National Forest Products Week: Letter to the Editor
250 word version
The president has declared this week, Oct. 19-25, as National Forest Products Week. It is a nationallydesignated time to recognize the contributions forest products manufacturers, including wood products,
make to [residency name, i.e. Idahoans] and the lives of all American citizens.
I’m a proud member of the wood products industry that contributes so much to [state name]. In our
state alone, there are [number] of forest products manufacturing facilities. More than [rounded off
number] men and women are employed by these facilities or in forestry and logging – with a total
payroll of [dollar figure]. The industry also contributes [dollar figure] directly to the state’s economy in
taxes.
Wood products are made from renewable resources and offer a carbon-sequestering alternative to
other building products used in construction. Using wood products in construction can provide
advantages over alternative materials, such as quicker construction time and cost savings, all with a
greatly reduced carbon footprint.
National Forest Products Week began in 1960 with Congress proclaiming “our country and its people
have always found constant strength, individual peace and personal pride in the bounty of forest and
timberland; and from the beginning of our Nation’s founding, the forest and its products have provided
a core of living and freedom touching and inspiring each citizen with majestic beauty and practical use.”
I invite you to join me this week in celebrating the everyday products we enjoy that are made from our
forests.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Title, Company]
150 word version
The president declared this week as National Forest Products Week. It’s a time to recognize the
contributions forest products manufacturers make to [residency name, i.e. Idahoans] and all Americans.
I’m a proud member of the wood products industry in [state name]. In our state, there are [number] of
forest products manufacturing facilities. More than [rounded off number] men and women are
employed by them or in forestry and logging – with a total payroll of [dollar figure]. The industry also
contributes [dollar figure] directly to [state name] in taxes.
Wood products are made from renewable resources and using wood products in construction can
provide advantages over alternative materials, such as quicker construction time and cost savings, all
with a greatly reduced carbon footprint.
National Forest Products Week began in 1960 and I invite you to join me this week in continuing the
celebration of everyday products we enjoy that are made from our forests.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Title, Company]