....WHAT kind of methods will be used thirty years from now to produce logs from the forests of BC? When one thinks of the great changes in methods of the past thirty years, it is not hard to let your imagination visualize some pretty fancy ways and means of logging in the future. With the emphasis on sustained yield, it is certain that an increasing amount of the yield needed will come from new-growth forests, natural and planned. When this happens, it will be the dawn of a new era in the logging industry. A new concept of machinery will be needed to harvest the trees, and a new type of forester-logger will be needed to tend the machinery.
....But what of the interim, before the new-grown forests? Between now and then, some very difficult areas are going to be logged – areas that have been put aside because of their rough terrain, difficult road building, or marginal growth timber. These areas are going to be a challenge to the loggers of the future. They will require new developments in the business of road building and will see the practicality of balloons and helicopters to reach into the difficult places.
....The future of logging is certain. As long as there are world markets in need of pulp, lumber, and wood products, there will be a need to have men go into the forests and bring out the logs. But if the methods and machines will be changed, what of the logger himself? What type of a man will be needed thirty years from now to produce logs? The logger has always being a very adaptable man to his profession simply because his woods environment was of a changeable nature, i.e. snow, rain, or wind to work in. But lately, we have seen the need to educate loggers by means of vocational schools in the skills needed for the new hydraulic and high-speed machines of the woods.
....More and more it is apparent that we need to develop greater skills and higher standards of educa-

tion in the average logger. No longer can he be just a bull of the woods, but instead must now show more brain power than muscle power. As the muscle jobs grow scarcer and brain jobs increase, we will see emerge a logger who will require better housing than in the past and will look for better safe production methods than in the past. Some companies are today starting to build new concepts in housing for loggers, and some companies are seriously working at safe production methods. These new homes and better safe method are not coming any too quickly. Men will no longer live on the promise of the future. Good loggers want to see the standards being raised, and also they know that there’s not enough good leadership in the field watching over safe production methods.
....We are losing too many men to other competitive industries and ways must be found to hold them. Higher wages is not the answer. There is a need to give the average logger a better place in our society by seeing that our camps and small towns are upgraded, and that logging becomes a profession, not a job.
....With the above thoughts in mind and the feeling that there should be a widespread discussion on the loggers’ position today, the Truck Loggers’ Association have set the theme for the 1966 T.L.A. Convention as “the Status of a Logger.” The planning committee is now busy lining up speakers and events to bring to the forestry people a lively and thought provoking three day period. We hope you will be able to attend.

Thanks for your time,

Keep out of the bight.

BILL MOORE, President,
The Truck Loggers’ Association