Montana Forest Products Week underway in Missoula
Posted: October 19, 2015Source: KPAX News
MISSOULA –
Beetle Kill Pine from Sustainable Lumber Co. at MontanaDistillary
Montana Forest Products Week, an event sponsored by the Montana Department of Natural Resources of Conservation is underway, with the aim of celebrating state wood products.
Montana wood products are featured in breweries and distilleries around the state. Montana Distillery owner Mark Hlebichuk will be celebrating the one year anniversary of his newly renovated space this December. When Hlebichuk was designing the interior, he went to the Sustainable Lumber Company of Missoula to install 4000 square feet of pine beetle kill flooring, and the bartop was built by a Victor company.
“And so just by getting that flooring, and getting that Glu-Lam top we’re keeping local jobs, we’re stimulating, in out own little way, the natural resources economy we have in Montana,” Hlebichuk said.
The Sustainable Lumber Company builds doors, cabinets, and lays flooring, among other products designed from two types of Montana lumber, Douglas Fir and beetle kill pine. Owner Ryan Palma says the natural character and color of the pine makes it especially unique.
“I mean, just to keep everything local is fantastic, support these sawmills and everybody in the industry. Ya know, this is our livelihood, and we’re gonna take care of the forests, and we’re gonna be around for a long time,” the company’s Ryan Palma explained.
Forest Products Week will be celebrated at the University of Montana with tags hung on trees all around campus sharing information about the importance of urban trees.
One of the week’s most popular activities “Walks in the Woods,” is taking place in towns including Anaconda, Seeley Lake, Deer Lodge, and Troy. Local foresters and landowners will be hosting school and community groups to offer them a chance to get a first-hand experience of forest ecology and stewardship practices.
Look for signs in Missoula and Bitterroot Valley storefronts showcasing their use of Montana woods.