Featured Professional: New Face in MSU Extension Forestry

Roy Anderson was recently hired by the Montana State University Extension Service as a forest products marketing and wood utilization specialist. He will be developing an extension program focused on forest products marketing and wood utilization issues in Montana. “I anticipate working a lot with non-industrial private landowners and landowner groups,” said Anderson. “The timber sale planning and forest products marketing process is complex and the typical landowner doesn’t have a lot of experience.”

One of Roy’s first projects is writing and publishing Timber Sale Planning and Forest Products Marketing: a Guide for Montana Landowners. Many landowners wonder – do I need a forest management plan? Should I hire a consulting forester? What trees should I cut? Who can cut them? Who will buy them? The publication provides information about these and many other issues facing a landowner who is selling timber. It will be distributed through MSU extension office, Montana’s Forest Stewardship Workshops, and DNRC service forestry offices.

Roy also anticipates developing a one-day workshop that addresses landowners’ forest products marketing issues. Workshop topics might include information about the recent trend toward landowners forming cooperative groups, the costs and benefits of forest certification, dealing with small diameter timber, tax implications associated with timber harvesting, and doing your own cutting and milling. As a workshop program develops and a date is set, look for an announcement in this newsletter or on the MSU extension forestry website (http://www.forestry.umt.edu/extensionforestry).

Roy comes to MSU forestry extension from Oregon State University where he recently completed a PhD in Forest Products Marketing. Prior to that, Roy worked as a log buyer, sold hardwood lumber, and owned his own logging and portable sawmilling business all in his home state of Wisconsin. You can contact Roy at 406-243-2775 or email him at .