A new kind of seismic surveying offers promise for Alberta’s oil sands exploration without seismic lines, which is good news for the caribou. In other Forestry news: the USFS Chief plans to make it easier for all kinds of businesses to work with and on National Forests; the US debate over the size of its National Monuments is back in court; a Montana judge ruled against logging in threatened grizzly bear habitat; and the McBride Community Forest in BC is in trouble for logging part of a riparian reserve.

In other news: the US trade truce with Europe puts the focus back on NAFTA, as Mexico and Canada put up a united front for a three-way deal with no sunset clause. 

Finally, there aren’t enough trees in Phoenix to offset the “urban heat island” phenomenon, where temperatures rise due to heat-retaining asphalt and concrete.

–Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor