ALASKA AT WORK: A CONVERSATION ON THE TIMBER INDUSTRY
VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 3 | SEPTEMBER 2026
work and dedication. He has always told the truth, worked to ensure future generations can make a living in this industry, and takes care of his people who dedicate their lives to the work. To me, that defines true leadership." WHAT IMPORTANT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED WORKING IN THE TIMBER INDUSTRY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? "I’ve learned that the biggest challenges aren’t in the forest, they are in the policy decisions and increased regulations that impact our ability to do the work we love. I’ve also learned that the loudest voices don’t always represent Alaska. Organizations opposed to resource development may have strong opinions, but they aren’t the ones risking their livelihoods, investing millions, creating jobs, or carrying the responsibility of keeping a business operating in Alaska while following the strictest environmental regulations in the world." Alaska’s timber industry in a way that reaches people who might not otherwise hear it. Seeing Viking Lumber featured twice in The Wall Street Journal — with our story told accurately — was incredibly rewarding. Our legal team at Pacific Legal Foundation played an instrumental role in helping bring attention to our story and getting the op-ed published. "Our story continued to gain momentum after The Wall Street Journal WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? "One accomplishment I’m especially proud of is helping tell the story of features, leading to Kirk Dahlstrom’s live TV feature on Fox News to highlight the Alaska timber industry and Viking’s fight for survival. I was also honored to work alongside Steinway as they shared their perspective on FOX Business, helping explain the supply challenges facing their company and the impor- tance of protecting a sustainable source of these materials. These opportuni- ties helped amplify the voices of hardworking people who have dedicated their lives to this industry and showed the nation why their work matters. "The impact of sharing Viking’s story was evident when Secretary Brooke Rollins shared the WSJ op-ed on X and responded: “WE ARE ON IT. The people of Alaska and the timber industry deserve so much better than the political whiplash they have endured for decades.” "Viking Lumber never sought any recognition or accolades. They simply believe in standing up for what is right, and their story is really the story of thousands of hardworking timber workers whose dedication, resilience, and grit deserve to carry on." "One of the biggest changes I’ve witnessed since then is the loss of stabili- ty in communities that once depended on a thriving timber industry. Decisions made by outside groups and policies influenced by misinformation have had real consequences — thousands of families were forced to leave communities they called home in search of new opportunities, while rural communities lost jobs, revenue, and support for schools and local services. Under the guise of “protecting” the Tongass, these anti-resource development groups left commu- nities, economies and schools struggling. Too often, the people most affected by these decisions are the ones who have the least voice in them." WHAT ROLE DOES THE TIMBER INDUSTRY PLAY IN SUPPORTING BOTH RURAL COMMUNITIES AND ALASKA AS A WHOLE? "The timber industry serves as a major employer in many rural com- HOW HAS THE TIMBER INDUSTRY CHANGED SINCE YOU FIRST BEGAN YOUR CAREER?
"This industry is about so much more than our family-owned sawmill. It is about the communities and companies that depend on these jobs and the role Alaska plays in supplying specialty products that are valued around the world." — Sarah Dahlstrom
EDITOR'S NOTE: Sarah Dahlstrom oversees public relations and communications for Viking Lumber and is President of the Alaska Forest Association. In her role, she has built relationships with Viking’s customers across the country and developed a deep un- derstanding of the industry’s need for a consistent and sustainable timber supply. We asked her to provide her insight into Alaska's timber industry and what the RDC means to her. TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND HOW YOU GOT INTO THE INDUSTRY ... "I grew up immersed in the timber industry at Viking Lumber on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska’s last production sawmill. I witnessed firsthand the hard work, determination and resilience it took to build a company and sustain an industry in rural Alaska. "My career path took me to school counseling at Service High School and to owning a small business with my sister, Mabel McKinley Boutique, in Anchorage and Juneau, before bringing me back to the industry that shaped me. I now work in public relations and communications for Viking Lumber, helping tell the story of Alaska’s timber industry and advocating for the people, communities and policies that support working forests. "Last year, I was honored to be elected President of the Alaska Forest Association (AFA). Being elected to lead the same organization that once in- vested in my future with an AFA scholarship was a true full-circle moment. I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to an organization that helped shape my path and continues to support the next generation of Alaskans." "Absolutely. One of my defining moments came early in my role at Viking Lumber when I began to truly understand the global impact of the work hap- pening on Prince of Wales Island. "One day I was on a Zoom meeting with the lumber supply manager for one of the world’s most iconic piano manufacturers who said that Viking Lum- ber was the last remaining sawmill able to provide the quality of Sitka spruce needed for their soundboards. The very next conversation was with a world-re- nowned guitar manufacturer who shared that they have struggled for years to secure enough Alaska-grown Sitka spruce for their instruments. Next, I spoke with a longtime customer in Texas who described our Western red cedar as the 'champagne of lumber'— a premium product that is sought-after by customers across the nation for its durability, beauty and consistency year after year. The next day, I spoke with a company that further manufactures Viking’s Western hemlock and Sitka spruce products. They shared that our lumber was not only being used for pianos, guitars, boats, doors, garage doors and high-end interi- or finishes, but also in NASA wind tunnels and military components to protect our nation. Another company I talked with that day purchases our low-grade cedar and manufactures into agricultural products." WAS THERE A DEFINING MOMENT THAT CONVINCED YOU THIS WAS THE CAREER YOU WANTED TO PURSUE?
munities, providing full-time, year-round jobs with benefits and supporting countless other businesses. AFA members are family-owned small businesses that supply thousands of direct-to-consumer home kits, provide timbers that support the mining industry, supply wood products used on the North Slope, and transform byproducts into energy that helps heat local schools and community buildings." Scott Dane, Executive Director of the American Loggers Council, Tessa Axelson Executive Director of the Alaska Forest Association, and Sarah Dahlstrom at Alaska on the Hill. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG PERSON CONSIDERING A CAREER IN FORESTRY OR FOREST PRODUCTS? "Find a mentor who has experience and understands the unique challeng- es and opportunities of forestry in Alaska. This industry is built on generations of knowledge, and learning from people who have spent their careers working in the forest is invaluable." WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES FACING THE TIMBER INDUSTRY DURING THE NEXT DECADE? "Pacific Legal Foundation is fighting on our behalf to hold the federal government accountable for its obligation under the Tongass Timber Reform Act to seek to provide a timber supply that meets market demand for Tongass timber. The USFS is revising the forest plan, and new leadership on the Tongass National Forest gives us reason for optimism. Long-term contracting, litigation reform and policies that strengthen the industry and endure administration changes are critical to ensuring a viable future for Alaska’s timber industry." WHAT DOES THE RDC MEAN TO YOU? "RDC provides a variety of direct benefits to members and industry part- ners across Alaska. The organization is large enough to encompass and unite all the major industries in Alaska. RDC's focus on a strong private economy in Alaska unifies many diverse interests and sectors. For example, RDC engag- es its membership to advocate and lobby for major projects that benefit all Alaskans, and for projects and policy changes within industries — such as the Lumber Grading Bill — that support the forest products industry and local and regional economies. AFA's members are all small businesses, and RDC's work to ensure a healthy business climate helps our members directly."
"That week was a turning point because I realized this industry is about so much more than our little family-owned sawmill. It is about the communities and companies that depend on these jobs and the role Alaska plays in supply- ing specialty products that are valued around the world." MENTORS ARE IMPORTANT IN ANY INDUSTRY … WHO ARE YOUR MENTOR(S) AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THEM? "I’ve been fortunate to have mentors throughout every corner of Alaska’s tim- ber industry, and I continue to learn from them every day. They are the experts. "Clarence Clark, a timber engineer with more than 50 years of experience working in the Tongass, taught me two lessons that have stayed with me: reliabili- ty is invaluable, and managing the land is carefully planned to ensure a new forest grows for generations to come but delays cost jobs across Alaska and the country. "Eric Nichols of Alcan Timber believes women belong in this industry and should always have a seat at the table. From listening to Eric, I’ve learned that we don’t want to lose the knowledge and experience of existing business owners and operators as it would be a devastating loss to Alaska, our forests, and our economies. Tessa Axelson, Executive Director of the Alaska Forest As- sociation, has demonstrated that how you communicate with people is just as important as the message itself. I’ve known Brian Brown of Alcan for more than 20 years, and I’ve always admired his remarkable ability to respond to criticism of our industry with speed and intelligence. Brian has a way of cutting straight through the noise, standing up for the industry he believes in, and making his point in a way that is both memorable and hard to argue with. "Most of all, my family has been my greatest source of inspiration. My brother, Bryce Dahlstrom, one of the hardest-working people I know, has taught me that the toughest work isn’t at the sawmill — it’s changing policies that affect the people who depend on them. My father, Kirk Dahlstrom, has taught me that while business success is important, true success is built on hard Sarah Dahlstrom (right) with her father Kirk and sister Deela Roe at Logger's Playday in Hoquiam, Wash.
Viking Lumber recently received a $1.7 million USDA grant to install a veneer plant that will allow it to utilize small-diameter and knotty logs that currently have no domestic market. These logs will be manufactured into veneer products for customers in the Pacific Northwest. The project will also create up to 14 new family-wage jobs at the mill while increasing the value it can generate from every log harvested.
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www.AKRDC.org
ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW SEPTEMBER 2026
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