By Rachel A. Hardy
In 2021, my family harvested timber from our pine tree farm in Northampton County. I had only a vague idea of what happened to the timber after that – until now.
I recently joined my father, Floyd C. Hardy, and his brother, my uncle Larry T. Hardy, in attending the 2025 Forest Landowner Conference hosted by the Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Project. We heard from people who work in the forest industry within the Roanoke Valley and beyond. They, their coworkers, and partners work together to convert pine forests into finished commercial products. Through their presentations, I gained insight into how our trees contribute to the world’s economy and help to mitigate climate change.
It was especially enlightening for me to hear how three forestry companies that operate in our area produce materials that people use every day:
- Enviva:Wood pellets that it sells for fuel in Europe and Asia
- Domtar:Fluff pulp, a water-absorbing material that it sells to make diapers and similar products, and
- Roseburg:Lumber of different dimensions that it sells around the country and world. It also produces wood byproducts (i.e. turpentine) that it sells to Enviva and Domtar.
I wondered why Enviva’s wood pellets, produced from North Carolina trees, are in demand overseas. Chris Brown, Enviva’s senior community relations manager, said that a European regulation has contributed to this trend. His comment prompted me to do some research. I learned that the European Community “aims to bring down greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss,” according to the Regulation on Deforestation-free Products web page.
The regulation states that companies selling wood products, including Enviva, Domtar and Roseburg “must be able to prove that the products do not originate from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation.” In other words, the EC requires that the items must be produced on land that is going to remain wooded and not cleared for structures or for crops, such as palm oil, that add carbon to the atmosphere.
Since participating in the conference, I understand better how tree farms in North Carolina benefit people around the world. Our families keep our trees healthy and then profit by selling them when they are mature. Forest product companies, in turn, use healthy trees to sell in markets where their products are in demand. Companies that buy and sell wood pellets, fluff pulp, lumber, and wood byproducts benefit from having ongoing supplies. And as our trees grow, they incorporate carbon, which mitigates global warming.
We recently shared what we learned at the conference with family members. They appreciated receiving the information because it helps us make decisions about managing the land that has been in our family for more than 100 years and has had an official pine tree farm designation for one year. The conference helped me gain an appreciation for forest-owning families who keep and take care of our land for the sustainability of ourselves, our communities, and the planet.
Rachel A. Hardy enjoys conducting independent research and building community with relatives and friends. She is based in Durham, NC.
Copyright 2025 by Rachel A. Hardy