UGA Set to Host FRA’s 53rd Timber Harvesting and Procurement Short Course
In a few weeks, the University of Georgia will welcome the newest class of attendees to Athens on December 9th – 13th for the 53rd installment of FRA’s Timber Harvesting & Procurement Short Course. Auburn University graciously hosted the course the last three Decembers (2021-2023), providing supplemental on-the-job training to 77 industry professionals representing 22 FRA member companies. While FRA is grateful to our friends at Auburn University for being outstanding hosts for the past three years, we are excited to partner with another fine academic institution to continue our mission of providing valuable educational and training opportunities to our members.
Ideal course attendees are new procurement foresters and recent graduates from 4-year forestry programs. The course is also a great option for mid-career professionals currently transitioning to natural resource careers from other industrial sectors. Dr. Tom Gallagher, Professor Emeritus – Auburn University, shared his thoughts on the history and evolution of the course:
“I was told when it began it was a 2-week program for new foresters to educate them on matters that pertained to procurement, something that was never really taught at forestry institutions. I believe I attended in 1988 when it had been pared down to a 1-week course. It was held at an old campus facility outside Gulfport, MS and had been there for many years. In 1989, it began to get moved around and was held in Asheville, NC. That was my first year as a “faculty member.” I remember cutting it short by a day or so to let everyone get home before Hurricane Hugo hit. I also taught it at Clemson in the very early 2000s. It was in Jackson, MS in 2006 and we hosted in 2008, and those classes were cut to 3 days.”
Weyerhaeuser’s Seth Plank shared his experiences as a 2021 course attendee:
“I would strongly recommend the Timber Harvesting & Procurement Short Course to anyone interested in learning more about the forest products industry, whether you specialize in Timber Harvest Management, Procurement, or just want to become a better natural resource professional.”
A more thorough course description is available in Seth’s January 13, 2022 Woods to Mill article.
This year’s version includes not only all the traditional topics highlighted in Seth’s Woods to Mill article but also several new agenda additions. Beyond the Contract: Relationship-Centric Wood Procurement, The Role of Certification in Wood Supply Chain Management, Southern US Forest Products Market Forecast, and Embracing Technology in Forest Operations. The course will officially begin with a Welcome Dinner on Monday, December 9th, and conclude with a site visit to a local logging operation on Friday, December 13th.
While the course is taught from a Southern US operational perspective, representatives from all FRA Regions are encouraged to attend. Since 2021, representatives from three FRA Regions (Appalachian, Southcentral, and Southeastern) have benefitted from taking the course. Future versions of the course will move around to different host locations and alternate between FRA’s Southeastern and Southcentral Region venues. Course demand has been extremely high since 2021, largely due to a 13-year hiatus from 2008 – 2021. Demand for this year’s course remains high, but a few roster spots still remain. Several course-related deadlines are quickly approaching, which, in case you are wondering, is precisely the reason this week’s Woods to Mill is coming to you on a Tuesday! Please let me know ASAP at [email protected], if you have any course nominees for last-minute registration.
The recent success and popularity of the course have led to discussions on other courses that FRA could offer our members. Some of the ideas that have surfaced include Supplier-Consumer Relations Workshops and a scaled-down and more customized version of the Timber Harvesting and Procurement Short Course for various sectors of the wood supply chain. We hope to have more information on an expanded course lineup soon. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to share any future course ideas or topics with me or your FRA Region contact.
Have a great week!
