A free two-day workshop on milling, drying, and grading lumber will be offered in Craig and Klawock, according to an April 6 announcement by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service. The event will take place on April 22-23 and offers participants a chance to earn an Alaska lumber grading certificate.
The training is led by Matt Labrenz, forest products specialist with the Cooperative Extension Service. The program is designed for small- and medium-scale sawmill operators who want to produce dimension lumber from local spruce, hemlock, and yellow cedar for home construction in Alaska. Certification through this course allows locally produced lumber to be accepted as an alternative to grade-stamped lumber for structural applications under residential building codes when program conditions are met.
On Wednesday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Labrenz will teach techniques for milling and drying lumber at Shaan Seet Sawmill in Craig. The following day’s session on Thursday, April 23—also from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.—will focus on the lumber grading certification course at Generations Southeast Community Learning Center in Klawock.
Participants who complete the training course and pass a proficiency test will receive a five-year certification. The workshop is organized through collaboration between the Cooperative Extension Service, Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, Generations Southeast Community Learning Center in Klawock, and Shaan Seet Inc.
Registration information can be found on the Alaska Lumber Grading website or via https://bit.ly/AlaskaLumberGrading. For further details about the event or accessibility accommodations—including language access services—interested individuals are encouraged to contact Matt Labrenz or Alda Norris at their provided email addresses or phone numbers.
This initiative is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
