With the fire performance of mass timber on demonstration in BC; and the US Code Council set to vote on mass timber; it’s no surprise that tall timber developments are already making headway in Toronto. Equally unsurprising is the Halloween-infused news on building code changes proposed by the Standing Committee on Paranormal Phenomena and the US National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grants to The Bats to the Future Fund.

In Forestry news: new research says deforestation is still occurring but has slowed worldwide; Canada and the US are said to be key to the remaining wilderness; the damage reports to timber from hurricane Michael are in; and Brazil’s new president creates concern about the future of the Amazon.

Finally; Ontario’s wildfire season was one of the busiest ever; while BC and California look to prescribed burns to reduce future risks.

–Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor