Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/860755
Wood Products plant in Robertsdale, Alabama, and Congressman Thompson had recently visited Penn Pallet in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania. Both are also strong supporters of small businesses and smart forestry management. As an aside into forestry management, I recently visited the Grey Towers, home of Gifford Pinchot, founder of American forestry. There, I had the pleasure of meeting with his grandson, Peter Pinchot, who, like his grandfather, has dedicated his life to the sustainable use of our nation's forests. During a walk through the nearby woods, he expressed concerns for the way that forest lands have been managed in the past few decades. He discussed the threat of land conversion, how forested land is often cleared for agriculture if there is not enough value in the forest. He said a well-managed forest comes from demand in forest products, not just government regulation, something most of our association members would probably agree with. Mr. Pinchot also expressed hope for the future. He emphasized something he called social enterprise, meaning the use of commercial means to maximize human and environmental well-being. The discussion made me rethink parts of my prior education. When learning about the way natural resources were managed, or how anything was managed for that matter, it is often taught that there are good actors and bad actors, with little grey area in between. The government is a good actor, and the corporation is a bad actor, or vice versa, depending on who you asked. It is too easy to fall into the trap of letting ideals drive policy one way or the other without an analysis of what is effective. Without thinking about the people on the ground, the forester, the lumberman, the pallet manufacturer, we risk forgetting about the most important part of the equation. To fulfill the responsibility to the land and the landowner, we need partnerships in government where the issue of social enterprise can be discussed. We need mutual trust so that our industry can efficiently manage the forests. My walk with Peter Pinchot has given me a new perspective on regulation and forestry. My work for the association has given me a name for the wooden pallet industry. My time spent with you, the members, has put a face to that name. Finally, I would like to personally thank all the members who made their way out to the Fly-In for showing me kindness and respect and for representing our association so well. PC palletcentral.com PalletCentral • July-August 2017 35 from a Millennial Houston Smith is a student at Michigan State University studying International Relations with a concentration in Science, Technology, and Environment Policy and Economics. He is currently interning at the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association. It is too easy to fall into the trap of letting ideals drive policy one way or the other without an analysis of what is effective.