Buck Vandersteen joins the show from the LegisGator Conference to discuss the state of Louisiana’s forestry industry, highlighting its vast forest coverage—over 15 million acres, mostly privately owned. Historically, early 20th-century logging led to deforestation, but reforestation efforts over the past 75 years have reversed that trend. Today, Louisiana grows 70% more wood than it harvests, creating a surplus of timber, especially small-diameter wood from first thinnings.

Traditionally, this surplus fed the pulp and paper industry, but declining newspaper demand and mill closures—like International Paper in Pineville—have left millions of tons of wood without a market. However, new opportunities are emerging. Four new sawmills have opened in recent years, and innovative facilities like Beaver Lake Renewables in Pineville are transforming forestry by converting wood into methanol, a renewable fuel for the shipping industry.

This process, while generating carbon dioxide, is part of a broader carbon management strategy. Louisiana’s forestry philosophy emphasizes replanting after harvest, ensuring continuous carbon sequestration. Vandersteen acknowledges public concerns about carbon capture and storage but stresses the economic and environmental benefits of these new industries. The Pineville plant alone represents a $2 billion investment and will support local jobs and landowners.

Beyond methanol, other facilities are exploring sustainable aviation fuel and wood-based energy for data centers, including projects backed by major tech companies like Meta. Vandersteen emphasizes the importance of developing markets for forest products to sustain rural economies, promote reforestation, and reduce urban migration. He concludes that forestry, when supported by strong markets and innovation, can be a cornerstone of both economic development and environmental stewardship in Louisiana.

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