for taking the time to share his expertise and insight on those challenges and on the opportunities in the industry where a Maine governor can help.

08/31/2026

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Last Friday, the PLC's 8th Annual Log A Load for Kids Southern Maine Golf Tournament raised a record-breaking $55,407 for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals that will benefit MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital in Portland, Maine.

This incredible achievement would not have been possible without the generosity of our sponsors. Thank you for helping make this year's event our most successful yet and for supporting children and families across our region.

It takes an amazing group of supporters to make an event like this possible, and we're lucky to have some of the best:

American Forest Management, Inc., John Khiel Logging & Chipping, Weiler Forestry, Robert W. Libby & Sons Logging & Chipping, Barry Equipment, Freightliner of Maine, Acadia Insurance, Chadwick-BaRoss, Inc., Rinaldi Energy, Milton CAT, Katahdin Fire Company, Inc., Whited Peterbilt of Maine, United Construction & Forestry, Hancock Lumber Company, Stacy's Burner Service, Field Electric, Manac, Chalmers Insurance Group, Traction Heavy Duty Parts - Auburn, ME, Infinger Insurance, Anderson Equipment Company, Heavy Machines LLC, Hale Trailer - Portland, ME, MacDonald Motors, UniFirst, Pepsi & Poland Spring, and McDonald's.

Together, your support is helping make a difference in the lives of children and families through Log A Load For Kids.

Read the full tournament recap: https://plcloggers.org/plc-raises-record-55407-at-log-a-load-for-kids-southern-maine-golf-tournament-friday-aug-28/

08/27/2026

We cant wait to see you all tomorrow at Lake Kezar Country Club for our Southern Maine Annual Log A Load for Kids Golf Tournament! All proceeds will benefit MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital through Log A Load For Kids!!! Here is a look back at last year.

Can't make it to the Log A Load for Kids Golf Tournament? Click the link below, scroll to the very bottom and send us some virtual support with a donation. Every dollar helps!

https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/registration-form/?formId=686ebb6d-f074-43de-8f7f-daf5e2ff9e2e&envId=p-XZFL3u981EyYiA8cq1N8LA

08/26/2026

Congratulations to the 2026 Master Logger Supporter of the Year Award recipient, the New York Watershed Agricultural Council!

While they couldn't join us at our Annual Meeting in May, we were honored to present them with their award this past weekend at the NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days in Boonville.

The Watershed Agricultural Council goes above and beyond to champion the Master Logger Certification Program®. By offering a 75% cost-share for certification fees and boosting support for BMP implementation projects, they are actively reducing barriers for local contractors. Their investment sends a powerful message: professionalism in logging matters, and it is worth supporting.

Their shared commitment to safety, stewardship, and the long-term economic viability of logging businesses helps elevate the entire industry. Dedicated partners like WAC ensure our forests stay healthy and our logging workforce remains strong.

Thank you for your incredible support, and congratulations to the Watershed Agricultural Council!

08/25/2026

At a time when policymakers are discussing housing shortages, affordability, renewable energy, and domestic manufacturing, where exactly do we think forest products come from?

Five weeks after Finch Paper's announcement, much of the discussion remains focused on one mill.

The larger question is what happens when we continue to lose the markets that make sustainable forest management and timber harvesting possible.

We talk about the importance of domestic supply chains. We talk about the need for wood products. We talk about supporting rural economies.

But what happens when the infrastructure and workforce required to produce those products continue to disappear?

Once a logger leaves the industry, replacing them can be just as difficult as replacing a market.

Dana Doran, Executive Director of the PLC, explores why that should concern all of us in his latest article.

Read more:

Five weeks have passed since Finch Paper announced it would end pulp production at its Glens Falls facility and begin sourcing pulp from outside suppliers. For generations, independent logging contractors supplied the mill with pulpwood harvested from forests across the Northeast. Historically, betw...

08/25/2026

"They've taken it on the chin the last 20 months when they've tried to buy new equipment or purchase parts," Doran said.

"It's lowering morale because it's becoming really expensive and complicated to invest in their equipment, invest in their people, invest in their businesses."

The tariffs will affect about 5% of Canada's annual exports to the U.S., including alcohol, agricultural and wood products, and even hockey sticks.