Timber expo to shine spotlight on Pennsylvania forest products industry

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s nearly $22 billion forest products industry will be the focus of the 2025 Forest Products Equipment and Technology Exposition, scheduled for June 6-7 at Penn State's Ag Progress Days site at Rock Springs.

Known as Timber 2025, the biennial trade exposition is aimed primarily at loggers, foresters, sawmill operators, value-added processors and forest landowners. The event is hosted by the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association. Parking and admission are free.

Thousands of visitors with connections to the forest-products industry in Pennsylvania and surrounding states are expected to attend, according to Jesse Darlington, Ag Progress Days manager, who also oversees the timber expo.

“Timber 2025 is a trade show that represents a prime professional-development opportunity for forest-product company owners, managers and employees, as well as a valuable learning experience for forest landowners and anyone who cares about the sustainable management of our renewable natural resources,” Darlington said.

He noted that expo attendees can learn about emerging technologies, attend a sustainable forestry seminar, network with other professionals and see the latest equipment in action.

The leading hardwood producing and exporting state in the U.S., Pennsylvania has almost 17 million acres of forestland and is home to more than 2,100 forest-products companies providing more than 60,000 jobs, accounting for about 10% of manufacturing jobs in the state. The industry generates $21.8 billion in direct economic activity and has a total annual impact of approximately $39 billion on the state's economy, according to the Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council.

Timber 2025 organizers expect nearly 100 indoor and outdoor exhibitors to participate in the event, which will feature a variety of live machinery demonstrations — in the woods and on the show grounds. In-the-woods demonstrations will take place at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday and at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Depending on availability, these demos may feature slashers, processors, forwarders, feller bunchers and skid loaders.

Demonstration sites on the show grounds will spotlight chippers and horizontal grinders at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. both days. At individual exhibit spaces, exhibitors also will demonstrate or display equipment for sawmills, firewood processing, mulching and other production processes.

Among other planned Timber 2025 activities are:

— Pennsylvania Sustainable Forestry Initiative training course, 1-4 p.m. Friday, June 6. This course, focusing on wildland fire prevention and response for Pennsylvania loggers, will enable loggers to meet their annual PA SFI continuing education requirements. The course is free to attend, with a nominal administrative fee charged to those who wish to register for continuing education credit.

— “Log a Load for Kids” charity truck parade, 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 6. “Log-a-Load for Kids” has raised millions of dollars nationally to help sick and injured children. Individuals and businesses in the Pennsylvania logging and forestry industries donate funds to help local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. Companies taking part in the parade have donated to the charity to participate.

— Penn State Lumber Lions demonstrations. This student team will display its lumberjacking skills with axe-throwing demonstrations at 11:30 a.m. Friday and 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

— Game of Logging Competition, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7. Professional loggers from the northeastern United States will compete in preliminary events in the morning, followed by a tree-felling contest in the afternoon. Competitors are judged on speed, accuracy and how safely they operate their chainsaws.

— Goods from the Woods Walking Tour, various times June 6-7. Participants will traverse easy walking terrain at the Penn State Demonstration Woodlot to learn about the many things we harvest and use from forests. Forestry and wildlife professionals will lead the interactive tours, answer questions and connect participants with more resources about forests, wildlife and habitat management.

— Bear Horse Logging demonstrations, 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Friday, June 6.

— The Pasto Agricultural Museum will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 6-7, enabling visitors to explore the history of Pennsylvania's timber and logging industries. Located near the top of Main Street at the show site, the museum features tools and other artifacts dating from prior to the 1940s, including saws and other antique logging equipment.

— Lumber grading demonstrations, 12:30 p.m. daily.

— Chainsaw safety training, 9 a.m. Friday, June 6, and 11 a.m. Saturday, June 7.

The Ag Progress Days site, at Penn State's Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, is nine miles southwest of State College on state Route 45. The address for GPS purposes is 2710 W. Pine Grove Road, Pennsylvania Furnace, PA 16865.

Timber 2025 hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on June 6 and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on June 7.

More information about Timber 2025, including details on exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, is available by calling 814-863-2873 or by visiting the show website.