On August 4th, a year after the Dixie Fire raced through the foothills of the Sierra’s, Collins Timber Company LLC completed an acquisition 58,000 acres of forestland from Shasta Forests Timberlands LLC and its affiliates. The primary tracts of land are near the towns of Westwood, Susanville, and Adin, and overall, the acquisition spreads across Lassen, Plumas, Modoc, Shasta, and Sierra counties.
“This acquisition is the largest timberland purchase in company history and is a significant post-Dixie Fire commitment to log supply for the Chester Sawmill, our employees, and the community,” said Eric Schooler, President and CEO of Collins. The acquired land will also support the Collins operation in Lakeview, Oregon.
Collins is a 167-year-old, family-owned, FSC-certified forest management and forest products company, with operations in California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania; it has operated in Chester and Lakeview since the 1940s. With this acquisition, Collins will now manage 188,000 acres in California and over 370,000 acres nationwide.
“Shasta Forests Timberlands has managed these lands to the highest standard for most of the last century. We are excited and proud of the opportunity to continue stewarding these forests with a balanced focus on forest health, resiliency, and productivity. Collins suffered losses in the major 2021 fires, along with other landowners and community members, but this acquisition is an important achievement and commitment to the future of our employees, operations, and local communities,” said Galen Collins Smith, Vice President of Resources for Collins.