Michigan Association of Timbermen

09/05/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FKjimUC1p/

Log trucker Dave Nayback of Pickford, MI, was out delivering firewood pulp on a beautiful day near Sault Ste. Marie and his customer snapped a photo of him hard at work! Great work David Nayback Trucking!

Speaking of signs of fall 😂🍂🔥. Dave is the most meticulous when unloading!

09/04/2026

We had a great day in the woods earlier this week, with long-time Timbermen's member Yates Forest Products, based in Oscoda, along the Lake Huron shoreline.

Owner Levi Yates, his son Chris, and his grandson Matt, operate as a team, and on this sale were focused grinding and hauling wood chips to the Grayling cogeneration plant. They were working in tandem with Gene Spies Forest Products on a private timber sale, and were doing a great job. It was fun to watch Gene Spies crew sorting logs while Chris was loading up the Morbark, LLC grinder.

Levi Yates is over 80 years old and is still going strong, driving chip vans multiple times each day, and working closely with his son Chris on all the various jobs Yates Forest Products is involved with.

We appreciate their membership and dedication to the industry!

09/03/2026

Michigan's forest industry came out to support a potential project in Lincoln, Michigan, that would restart the woody biomass cogeneration that closed down in 2024.

The power plant, owned by National Salvage & Service Corporation, is being considered for a special project that would include new construction on site, and restart the plant. The Village of Lincoln, MI, held a public hearing this week, with members of the public, loggers, sawmill operators, the Michigan Association of Timbermen and Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association attending and encouraging the Village Council to consider zoning modifications that would allow the plant to restart if the development proceeds.

It was a unique meeting with exciting and productive conversation.

08/27/2026

Please join us in welcoming long-time supporter Kory Wils Forest Products & Trucking to the Michigan Association of Timbermen as a member!

Born and raised in Rapid River, Michigan, Kory grew up on his family's beef farm and now lives there with his three children. Growing up around heavy equipment gave him a love for big machines at a young age, and eventually led him to a career in the timber industry.

Kory began driving a log truck during his senior year of high school, hauling loads to Billerud North America in Quinnesec on nights and weekends. He quickly realized logging and log trucking were what he wanted to do for a career. Around the age of 22, he purchased his first log truck and began building what has grown into a full logging and timber transportation operation.

Today, Kory's company operates three logging crews, with the operation based in the central Upper Peninsula and working primarily throughout Alger, Delta and Marquette counties.

We're excited to have Kory and his operation as part of the Michigan Association of Timbermen and appreciate his support of the work we're doing around the state!

08/26/2026

This past Friday we joined nearly 70 loggers and other Timbermen supporters at the Nahma Golf Club for Links with Loggers in the UP! It was a great day with lots of fun, networking, and connections made.

Thanks to our lunch sponsors: AIS Construction Equipment, Forest Insurance Center Agency Inc, MATSIF, Northern Energy, Team Wieland Truck & Trailer, The Nelson Paint Company, McCoy Construction & Forestry, Roland Machinery Company, and WJZ & Sons Harvesting!

Thanks to our hole sponsors: Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands, Pat's Motorsports/ Heavy Equipment, Stevens Logging, IXL Wood Products, Timber Products, Pomeroy Forest Products, Steve Anderson Forest Products, Kretz Lumber Co., Inc., ZMP Harvesting, Superior Insurance Agency of Sault Ste. Marie, LLC, Columbus Equipment Company, Max Constantino Trucking, Nahma Lakeside Landing Campground & Lodging, and the Nahma Inn, Nahma Michigan!

08/25/2026

Good job Ponsse North America and the Michigan Forest Products Council for repping the industry at the UP State Fairgrounds last week!

08/25/2026

The Michigan Association of Timbermen participated in a Qualified Forest Program (QFP) Roundtable on August 19 in Naubinway at the Hiawatha Sportsman's Club, celebrating one million acres enrolled in the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development - MDARD Qualified Forest Program (www.michigan.gov/mdard/environment/forestry/qualified-forest-program).

It was a great event, bringing together leaders from Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development - MDARD, the Michigan Forest Association, Michigan Biomass, and the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association, as well as corporations and forestry experts like Weyerhaeuser and Hunters Land Management LLC.

The day included detailed discussion on the Qualified Forest Program, how acres are being managed currently, and how the program can improve. The Hiawatha Sportsman's Club is enrolled in the Qualified Forest Program, with foresters from Green Timber managing the property. Green Timber's forester took the group on a field tour highlighting northern hardwood management and aspen management. Staff from Green Timber Consulting Foresters, Inc., headquartered in Pelkie, and with offices in Newberry (www.greentimberforestry.com) , have been managing the Hiawatha Sportsman's Club's, forest for many years, and have been doing exceptional work.

Thank you to MDARD Private Lands Forestry Manager Ben Schram and MDARD Director, Dr. Tim Boring for coming to the UP and hosting the event!

08/24/2026

Ok - this is way cool! Smith Truck Body down in Rosebush, MI had AI change their trucks into transformers - submit your truck as a transformer or upload a pic and we'll do it for you!

We saw recently in a group where people were asking chat gpt to turn their trucks into transformers. Here is the 550 and our Peterbilt.

Let’s see those trucks as transformers!