Stealing trees

[Administrator]

As I had posted in other posts, I just got back from Thailand. I want to share something with some of you. I went camping in the jungle when I was there and asked our guide why there wasnt a lot of large trees around. There were plenty of 6 inch trees to 20 inch trees and quite a few 30 inch stumps. Apparently, theft is the reason. It is illegal to cut trees in Thailand. So when were were camping at night we heard chainsaws and trees falling. It was sad. Burma used to have a jungle just like Thailand but now its a desert of stumps. These idiots dont understand how to properly rotate harvesting areas they just cut every thing down. They have nobody watch the areas to regulate these problems. I thought it was interesting how the US and Canada can keep growth and harvesting about the same and other countries tree population drops dramatically every year. I am all for saving the rain forest but they can do both (harvest and Cut)if someone taught them a little. Its like when the US goes to Etheopia and brings them grain to plant. The idiots eat the grain instead of planting it. I dont get it. I dont know a lot about the logging industry but what in general do loggers think about saving these type of areas. I see that the media portraits them as just wanting to cut everything in sight. I dont personally think its always like that. What is your side of the story. You never hear it. Thanks, Darin
I will post some pics of Thailands forest when I get a chance.

 

[Deere John]

A lot of countries, companies and individuals spend time in these developing countries to try to introduce sustainable forestry. Many academics also take sebatical leaves from their universities and travel to try to improve the lot of forestry in these countries. It is a long row to hoe when people are faced with feeding their families with little other support options possible. (That's why they eat the grain rather than plant it - they're hungry now and can't afford to wait for the grain to grow and mature.)

Log theft is a problem in N.America too, but mainly for high-value products. It is done here strictly for the money - easy money in the case of walnut or veneer or birds-eye quality trees.

What's your background Darin? - you have a good grasp of the problems here.

 

[Darin]

I see your point Deere John but there are ways around it also. Just as you and I probably started out with the knowledge of give and take. Sure they need the food to live but there is away to plant and use part of what they get for the future. Its how they are taught. Its sort of like my step sister, who didnt grow up with me, does. She doent have a dime and her car dies. She buys a new one and uses the money to buy a 600 dollar car stereo. I questioned her move and she says she didnt actually spend any extra money she had it already because she owned the $600 car. Its those kind of brains and education that the people who are stealing these trees use. These people have had decades of family members "teach" this practice.
Ok a little about myself.
As a teenager when most kids were starting lawn business. I started removing trees. I had absolutely no knowledge. I didnt trim trees. I didnt know how. I lived in a rural area so I could just drop the trees. Loaded them in my trailer and hauled them in to get chipped. I found I could make a lot more doing this than mowing lawns. Plus I enjoyed it. I soon thought it was time to learn about the industry. I went to work for a company that had a nursury, sprinkler service and directional boring rig. I learned quite a bit about the raising and growing procedures there. I then went to a school locally that had many agronomy and arbiculture classes. I bought a Vermeer 206 stumper and used the money I made with that to put myself through college. I have enough elective classes to graduate but I never took enough mandatory classes like english and math. I took them enough in High School and I hated them then and wouldnt like them any better now. I met several contacts at school, including a guy who was opening a equipment shop. He wanted to know if I wanted in on the action. I did it and owned it for just over 5 years. We took a small ma and pa shop into Denvers largest dealer in 4 years. I was the Morbark, Rayco, and Buckingham distributor for Colorado. I also sold Stihl, Husqvarna, Shindaiwa, and Echo. It really put a strain on me working 24/7 so last year I got out of it. Sold my portion to my friend I met at school. I love equipment. I couldnt stand the homeowner customers. They just got under my skin. Its 300 people everyday telling you how to do things even though we were a damn good team. I think the problem was is customers come in and judge the book by the cover (I'm 26). Many people automatically think you're a moran. I wont generalize all of them but man, commercial guys new we knew what were talking about. Much easier to deal with. I had many job offers but I ended up helping my dad as a contractor. Its a job where I can concentrate on my job when I am there and my family when I leave. Many of my old customers have seen our overnight success and I also consult them to help there business grow. I had been reading all the posts on http://www.************ to keep up with the business and to continue my education. I emailed Chuck at lawnsite and asked him if he was interested in adding a arborist forum. Here we are today. Well, there it is in a short novel. HAHA I added my name as a user so I didnt sound so formal. I will be making annoucements and be editing posts as the administrator still.

 

[Deere John]

Thank's Darin. I started out very much the same as you. Two Stihl saws, a 1980 Chev 4x4 and a long rope. I managed to nearly frighten several people into a stroke with my tree-falling engineering in the early days, but I have always been "right" on the logistics (not necessarily efficient or safe in the early days, but I was able to predict my victim's demise).

We plowed snow and cut trees and went to school. As you would know from Lawnsite, I'm pretty much a regular there on the snow side. Still love that sport.

I completed a B.Sc and M.Sc. in forestry and still work in the industry. Shortly after my M.Sc. while still settling down, I formalized my tree care talents with a business. I bought an Asplundh L-45 chipper dump (with built-in hyraulic chipper) from Ontario Hydro, a stumper, a backhoe and lots more Stihl saws. Two and one-half years of that was fun, but I missed the forestry end of the business, so I sold the business to my main competition (established 27 years at that time) and went old-growth logging in B.C. for 3 years. What a hoot. I logged a little over 1 million cubic metres of wood in those three years.
I took my Bride's hand three years ago, settled into a management position in one of Canada's larger forestry companies and we expect to make our family one larger in May. I still think, though, that I enjoy being self-employed more than working for someone else.

I still do tree jobs on side for enjoyment and toy money. I carry liability insurance in conjunction with the snowplowing and backhoe work, so I am covered there. Six years after I had my tree-care business, I am still getting word-of-mouth calls from people who track me down. Kind of makes you feel like your work is appreciated when that happens. I no longer have the bucket truck or chipper, so I climb and use my dump trailer to get rid of the junk.

I was a little concerned when I saw little use on this forum that someone may pull the plug on it. I'm interested in the sport, so you'll hear more from me.

 

[Darin]

I would never pull the plug on the site. I barely started. I hadnt had much time to advertise it. Chuck at http://www.************ is going to help get this thing going with a good ad campaign. If nobody knows about it, it wont go very far. Lawnsite has done an excellent job on gaining interest and just give it time. Lawnsite started small also, I just have the luxury of getting a few members off lawnsite. It didnt help that arboristsite's database failed for two weeks. UGH, that stunk. My programmer was out of town and we couldnt do anything about that. I love the industry and if I had to pay to keep this going just for a hobby, I will. I think if we give it time it will turn profitable. Just like your quote "an overnight success takes 10 years." We will hope for 10 months. Thanks for all the great background info Deere John.