Region Archives: United States

Business & Politics

U.S. Lumber Coalition Commends Actions to Combat Evasion of U.S. Trade Remedy Laws Involving Lumber Imports from Canada

By US Lumber Coalition
PR Newswire
May 5, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

The US Lumber Coalition applauds the U.S. Customs and Border Protection announcement of its determination that Coastal Forest Products (based in Bow, NH) has evaded the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on softwood lumber imports from Canada. In reaching its determination, CBP rejected Coastal Forest Products’ argument that the Canadian-origin merchandise “underwent ‘substantial transformation’ in New Zealand.” …As a result of CBP’s determination, Coastal Forest Products will be responsible for unpaid duties and will be required to post cash deposits on future entries of the covered merchandise. …CBP launched its investigation based on an allegation filed by the US Lumber Coalition. ….”The message to Canada is clear: transshipment of lumber into the United States via a third country to evade antidumping and countervailing duties is not tolerated, nor possible,” added van Heyningen.

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Commerce starts Canada softwood lumber duty review, names firms targeted

The Lesprom Network
May 3, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

The US Department of Commerce is initiating administrative reviews of antidumping and countervailing duty orders with March anniversary dates, with the actions applicable May 4, 2026, and final results planned no later than March 31, 2027. …The companies listed for review are 10104704 Manitoba Ltd, Woodstock Forest Products; CWP—Montreal Inc.; and Norsask Forest Products Limited Partnership. For certain uncoated paper from Brazil, the antidumping review covers March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026. The companies listed are Suzano S.A. and Sylvamo do Brasil Ltda/Sylvamo Exports Ltda. For certain uncoated paper from Portugal, the antidumping review covers March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026. The company listed is The Navigator Company, S.A.

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U.S. Endowment Partners with Forest Products Lab to Spotlight Innovation Through Video Series

The US Endowment for Forestry and Communities
May 4, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) has partnered with the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory to highlight innovation, stewardship and economic opportunity in America’s forest products sector through a video series. The series, co-funded by the Endowment and Forest Products Laboratory, gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at groundbreaking research and unique facilities, while demonstrating how forest product innovations are delivering real-world benefits to communities, industries and ecosystems across the country. The Forest Products Laboratory is the nation’s only federally funded national wood utilization research laboratory. Located in Madison, Wis., the Forest Products Laboratory is responsible for scientific research on wood and developing innovative wood products with the objective of promoting the nation’s economy, healthy forests and quality of life for American citizens through wood and fiber utilization research.

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Gov. Kemp signs forestry, land management legislation

Fox5 Atlanta
May 7, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

GEORGIA — Governor Brian Kemp osigned a package of forestry and natural resources legislation that state leaders and industry officials say will strengthen Georgia’s forestry economy and support rural communities. The bills were signed during an event at the headquarters of the Georgia Forestry Association and were headlined by House Bill 134, known as the Keep Georgia Forested Act. The measure allows Georgia’s existing Jobs and Investment Tax Credits to become transferable for forestry manufacturers during a five-year period, a move supporters say will help companies access capital earlier in operations and encourage hiring and investment in rural Georgia. The governor also signed House Bill 983, Senate Bill 306 and House Resolution 1008, all backed by the Georgia Forestry Association. …Georgia has about 22 million acres of commercially available forestland, according to the association. The industry supports more than 141,000 jobs statewide and generates an estimated $59 billion in annual economic impact.

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In Memoriam

Hardwood Sector Loses Influential Educator and Wood Products Specialist Dr. Daniel Cassens

Hippensteel Funeral Service
May 4, 2026
Category: In Memoriam
Region: US East

Daniel Cassens

Dr. Daniel L. Cassens, Professor Emeritus of Purdue University, passed away at IU Health Arnett Hospital in Lafayette on May 3, 2026. …He obtained degrees related to wood and wood manufacturing, including a B.S. degree from the University of Illinois, an M.S. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dr. Cassens was a professor and wood products specialist in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, arriving in 1977. His prior employment included positions at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin; and the California Forest Products Laboratory in Berkeley, California. During college, he worked summers at a hardwood sawmill. …He collaborated with numerous trade associations, including the National Hardwood Lumber Association, the American Hardwood Export Council, the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermens Association, and the Forest Products Society, among others. …Dr. Cassens authored extensively on the topics of wood decay, wood finishing, and wood preservation. 

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Finance & Economics

Canfor reports Q1, 2026 net loss of $72.1 million

Canfor Corporation
May 6, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

VANCOUVER, BC — Canfor Corporation reported its first quarter of 2026 results. …The Company reported an operating loss of $72.5 million for the current quarter, compared to an operating loss of $415.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2025. After taking into consideration a $20.0 million reversal of a previously recognized inventory write-down, the Company’s adjusted operating loss was $92.5 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared to an adjusted operating loss of $145.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2025. These results largely reflected improved performance in both the lumber segment and, to a lesser extent, the pulp and paper segment. Canfor’s President and CEO, Susan Yurkovich, said, “While we saw an improvement in results, largely due to a supply-driven uptick in North American lumber pricing and higher production levels, demand remained relatively subdued. …Global pulp markets continued to face significant headwinds during the first quarter, with pulp producer inventories remaining elevated.”

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Falling consumer confidence and a softer housing outlook signal weaker lumber demand, but tight supply should keep prices firm

By Kevin Mason, Managing Director
ERA Forest Products Research
May 4, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

Kevin Mason

As the US–Iran conflict rumbles into a third month and the global economy faces myriad challenges (rising energy prices, slowing growth, swelling inflation, geopolitical fragmentation, etc.), it comes as little surprise that US consumer sentiment is also in freefall. The latest University of Michigan survey showed consumer sentiment plummeting toward record-low levels in April: down 3.5 points to 49.8. …Closer to our forest products universe, the National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), a metric that tracks homebuilder confidence in the single-family housing market, declined by 4 points to a reading of just 34 in April. Builder confidence had shown signs of recovery through the second half of 2025; however, with this latest sharp decline, the index is nudging back toward record lows. 

…Based on the resilience shown in the US housing market last month, we are maintaining our full year 2026 U.S. housing start forecast of 1.325MM units. With our revised forecast for 2026 and given expectations for lumber demand from R&R to be flat (at best) this year, we now anticipate that overall North American lumber demand will decline by 350MMbf y/y in 2026 (we had previously forecast flat demand versus 2025). However, despite this deterioration, we believe North American markets will remain well balanced, and that overall lumber prices will stay quite strong this year relative to historical averages given declining supply in several regions (note that profitability for Canadian mills will be challenged by ongoing, elevated duties and tariffs).

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NAHB Debuts New Resource that Estimates Quarterly Remodeling Spending by State

By Eric Lynch
May 5, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

There is a research gap in localized remodeling data. To address this, NAHB is debuting a new economic resource: the State Projections of Remodeling (SPR). …SPR will provide a quarterly, state-level estimation of the market share and total dollar value of remodeling spending one month after the release of the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI). …During the fourth quarter of 2025, remodeling spending at the national level came in at $280.1 billion on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR), accounting for 37.7% of total private residential fixed investment. Even though spending fell for the second consecutive quarter from $282.6 in Q3 2025, remodeling spending has been larger than single-family construction spending for five straight quarters. California had the largest market share of remodeling spending at 7.9%, or $22.1 billion. This is followed by Texas (7.0%, or $19.7 billion), Florida (5.5%, or $15.3 billion), New York (3.9%, or $11.0 billion), and North Carolina (3.0%, or $8.4 billion).

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Remodeling Growth to Slow Sharply in Early 2027

Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
May 5, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

Annual spending on improvements and maintenance to owner-occupied homes is projected to slow sharply in early 2027, according to the latest Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) from the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The new LIRA shows year-over-year growth in home renovation and repair spending of just 0.5% by the first quarter of 2027—a pace that remains positive in nominal terms but is less than overall inflation. “Growth in remodeling permits and retail spending on building products has been flat recently, signaling stagnant interest in home improvement,” said Rachel Bogardus Drew, Director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the Center. “Even so, homeowners are expected to maintain spending at roughly last year’s levels, with total improvement and repair expenditures edging up modestly to $523 billion in early 2027.” 

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US Mortgage Rates Climb as Inflation Rebounds and Yields Rise

By Catherine Koh
NAHB Eye on Housing
May 4, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

US mortgage rates continued to increase in April as ceasefire negotiations remain inconclusive. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.34% in April, 16 basis points (bps) higher than March. The average 15-year rate also increased by 13 bps to 5.69%. Despite the recent increase, both rates remain lower than a year ago by 39 bps and 21 bps, respectively. The 10-year Treasury yield, a key benchmark for long-term borrowing, averaged 4.31%, up 7 bps from the previous month. Ongoing blockades in the Strait of Hormuz have kept oil prices above $100 per barrel. This has passed through to inflation which climbed to 3.3%, nearing a two-year high. Energy components led the increase with fuel oil prices rising 30.7% and gasoline up 21.2% in March. At its latest meeting, the Federal Reserve held the federal funds rates unchanged at 3.5% to 3.75% as inflation remains elevated alongside continued economic expansion. 

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Boise Cascade reports Q1, 2026 net income of $17.8 million

By Boise Cascade Company
Businesswire
May 4, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US West

BOISE, Idaho — Boise Cascade reported net income of $17.8 million on sales of $1.5 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, compared with net income of $40.3 million on sales of $1.5 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. …Building Materials Distribution (BMD) sales decreased $18.2 million, or 1%, to $1,388.9 million, from $1,407.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in sales was driven by net sales price decreases of 3%, offset partially by net sales volume increases of 2%. BMD segment income decreased $15.5 million to $32.9 million, from $48.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. …Wood Products’ sales, including sales to BMD, decreased $17.6 million, or 4%, to $398.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, from $415.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Wood Products’ segment income decreased $9.2 million to $8.5 million, from $17.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

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Weyerhaeuser reports Q1, 2026 net earnings of $156 million

Weyerhaeuser Company
April 30, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US West

SEATTLE — Weyerhaeuser Company reported first quarter net earnings of $156 million on net sales of $1.7 billion. This compares with net earnings of $83 million on net sales of $1.8 billion for the same period last year and net earnings of $74 million for fourth quarter 2025. Excluding an after-tax benefit of $79 million for special items, the company reported first quarter net earnings of $77 million. This compares with a net loss before special items of $67 million for fourth quarter 2025. Adjusted EBITDA for first quarter 2026 was $308 million, compared with $328 million for the same period last year and $140 million for fourth quarter 2025. …Weyerhaeuser anticipates second quarter earnings before special items and Adjusted EBITDA will be comparable to the first quarter.

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International Paper reports Q1, 2026 net earnings of $60 million

By International Paper
PRNewswire
April 30, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US East

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — International Paper announced results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Highlights include: Net sales of $5.97 billion Earnings from continuing operations of $76 million Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) from continuing operations of $677 million Received $1.1 billion of net proceeds from the sale of the Global Cellulose Fibers business and paid down $660 million of debt. …International Paper Chairman and CEO Andy Silvernail said “We still have work to do to improve consistency and reliability, but the primary pressures this quarter came from a tougher macro environment, including ongoing inflation and the severe winter storm.” “Looking ahead,” Silvernail added, “We’re updating our outlook to reflect the volatile environment, with a strong focus on managing cost and cash flow.”

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Softwood Lumber Board Update for April 2026

The Softwood Lumber Board
April 30, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

In this update you’ll find these headlines and more:

  • Wood Innovations Grants Accelerate Use of Advanced Wood Products: In 2025, the SLB assumed the role of program administrator responsible for managing and distributing the USDA’s award budget of nearly $2 million supporting 10 projects. 
  • From Momentum to Mainstream: The SLB’s 2025 Annual Report highlights the organization’s impact in expanding and protecting markets while driving measurable growth in softwood lumber demand.
  • C40 Cities Partnership Expands Accelerator Cities Initiative: A new SLB partnership with C40 Cities will help expand the SLB’s Accelerator Cities Program to municipalities throughout the United States. 
  • Amazon Highlights WoodWorks-Supported Mass Timber Logistics Facility: The first large-scale owner-occupied logistics facility in the United States built with mass timber is now on the WoodWorks Innovation Network 
  • WoodWorks and the AWC Help Architect Address Outdated Light-Frame Code Interpretation: This month’s feature project highlights how WoodWorks and the AWC worked together to resolve an outdated code interpretation for a mid-rise, light-frame hotel project.

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Seattle opens its first warehouse for salvaged lumber

By Ayeda Masood
KUOW News and Information
May 1, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US West

The city of Seattle opened its first warehouse for salvaged lumber Friday in SoDo. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson cut a red wood “ribbon” with a chainsaw to mark the occasion. The warehouse, operated by Earthwise Architectural Salvage, will serve as a place where lumber from the demolition or renovation of buildings is collected and sold for new construction, or to make furniture and other DIY projects. “Reuse is better than recycling,” said Katie Kennedy, the Seattle Public utilities manager who helped obtain the grant for the city. “You are displacing the need for new materials.” In addition to saving trees from being cut down for new lumber, the project is aimed at reducing waste and emissions.

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The often-overlooked construction benefits of mass timber: Schedule, sequencing and safety

By Juan Rodriguez – Senior Vice President, McCownGordon
Dallas Business Journal
May 1, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US East

Mass timber is frequently praised for its aesthetic appeal and sustainability benefits. However, what often goes unrecognized are the construction phase advantages it brings to a project—advantages that directly impact schedule certainty, jobsite safety and overall delivery predictability. Beyond appearance and environmental performance, mass timber fundamentally changes how buildings are built. For owners and developers focused on speed to market and reduced risk, these operational benefits deserve just as much attention as design and carbon metrics. Mass timber construction shifts critical decision-making earlier in the project lifecycle. Structural elements such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and glulam beams are fabricated off-site and arrive ready to install. There is no waiting on cure times, no extended periods of formwork or shoring, and fewer weather-related delays during structural erection.

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Forestry

Chiefs and Councillors of Miisun Board awarded inaugural SFI Indigenous Forest Leadership Award

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
May 6, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, United States

Montréal, QC — The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is proud to announce the first-ever recipients of the SFI Indigenous Forest Leadership Award, in honour of Chief Lorraine Cobiness who passed in 2025. This inaugural award recognizes the Chiefs and Councilors of the Miisun Integrated Resource Management Company for leadership in land stewardship. “Chief Cobiness was an inspiring leader, an advocate for positive change, and a friend I learned so much from. She enriched our work at SFI through her passion, vision, and thoughtfulness, and she demonstrated how forestry can be done in a way that respects the land while strengthening communities,” said Kathy Abusow, CEO of SFI. “She will remain an inspiration to many in the forest sector, and this award was created to recognize her incredible legacy and the leaders who continue the work.”

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Domtar receives the 2026 SFI Leadership in Conservation Award for advancing climate smart forestry

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
May 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, United States

Montréal, QC – The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is pleased to announce Domtar as the recipient of the 2026 SFI Leadership in Conservation Award. Certified to the SFI 2022 Forest Management, Fiber Sourcing, and Chain of Custody Standards, Domtar is being recognized for sustained engagement with the SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative and leadership in meaningful conservation efforts. Holding SFI certification for more than 20 years, and as the largest holder of SFI Forest Management certificates, Domtar brings substantial scale to responsible forest management. …“Domtar exemplifies the type of leadership that is helping shape the future of conservation in North American forests,” saidLauren T. Cooper, Chief Conservation Officer at SFI. 

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Smokey’s Last Stand: What We Lose When President Trump Guts the Forest Service

By Julian Reyes, Chief of Staff
Union of Concerned Scientists
May 6, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

…I recently wrote about how the Trump administration’s efforts to reorganize the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and shutter 57 of its 77 research and development (R&D) facilities isn’t really about efficiency—it’s about hollowing out another science agency whose mission is to protect people, places, and livelihoods. The Forest Service has since updated its website to qualify that these R&D closures are “possible” but not a foregone conclusion. Yet, as details emerge, one thing is painfully clear: this plan would dismantle the world’s premier—and largest—wildfire research agency when wildfire risk, climate impacts, and economic losses are accelerating. Given increasing severity of wildfires, losing this research would diminish our understanding of managing forests under climate change. Trump’s plans to end climate studies, allowing forest fuel loads to build and diseases to spread, leaves our hands tied as we try to prevent wildfires without the benefit of evidence-based science.

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As potentially significant season kicks off, the US Wildland Fire Service’s first chief shares priorities

By Murphy Woodhouse
Oregon Public Broadcasting
May 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Brian Fennessy

Brian Fennessy grew up in the Los Angeles area, and got into wildland fire straight out of high school in the late 1970s. He mostly worked on, and eventually led, interagency hotshot crews — among the fittest and most respected firefighters in the country. Even decades ago, he said there were questions about why federal wildfire response was split between multiple agencies. “Throwing dirt is throwing dirt, right? And hiking jeep cans up the hills — doesn’t matter what patch you’re wearing, it’s the same work,” he said. “And you know, why wouldn’t there be one agency?” Nearly five decades after he first dug fireline, Fennessy was hired as the U.S. Wildland Fire Service’s very first chief. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service was formed earlier this year by consolidating the fire programs of several Department of Interior agencies, including those of the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service.

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Trump Conditions on DEI, Immigration Threaten State Wildfire Funding

By Alex Brown
The Missoula Current
May 1, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

A new effort to force states to affirm the Trump administration’s views on DEI, transgender athletes and immigration when signing contracts with the U.S. Forest Service is threatening millions of dollars in wildfire grant funding and fire reduction projects on federal lands. Some liberal states can’t sign the documents because the policies clash with state law, forestry experts say. Already, at least one state is reporting that the new rules have stalled work to reduce wildfire risk and assist with projects on national forest lands. Other states say the requirements are so vague that they don’t know how to follow them. And some timber industry leaders believe the standoff could cut into their revenues. …The update to the requirements governing federal partnerships comes even as many Western states brace for a brutal wildfire season, following a winter that brought record high temperatures and a paltry snowpack.

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Lumber Shorts | April 2026: Spring Readiness & Global Outlook

The Southern Forest Products Association
April 30, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

The Southern Forest Products Association’s April update strikes a tone of resilience and forward momentum, emphasizing the industry’s commitment to “pressing on” despite ongoing market shifts, regulatory pressures, and global uncertainty. Preparations are already underway for Forest Products EXPO 2027, highlighting a more connected and automated future for sawmilling. Internationally, uncertainty around participation in the Dubai Wood Show reflects broader geopolitical challenges, while strategic planning continues through the development of the 2027 Unified Export Strategy, with a focus on both emerging and core markets. Exports remain a bright spot, with a record 22.7 billion board feet shipped globally in 2026, underscoring strong demand for Southern Yellow Pine. Domestically, January shipments showed modest gains month-over-month but remain slightly below recent years. The newsletter also highlights new membership growth, seasonal building resources, and an industry-wide cybersecurity assessment aimed at strengthening digital readiness across the sector. Receive your copy of the full Lumber Shorts monthly newsletter by subscribing today. 

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Lack of funding significantly reduced 2025 aerial forest surveys

By Katelyn Welsh
Sierra Sun Times
May 6, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – An annual aerial survey that monitors forest health was significantly reduced in 2025 due to a lack of funding, resulting in many portions of California forests, including the Tahoe area, not being included. Since 2006, the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region’s Aerial Survey Program has flown over California forests every year to observe and document tree mortality, defoliation, and other damage. These annual estimates capture tree mortality patterns and trends, which researchers and foresters use to monitor ecosystem disturbances often caused by insects and disease. The information is also important for fire behavior forecasting. Typically covering large swaths of California landscape and a majority of national forests in California, including the Tahoe National Forest and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 2025’s survey was limited to Southern California forests and the far southern Sierra Nevada. The report states surveys were conducted in areas where 2025 drought conditions were most severe.

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U.S. Forest Service drops large logging, thinning project near Yellowstone National Park

By Darrell Ehrlick
Daily Montanan
May 5, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

A large logging project near Cooke City and an entrance to Yellowstone National Park has been scrubbed by the U. S. Forest Service after conservation groups challenged the federal government, saying it was using unproven methods at the risk of several endangered species. The Cooke City Fuels Project was withdrawn by the Forest Service and would have encompassed 19,921 acres. …The Forest Service would have removed other trees and brush around the endangered Whitebark Pine trees as a means to bolster their chances of survival. However, the conservation groups which challenged the project said that there was no scientific research validating the technique. …The lawsuit had also claimed that the Forest Service disregarded wide swaths of designated Canada lynx habitat. Also, the suit pointed out that increased logging activities and road building in the area would disrupt grizzly bear habitat.

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New research reveals increased wildfire risk for more than 400 communities in Northwest

By Steve Lundeberg
Oregon State University
May 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

CORVALLIS, Ore. – A new wildfire risk assessment tool that takes social vulnerability into account indicates more than 400 communities in the Pacific Northwest are at greater risk than previously thought. However, researchers at Oregon State University and The Nature Conservancy say their assessment tool could inform fair distribution of risk reduction resources. Andy McEvoy of the OSU College of Forestry led the creation of the tool, which integrates social vulnerability with factors such as structure density and environmental hazard. …The researchers found that Northwest communities with both high wildfire hazard and high social vulnerability tended to be small – having fewer than 5,000 buildings – and were mainly in the drier portions of the region. …“This tool balances the important element of social vulnerability with wildfire exposure, highlighting communities that are experiencing a relatively high degree of both,” co-author Chris Dunn, also of the College of Forestry said. 

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Oregon forests face another tough year as hot, dry summer looms

By Sana Aljobory
KATU 2 News
May 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

Oregon’s trees are heading into another difficult year as the state braces for a hot, dry summer that forestry officials say is increasingly tied to climate change. Conditions this spring are already similar to those in 2015, a year marked by peak high temperatures and drought. The concerns come after a winter that tied 1934 for the warmest since accurate records were kept beginning in 1896, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. State forestry officials say Oregon’s trees have been experiencing chronic stress from hot droughts for at least a couple of decades. While there have been occasional breaks, frequent or long-duration warm and dry conditions have compounded over time, taking a toll on many trees. …Oregon Department of Forestry Forest Entomologist Christine Buhl said spring weather can be especially damaging because it coincides with trees’ most active growing period.

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Fuel surge threatens cost of aerial firefighting across Oregon and Washington

By Victor Park
KATU 2 News
May 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

Airplanes and helicopters are some of the most important modern firefighting tools. …However, they are now more expensive to operate. According to the Argus U.S. jet fuel index, the price per gallon for jet fuel was around $2.30. Today, it hovers around $4.50 a gallon, up roughly 65% since February. The U.S. Department of Forestry told several media outlets the agency budgeted $45 million for aviation fuel this year, about $7 million less than last year. The Oregon Department of Forestry said the increases in jet fuel prices don’t impact their ability to respond to wildfires if they break out. …“In the near term, we remain fully prepared to respond to wildfires across Oregon. If elevated fuel prices continue long-term, they may increase overall aviation costs and influence future contract rates,” said Derek Gasperini, external communications manager for the Oregon Department of Forestry.

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Alaskans, Are You Ready? Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness Week Kicks Off May 3

By Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection
Alaska Wildland Fire Information
May 3, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

May is Wildfire Awareness Month! Today kicks off Nationwide Wildfire Community Preparedness Day which leads us into our very own Alaska specific Alaska Wildland Fire Prevention and Preparedness Week. Gov. Mike Dunleavy has proclaimed May 3rd–9th, as Wildland Fire Prevention and Preparedness Week in Alaska. This serves as a timely public reminder that while wildland fire is a natural part of Alaska’s landscape, it can quickly become dangerous, especially when caused by human activity. The governor stresses that Alaskans must use precaution, practice prevention, and be prepared to protect their communities that are among Alaska’s wilderness areas. 

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Colorado wildfire leaders warn of ‘very challenging fire year’ amid widespread drought

By Ryan Spencer
Vail Daily News
May 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

Colorado wildfire leaders are bracing for what could be an especially busy and dangerous summer for wildfires across the West. The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control presented its wildfire preparedness plan to Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday, April 30, during a news conference where state and federal partners affirmed their readiness to respond and called on the public to prepare. “We are facing a very challenging fire year, where our resources will be tested across not only Colorado, but across the West,” said Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Michael Morgan during the briefing at the division’s hangar in Broomfield. Colorado — and most of the West — is heading into summer after some of the worst winter snowpack conditions on record and persisting widespread drought. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report shows that 100% of Colorado and roughly 70% of the West are facing some level of drought.

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States across the wildfire-prone Western US are using AI for early detection

By Dorany Pineda and Brittany Peterson
The Associated Press in Vancouver is Awesome
May 1, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

On a March afternoon, artificial intelligence detected something resembling smoke on a camera feed from Arizona’s Coconino National Forest. …One of dozens of AI cameras installed for the utility Arizona Public Service had spotted early signs of what came to be known as the Diamond Fire. Firefighters raced to the scene and contained the blaze before it grew past 7 acres. …Arizona Public Service has nearly 40 active AI smoke-detection cameras and plans to have 71 by summer’s end, and the state’s fire agency has deployed seven of its own. Another utility, Xcel Energy in Colorado, has installed 126 and aims to have cameras in seven of the eight states it serves by year’s end. “Earlier detection means we can launch aircraft and personnel to it and keep those fires as small as we can,” said Arizona’s John Truett. …“The AI that’s being run on the cameras is actually beating 911 calls,” he said.

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Rising Jet Fuel Costs Won’t Impact Cal Fire’s Aerial Firefighting Fleet

By Peyton Headlee
KCRA 3 Sacramento
May 1, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —The rising cost of jet fuel is putting pressure on airlines and organizations that rely on planes, but Cal Fire says its aerial firefighting operations will not be affected as crews prepare for peak fire season. Cal Fire operates the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world, with aircraft stationed across California to respond to fires wherever they ignite.  Despite the high jet fuel costs, the organization says it remains committed to fighting fires without interruption and that public safety is non-negotiable. One way Cal Fire saves money is by conducting some of its training sessions in flight simulators instead of using planes and helicopters. This approach reduces fuel consumption and minimizes wear and tear on the aircraft, which lowers maintenance costs.

Related news in Yahoo! News, by Daniel Farr: Shocking cost to fuel world’s largest flying firefighting fleet as California wildfire season looms

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Wildfires are torching state budgets

By Kylie Mohr
The Oregon Capital Chronicle
May 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

…Wildfires burned more than 1.9 million acres in Oregon in 2024. By the time they finally died down at the end of October, the state had spent more than $350 million fighting them, greatly exceeding the $10 million it had allocated. “By July 21, I had already completely blown through my cash on hand,” said Kyle Williams, Oregon Department of Forestry’s deputy director for fire operations. Contractors weren’t promptly paid for services they’d already provided, from digging fuel breaks to supplying meals, and the state had to hold an emergency legislative session to allocate the money. That summer highlighted the flaws in how the state funds both firefighting and the preventive work that reduces the chances of large, destructive blazes in the first place. This year, as drought and a devastating snowpack stack up across the West, officials are bracing for what could be a challenging fire season. The Idaho Department of Lands has roughly $38 million set aside. 

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U.S. Endowment Calls for Balanced Forest Markets

By US Endowment for Forestry and Commu
Morning Ag Clips
May 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Pete Madden

GREENVILLE, South Carolina — As forest-sector leaders continue discussions about woody biomass, the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities is encouraging a broader conversation about the markets needed to keep working forests healthy and forest-reliant communities strong. Recent conversations have focused on whether expanded use of woody biomass could increase competition for fiber used by existing pulp and paper mills. That concern is important. Pulp and paper mills anchor local economies, provide markets for forest owners and produce essential products used every day. But the discussion must also account for the communities already living with the consequences of lost markets. Since 2015, more than 40 US pulp and paper mills have closed, removing tens of millions of green tons of annual wood demand. …“Working forests depend on working markets,” said Pete Madden, CEO. “Existing mills are essential to the forest economy, and their concerns about fiber affordability and competitiveness deserve careful consideration.

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Trump administration falls behind on wildfire prevention with risky fire season ahead

By Lauren Sommer
National Public Radio
May 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

With wildfires already burning and drought persisting across much of the US, fire experts are bracing for what could be an extreme fire season. The U.S. Forest Service is going into it having done far less work than in recent years to manage the dry, flammable vegetation that can fuel catastrophic fires. In 2025, the Forest Service reduced vegetation on almost 1.5 million fewer acres than in 2024, according to an analysis of the agency’s data by NPR and firefighting experts. …The Forest Service said in a statement that the drop in prevention work is mostly due to staff being occupied with firefighting and because environmental conditions were not right for doing prescribed burns in the Southeast. The agency lost 16% of its workforce as of last summer, with 5,860 personnel leaving in the first six months of 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the size of government. 

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Forest Service Chief fields questions on Milwaukee office closure, deep budget cuts

By Danielle Kaeding
Wisconsin Public Radio
May 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Tom Schultz

US Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz provided details to lawmakers Thursday on employees affected by the closure of its regional office in Milwaukee, as well as President Donald Trump’s budget that cuts 75 percent of the agency’s funding. Schultz fielded questions from members of a Senate appropriations subcommittee. Last month, the Forest Service announced it would close 57 research facilities in 31 states and close nine regional offices, including in Milwaukee. The agency is proposing to shift operations to Madison as one of six nationwide hubs. Wisconsin Democratic US Sen. Tammy Baldwin, noted she had written to Schultz about the Milwaukee office closure as Senate Democrats have demanded answers on the reorganization. Schultz told Baldwin. …“We are proposing to move this to Madison, where we have the existing Forest Products Lab. We think it’s a better location,” Schultz said. “There’s been discussions over the last 10 years to relocate from Milwaukee to Madison.”

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A roadmap to recovery – the U.S. timber industry

By Tom Laventure
Price County Review
April 30, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Scott Dane

HARRIS, Michigan — In his keynote address at the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association’ Spring Celebration in Harris, Michigan on April 1, Scott Dane said the past 18 months has shown significant progress with the challenges of the logging and partnering wood products industries. Dane, the executive director at American Loggers Council, based in Washington, D.C., said this is the result of partnerships who have formed a bipartisan blueprint for the recovery of the U.S. timber industry. “The challenges within the industry really boils down to one simple common denominator, and that’s markets,” Dane said. …Dane said first the bad news… “Loggers are being crushed by a perfect storm of low demand, unpredictable quotas, volatile prices, rising costs, and shrinking markets,” Dane said, referencing an editorial he read. …Now the good news, he said. Encouraging opportunities include increased domestic lumber production, cross-laminated timber, and biofuels – both sustainable aviation fuel and biojet.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

‘One of the most rapid transitions that I’ve seen’: NOAA forecaster on how this year’s El Niño could shatter records

By Sophie Berdugo
Live Science
May 1, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, United States, International

Our warming world is set to enter an El Niño period as early as May, with a high likelihood of southern North America experiencing supercharged temperatures. One of the three phases of the natural El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle in the Pacific Ocean, El Niño events occur every two to seven years, driving up sea surface temperatures across the Pacific Ocean and increasing global temperature. The last El Niño partially explains why 2024 was the hottest year on record. The knock-on effects of past El Niño events have been profound, with studies linking them to famine in Europe; civil wars in tropical regions; and droughts, floods and forest fires around the world. …To get a better idea of what the upcoming El Niño will look like and what it could mean for Earth’s climate and weather, Live Science spoke with Nathaniel Johnson, a research meteorologist at NOAA Climate Prediction Center. 

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Octopus Energy Generation to invest $500 million to remove polluting CO₂ from the atmosphere

Octopus Energy
April 30, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, International

LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO – Octopus Energy Generation, one of Europe’s leading renewables investors, is ramping up efforts to slash CO₂ pollution at scale – inking a major US deal that will help remove up to 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air. Octopus’s fund management team is set to invest $500 million in afforestation and reforestation projects in the US developed by public benefit and climate technology company Living Carbon. On top of that, Octopus has put nearly $13 million into Living Carbon’s fast-growing, cutting-edge carbon removal development business. …Across the US, roughly 130 million acres of land lie degraded and could be reforested. …The locations include old mining sites and worn-out farmland, transforming these spaces into CO₂-absorbing sinks that slash emissions and combat climate change. These projects will also have a host of additional benefits: restoring wildlife habitats, improving water quality, strengthening soils, and supporting local economies in rural communities.

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Forest Fires

Crews battle Northern Michigan wildfire for third day

By Justine Lofton
Michigan Live
May 6, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: US East

OSCODA COUNTY, MI – Firefighters are holding the line around a 124-acre wildfire in Northern Michigan today. This is the third day of firefighting operations around the Mapes Fire, which started on Monday, about five miles west of Mio in Oscoda County. As of this morning, the fire is 90% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire began on private property on Mapes Road in Big Creek Township. It quickly spread to public land and has burned mostly within the Huron-Manistee National Forest. At least two structures have been destroyed. Residents on Camp 10 Road were evacuated from their homes Monday afternoon but were allowed to return later that day. Reports say the fire was caused by downed power lines and high wind speed, as determined by a Michigan Department of Natural Resources inspector. However, the USFS says the cause is under investigation.

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Crews work to contain 100 acre wildfire amid critical fire weather

By Roxanne Werly
UpNorthLive
May 5, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: US East

OSCODA COUNTY, Mich. — Crews are working to contain a wildfire in Oscoda County after it prompted evacuations Monday. The wildfire is about 100 acres and primarily on national forest land around Camp Ten Road near Lost Sky Ranch. Residents living near Camp 10 Road were evacuated to a shelter Monday afternoon, but were able to return home several hours later. Monday night officials said two structures were destroyed and the fire was about 80 percent contained. …A Red Flag Warning is in effect for parts of Michigan due to critical fire weather, including high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.

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