This conference is bringing together South Carolina’s leaders in forestry and economic development to advance a shared vision of growing forestry’s total impact from $17 billion to $20 billion by the year 2015 (“20-by-15”). Leading the charge are Pete Stewart of the firm Forest2Market, Mac Lupold of Lupold Consulting, Bob Scott of the South Carolina Forestry Association and Gene Kodama, State Forester and agency head of the SC Forestry Commission.  Dr. Doug Woodward, Director of the Division of Research at USC’s Moore School of Business will help us understand how the industry’s impact is actually measured.   Also on the table are energy and the outlook for the state’s burgeoning biomass industry.  South Carolina’s “wall of wood” positions us well to benefit from this growing market.  Planning now places us on the cutting edge of the next revolution in global energy.  Of course, the current economic climate has taken its toll on this state’s frightfully high unemployment statistics.  The “20-by-15” goal takes direct aim at this problem and will promote job retention and production.  This conference has its work cut out for it.

The Forestry Commission and the South Carolina Forestry Association joined forces to draw these stakeholders together for the first time in history.  For more information, contact Scott Hawkins or Tim Adams at the South Carolina Forestry Commission, (803) 896-8800.