73rd Annual ILC and Equipment Show Presents New Ways and Brighter Days

www.forestindustry.com ForestWire Media Release

For Immediate Release: Intermountain Logging Conference
March 3, 2011

If you are a logger, forester, forest supplier, or simply interested in the business, be sure to mark your calendars for the Intermountain Logging Conference & Equipment Show on April 7-9, 2011. This year's event will again be held at the Mirabeau Park Hotel & Convention Center in the Spokane Valley, Washington.

“Over the past several years, much has been discussed about the changes our industry has seen recently and how we need to adapt to them,” says Doug Bradetich, current Intermountain Logging Conference Vice-President and Program Committee Chair.

The 2011 conference will be dealing with putting those changes to work for attendees and their companies. “Whether it be participating in a stewardship contract, community wide collaborative project, or working through the forest practices of a state that is new to you, we will be talking about how to make that issue an opportunity for you and your crew,” Bradetich adds.

The Keynote speaker for this year's event is Jack Blackwell, Director of Business Development for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), who will be speaking about “Partnerships in Stewardship.” Prior to his work with the RMEF, Jack served as Regional Forester in two regions for the Forest Service.

“One of the greatest changes we have seen in the Intermountain forests over the last 20-30 years is the demographics of forest ownership and the priorities of those owners. RMEF has been a leader in acquiring and enhancing land for big game habitat for many years now [and] are highly respected by land stewards throughout the Intermountain Area,” says Bradetich. “We have asked Jack to kick off the 73rd ILC by discussing some of the ways we as an industry, and you as a contractor, can partner with them and similar groups in that habitat management and restoration.”

In addition to the keynote address, there will also be panel discussions throughout the weekend on hot topic issues in the industry. Visitors can attend the technical training classes and choose from the list of breakout sessions for specific topics best suited to each company's needs. Along with the presentations, the ILC also presents a highly anticipated Equipment Show that will display the latest in machinery and equipment for a wide range of forest operations. Vendors will be manning both indoor and outdoor booths and in a large outdoor tent.

This weekend long event will also see the return of the 2nd Annual Log Loader Competition where some of the best operators in the Intermountain Region compete and show off their skill-set.

For complete conference details or to register online, visit the Intermountain Logging Conference online at www.intermountainlogging.org

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