No takers on logging program

Thus far, there have been no takers at the price set by the state to harvest logs.

January 23, 2006
By Dave Williams
Albany Herald

ATLANTA - A new program allowing loggers to harvest vintage lumber from the bottoms of the Flint and Altamaha rivers has gotten some nibbles but no bites, a Department of Natural Resources administrator said Tuesday.

The General Assembly authorized so-called "deadhead logging" last year on a trial basis.
For several years, loggers in some other Southeastern states have been harvesting longleaf pine and cypress logs that sank to river bottoms more than a century ago as they were being transported to mills.

The high-quality wood is used to produce flooring, furniture and paneling.

The DNR's Wildlife Resources Division began accepting applications at the beginning of this month.

But thus far, there have been no takers at the price set by the state to harvest logs, $1.28 per board foot, division director Dan Forster told the state Board of Natural Resources Tuesday.
But he said most of the loggers that showed interest had other concerns besides the price.
He said some hesitated because of uncertainties over the new program, while one simply couldn't on short notice come up with the $10,000 the state is charging for a harvesting permit.

"I'm not convinced that we won't get an application at the current price," Forster said. "I think there's enough interest out there that somebody's going to come through."
The board went along with Forster's recommendation to open a second application period from Jan. 30 to Feb. 17.

That will allow board members to re-examine the issue at next month's meeting and decide whether to lower the state's asking price.