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November 16, 2007

SFPA to Host State Forestry Association Leaders at Workshop

Executives and communicators from 10 of the South’s 12 state forestry associations will gather at SFPA’s Fall Resource Workshop to be held Nov. 26-28 in Jackson, Miss.  

The workshop provides a forum where state forestry association leaders can discuss common issues and challenges facing forestry and the forest products industry. Attendees will also hear from speakers addressing a variety of current topics such as biofuels, carbon credits and new research projects initiated by the U.S. Forest Service. Dr. Jerry Teplitz, a professional speaker and consultant, will present a two-hour program on how to create high-energy Web sites and public relations materials.  

This is the 20^th workshop SFPA has sponsored since 1986. The event is coordinated by Eric Gee, SFPA’s director of EXPO and forest resources. For more information, contact Eric at 504/443-4464, ext. 214, or egee@sfpa.org.

Huge Crowd Signifies Increased Interest in Green Building

The Green Build 2007 International Conference and EXPO recently held in Chicago, Ill., drew almost 23,000 attendees from 66 countries with some people waiting as long as two to three hours to get in the doors. SFPA Industrial Markets Director Russell Richardson represented the Southern Pine Council at the event, working in cooperation with the Canadian Wood Council and APA-The Engineered Wood Association.  

“The show was a huge success in terms of attendance,” Russell said. “Attendance was measured at 20,000 by the second day of the three-day event, 7,000 more than last year.” 

Russell reports that many of the conversations he engaged in related to the environmental benefits of wood.  “Many attendees were not aware of the environmental strengths of wood, such as the carbon sink effect it provides and energy-producing capabilities,” he said.

A number of people also discussed the difficulty they were having finding lumber certified through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) system. “We explained that they do not have to have FSC-certified products to gain LEED points,” Russell said. “We also encouraged attendees to consider Green Globes or the new green building program that the National Association of Homebuilders will release in 2008 as alternatives to LEED.”

Both of those programs recognize a broader range of forest certification systems, such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). 

“The success of this show is evidence of the growing green marketplace and the need to market Southern Pine products as green products,” Russell reports.

Southern Pine in the Islands

The Southern Pine Council “shored” up Southern Pine’s already strong presence in the Caribbean by participating in the recent Bahamas Home and Builders Show. “Participating in this show allows us to maintain visibility in the Caribbean market, which is our largest market in terms of volume of Southern Pine exports,” said SFPA Director of International Markets Ned DeJarnette.

Billed as the Bahamas’ largest international show, the two-day event draws architects, engineers, designers, builders and do-it-yourselfers. Though many people use treated Southern Pine for building projects on the island, Ned noted quite a few attendees also asked questions about interior applications this year. Also of interest was an exhibit for Island Gal Homes & Cottages, which are built with Southern Pine lumber and are designed to withstand hurricane winds.

New Orleans Carousel Reopens with SP Floor

The carousel at City Park in New Orleans, one of only 100 antique wooden carousels operating in the country, will reopen for the first time since Hurricane Katrina next week. The 101-year-old carousel survived the hurricane, but not the floodwaters that followed. The structure sat in water for three weeks, causing damage to the interior flooring and outdoor decks.

Restoring the carousel required numerous donations of money, labor and materials. One of those donations came from SFPA Active member company McShan Lumber Company of McShan, Ala., which provided more than 11,000 board feet of premium tongue-and-groove Southern Pine flooring. The donated Southern Pine material was used to replace the actual turntable of the carousel and the surrounding spectator area.

Thanks to McShan’s generosity, the beauty of Southern Pine flooring will add to the magic this unique New Orleans attraction offers children and adults alike for years to come.

Seminars Educate Builders on Wind, Flood Resistance

Cathy Kaake, SFPA’s director of engineered and framing markets, teamed up with David Lewis, an engineer with Norbord Inc., to present two four-hour seminars on wind and flood resistance of wood-frame construction to 80 builders from Lafayette, La., and the surrounding area. The seminars focused on the 110 mph Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) Guide, which will be in effect in that area once Louisiana adopts the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC). 

During the seminars, Cathy pointed out that the grade and size of framing members and sheathing are only marginally different when designed for wind and flood resistance; the biggest difference is the use of engineered fasteners to maintain a continuous load path for each building from its roof down through the foundation. She also explained how raised floor construction can help meet flood requirements without adversely impacting neighboring properties and addressed questions from the builders about pressure-treated materials.

While driving to the seminar, Cathy observed that older homes in flood-prone South Louisiana were all built on raised foundations, but that most newer construction (in the past 20 years) was built with slab-on-ground foundations.  “With increased awareness in Southwest Louisiana due to Hurricane Rita, we now have the opportunity to reverse this trend,” she said. “Providing educational seminars like this is vital to achieving that goal.”

The seminars were sponsored by Norbord for the Acadian Home Builders Association.

Kim Drew Recognized as ‘Star’ in the PR Field

SPC public relations consultant Kim Drew was recognized for her achievements in the public relations arena last week. Kim, who is president of Drew Public Relations Inc., was awarded the Luminary Star Award by the Georgia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.  This award recognizes a senior-level public relations practitioner who has demonstrated significant leadership and contributions to the profession through his or her work experience. Kim has helped SPC communicate the benefits of Southern Pine to trade media and their readers for almost 10 years.

Office Closed for Thanksgiving

The SFPA office will be closed Nov. 22-23 for Thanksgiving. The SFPA staff wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday! Look for the next issue of our newsletter on Nov. 30.

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