The May 2022 meeting of the Vermont Forest & Wood Products Business Roundtable was held at Gagnon Lumber in Pittsford, and featured a tour by owner and roundtable member Ken Gagnon. During the gathering, discussions ranged from the art and science of lumber drying, to how the different companies celebrate holidays and other notable events. “I learned two helpful things today,” said a smiling Brent Karner, who is also a roundtable member and owner of Clearlake Furniture in Ludlow, VT.
A service of UVM Extension’s Forest Business Program, the roundtable is an advisory group of industry peers that meets monthly to share business challenges and opportunities, and to hone management and leadership skills. Members are recruited from across the forest and wood products industries in Vermont. The roundtable supports connectivity along the forest economy value chain, sharing knowledge, skills and encouraging innovation among members.
Vermont lumber mills and other wood processing facilities are necessary to support a flourishing local forest-products economy. This sector helps meet growing demand for local wood products like firewood, mulch, building materials and furniture. A thriving wood processing sector keeps jobs local while sustaining working forests throughout the state. This contributes to the health, integrity and longevity of Vermont’s forests and the Northern Forest region.