A.F. Timber Co - In The News
Steeped in pride: Steep slope contractor fronts Logger Pride movement
Published in Canadian Forest Industry Magazine - December 22, 2022
A logging business started by the husband-and-wife team of Al and Erin Fitchett more than two decades ago has grown not only in size and profitability, but also in community involvement, even starting a movement promoting the trade.
Humble beginnings
A.F. Timber began operations in 1998 as a modest one-machine operation in Nelson, B.C., when Al bought a used Cat D4 Hi-drive crawler with a winch on the back. Barely 22 years old then, he hired a co-worker to fall trees in the morning and skid them out in the afternoon, while his wife Erin took charge of the administrative duties.
As the operations grew, Al bought a Thunderbird TMY40 yarder to take advantage of the abundance of steeply forested slopes in local mountains.
Today, the company boasts a fleet of gear that makes it a full phase stump-to-dump logging company, supplying forest products to various markets in British Columbia’s Kootenay region.
ADVERTISEMENT
The contractor supplies fir, larch, hemlock, spruce and pine sawlog to Kalesnikoff Lumber in Thrums, B.C. It also supplies the neighbouring Castlegar-based Mercer Celgar with pulp, and cedar sawlog to Porcupine Wood Products in Salmo, B.C.
Thriving and expanding
The contractor’s expanding equipment inventory comprises a Cat 535C grapple skidder, a Diamond 210 yarder with Alpine grapple carriage and ACME slack puller carriage, a Hyundai 3026 excavator with bucket and Weldco-Beales power clam, a Hyundai 250 log loader with live heel, a Hyundai 250 back spar, and a Western Star tri drive with Anser wagon, convertible to be used for either short or long logs. The contractor hires additional trucks as needed. Other machineries include a Tigercat 875 log loader with 605 Southstar grapple processor, a Tigercat 855D buncher and a Tigercat 855C tilter hoe chucker with IMAC power clam.
While specializing in steep slope logging, A.F. Timber also has road building and conventional logging expertise.
“We’ve been logging steep side hills for 20 years. It’s what we know and what we do well,” says Erin, who is the operations manager. “We started conventional ground-based harvesting in the beginning, but quickly within a few years we have seen the need and opportunity for steep slope cable harvesting.”
“The Tigercat tilter hoe chucker is a great tool for us. It allows us to feed to skyline of the yarder in many settings. The Tigercat 875 log loader with Southstar grapple processor is used to process logs and load trucks from the rear. On almost all our cable settings, there’s only a road width for a landing so you cannot load from the side,” explains Al.
A slope is considered steep when it reaches a grade of 35 per cent, or about 25 degrees – the steepness of an advanced ski run. Indeed, the region’s steep terrain is known for its world-class downhill and snowcat skiing.
In September, Canadian Forest Industries joined A.F. Timber’s crew led by Al and his lead foreman Jake Velisek on a block near Nelson to get a better look at cable yarding the steep, difficult terrain of the province’s West Kootenay region.
A.F. Timber harvests a diversity of species – fir, cedar, pine, larch, hemlock, spruce – commonly called the “Kootenay mix”. It harvests around 45,000 cubic metres a year via cable, full tree to roadside, and some 20,000 cubic metres a year of sawlog via conventional logging, averaging around 22 inches in diameter.
“We cut long logs for the most part, only cutting shorts in small diameter pulp situations,” Al says of the work done by the seven-person team working 45 hours of day shifts per week.
The average yarding and skidding distances are not much more than 350 metres, and the average haul distance to the mill is usually less than 60 kilometres.
Steep challenges
Logging on steep slopes means facing the associated challenges that are sometimes as steep as the hills being logged.
Access to fibre is a huge challenge. “We have tailored our business to suit the needs of our clients in the Kootenays. Kalesnikoff’s approach to doing more with less volume is a perfect fit for our business,” Al explains. “Opportunities for us are definitely focused on harvesting challenging terrain and higher value products, not increasing volume.”
Another significant challenge is dealing with the region’s geography and topography: the Kootenays have a lot of rock and tracked machines on rock is difficult to manage. Focus is on safety, as operating a safe work environment is an everyday priority, naturally.
Logger Pride movement
That’s part of the reasoning behind the Logger Pride movement – a system of values taught by doing a dangerous job to a high degree of skill while being part of a smoothly functioning team in mostly adverse conditions. It’s being proud of what you do and knowing that you have made an achievement, then taking that feeling of accomplishment to inspire you to do good. The Fitchetts are passionate about the movement, which includes promoting the trade. They have worked with Selkirk College in developing a logging training program. The Fitchetts are also generously giving back to the community by sponsoring an annual bursary of $1,500 for young people entering the forest industry at any Canadian post-secondary institution. Since 2016, A.F. Timber has invested in eight students and this year, two bursaries were awarded to two young students.
Erin regularly speaks to fifth grade students during Forestry Week on how logging is sustainable and beneficial to the community. This year she spoke to over 200 young students.
“They’re very curious and they have genuinely good questions about our industry,” says Erin. “I ask them questions like, ‘why do you think we harvest timber?’ It’s really interesting to hear their ideas about logging. I challenge them to count how many times they touch wood in a day, because it’s in so many of the products we use daily. Then, we talk about how it’s a renewable resource and how we harvest it.”
Logger pride: BC contractor shares a love of logging with the community
Published in Canadian Forest Industry Magazine March 29, 2018 - When Al and Erin Fitchett look out their picture window, across the west arm of Kootenay Lake near Nelson, B.C., they see the steep forests of the Selkirk Mountains stretching off in the distance. They also see scattered traces of the loggers who came before them, men and women who made their living sustainably harvesting the mature fir, hemlock and cedar for the local sawmills.
Those mills helped the nearby communities thrive and expand and were not seen as eyesores and polluters but rather as necessary employers that supported many families. The loggers of yore were proud of what they did for a living. They were highly skilled, did a dangerous job and the towns-folk understood and welcomed them with open arms.
But 30 or 40 years ago, public perception began to shift. Suddenly anything that affected the pristine beauty of an untouched forest was bad, even tragic. Many people back then didn’t look across at a harvested forest and see healthy regrowth and renewed diversity, all they saw was stumps and razed ground. There was even a mainstream feature cartoon movie at the time that portrayed loggers as the minions of the underworld leading to many uncomfortable conversations between people who made their living from the forests and their children. Some politicians bent to the will of their more noisome constituents and sacrificed the living-wage jobs that were the life-blood of small rural communities and mills began to disappear. Loggers began to guard their privacy from the ravages of public opinion and in some cases, were even reluctant to discuss what they did for a living.
Since then the situation between forest workers and the public has changed considerably. People now see wood products as a positive alternative to other less environment-friendly building materials and for the most part they understand the temporary nature of a clear cut. As prominent loggers in their community for the past 20 years, Al and Erin feel they are helping to restore the confidence and pride of being a logger.
Company roots
In 1998 Al bought a used CAT D4 Hi-drive crawler with a winch on the back and founded A.F. Timber Co. He hired a co-worker and together they would fall trees in the morning skid them out in the afternoon. They secured work logging private land and were soon off and running, supplying timber to the local West Kootenay mills. They did that for two years, picking up used equipment when they needed it until one day, Al took the plunge and bought a Thunderbird TMY40 yarder to take advantage of the abundance of steeply forested slopes in the local mountains.
The next two years were a serious challenge for Al and his family. Al had never yarded before and the learning curve was as steep as the hills he struggled to log. At times they were so discouraged all they thought about was getting the yarder paid off so they could go back to conventional logging. The long hours logging were topped off by even longer hours maintaining the machinery; the money wasn’t exactly rolling in. However, Al is not the type to quit something just because it is difficult. He was lucky to have a relative familiar with the process who he could discuss his problems with, and so gradually, without his even being sure when it happened, Al and his crew became good at it. In fact, they became very good at it and all thoughts of abandoning the yarder were gone.
That was the turning point in Al and Erin’s logging career. Erin recalls asking Al at the time, “How did we do this? How did we make this work?” But Al never had a doubt. Like many men who work in the bush, for him a challenge encountered is a challenge accepted. Al’s drive to succeed against all odds was to come in handy in late 2007 as the forest industry downturn seized the mills and the contracts for logs dried up.
Luckily for A.F. Timber, they happened to be at a stage in their equipment cycle where almost everything was paid for, so they weren’t forced into insolvency. Al was compelled to lay off his crew and trim down to one machine doing road building and small logging jobs for the next 18 months to support his family. In 2009 the industry strengthened, and the fledging yarder crew was back in business.
For the next five years Al worked with Porcupine Wood Products in Salmo, B.C., bidding on timber sales and delivering the logs to the mill. Business was steady, and the company grew. Al started another round of equipment purchases and it soon became apparent that he was going to need a good foreman to help with the growing workload. As luck would have it, Al did not have to look far for the right man. An employee he had originally hired as a handfaller displayed strong leadership qualities from the start. Jake Velisek was popular with the crew, knew a lot about yarding operations and was a natural choice to help lead the team.
Proud loggers
When it comes to hiring new employees, A.F. Timber doesn’t exclusively look for experience. They look for eager, passionate, fit young applicants willing to work hard to learn every facet of the job from the bottom to the top. Everybody on the team helps mentor the new hires and employees are encouraged to take ownership of their responsibilities. Nobody is left to try and figure things out on their own; in many ways the workers are as tight as a family.
That’s part of what logger pride is all about: it is a system of values taught by doing a dangerous job to a high degree of skill while being part of a smoothly functioning team in mostly adverse conditions. It’s being proud of what you do and looking back at the end of the day knowing that you have achieved what most people could not achieve and then taking that feeling of accomplishment back home to your families and your communities.
In 2014 Al bought a larger yarder to fulfill the growing company’s needs and the company began to log exclusively for Kalesnikoff Lumber in Thrums, B.C., bringing in mostly large fir, cedar, hemlock and larch. They purchased a new Peterbilt Tridem logging truck and ramped up production to 250 cubic metres a day. Although Erin had always worked part time in the office, in 2015, it became clear that the company was going to need somebody to perform administrative duties full time. Erin was happy to step into that roll and as part of her new position she decided to reach out to the public to help them remember that loggers are valued members of our society and that the task they perform is necessary and honorable. The Logger Pride movement was born.
Erin began working with social media to spread her message. Her core belief is that if you don’t tell your story somebody else will. She contacted the B.C. environment ministry and was invited to participate in school presentations as well as to set up a booth at local forestry day events. To date she has spoken to more than 1,000 children about steep slope logging and how the logs get from the stump to the mill as well as explaining how logging is sustainable and beneficial to our future.
The Fitchetts have also been working with Selkirk College developing a logging training program and exploring the possibility of making logging a Red Seal trade. A.F. Timber sponsors a $1,500 bursary for young people entering the forest industry after post-secondary education and in fact, the first recipient of that fund has even helped with the planning and layout of one of their cut-blocks!
In 2016 A.F. Timber bought a Hyundai 3030LL log loader with a SouthStar grapple processor, one of the first in the B.C. Interior, which made the operation more efficient by allowing them to process and load with one machine. The contractor currently employs a team of five and one contract faller. Their expanding equipment inventory now includes in addition to the previously mentioned machinery; a Diamond 210 swing yarder, a Cat 535C skidder, a Hyundai 250LC-7 log loader, a Hyundai 250LC-7 hoe chucker and a John Deere 2654 hoe chucker.
The future looks bright for A.F. Timber and for Logger Pride in general. Erin plans to continue her outreach and education program in the local schools and at community events while Al continues to perfect his steep-slope logging methods while keeping an eye on new technology such as tethered mechanical falling. Al and Erin Fitchett can be found with their two children just outside of Balfour, B.C., surrounded by the forest they live, play and work in.
Q&A with A.F. Timber’s operations manager Erin Fitchett
Published in Canadian Forest Industry Magazine March 3, 2021 -
Erin Fitchett is a passionate advocate for the logging industry. As the operations manager of Nelson, B.C.-based A.F. Timber, she supports the logging operators out in the bush, and is also in the process of assuming the role of safety officer. Erin is a director on the board of the Interior Logging Association. In 2015, she began a movement called Logger Pride, sharing her love for logging on social media in an effort to change the narrative about the industry. She also does community outreach, speaking to students in the Nelson, B.C., & area to help explain how logging is sustainable and beneficial for our future.
CFI: What was it that first led you to become involved in forestry?
To be honest, I didn’t know much about the forest industry when I got involved. I started dating my husband, Allan, back in 1997 – he grew up in a forestry family. His dad is a forest tech who worked in the Nelson area. When Allan was a teenager, he started his forestry career working in a local mill yard. He quickly caught the bug to go logging. In 1998, we started A.F. Timber Co. Ltd.
I grew up in Calgary, but when I moved to B.C. and I got a chance to see our industry, I was so intrigued by the entire operation. I was fascinated with all aspects of it and it just drew me right in. I don’t operate the heavy equipment in my day-to-day work, but when I have the opportunity to do so on the weekend, I snatch it up. The whole industry really intrigues me, from the cutting to getting the logs to the mill.
CFI: What is your role now and what do you like best about it?
I do all of the office work. In this role, I ensure that everything is taken care of, so when the guys are out working, they have the best support that they can have. When the need arises for parts to be delivered, I’m always available to help out. I have also recently taken on being our safety officer. I am presently taking the BC Forest Safety Council Auditor course online. Once I have completed it, I will be taking over our safety program. I am excited to go into the bush once a week and be face-to-face with our crew.
In 2015, when my daughter was in grade five, I chaperoned a field trip for her – Forestry Days – at our local Provincial Park. They had presentations on topics such as forest firefighting, the mill process and beetle control. They covered all aspects of forestry except for harvesting. I thought, “We’re kind of missing a major piece of the puzzle.” So, I contacted the Ministry of Forests, who put on the event, and they were thrilled because, in their words, no one in the industry tends to have the time to take off work and set up a booth to talk about harvesting. I led that project, and I’ve been doing that every year since.
I have the opportunity to speak to every grade five student in the Nelson, B.C. area. They’re very curious and they have genuinely good questions about our industry. I ask them questions like, “Why do you think we harvest timber?” It’s really interesting to hear their ideas about logging. I challenge them to count how many times they touch wood in a day, because it’s in so many of the products we use daily. Then, we talk about how it’s a renewable resource and how we harvest it.
In the year leading up to the first Forestry Day event, I really started to pay attention to the narrative around logging, and it started what I call the Logger Pride movement. I really, really enjoy getting to tell our story through social media and speaking events. I’m concerned that if we don’t tell the story, somebody else will, and they may not necessarily know what really happens in the industry. That’s one of my favourite parts of the job.
I also visit high schools to talk about our industry with students. When talking to the girls, they express interest in marketing or office administration. They’re not necessarily thinking about going into logging or forestry, but I challenge them to think outside the box. I’ll say, “So, when you’re finished with your education, where will you work?” They will say a dentist’s or a doctor’s office or something similar. I ask, “What about working for a logging company? We need people who can handle the back-end of the operation.” They usually say that they have never really thought about it, and I point out that it is a good-paying job.
I am also starting to see a switch, as there are a lot more female operators out there nowadays. I was recently talking about this to my husband, and he said, “Women are great operators, they can multi-task like nobody’s business!”
I enjoy doing the office work, and I love the crossover to be able to go into the bush as well. I am proud to talk to the community, in whatever form that takes.
CFI: Were there any particular mentors who helped you along the way?
My husband, of course! But since we started the company in 1998, I’ve been well-supported in whatever role I took on. Everybody is really supportive and helps me along the way, and I never feel like I am being spoken down to.
There is one person that stands out though, his name is Dwane Sorenson. He has had many roles in our industry, and with anything that I was working on, he always said, “You can do it!” If I ever have any questions, he’s right there to make sure that I have the necessary resources or connects me with the right people. He’s been very supportive of me and has helped me to believe I can do whatever I need to do.
CFI: As a woman in the industry, do you find there are particular challenges?
No not really. I think women should be encouraged more to get into the field of logging. They’re amazing equipment operators, and I think women can excel in any role that they want to take on if they have a passion for it.
I think the only time I could feel dismissed is with equipment salesmen. Not all of them, though. I have been at events and I’ll ask about a certain piece of equipment or technology and they’ll say that they will be in touch with my husband. But, I’ll say, “I’m sitting right here, let’s have a conversation.” I don’t like that stereotype. That is the only instance where it’s been challenging.
CFI: What advice do you have for young women who are looking at a career in logging?
I’d tell them to believe they have a place in our industry. As I mentioned before, female equipment operators do excellent work. If you have an interest in being outside and doing this type of work, it’s a well-paying job. I know our company would definitely welcome female operators.
I think the biggest message is, don’t be afraid. It was an industry historically led by men, but every time you turn around there are more and more women entering our field. They’re a huge asset to the industry, whether it be in the office, in safety, in equipment, as a foreman or a supervisor.
