Two Mendocino Real Wood Co-op member-owned mills have been working full-time all season in several areas on the coast and inland. Each mill employs 2 - 3 workers and generates more jobs in falling and hauling, transport and building. Mill owner/Board member Kent Westwood and Operator Elmer Nodowski estimate they've milled over 100,000 Bd. Ft. of Redwood and Fir on their mobile dimensional mill, at five locations from Leggett to Willits, while Bill Heil's Wood Mizer has sawed steadily in the Albion, Navarro and Comptche area.
Most of the wood is Redwood "salvage", from down logs left by previous owners, plus very selectively cut Douglas Fir and high quality hardwoods. Almost all of the wood so far has returned to the landowners' direct use, who seem to feel unanimously that this wood is just too good to part with. "This is 'real wood', alright," declared Cliff and Debra Zericotes, who had all the lumber they'll need to build their house milled this summer.
We continue to receive many more calls for milling than we have mills available on our referral network and we're looking for more equipment and operators. Todd Cinnamon of Laytonville has begun training to run the Westwood mill.
Certification of sustainably harvested wood products, a label much like "certified organic produce" that confers a higher value, is already a reality in the Eastern and Midwest U.S., Canada and other countries. Why not here? Mendocino Real Wood Co-op Advisor Walter Smith, in charge of the Certification Program for the Institute for Sustainable Forestry, assures us it's about to be available under the umbrella organization of "Smart Wood", which will accept a spectrum of management approaches within sustainable limits. The Mendocino Real Wood Co-op's method of All-Age/All-Species, 100% inventory, designed to increase the health of the forest and the quality of the wood, should qualify at the top of the line.
The Mendocino Real Wood Co-op Board of Directors has also been working internally to develop a structure that reflects our membership of workers, producers (land stewards) and consumers and brings together the elements of an entrepreneurial cooperative business in sustainable certified forest products. The Board has met with Forest Economist Mike Tyrell and plans further meetings with experienced business people interested in these ideas.
Our winter projects include work on a landowner survey being developed by Bill Heil and Mike Tyrell, to gain better information about the potential for a steady supply of certified products from sustainably managed lands. Bill welcomes help from co-op members and any other persons interested in formulating the questions and computerizing the data from responses.
Mendocino Real Wood Co-op Board Member Mary Korte would like to start a study and discussion group for regular brainstorming on the how-to's of cooperative building. Naomi Wagner continues work as our General Coordinator, focusing on outreach and funding. As always, we welcome inquiries, volunteers and new members. We'll be holding our semi-annual General Meeting before the holidays and hope to see many old and new faces there.
For more information or to get involved we can be contacted at these numbers: Naomi Wagner, 459-0548; Bill Heil, 937-0903; Mary Korte, 459-5968. Or you may leave a message at the MEC, 468-1660.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
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