ALC Announces Meeting Speakers, Panels, Events

The American Loggers Council recently announced speakers, panels and seminars for the group’s annual meeting, to be held October 1-4, in Sonora, Calif., beginning with keynote speaker Bruce Vincent, a third-generation logger and timber activist from Libby, Mont. who has worked tirelessly to promote rural America’s communities and economic development efforts. His presentation charts a path forward for rural communities to provide products for the economy while also protecting the environment. Guest speaker Jake Sjolund, CAL FIRE Deputy Dir., Fire Protection Programs, will detail the challenges of protecting California landscapes and communities from wildfire.

The American Loggers Council annual meeting also features two congressmen as speakers, Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) on the Federal Lands Subcommittee who has sponsored legislation supporting responsible forest management and specific forest health projects, and Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), a co-sponsor of the “Fix Our Forests Act” that aims to provide agencies with tools and resources to implement key forest health projects much more quickly.

Other topics include a panel on workforce development hosted by Associated California Loggers that features a heavy equipment instructor at Shasta College, an overview of California’s Resilient Careers in Forestry Initiative and educational and corporate workforce development officials. A panel on new technology includes Kodama Systems, which is currently working on—and operating —remote controlled and semi-autonomous equipment, and biomass energy company Yosemite Clean Energy, which is developing gasification projects using biomass feedstock.

The 2024 American Loggers Annual Meeting is at the new Chicken Ranch Resort & Casino, Jamestown, Calif. just outside Sonora. The event features a loggers tour of local operations, Log A Load auction, membership meeting and much more. Visit amloggers.com for more information and to register.