Region Archives: United States

Business & Politics

The AZEK Company Enters Long-term Partnership with Doman Building Materials

August 7, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

CHICAGO, VANCOUVER — The AZEK Company Inc., a leading manufacturer of low-maintenance and environmentally sustainable outdoor living products, announces a long-term distribution partnership with Doman Building Materials Group Ltd. The partnership will expand the availability of AZEK’s TimberTech brand of decking products to customers across Canada. Under this agreement, Doman will distribute TimberTech decking, known for its unparalleled performance, innovative technology, premium aesthetics and top-rated fire resistance. This partnership aligns with AZEK’s commitment to providing Canadian customers with high-performance, environmentally sustainable decking solutions made from up to 85% recycled waste and scrap material. Doman has a longstanding relationship with AZEK in both the U.S. and Canada, having successfully distributed products under the TimberTech and AZEK Exteriors brands in the U.S., as well as AZEK’s Versatex® brand of trim, moulding and siding products in Canada for several years.

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Luc Theriault Appointed President of Wood Products Business Unit at Paper Excellence Group

Paper Excellence Group
August 5, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Luc Theriault

MONTREAL — The Paper Excellence Group announced that it has appointed Luc Theriault to president of its Wood Products business unit. The appointment is effective August 26, 2024. Before the Paper Excellence Group, through its subsidiary Domtar Corporation, acquired Resolute Forest Products, Theriault held several leadership positions at Resolute from 2002 to 2020, culminating in his role as senior vice president of Wood Products. …”It is with great pleasure that we welcome Luc Theriault back as Wood Products business president,” said Paper Excellence Group Non-Executive Chairman John Williams. …The Paper Excellence Group’s Wood Products business unit consists of all legacy Resolute wood products operations. In his new role, Theriault will be responsible for ensuring profitable and sustainable operations while maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Theriault will report to the Paper Excellence Group management board, chaired by Williams.

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American Forest & Paper Association President And CEO Heidi Brock Elected ICFPA President

The American Forest & Paper Association
July 25, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, International

Heidi Brock & José Carlos

ROME – The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) has announced Ms. Heidi Brock, President and CEO of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), as its new President. Joining her in leadership is Mr. José Carlos da Fonseca Junior, Director of International Relations of The Brazilian Tree (Ibá), who has been appointed as ICFPA Vice President. Ms. Brock and Mr. Fonseca will serve for a two-year mandate. …ICFPA’s Annual Meeting also coincided with the 27th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 27) and 9th World Forestry Week. Ms. Heidi Brock previously served as ICFPA Vice President from 2022 to 2024. She succeeds Mr. Jori Ringman, Director General of the Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi), who previously held the ICFPA Presidency.

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Western Cascade Industries’ will shut down, latest in string of Oregon lumber mill closures

By Andrew Miller
Oregon Live
July 31, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States

Two Oregon lumber mills on opposite ends of the state are shutting down, the latest in a long line of closures. Western Cascade Industries’ mill — which employs 50 people at its 25-year-old site in Toledo — is slated to fully shut down Thursday. Employees were informed last week that the mill would be closing at the end of July. The closure is a blow to Toledo, a town of about 3,500 on the Yaquina River just east of Newport. Toledo City Manager Doug Wiggins said the mill was the town’s second-largest employer. Western Cascade’s mill was the last lumber mill remaining of the many that once operated in the town. …Other entities have been in conversation with the city and the mill to purchase it, but no deal emerged. …On the opposite end of the state, the last mill in Grant County announced it would close last week… Malheur Mill.

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Willamette Falls paper mill will lay off 158 in West Linn, may close permanently

By Mike Rogoway
The Oregonian
August 6, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

WEST LINN, Oregon — A 135-year-old paper mill in West Linn plans to lay off 158 workers this week and may shut down permanently at the end of the month if it cannot find a buyer or investor. A permanent shutdown would trigger the layoff of an additional 65 workers, according to a notice Willamette Falls Paper Co. sent to state and city officials Tuesday. “While it is hoped that this will be a temporary layoff and a buyer will want to continue the plant’s operations and hire our employees, if Willamette Falls Paper Company is unable to raise capital or sell its assets, the mass layoff will be permanent,” company President Brian Konen wrote. Workers received notice of their pending layoff Tuesday. They will be out of work indefinitely beginning Friday, when the mill will cease operations. Konen said the company will make a final decision on the plant’s future by Aug. 30.

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Weyerhaeuser’s Longview lumber mill fined $145,000 for stormwater violations

Washington Dept of Ecology
Washington State
July 30, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

LONGVIEW, Washington — The Washington Department of Ecology issued two penalties totaling $145,000 to Weyerhaeuser for stormwater violations at the company’s Longview lumber mill. The penalties include 36 stormwater discharge violations, 15 monitoring requirements violations, and 16 reporting requirement violations, all of which occurred between July 2022 and May 2024. Weyerhaeuser found that the mill’s stormwater contained low oxygen levels, which can harm aquatic plants and animals. The stormwater also had solids (which could include copper and other metals) above the permitted limits. Solid Waste Program Manager Peter Lyon said the company reported these violations, but not within the time that the permit required. …Other violations stemmed from changes Weyerhaeuser made to their stormwater system… however, the company didn’t get required approvals from Ecology, and the changes have the potential to worsen pollution problems at the mill. …Weyerhaeuser has 30 days to appeal the penalties.

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Oregon timber companies take three utilities to court over alleged roles in major wildfire

By Brian Bull
KLCC Public Radio
August 1, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

OREGON — Timber companies have filed a federal lawsuit against three utilities alleging gross negligence and recklessness in events leading up to 2020’s Holiday Farm Fire. Giustina Land and Timber, Giustina Tree Farms Limited Partnership, Giustina Woodlands Limited Partnership, and Cadore Timber are plaintiffs in the case filed July 15 in the U.S. District Court in Oregon. Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB), and Lane Electric Co-Operative are the defendants. The timber companies say the utilities’ failure to de-energize their power lines during a wind storm and ignoring “red flag” warnings led to a “catastrophic but preventable fire” and that 10% of the 174,000 acres burned was their timber. An attorney with the case told KLCC that they’re seeking nearly $69 million in damages.

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Besse Forest Products abruptly closes 3 Wisconsin plants, lays off 138, draws union complaint

By Jeff Bollier
The Green Bay Press-Gazette
August 7, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

WISCONSIN — A carpenters union filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Department of Justice after a lumber manufacturing company notified the state one day before it closed three plants and lay off 139 workers. Besse Forest Products Group on Aug. 1 sent the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development notices that it would close Wisconsin Veneer and Plywood plant in Mattoon (42 employees), Birchwood Manufacturing Company in Rice Lake (46) and the Goodman Veneer and Lumber plant in Goodman (48) the next day, Aug. 2. …The North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters (NCSRCC) said the notices violate the Wisconsin Business Closings and Mass Layoff Law. The law states any employer with more than 50 employees must notify the state 60 days in advance of any temporary or permanent closure of a site that affects more than 25 employees. …The carpenters union also requested Besse officials meet and negotiate the terms of the Mattoon facility’s closure as is required by federal law.

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Domtar provides ‘Project Bandit’ update at economic development board meeting

By Allison Winters
The Times News
August 6, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

Kingsport, Tennessee — The Kingsport Economic Development Board met Tuesday for its monthly meeting, where Domtar officials provided an update for ongoing plans to mitigate the odor issue. Troy Wilson, Kingsport mill manager, and Charlie Floyd, vice president of strategic capital projects for Domtar, shared more about plans to install an anaerobic digester system. Floyd said Domtar focused on process development, system design, capacity and site layout during the month of July. He said Domtar looked at the chemical and biological oxygen demands required for the system and is moving forward with that process. …Another problem Domtar has dealt with, Floyd explained, is the excess of stormwater. He said finding ways to separate some of the stormwater will reduce the needed capacity for the anaerobic system.

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Wisconsin’s Besse Forest Products closes permanently, 48 employees terminated

Upper Michigan’s Source
August 2, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

GOODMAN, Wisconsin – Gladstone’s Besse Forest Products announced Friday that one of its Wisconsin locations is closing its doors effective immediately. Besse Forest Product’s Goodman Veneer and Lumber facility will additionally terminate 48 employees. The company says there are no bumping or transfer rights to other jobs or locations. None of the affected employees are represented by a collective bargaining representative. A statement from Besse Forest Products said: We are sorry we were not able to give you more notice. However, due to an unprecedented industry downturn, it has recently become clear to the company that the revenues of the company will no longer support its operations. After exploring restructuring alternatives, we have determined that Goodman Veneer and Lumber will cease operations.

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Lumber dealer leader Walter Foxworth dies at 89

The HBS Dealer
August 5, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

Walter Foxworth

Walter Foxworth, the former owner of Texas-based Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Company and widely respected lumber dealer and industry advocate, died Aug. 2. Foxworth is a past chairman of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association and a recent Lifetime Achievement Award honoree from the Lumber Association of Texas. He was 89. …Foxworth and Foxworth-Galbraith received numerous industry awards and accolades. He served as president of LAT’s Board of Directors in 1990, was recognized as “Dealer of the Year” in 1993, and has over six decades of volunteer engagement. Under Walter’s leadership, Foxworth-Galbraith was the 2000 HBSDealer ProDealer of the Year. He also was recognized as inaugural Texas Unity Dinner honoree. …Tributes from around industry emphasized Foxworth’s contributions. “Walter was a true industry icon, and this is truly a great loss to many.” said Jonathan Paine, NLBMDA President & CEO. ”

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Canfor closes Arkansas acquisition, welcomes new Iron Mountain employees

By Canfor Corporation
Cision Newswire
August 1, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

VANCOUVER, BC — Canfor Corporation announced the completion of the acquisition from Arkansas Resolute El Dorado, of its lumber manufacturing facility in Union County, Arkansas. The transaction, previously announced on May 1, 2024, is a strategic complement to the Company’s existing regional operations, including its adjacent El Dorado Laminating Plant and its nearby Urbana sawmill. Renamed as the Iron Mountain sawmill, this acquisition will create operational synergies with Canfor’s existing facilities, provide vertical integration opportunities with its two glulam plants and build further capacity near customers and markets in the US South. …Lee Goodloe, President, Canfor Southern Pine., said “As a growth-oriented forest products company, we see this as an opportunity to expand the depth and breadth of our manufacturing capabilities in Arkansas’ rich, high-quality wood basket.”

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Alabama is the state where money does grow on trees: Forestry industry hits $36.3 billion

By Grayson Everett
Yellow Hammer News
August 1, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

The forestry and forest products manufacturing industry contributes more than $36.3 billion to Alabama’s economy according to the latest IMPLAN study commissioned by the Forest Workforce Training Institute. Jacksonville State University’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research conducted a study that showed an almost $7.4 billion increase from the previous study of $28.9 billion impact in 2019. More than 54,000 Alabamians are directly employed by the forest products industry and a total of 123,624 people are employed because of the economic activity generated from Alabama’s forest industry, contributing over $8 billion of labor income to the state. “Alabama’s abundant forest resources, friendly business environment and willing and well trained workforce combine to make Alabama a very attractive location for forest products companies,” said Chris Isaacson, President and CEO of the Alabama Forestry Association. “Over the last ten years, forest products companies have invested an average of $840 million every year, creating more than 1,000 new jobs per year.”

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Finance & Economics

Construction market and lumber prices mixed amid economic shifts

RISI Fastmarkets
August 8, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States
 

Recent trends reveal a complex interplay between lumber prices, construction activity and broader economic indicators. …The observed stagnation in housing demand is mirrored in both wood product prices and industry sentiment. …The broader economic environment, particularly the anticipation around Federal Reserve (Fed) policies, plays a crucial role in shaping market expectations. With recent inflation readings suggesting that price increases are not accelerating, bond markets are feeling more optimistic about some rate cuts this year. Consumption indicators present a mixed picture for the lumber market, with peak seasonal demand failing to significantly tighten market conditions.  As the US housing market navigates these complexities, the potential for a revitalized construction sector in 2025 is emerging. Our forecast is now calling for housing construction to rise 11% in 2025. This growth is expected to address the current undersupply and stimulate market recovery.

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Clearwater Paper reports Q2, 2024 net loss of $26 million

Clearwater Paper Corporation
August 6, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US West

SPOKANE, Washington — Clearwater Paper, a supplier of bleached paperboard and consumer tissue reported financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2024. Highlights include: Net sales of $586 million, up 12% from the second quarter of last year, primarily driven by incremental sales volume from Augusta; Net loss of $26 million compared to $30 million income in the second quarter of last year; Adjusted EBITDA of $35 million, $36 million less than second quarter of last year, driven by the $32 million impact from the planned major maintenance at the Lewiston, Idaho facility. …”On July 22, 2024, the company announced that it has signed definitive agreements to sell its consumer products division (tissue business) to Sofidel America Corp. for $1.06 billion, subject to customary adjustments. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval other customary closing conditions and is currently expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024.

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Boise Cascade reports positive Q2, 2024 results

Boise Cascade Company
August 5, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US West

BOISE, Idaho – Boise Cascade reported net income of $112.3 million on sales of $1.8 billion for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, compared with net income of $146.3 million on sales of $1.8 billion for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023. …Wood Products’ sales, including sales to Building Materials Distribution, decreased $40.5 million, or 8%, to $489.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, from $530.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. …Wood Products’ segment income decreased $31.3 million to $72.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, from $104.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023 BMD’s sales increased $18.7 million, or 1%, to $1,655.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, from $1,636.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. …”Our team delivered solid financial performance while operating in a somewhat tepid demand environment influenced by elevated mortgage rates and economic uncertainties,” stated Nate Jorgensen, CEO.

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Rayonier Advanced Materials reports positive Q2, 2024 results

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. (RYAM)
August 6, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US East

JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. (RYAM) reported results for its second quarter ended June 29, 2024. Highlights include: Net sales for the second quarter of $419 million, up $34 million from prior year quarter; Income from continuing operations for the second quarter of $8 million, up $24 million from prior year quarter; and Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations for the second quarter of $68 million, up $41 million from prior year quarter, including $10 million of CEWS benefits recognized. …“Demand for cellulose specialties has remained higher than expectations and margins have improved as we have minimized losses associated with commodity viscose pulp driven by our decision to suspend operations at our Temiscaming High Purity Cellulose plant,” stated De Lyle Bloomquist, President and CEO of RYAM.

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BlueLinx reports positive Q2, 2024 results

Bluelinx Holdings Inc.
July 30, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US East

ATLANTA — BlueLinx Holdings, a U.S. wholesale distributor of building products, reported financial results for the three months ended June 29, 2024. Highlights include: Gross profit of $122 million, gross margin of 15.9% and specialty product gross margin of 19.3%; Net income of $14 million; and Adjusted EBITDA of $34 million, 4.5% of net sales. …Shyam Reddy, President and CEO of BlueLinx… “We also generated solid specialty product gross margins of approximately 19%, despite the effects of price deflation. The quarter was adversely impacted by structural products, primarily driven by declining lumber and panel prices, in addition to volume declines due to challenges in the housing and building products sector.”

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

New Funding for Sustainable Mass Timber Construction in U.S. Cities

The Softwood Lumber Board
August 6, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

As cities across the globe intensify their efforts to lower their carbon footprint, mass timber is emerging as a revolutionary material in sustainable construction. …Three recent mass timber accelerator programs in BostonNew York City, and Atlanta demonstrate the impact of a coordinated approach between cities, federal agencies, and lumber industry organizations. These programs utilized investments from the SLB, the USDA Forest Service, and other organizations to provide funding for active mass timber development projects in the early phases of project planning and design. These projects also receive technical assistance from WoodWorks, an SLB-funded program. …“The mass timber accelerator programs have given participating cities a faster way to meet their sustainable development goals and to develop knowledge of low-carbon building methods within their building communities,” says SLB President and CEO Cees de Jager. …The SLB is eager to expand its impact through combined investments of $100,000 to $250,000 per selected city.

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Exploring the Role of Paper, Paper-based Packaging, and Paper Products in a Circular Economy

Two Sides North America
July 31, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

In the journey towards sustainable development, the concept of a circular economy has gained significant traction. …In the paper industry, circularity is transforming how paper, paper-based packaging, and related products are produced, used, and recycled. Let’s look at the circularity of paper products, focusing on packaging, marketing, and consumer goods, highlighting the industry’s strides and challenges. …The paper industry is a pioneer in embracing circularity. Paper products are inherently renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable, making them ideally-suited for a circular economy. The industry’s commitment to sustainable forest management, efficient production processes, and robust recycling systems underscores its circularity credentials. While the paper industry has made significant strides towards circularity, challenges remain. …Contaminants in the recycling stream, fluctuating market demand for recycled materials, and the need for more advanced recycling technologies are areas that require ongoing attention and innovation.

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Dispel the myths — wood is the answer

Letter by Ann Stinson, President, Washington Farm Forestry Association
The Chronicle
August 5, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US West

Ann Stinson

[In 2003 I was looking for a condo and a] realtor proudly pointed to beams made of steel, but imprinted with wood grain, explaining that no trees had been cut to construct the building. [30 years later] an article in the Chronicle titled, “Mass timber’s sustainability promise: Does it stack up?” quoted Beverly Law, a retired forestry professor at Oregon State University: “Protecting the surviving trees and new growth from logging is more important to the environment than any emission mitigation mass timber could provide.” It’s enough to make me bang my head on the ground. Wood from a sustainable managed forest is the key to a healthy earth and a healthy society. How much carbon does a tree absorb as it grows? Lots. How much carbon do concrete and steel absorb as they are processed? None. Less than none — the processes put lots of carbon into the air.

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Forestry

New research sheds light on relationships between plants and insects in forest ecosystems

By USDA Forest Service
Phy.org
August 3, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Seana Walsh

U.S. Forest Service researchers and partners published new findings on how leaf-eating insects affect forest ecosystems worldwide. “The findings of this study provide an improved understanding of the intricate relationship between herbivorous insects and forest ecosystems,” Bernice Hwang, the paper’s lead author and former U.S. Forest Service technician, stated. Hwang and fellow researchers are aware of how large herbivores cycle nutrients in forests. They know much less, however, about how leaf-eating insects impact forest carbon and nutrient cycling. And they were determined to find out. …Chistian Giardina and Nels Johnson of the Pacific Southwest Research Station and other researchers found that insects play a significant role in releasing and cycling vital nutrients in forest ecosystems. This was particularly true for warmer climates like those in tropical forests. [Their findings were published July 17m 2024 in Nature.]

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Oregon State University study compares ways to manage forest regrowth for climate mitigation

By Shari Phiel
The Columbian
August 6, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

When it comes to nature versus nurture, a new study from an Oregon State University scientist found the most cost-effective way to manage forest regrowth for climate mitigation is actually a combination of both. Jacob Bukoski from the OSU College of Forestry and seven other researchers compared data from thousands of reforestation sites in 130 low- and middle-income countries. The researchers found using a combination of the two approaches would be 44 percent better than natural regeneration alone and 39 percent better than planting by itself. … Bukoski said the study only compared two of the many ways to expand tree cover. “Basically, use a diversity of approaches for expanding tree cover in your jurisdiction if that is the goal. In some areas, natural regeneration may be perfectly capable of meeting your goals and need.”

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Forest thinning projects continue at Lake Tahoe

Tahoe Daily Tribune
August 6, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team forest thinning projects are scheduled to continue for the next several weeks, conditions and weather permitting. Some projects are expected to continue through the fall. For project details, including the lead agency, start date and expected duration, view the Forest Thinning Projects Map at Tahoe Living With Fire which highlights current and upcoming projects. Forest health is a top priority of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), a landscape-scale collaboration and partnership between nearly 80 public and private organizations to achieve the environmental goals of the region. To date, partners have treated nearly 95,000 acres in Lake Tahoe Basin forests to reduce hazardous fuels. After decades of fire suppression, Tahoe Basin’s forests are overstocked and highly vulnerable to insects, disease, and catastrophic wildfire. Forest thinning projects are a vital forest management tool…

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An Oregon tree study could help northern forests weather the climate crisis

By Liam Baker
CBC News
August 2, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Amanda Brackett

Wildfires have long been known to burn large swaths of forests, wreaking havoc on tree canopies and communities that the forests surround, but a new study from Oregon State University says there hasn’t been enough consideration of how heat can impact the growth of new trees. The research, published in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research, studies the stresses that temperature spikes can have on young trees, also known as seedlings. Researchers developed a metric known as Stress-Degree Hours, which measures the stress that higher than average temperatures over a given period of time can have on young plants. Data was gathered using Douglas fir seedlings in western Oregon, during the region’s heat dome in 2021. …The study shows that for every 10 per cent increase in canopy cover, maximum temperatures two centimetres above the ground decreased by 1.3 C.

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Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s forest work commended in audit

By Randy Zellers
Pine Bluff Commercial
August 6, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Cutting trees to make more trees may sound a bit counterintuitive, but that’s exactly what the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is doing, and according to the results of a recent audit, it’s just the right medicine for forests under the AGFC’s care. The audit was completed by Bureau Veritas Certification’s lead auditor. Henry Gray Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area, Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA and George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA were visited to inspect site conditions to ensure the AGFC’s forestry practices stayed within the updated Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards set in 2022, to which the AGFC had previously met or exceeded since 2021. Not only did all conditions continue to meet or exceed the new standards in the 2024 audit, but the AGFC’s work in greentree reservoir management and improving the health of the forest associated with GTRs earned the issuance of a notable practice indicator during the audit.

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Machine learning leads to a first in forestry management tools

By Nick Kordsmeier, University of Arkansas
EurekAlert!
August 6, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Hamdi Zurqani

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A new dataset is providing a bird’s-eye view of Arkansas’ forests 1 meter at a time. An Arkansas researcher has developed the first high-resolution forest canopy cover dataset for an entire state, providing valuable insights for forest management and conservation to a major economic sector in Arkansas. “No data of this kind existed before for an entire state. Usually, people only create similar data for site-specific projects,” said Hamdi Zurqani, assistant professor for the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. The 1-meter measurements are unique. Until now, the most common forest measurements and datasets have come from satellite imagery at 30-meter spatial resolution, said Zurqani, who conducts research as part of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center. The experiment station is the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

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Why development may be helping the Cuban tree frog overrun Florida

By Kate Hussey
WPTV 5
August 2, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The Cuban tree frog is an invasive species — they’re aggressive and they’re eating their way through Florida’s native wildlife. “Cuban tree frogs will compete with native tree frogs and in some cases, large Cuban tree frogs have been seen eating our native tree frogs,” said Dr. Zack Jud, a scientist with the Florida Oceanographic Society. …The pesky amphibians have been known to invade toilets, clog drains, and have even crawled into electric boxes—knocking out power for entire communities. …”They have a coating of slime that can cause an allergic reaction,” said Jeannine Tilford, of the Toad Buster. However, it’s not the frogs’ slimy casing that causes her clients to call – it’s their incessant, screeching croak that keeps her in business. …”Like many invasive species, Cuban tree frogs tend to do well in more developed, more disturbed areas,” said Jud.

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University of Arkansas at Monticello on track to build center for forest health

The Pine Bluff Commercial
August 1, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Michael Blazier & Peggy Doss

MONTICELLO — Plans are underway at the University of Arkansas at Monticello for the construction of the Arkansas Forest Health Research Center, which will be housed within the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources at the university. In February 2024, the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration received approval to allocate $16.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to UAM for the construction of the center. …UAM plans to host a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 1, and construction will be completed by the summer of 2026. Forests in Arkansas support $16 billion of the state’s economy annually through wood products, tourism and hunting. However, increased threats to forest health from invasive pests, changing disease behaviors and climate stressors such as flooding and droughts pose risks to this important economic asset. Currently, Arkansas has no in-state facilities for testing forest diseases and insects.

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US Forest Service failing to protect old growth trees from logging, critics say

By Oliver Milman
The Guardian
August 1, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

They are the ancient giants of America – that started to sprout in some cases before the age of the Roman empire, with the few survivors of a frenzy of settler logging now appreciated as crucial allies in an era of climate and biodiversity crises. Joe Biden has vowed to protect these “cherished” remnants of old growth forest, as well as the next generation of mature forests, directing his government to draw up new plans to conserve the ecological powerhouses that enable US forests to soak up about 10% of the country’s carbon emissions. Yet, the US Forest Service has not included mature trees in this new plan, which also includes loopholes conservationists say allow ongoing felling of trees that are hundreds of years old. The Forest Service has also largely declined to conduct required reviews of multiple logging projects amid a stampede of tree cutting. …The Forest Service has rejected the suggestion, pointing to reduced cutting rates compared with previous decades.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

University of Maine receives $10 million to research turning wood products into jet fuel … and fish food

Herald and News in Global Wood
August 5, 2024
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, US East

The University of Maine’s forest bioproducts and aquaculture research institutes have been awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to continue studying the effectiveness of turning low-value wood into jet fuel and fish food. The project is a collaboration with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, the USDA Agriculture Research Service, and Arbiom, a company based in North Carolina and France that makes sustainable protein ingredients for animal food. It’s the latest effort to find sustainable uses for the state’s abundant forest products. This UMaine project is one of the seven sustainable agriculture projects, totaling $70 million, that the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced in June. The goal is to use “low-quality” wood that is left behind in Maine’s forests, like branches and small-diameter trees, and break down elements to use for both aviation fuel and fish feed.

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Environmentalists challenge big expansion of Georgia wood pellet mill

By Meris Lutz
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
August 2, 2024
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, US East

Environmental groups are challenging Georgia regulators’ decision to allow a wood pellet mill in Middle Georgia with a history of environmental violations to double its emissions of toxic air pollutants. Telfair Forest Products in Lumber City has been cited by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) five times over the past 14 years and paid more than $50,000 in fines for violations that included exceeding pollution limits, failure to install required pollution controls, and failure to keep appropriate records and perform required testing, state records show. In July, EPD issued Telfair a new permit that allows the company to increase its output of volatile organic compounds — some of which are known carcinogens — from an estimated 337 tons per year to 586 tons per year. …The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) filed a petition Friday accusing the state of bypassing federal Clean Air Act requirements by issuing the permit without proper analyses or pollution controls.

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Health & Safety

How Wildfire Smoke Could Be Harming Surgical Patients

US News
August 6, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

Vijay Krishnamoorthy

Wildfire smoke could interfere with the safety of surgeries, a new study warns. Inhaling the smoke could complicate the effects of anesthesia on surgical patients, and it also might hamper their recovery, researchers reported Aug. 6 in the journal Anesthesiology. “Wildfire smoke poses significant health risks, particularly in people with preexisting heart and lung disease, obese patients, infants and young children, and other vulnerable groups,” said senior researcher Dr. Vijay Krishnamoorthy, at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. “At a time of rising global exposure, anesthesiologists need to be equipped to manage the potential adverse effects of wildfire smoke exposure” on patient outcomes, Krishnamoorthy. …Wildfire smoke contains a complex mix of fine particles and chemicals that, when inhaled, enter the circulatory system. Organs like the heart and lungs can be damaged…. The inhaled particles produce inflammation, damage the lining of blood vessels and cause clotting abnormalities.

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Forest Fires

Oregon wildfires: State nears modern record for acres burned as season approaches apex

By Zack Urness
The Salem Statesman Journal
August 6, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

The vast majority of Oregon was at high or extreme wildfire risk heading into the year’s hottest month as the state nears a modern record for the most acres burned in a season. The National Interagency Fire Center classified every part of Oregon, except the northwest, at elevated risk for wildfire in August and September in its latest forecast. State climatologist Larry O’Neill said the only part of Oregon at normal fire danger was the Coast Range and Oregon Coast. “That’s the one part of the state that’s close to normal, but besides that, we’re basically holding on for dear life everywhere else in Oregon,” he said. “We’re not really expecting any significant rain until about mid-September, so the hope is that things just stay stable.” By stable, O’Neill said he was hoping for no more significant lightning storms that bring new fires, no major human-caused fires and especially no east winds.

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Wildfires in Oregon: Progress against Durkee Fire while blazes grow elsewhere

By Meagan Cuthill
Oregon Public Broadcasting
August 5, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

OREGON — More than a million acres have burned so far in Oregon’s wildfire season. As August gets underway, here’s an overview of some active blazes. Firefighters are seeing some success in Eastern Oregon. The Durkee Fire, which at one point in July was the largest wildfire in the country and even created its own weather, was 86% contained as of Monday morning. The lightning-caused wildfire has burned nearly 295,000 acres. Crews expect the fire to reach full containment on Thursday. …While growth of the Durkee Fire has slowed, Eastern Oregon could see concerning conditions over the next few weeks. The Eastern Oregonian reports officials are worried about the possibility of more simultaneous large fires in August and September — and the potential for firefighter burnout and exhaustion.

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Wildfires, fire complexes have resources ‘stretched thin’

By Molly O’Brien
Herald and News
August 5, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

Dozens of wildfires in Central, Southern and Eastern Oregon continue to burn this week, leaving firefighting resources “stretched thin.” Resources are being shared in fighting the 27 lightning strike fires burning in Umpqua National Forest, known as the Diamond Complex, and the Middle Fork Fire in Crater Lake National Park. As of Monday morning, a total of 513 crew members were assigned to the 6,315 acres burning in the Diamond Complex, and just 30 personnel working on 1,938-acre blaze in Crater Lake National Park. On Monday, Operations Section Chief Phil Knaub said fire activity was low over the weekend with precipitation providing some relief. Knaub is with Team 3 Montana-based Northern Rockies Incident Management which took over command of the Diamond Complex and Middle Fork Monday morning.

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Cougar Creek Fire Grows to Over 20,000 Acres, Still 35% Contained

Big Country News Connection
August 5, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

ASOTIN COUNTY, Washington – The Cougar Creek Fire, located approximately 23 miles southwest of Asotin near Highway 129, continues to challenge firefighting teams as they battle the blaze across rugged terrain and a varied landscape of timber, grass, and brush. The fire has been burning since July 15. As of Monday morning, August 5, the fire was estimated at 20,712 acres in size. Officials say the blaze is still 35% contained. The National Interagency Fire Center says 4 structures have been lost in the fire. Recent precipitation and cooler temperatures moderated fire activity, allowing firefighters to begin constructing an indirect fireline north from Saddle Butte. …The American Red Cross has opened an emergency evacuation center at the Asotin County Fairgrounds on Asotin-Anatone Highway in Asotin, WA.

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Park Fire is 34% contained, more than 650 structures now confirmed destroyed

By David Benda
The Record Searchlight
August 5, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

CALIFORNIA — The Park Fire grew marginally over the weekend as containment on the fourth-largest wildfire in state history continued to grow slowly. As of Monday morning, the fire has burned 401,740 acres, about a 500-acre increase from Saturday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The fire is 34% contained. …Officials expect the area to experience more warming and dry conditions this week with daytime highs reaching the lower 100s and the relative humidity ranging from a 10% to 20%. The number of structures destroyed by the fire went up over the weekend to 640 as of Monday morning. Damage inspection teams have completed their assessments, Cal Fire said. …Evacuation warnings have been lifted in several zones in Shasta County, while officials downgraded evacuation orders in some zones to warnings, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office said.

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Alexander Mountain Fire at over 7,600 acres amid new mandatory evacuation orders

By Katie Parkins
Denver 7
August 1, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The Alexander Mountain Fire burning near Drake in Larimer County remained at 7,648 acres in size as command of the fire was transferred to another fire agency by Thursday morning. The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 is now in command of the wildfire, which remained at 1% containment in the early hours of Thursday as 450 crews continued to work around the fire overnight. A news conference where officials will provide an update on the fire is expected to happen at 4 p.m. Mandatory evacuation orders were still in place for Dunraven Glade, along County Road 43, including Steamside Drive and Dunraven Glade Road. The mandatory evacuation area extends north past Miller Fork Road and Dunraven Trailhead, according to a NoCo Alert.

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Forest History & Archives

Mann Gulch: Honoring the sacrifice that shapes the fire community

By Alex Robertson, Acting Director, Fire and Aviation Management
US Department of Agriculture
August 5, 2024
Category: Forest History & Archives
Region: United States, US West

Alex Robertson

Seventy-five years ago today, the Mann Gulch Fire claimed the lives of 13 people. It is my distinct honor to travel to Montana today to join the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, members of the smokejumper community and families of the fallen to reflect on the 1949 Mann Gulch event. We are not just commemorating a historical incident. We are honoring the lives of the 13 firefighters whose sacrifice continues to shape the wildland fire community. Ten of the firefighters were World War II veterans, each with their own stories and dreams. One was celebrating his 19th birthday when he got the call to respond to the fire. Another was a college student working for the summer as a recreation and fire prevention technician. Much like our workforce today, the 13 firefighters were young, had a passion for service, and came from all over the country to work for the Forest Service.

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