Woodland owners to tour pellet plant June 20 in Hayward, WI

HAYWARD -- Not since the energy crisis of the late 1970s has pelletized wood fuel become so popular. Don Kaiser, Executive Director of the Pellet Fuel Institute, estimates new or expanded facilities number over 40 coming on line in the last couple of years.

Here in the heart of the Northwoods forest products industry, Great Lakes Renewable Energy (GLRE) broke ground for the construction of a $7 million wood pellet plant in Hayward in April of 2008, which is operating at full capacity today. GLRE is on US Hwy. 63 South in Hayward, across from the Louisiana Pacific plant.
The Northwest Chapter of the Wisconsin Woodland Owners (NWWOA) will be touring the pellet plant on Saturday, June 20. A short NWWOA board meeting starts at 9:15, with registration for the tour set for 9:45-10:15 a.m.

At 10:30, GLRE General Manager Herb Seeger, and other employees will lead four small group tours, including demonstrations of debarking, drying, milling, pelleting, packaging, log yard activities and log scaling.

Products sold under the GLRE Lumber Jack brand name include Premium Wood Fuel Pellets, Animal Bedding, Aspen Kitty Litter, Wood Fiber Bedding and Commercial Fuel Pellets. The different species of trees used for these products will be discussed.
From 11:45 to 12:30, a box lunch will be served, including turkey and ham on croissants, pasta salad, fruit salad, chips and drink, at $7 per person.
Reservations for lunch must be made by June 17, by contacting Jim or Alice Kissinger at (715) 865-3419 or ajkiss@centurytel.net, with payment at the registration table.
At 12:30, GLRE representatives will take questions from the visitors, and from 1 to 2:30, a wood-chipping demonstration will be provided in the plant or on video.

The Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association is committed to educating and supporting private forest landowners in managing their land for all woodland benefits, now and in the future. The Northwest Chapter general membership meets four times each year, offering educational programs and opportunities for forest landowners to meet and share information and experiences about their woodlands. The Northwest Chapter serves private woodland owners in Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer and Washburn counties.

For more information, contact Ellie Williams, Bayfield County NWWOA representative, at (715) 765-4789.