Russ Taylor

For decades, Russ Taylor has been one of the forest sector’s most respected and trusted market voices — and a long-time friend and contributor to the Tree Frog community. Through his consulting work and industry analysis, Russ has helped the sector navigate global wood markets, cycles, and structural change with clarity and independence. But in late 2025, his own journey took an unexpected and life-threatening turn. We wish Russ a smooth and speedy recovery.

What first seemed like a minor bicycle accident just days before an overseas trip and a presentation at a Swedish Wood Association conference turned out to be anything but. By the time I returned to Vancouver, I was admitted to hospital with fractured ribs, internal bleeding, a lacerated spleen, and complications that required surgery, intensive care, ventilation, and dialysis. I spent 39 days in hospital and went through several critical episodes before finally stabilizing and returning home just before year-end. …My message is simple but important: listen to your body, don’t ignore mystery symptoms, and never take Canada’s high-quality, universal healthcare for granted.