We all understand or are aware of just how dangerous logging is as a profession. It is no job for the faint of heart. It is more than just a risky profession; it is the most dangerous occupation in the United States! In the mid to late 1980s, Ohio saw a 43% increase in accidents within their wood products industry, and everyone was asking the question, “what could be done and how to do it?”

Finding employees is a challenge for every part of the forest industry supply chain. Locating loggers, truckers, and workers for mills is increasingly difficult. When I talk to members about their greatest challenges, “workforce” is almost always at the top of the list.

Millions of acres of America’s forests and thousands of jobs for U.S. workers depend on the critical seasonal tree planting performed by H-2B workers each year. Over the past decade, the shortage of U.S. workers willing to fill these strenuous seasonal jobs has continued to get worse, and the decreasing availability of H-2B visas is putting the health of our forests at risk.

Back in April, I dedicated an entire blog article to acknowledging recent award recipients representing FRA’s Southcentral Region. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the outstanding performance from several folks in the Southeastern Region during the last year.