Montana can't have healthy forests without a healthy timber industry
The recent closures of Pyramid Mountain Lumber and Roseburg Forest Products in Missoula County is a warning for Montana and a symptom of broader challenges threatening the region's forest and wood products sect of which is pivotal for thousands of private sector jobs and crucial for federal efforts to improve forest health, mitigate wildfire risks, and cater to the escalating demand for carbon-friendly wood products.
Montana's timber industry, an integral component of the state's identity and economy, faces a multitude of challenges - from workforce shortages and affordable housing crises to the whims of volatile markets. However the underlying issue driving mill closures across the west is a declining supply of raw material to manufacturers, a critical concern given that Montana's wood products manufacturers are surrounded by federally owned forests.
The principle of supply and demand governs log prices. Currently, the milling demand in Montana, spurred by the public's demand for wood products, surpasses the available and projected log supply. This imbalance poses a stark choice: either increase the regional log supply to align with demand or face further mill closures and a further erosion of the workforce.
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