The FRA 2025 Lake States Region Fall Meeting took place in Duluth, MN, on October 21-22, with strong participation from members across the region. The event, Resilient Forests, Resilient Future: Navigating Changing Dynamics, addressed key issues impacting the region’s forest industry, including workforce development, forest health challenges, market opportunities, economic updates, technological innovations, and regional policies and regulations.

For those who attended, please take a few minutes to complete a short meeting survey. Your feedback is important as we plan future FRA events.

Over the course of the meeting, members heard insights from a slate of dynamic speakers. Please CLICK HERE to view the presentations we have permission to share on the FRA website. To access them, you must sign in as an FRA member. Please contact FRA’s Communications and Marketing Manager, Vanessa Connelly, at [email protected] if you need assistance.

The opening morning session comprised a diverse slate of presentations, including an update on the Wisconsin Forest Revitalization Act and Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) project from DJ Aderman, FutureWood Corp./Johnson Timber. Minnesota State Forestry followed with updates from MN DNR State Forester Patty Thielen regarding the Minnesota state wildlife action plan, the Forest Resources Report, and the timber program. To follow were updates on forest health from both Minnesota (Eric Otto, MN DNR Forest Health Specialist) and Wisconsin (Paul Cigan, WI DNR Forest Health Specialist). Professor Scott Bowe, Forest Products Extension Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison then gave an economic and timber market update with a focus on hardwood markets, and the morning session was concluded by Jason Meyer, Director, St. Louis County Land and Minerals Department, with an update on St. Louis County forest management focusing on timber management, current challenges and trends, and the forest fire activity in the region.  

The afternoon session featured a field trip to the Camp House and Jenkins Creek May 2025 wildfire burn areas in central St. Louis County, where attendees observed recent salvage efforts following the wildfires. At the salvage sites, meeting attendees engaged in a dynamic discussion focused on the complex interface between forest health, forest management, and forest markets.  

The first day concluded with the Lake States Region Awards Dinner, during which Duluth native Congressman Pete Stauber (R-MN-8) kicked off the event with a recording he had provided, in which he answered several questions pertinent to current challenges facing the forest products industry. To see Congressman Stauber’s recording, please CLICK HERE.

Following the Congressman’s message, Professor Charlie Blinn, Professor Emeritus – University of Minnesota Dept. of Forest Resources, was recognized as the 2025 Technical Writing Award winner for his Technical Release 24-TR-26, titled Perceptions of and Adaptation to Changing Winter Weather. This Technical Release conveyed several data points on changing winter conditions in northern Minnesota, as well as logging businesses’ perceptions and adaptations to winter operations over time.

FRA, in partnership with John Deere, then presented the region’s 2025 Outstanding Logger of the Year Award to Whitefish Creek Enterprises of Birchdale, Minnesota. Brady Hasbargen was in attendance to accept the award on behalf of the company.

“As loggers, we don’t look for recognition in our everyday operations. We just go to work every day to harvest and manage timber in a sustainable way that keeps our forests healthy and viable for future generations of loggers. We love our trade, and there’s no industry more proud than the logging industry. So, to be recognized for these awards out of this group as a whole is a great, great honor. Thank you,” said Brady Hasbargen.

Day two of the meeting began with a focus on workforce development. Steven. S. Hubbard, Director of the Wisconsin Forestry Center, presented updates on the Center’s actions through their Wisconsin Economic Development Grant, followed by Michael Sullivan, Program Manager for ForestryWorks® of MN, who gave updates on ForestryWorks® Program and their efforts in engaging and preparing the future workforce. James McFarland, Assistant Director, Renewable Resources, provided a much-anticipated update on Eastern Region Forest Service activities, including the recent Executive Order to expand timber production. Carl Lockhart, Forestry Sales Consultant at John Deere, then presented on the tech innovations John Deere is implementing, including remote diagnostics, anticipated efficiencies, and applications for operator comfort and ease of use. FRA President Tim O’Hara delivered a national policy update emphasizing FRA’s advocacy efforts on key priorities, including workforce development and transportation policy. The morning sessions concluded with a presentation by Kris Gray, Board Member of the Great Northern Cooperative, who discussed the cooperative’s fuel initiative and the establishment of its first facility in Quinnesec, Michigan.

The afternoon session kicked off with Matt Watkeys, Forestry Specialist, Michigan DNR, who gave an update on the incredible March 2025 ice storm, the resulting salvage efforts, and the projected future impacts. The session concluded with regional updates from a panel of speakers, including Rick Horton, Minnesota Forest Industries; Henry Schienebeck, GLTPA; Ray Higgins, MN Timber Producers Association; and David Nolle, MN Logger Education Program.  The regional updates focused on current initiatives supporting the forest products supply chain as well as on various challenges and opportunities.  

The FRA 2025 Lake States Region Fall Meeting was approved for 7 Category 1 SAF CFE credits, 4 hours of WI SFI CE credits, 6 hours of MN SIC Outside Training Credits, and 11.5 WI Cooperating Forester Continuing Education Credits. Please reach out if you have questions regarding credit for your meeting attendance.

FRA appreciates the engagement and participation of all members and industry partners who joined us in Duluth, and we look forward to continuing our work together to strengthen the Lake States forest products supply chain. Thank you to our meeting sponsors for your continued partnership and support.