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CORVALLIS, Ore. – The 13th International Mountain Logging and Pacific Northwest Skyline Symposium will be held at Oregon State University on April 1-6, attracting experts from around the world to explore the latest innovations and approaches to mountain logging.

The professional conference, at the CH2M-Hill Alumni Center on the OSU campus, will include field tours, eight workshops, a poster and vendor session, and multiple presentations.

Participants are expected from Canada, Austria, Germany, France, Japan, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden and other nations, in addition to forestry professionals from much of the United States in academia, industry and government. The conference theme this year is “Global Competitiveness: Implications and Sustainable Approaches for Mountain Forest Harvesting.”

Focus topics include logging innovations to reduce cost or improve value; forest road and transportation management; harvest planning; environmental quality in mountain logging; biomass utilization for energy and biofuels; and workforce issues.

Mountain forests – such as those that dominate much of the Pacific Northwest – are valuable sources of wood, water, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities and scenic quality. The latest knowledge in forest engineering techniques is necessary to meet societal demands for wood products while protecting and enhancing other forest features. This conference is of considerable value in achieving those goals, organizers say.