Alaska's Last Piano Lumber Mill Faces Federal Timber Supply Blockade

Viking Lumber's Unique Position

• 🎹 Viking Lumber Company in Alaska is the nation's last remaining sawmill providing wood specifically for Steinway pianos.
• 🎸 The company's lumber is also crucial for other piano manufacturers, Martin and Gibson guitars, and various industrial applications including wind tunnels, boats, and military missiles.

Federal Land Control and Environmental Influence

• 🏞️ In Southeast Alaska, 94% of the land is federally owned and managed by the Forest Service.
• 🌳 The Forest Service has become increasingly influenced by environmental groups, leading to shifts in timber harvesting policies with changes in administration.
• 📅 A 2016 Forest Service land management plan promised 46 million board feet for the industry, but no significant timber sales have been initiated since its implementation.

Legal Action and Proposed Solutions

• ⚖️ The Pacific Legal Foundation is suing the Forest Service on Viking Lumber's behalf to reinstate the 2016 T-Lump Tongass land management plan.
• 🌲 To ensure a secure future supply, Kirk Dahlstrom suggests that some land needs to be removed from Forest Service control and transferred to state management.