A representative organization of timber owners and forest industry is opposing tougher laws on timber theft and wood buyer record keeping. The Alabama Forestry Association claims that record keeping will be too expensive for the wood buyer, that the Alabama Forestry Commission has no authority to tinker with the legislative process and that the liability imposed on wood buyers would be unacceptable.
I'm sorry but I have been for tough timber theft legislation all my forestry career and this just does not pass my smell test. AFA concerns seem to support the old ideas of industry protection at the expense of timber growers. Remember, this is not just an Alabama issue and can potentially be the attitude of your state forestry association.
More on the Alabama timber theft issue:
Comments
I am an Alabama land owner. My father sold timber, and the lumber men left without paying him all of the monies for the trees that were taken. This is considered by me as timber theft. We will not have this done again without an appropriet recourse. Timber does not mature in a week, it takes years and patience. We need LAWS to protect our rights and taxes we pay for the land every year.