The wood products industry is a major component of northwest Wisconsin’s economy. With the region’s abundance of forest resources, one would expect this to be the case. A key question, however, is how can the full potential of this resource to the area’s economy be realized? Given the amount of wood harvested in northwest Wisconsin, it’s important that a thriving wood products industry that makes the most of this forest resource be developed. By maximizing the amount of wood product manufacturing that occurs in the region, value can be added to the large volume of trees that are harvested from northwest Wisconsin’s forests. This approach, in turn, will create more employment and income for the area.
In an effort to increase understanding of the economic opportunities offered by the wood products industry for businesses and communities in our region, the Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation and Bayfield County UW-Extension have planned an upcoming educational program. The one-day conference, Making Our Wood More Valuable – Finding Ways to Increase the Value of Northwest Wisconsin’s Forest Resources will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at the Lakewoods Resort in Cable. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the program starts at 9:00 a.m., includes a buffet lunch at 11:45 a.m. and concludes at 3:30 p.m.
The conference will provide information and ideas on ways to increase the value of northwest Wisconsin’s forest resources. Program attendees will hear presentations and learn about: the region’s forest resources and wood products industries, trends and opportunities in forest product markets, and approaches to value added wood manufacturing. Participants will also hear from a number of area specialty/customized wood products business and primary wood products industry representatives. In addition, wood products specialists from the US Forest Service Forest Products Lab, Wisconsin DNR and UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources will be on hand to describe available resources to assist the wood products industry.
The intended audience for the conference includes: wood products industry representatives, entrepreneurs interested in starting a wood products business, forestry and wood products industry professionals, economic developers, and local government officials interested in northwest Wisconsin’s forestry industry.
For more information about the conference or to request a conference brochure with registration form, contact Tim Kane at the Bayfield County UW-Extension Office at (715) 373-6104 ext 254 or via email at timothy.kane@ces.uwex.edu. Or contact Marian Vaughn with the Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation at (715) 372-8422 or via email at msvaughn@bayfieldcountyedc.org. The conference registration fee is $25, which includes refreshments, buffet lunch and materials.
Sponsors for the Making Our Wood More Valuable Conference include: the Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation, Bayfield County UW-Extension, Xcel Energy, Bayfield Electric Cooperative, and Dairyland Power Cooperative.
