Region Archives: United States

Business & Politics

Paul Mackie named Cedar Champion by the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association

By Brad Kirkbride, Managing Director
The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association
May 19, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Paul Mackie

This year, I get to present the Cedar Champion Award to Paul Mackie of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. Paul is working for our co-operative marketing organization with a laser focus on ensuring Cedar makes it into projects and markets that will not only work for the members today, but will build the reputation of the association and the species. This triumvirate of Cedar Champions are very different people with very different career paths, but all three share the same trait – they are mission driven individuals who believed that cedar needed to be handled a certain way and never let the easy solutions supplant the right one. …Paul has lived and breathed cedar for nearly 30 years. Every day he seeks to convert someone new into a cedar champion. Paul has shown what a field rep can do when they are mission driven. The board and executive will look to add additional field reps in the near future and that is in no small part because we have watched Paul punch above his weight class for 3 decades. All of us in the association have benefited from Paul’s passion and integrity.

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Weyerhaeuser to Sell Princeton, BC Lumber Mill to Gorman Group

By Weyerhaeuser Company
Cision Newswire
May 21, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Weyerhaeuser announced it has reached an agreement to sell its lumber mill in Princeton, BC, to the Gorman Group, owners of Gorman Bros. Lumber. The purchase price is approximately Cnd$120 million, which includes Weyerhaeuser’s manufacturing facility and all associated timber license assets in BC. …Weyerhaeuser and Gorman Group have a long-standing relationship in CanadaGorman Bros. Lumber is currently the Princeton mill’s largest customer, and Gorman Group has operated in Canada for more than 75 years, with offices and facilities in B.C. and Washington state. Devin W. Stockfish, CEO for Weyerhaeuser, said “Gorman has been a great customer and strategic partner, and we believe this will be a seamless transition.” …”Weyerhaeuser’s Princeton operation will be a natural fit with the Gorman Group,” says Nick Arkle, CEO of the Gorman Group. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory review, with the sale of the mill expected to be completed in third-quarter 2025, and the forest tenures to follow over the ensuing months. 

In related coverage: 

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Carney won the election battle, but the trade war is far from over

By Derek Burney, former Ambassador to the USA
The National Post
May 21, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Derek Burney

The election result was a personal triumph for Prime Minister Mark Carney with generous assistance from Donald Trump. Instead of being a verdict on the dismal Liberal decade of slow growth, low productivity and investment, and declining competitiveness, it quickly became a referendum on who would be the best leader to withstand the tariff attacks and disrespectful challenges against Canada’s independence by America’s mercurial president. …The best answer would be concrete plans to stimulate economic growth and improve productivity, competitiveness and investment. …There should be no rush to negotiate with the U.S. until we clarify what its objectives are regarding Canada. The trust factor remains an open question. …US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum should be sought out as rational members of the U.S. cabinet to dialogue with, as opposed to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

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A Crash Course on Global Trade and How Trump Is Wrecking It

By Olamide Olaniyan
The Tyee
May 16, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Kristin Hopewell

Canada and the United States have long been cosy trade partners, but that relationship is now tested by US President Trump, who in his first months in office has threatened, paused and reversed tariffs so many times it makes the head spin. …All of this would have been inconceivable 20 years ago, University of BC professor Kristen Hopewell says. And this approach not only will be damaging to the interests of the United States and its major trade partners for years to come, but risks unravelling a system that’s ordered the world economy since the end of the Second World War. It’s more than just topsy-turvy tariffs. Institutions like the World Trade Organization, and its predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, have defined the rules of trade for nearly a century and helped usher in a period of relative stability and prosperity. And those foundations of trade are now also at stake.

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Clemson University’s Dr. Pat Layton Receives the 2025 SFI President’s Award

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
May 21, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States

Kathy Abusow & Pat Layton

Minneapolis, Minnesota — Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is proud to announce Dr. Patricia (Pat) Layton, Director of the Wood Utilization and Design Institute at Clemson University, as the recipient of the 2025 SFI President’s Award. Presented during SFI’s 2025 Annual Conference, the award recognizes Layton’s exceptional leadership and longstanding contributions to SFI and to urban forestry, forest literacy, and innovation in green building. “It’s especially meaningful that Pat is being recognized with the President’s Award on our 30-year anniversary, since she’s been involved with SFI since its inception,” said Abusow. “Pat has shown what’s possible when sustainable forest management and education come together. Through her leadership, Clemson has become a model for how campuses can manage forests responsibly, engage students in real-world learning, and inspire future environmental stewards.”

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Jimmy Bullock Receives the Dr. Sharon Haines Memorial Award for Innovation and Leadership in Sustainability

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
May 21, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States

Kathy Abusow, Jimmy Bullock & Jeremy Poirier

Minneapolis, MN – The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and International Paper, a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, are proud to announce the recipient of the 2025 Dr. Sharon Haines Memorial Award for Innovation and Leadership in Sustainability. Jimmy Bullock, Senior Vice President, Forest Sustainability at Resource Management Service, LLC (RMS), was presented with the award at the SFI Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for his lifelong dedication to collaborative conservation and sustainable forest management. “The award honors Sharon’s legacy by recognizing individuals who drive progress in sustainable forestry, and I can think of no one more deserving than Jimmy,” said Lee Alexander, VP Global Fiber Supply, at International Paper. “Following in the footsteps of his mentor, Sharon Haines, Jimmy has dedicated his career to advancing conservation within the forest sector, and his work has had a lasting impact on forest health and sustainable forest management in the US and abroad.”

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Sierra Pacific Industries to Pay for Damages Caused by Forest Fire in El Dorado County

US Dept of Justice
May 22, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

CALIFORNIA — Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) has agreed to pay $204,284.42 to resolve the United States’ claim for damages resulting from a 2021 wildfire that burned about 29 acres, including National Forest System lands on the Eldorado National Forest, Acting US Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The wildfire, known as the “Cold Fire,” ignited on Jan. 19, 2021, on SPI land in El Dorado County. US Forest Service fire investigators determined that the fire originated from one of SPI’s timber slash piles that escaped containment during a wind event. “Our office will continue to hold individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires,” said Acting US Attorney Beckwith. …The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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Oregon lawmakers are now considering a ‘cap-and-trade’ program to fund roads, wildfire prevention

By Dirk VanderHart
Oregon Public Broadcasting
May 22, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

As Oregon lawmakers frantically search for money to fund roads and wildfire prevention, they have landed on a surprising idea: Dredging up a fight over cap-and-trade that once dominated legislative attention. Recently, there’s been increasing momentum to adopt a cap-and-trade system, where polluters purchase credits for their greenhouse gas emissions, and trade them with other emitters to ensure they are meeting a declining state emissions cap. That push has been led, according sources, by Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee. But it appears to have gained traction as other proposals to raise money for road and bridge maintenance and firefighting face an uncertain fate. Washington and California have cap-and-trade programs, and early talks in Oregon have involved adopting a law similar to Washington’s… Funds generated from gas and diesel suppliers could pay for road projects … wildfires, climate nonprofits, and transit or pedestrian uses.

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Wood paneling manufacturer pledges $250M investment, 300 jobs in rural South Carolina

By Jessica Holdman
South Carolina Daily Gazette
May 21, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

A German wood paneling maker plans to open a $250 million manufacturing plant in South Carolina’s rural Clarendon County. Homanit announced Wednesday it will build its first United States manufacturing facility on 140 acres near the small community of Alcolu — population 425. The company pledged to employ 300 people in the area located off Interstate 95, about 40 miles north of its intersection with I-26. “This investment marks a significant milestone for our company, and we’re proud to become part of such a vibrant and forward-looking region,” Homanit Managing Director Fritz Homann said in a statement. “The area’s skilled workforce, strategic location and strong infrastructure make Clarendon County the ideal foundation for our next phase of growth in North America.” The announcement marks the largest single investment in Clarendon County economic development history, according to Central SC Alliance President Jason Giulietti.

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White House’s approach to tariffs may bring serious consequences for American hardwoods

By Scott Seyler, Northland forest Products Inc.
The Williamsport Sun Gazette
May 17, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

Scott Seyler

PENNSYLVANIA — As a result of the Trump Administration’s reckless tariff policies, America’s hardwood industry has faced a range of consequences, including lost revenues, cancelled orders and the high costs of diverting shipments already in route to China. The 125% tariffs that China applied to U.S. imports in response to the staggering 145% tariffs that the Trump administration placed on Chinese goods on April 2 jolted hardwood producers. …For now, the trade war between United States and China has simmered, with tariffs rates on American exports to China now set at 10%. Still, there is much at stake for America’s hardwood producers. In Pennsylvania, which is the nation’s leading producer of hardwood lumber… the forest-products industry employs over 60,000 people and has a $21.8 billion direct impact and a $39.1 billion indirect impact on the state economy. The livelihoods of foresters, loggers, sawyers, material handlers, lumber graders and many more well-paying jobs hang in the balance. 

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International Paper closes Texas plants, cuts 117 jobs

By Noi Mahoney
Freight Waves
May 19, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

EDINBURG, Texas — International Paper recently said it was shuttering two Texas facilities and laying off 117 workers as it restructures its presence along the US-Mexico border. The company is closing two production facilities in Edinburg, Texas, one that manufactures containers and another that makes paper sheets. The sheet plant will be converted into a warehouse. While the company is closing two production plants in Edinburg, it is investing more funds at a nearby facility in McAllen, Texas, as well as a plant across the border in Reynosa, Mexico, officials said. “There are 117 positions impacted; however the expansion at McAllen will create 40 new hourly positions to be filled,” International Paper said. “The company will assist employees and customers through this transition.” …Since October, International Paper has laid off over 2,500 employees and closed facilities in Arizona, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.

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Finance & Economics

Can US federal land offset imported Canadian forest products?

By Austin Lamica
RISI Fastmarkets
May 15, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

Tariff discussions about reducing US dependence on foreign goods became a focus for the second Trump administration. …However, the US forest products industry’s reliance on Canadian wood raises questions about eliminating Canadian wood imports entirely. This piece is the second in a two-part series by the Fastmarkets team. Part one of this series explored converting capacity to replace finished products sourced from Canada.  …Theoretically, US federal lands currently have ample timber supplies to offset the volume of softwood lumber imported from Canada. However, increasing federal timber harvests upwards of 450% may be challenging, as many headwinds, aside from those related to lumber production capacity, may limit the government’s ability to ramp up timber production to this level. Foremost is the contraction of forest area available for harvest due to environmental regulation and wildfires. Trump’s executive order and proposed NWFP amendments aim to address these issues, but this will likely not happen overnight.

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Fannie Mae raises its GDP and housing outlook on lower mortgage rates

Fannie Mae News
May 21, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

WASHINGTON, DC – Total single-family home sales are expected to close 2025 at 4.92 million units, with existing home sales accounting for 4.24 million of those units, according to the May 2025 Economic and Housing Outlook from the Fannie Mae Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group. Revisions to the home sales forecast were driven in part by the ESR Group’s lower expectations for mortgage rates, which it now forecasts to end 2025 and 2026 at 6.1% and 5.8%, respectively. The latest outlook also projects real gross domestic product growing at 0.7% in 2025 and 2.0% in 2026 on a Q4/Q4 basis. …We now expect the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to rise 3.5 percent Q4/Q4 in 2025, unchanged from our April forecast. Core CPI is expected to rise 3.8 percent Q4/Q4 in 2025 (down from 3.9 percent previously) and 2.6 percent in 2026 (unchanged).

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How lumber duties could worsen home affordability in the US

By DeLon Thornton
CNBC News
May 21, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

Volatile lumber prices are once again rattling the U.S. housing market, squeezing builders and threatening to exacerbate an already dire affordability crisis. Softwood lumber prices in April surged 23% year-over-year, while futures rose sharply in early 2025 amid fears of increased U.S. duties and widespread sawmill closures across North America, according to the National Association of Home Builders. This has weighed heavily on major homebuilders such as Lennar, D.R. Horton and Toll Brothers, which have all seen their stocks slump this spring. …“The unpredictability of lumber prices adds serious complexity to planning and budgeting,” said Steve Martinez, of Idaho-based Tradewinds General Contracting. …Beyond homebuilding, higher lumber costs are hitting renovations, fencing and interiors. The US Forest Products annual market review found that U.S. lumber production inched up… but demand continues to outpace supply. Environmental regulations, aging forests and labor constraints compound the challenge.

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US Single-Family Home Size Trending Higher

By Robert Dietz, Chief Economist
NAHB Eye on Housing
May 20, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

An expected impact of the virus crisis was a need for more residential space, as people used homes for more purposes including work. Home size correspondingly increased in 2021 as interest rates reached historic lows. However, as interest rates increased in 2022 and 2023, and housing affordability worsened, the demand for home size has trended lower. According to first quarter 2025 data from the Census Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design and NAHB analysis, median single-family square floor area was 2,190 square feet, near the highest reading since mid-2023. Average (mean) square footage for new single-family homes registered at 2,408 square feet.

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Five key factors in the outlook for the US housing market 2025

By Jennifer Coskren and Dustin Jalbert
RISI Fastmarkets
May 20, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

The Fastmarkets ‘Outlook for the US housing market 2025’ webinar unpacked the current challenges facing market participants. Key takeaways for the US housing market:

  • Falling builder confidence and construction trends – High mortgage rates and material costs are driving builder pessimism, despite strong demand. 
  • California wildfire rebuilding – The rebuilding process following California wildfires is anticipated to be exceptionally slow due to labor shortages, regulatory hurdles and insurance challenges.
  • Demographic shifts and the immigration surge – Demographics remain a near-term support for the housing market, but questions remain about the full impact of the recent surge in immigration. 
  • Mortgage rates and affordability challenges – A sharp rise in mortgage rates has contributed to affordability challenges and stasis in the existing market. 
  • The future of construction – New construction is projected to struggle through 2025 before seeing gradual improvement in 2026. 

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Why Moody’s picked now to downgrade the United States

By Heather Long
The Washington Post
May 19, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

The United States has officially lost its perfect credit rating. On Friday, Moody’s, for the first time in its history, downgraded U.S. government bonds from the gold star rating of “AAA” to “AA1,” the silver medal equivalent. This wasn’t a total surprise. S&P and Fitch had already lowered the U.S. rating, so this was Moody’s catching up to the crowd. But make no mistake: Moody’s didn’t just pick a random Friday in May to make this move. Moody’s wanted to send a message to Republicans in Congress: Rethink the tax bill. Or, better yet, don’t do it. …The Republicans’ bill would add at least $3.3 trillion to the debt over the next decade. …Moody’s cited concern over how big the U.S. debt already is (more than $36 trillion) and how Congress has taken almost no action to stop the annual deficits that keep adding to that tab. [to access the full story a Washington Post subscription is required]

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US Custom Home Building Trends Flat Year-Over Year

By Robert Dietz, Chief Economist
The NAHB Eye on Housing
May 19, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

NAHB’s analysis of Census Data from the Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design survey indicates flat year-over year growth for custom home builders. The custom building market is less sensitive to the interest rate cycle than other forms of home building but is more sensitive to changes in household wealth and stock prices. There were 34,000 total custom building starts during the first quarter of 2025. This was unchanged relative to the first quarter of 2024. Over the last four quarters, custom housing starts totaled 181,000 homes, just more than a 2% increase compared to the prior four quarter total (177,000). Currently, the market share of custom home building, based on a one-year moving average, is approximately 18% of total single-family starts. 

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US consumer sentiment inched down in May after four months of steep decline

The University of Michigan
May 19, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

Consumer sentiment was essentially unchanged this month, inching down a scant 1.4 index points following four consecutive months of steep declines. Sentiment is now down almost 30% since January 2025. Slight increases in sentiment this month for independents were offset by a 7% decline among Republicans. While most index components were little changed, current assessments of personal finances sank nearly 10% on the basis of weakening incomes. Tariffs were spontaneously mentioned by nearly three-quarters of consumers, up from almost 60% in April; uncertainty over trade policy continues to dominate consumers’ thinking about the economy. Note that interviews for this release were conducted between April 22 and May 13, closing two days after the announcement of a pause on some tariffs on imports from China. Many survey measures showed some signs of improvement following the temporary reduction of China tariffs, but these initial upticks were too small to alter the overall picture.

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US Producer Price Index for softwood lumber increased 8.6% year-over-year

The HBS Dealer
May 15, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

The Producer Price Index declined 0.5% in April, according to data released Thursday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, of the 10 key commodities in the hardware and building supply space tracked below, only two (millwork and plywood) index lower compared to a year ago. And only one (plywood) declined from March to April. The softwood lumber index increased 8.6% year-over-year. A month ago, the increase was 12.6%. …Construction input prices decreased 0.1% in April compared to the previous month. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.2% for the month. “Construction input prices declined in April, but that was largely due to falling energy prices,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Materials directly affected by tariffs saw sharp price increases for the month. Steel mill product prices, for instance, rose 5.9%, while copper wire and cable prices increased 5.0%.

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US Single-Family Starts Down 2.1% in April on Economic and Tariff Uncertainty

The National Association of Home Builders
May 16, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States

Economic uncertainty stemming from tariff issues, elevated mortgage rates and rising building material costs pushed single-family housing starts lower in April. Overall housing starts increased 1.6% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.36 million units, according to a report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the US Census Bureau. The April reading of 1.36 million starts is the number of housing units builders would begin if development kept this pace for the next 12 months. Within this overall number, single-family starts decreased 2.1% to a 927,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate and are down 12% compared to April 2024. The multifamily sector, which includes apartment buildings and condos, increased 10.7% to an annualized 434,000 pace. “The decline in single-family housing starts in April mirrors builder sentiment, as elevated interest rates, uncertainty on the tariff front and rising construction costs are exacerbating housing affordability challenges,” said Buddy Hughes,  NAHB chairman.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

How Trees Destroyed by the L.A. Fires Are Being Recycled Into New Lumber

By Anjulie Rao
Yahoo! News
May 22, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US West

After this year’s fires burned through the Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods, destroying over 16,000 structures, the city is reckoning with 4.5 million tons of debris, according to LAist—”the largest municipal wildfire cleanup operation in recent history.” As a result, the Army Corps of Engineers is sending trucks to 18 different regional facilities including landfills and recycling plants to manage the process of clearing out build remnants and remediating hazardous materials. Trees that appear damaged or unviable are cut down and sent to a local golf course to be mulched—a fact that doesn’t sit right with local sawmill owner Jeff Perry. In the aftermath of the Palisades and Eaton Fires, Perry teamed up with local landscape architects to create Altadena Reciprocity, an initiative that helps homeowners recycle an often-overlooked resource—neighborhood trees—into a product that residents can use for flooring, stair treads, door casings, and much more. 

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Swinerton Completes California State University’s First Mass Timber Building at Chico State

By Swinerton
Cision PRWeb
May 20, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US West

CHICO, California — Swinerton Builders (Swinerton), California’s premier general contractor, and its mass timber partner Timberlab, are proud to announce the completion of the new University Services Building at California State University, Chico—a first for the California University System and a key milestone in Swinerton’s expanding portfolio of sustainable higher education infrastructure in California. Delivered through a design-build partnership with Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture, the $14.5 million, 22,132-square-foot, two-story facility consolidates campus operations into a single, efficient, and forward-looking structure. Mass timber elements—orchestrated by Timberlab—serve as both a sustainable and aesthetic choice, enhancing the workspace with biophilic warmth while significantly reducing embodied carbon. …The project was completed on time and on budget despite material lead time challenges and seasonal weather conditions. The prefabrication of structural timber components played a critical role in accelerating the schedule and minimizing disruption to ongoing campus activities.

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Mercer Mass Timber Marks Completion Milestone on the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Construction

Mercer Mass Timber
PR Newswire
May 20, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US West

NORTH DAKOTA — Mercer Mass Timber (MMT) announced the completion of the first phase of construction on the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, a future cultural destination located in the heart of the North Dakota Badlands, and the largest mass timber project in the state to date. Phase one construction began one year ago and is centered on the museum building and its dramatic roof structure of sweeping curves and complex geometry. The roof, designed to echo the rolling topography of the Badlands, required precisely engineered connections and joints, supported by steel wrapped in wood to maintain a seamless timber look. Phase two of construction is scheduled to begin on June 1, with Mercer Mass Timber contributing canopies designed to support photovoltaic panels—enhancing the site’s sustainability and expanding mass timber use in outdoor architectural features.

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Forestry

Sustainable Forestry Initiative Annual Awards

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
May 22, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is pleased to announce the following awards:

The Lyme Timber Company as the recipient of the 2025 SFI Leadership in Conservation Award. Lyme Timber, certified to the SFI Forest Management Standard, is being recognized for a longstanding commitment to advancing conservation outcomes across its land base. SFI specifically recognizes Managing Directors Peter Stein and Sean Ross for their instrumental leadership in partnering on meaningful conservation efforts related to biodiversity conservation, research-based forest management practices, and climate smart forestry.

The 2025 SFI Implementation Committee Achievement Award winner at the SFI Annual Conference. As part of SFI’s deepening commitment to a world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests, SFI Implementation Committees promote responsible forestry and sourcing to create positive change that sustains communities.

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Non-fire forest workers to be deployed during 2025 wildfires, USDA head says

By Hunter Bassler
Wildfire Today
May 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

As the U.S. moves towards peak fire season, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has signed a memo signaling the Department of Agriculture’s approach to wildfire response under the Trump administration. The memo – signed on Tuesday 20 May – directs the Forest Service to take several actions over the next 30 days, including policy changes for when the nation’s fire preparedness level is high. At Preparedness Level 3 and above, Rollins directed USFS Chief Tom Schultz to “prioritize and redeploy the non-fire workforce” to support wildfire response. A Preparedness Level 3 is issued when the potential for wildland fires is normal for the time of year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, meaning it’s likely non-fire personnel will be deployed in 2025… The directive was made just months after the department was forced to hire back all 6,000 USDA workers the Trump administration fired on Feb. 13.

Related content:

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Trump plans to merge wildland firefighting efforts into one agency, but ex-officials warn of chaos

By Matthew Brown
Associated Press in Atlanta Journal-Constitution
May 20, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

BILLINGS, Mont. — President Donald Trump’s administration is trying to merge the government’s wildland firefighting efforts into a single agency, a move some former federal officials warn could increase the risk of catastrophic blazes and ultimately cost billions of dollars. …Budget documents do not disclose how much the change could cost or save. …The Trump administration in its first months temporarily cut off money for wildfire mitigation work and sharply reduced the ranks of federal government firefighters through layoffs and retirement. …But organizations representing firefighters and former Forest Service officials say it would be costly to restructure firefighting efforts and cause major disruptions in the midst of fire season. …“You will not suppress your way to success in dealing with catastrophic fires. ….” said Steve Ellis, the chairman of the forest service retirees group and a former wildfire incident commander.

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Republican megabill targets money for forest owners

By Marc Heller
E&E News by Politico
May 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Programs to stave off wildfires and maintain timber production on privately owned forests are in line for steep cuts in the big Republican tax and spending bill. In the fine print of the agriculture portion of the budget reconciliation bill, lawmakers included a provision to claw back as much as $190 million from the Forest Legacy Program and the Forest Landowner Support Program, relatively small initiatives that nonetheless are priorities for groups representing small forest owners. The cuts — drawn from unobligated Inflation Reduction Act funds — come as state and private forestry efforts at the Agriculture Department are already in a fight for survival, shunned in unfolding Forest Service reorganization plans and targeted for sharp budget reductions by the Trump administration. At issue are two programs that received a big infusion of cash from the IRA, and showcase debate about how much the Forest Service should support work on land that isn’t part of the national forest system. [This publication requires a subscription for full access]

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Grizzly regulations logjam timber economy

By Ned Newton
Bonners Ferry Herald
May 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

In a May 13 petition, members of Congress from Northern Rockies states once again admonished the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for what they say is a “flawed” and “ludicrous” proposal to continue listing the grizzly bear as an endangered species.  “This decision punishes Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho’s successful grizzly bear recovery efforts,” states the petition, signed by U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, James Risch, R-Idaho, and U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho. “The FWS’s ‘Grizzly Bear Recovery Program 2023 Annual Report’ shows that our states have met and far exceeded the most recent set of recovery goals that FWS set for grizzly bears. All of this collaborative work is undermined by the FWS decision to yet again move the goalpost for delisting grizzly populations.” From Greater Yellowstone to the Selkirk Mountains of North Idaho, grizzly bear habitat protections have stalled the timber industry — a pillar of the region’s economy.

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Over 1.1 million acres of Colorado forests have been treated for health, wildfire management since 2000

Glenwood Springs Post Independent
May 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Over one-third of Colorado is forested acreage — 24 million acres of the state’s 66.48 million acres — managed by a variety of local, state and federal entities.  The Colorado State Forest Service and the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, both part of Colorado State University, launched a new online tool to better track completed forest management activities in the state. The Colorado Forest Tracker provides information on where and when forest projects occurred, how projects were funded and what agency oversaw the work. It includes projects between 2000 and 2023 that altered forest vegetation in some way, including cutting trees or bushes, prescribed fire and reforestation efforts. In the 23 years, the tool cataloged over 25,000 forest management projects on 1.1 million acres of Colorado forest. The majority — 900,577 acres — were on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The federal agency oversees the largest segment of Colorado forest.

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Logging protest continues with climber in tree

By Emma Maple
Peninsula Daily News
May 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

A tree-sit protest, which has blocked logging access to state Department of Natural Resources parcels, is now two weeks old. An injunction hearing regarding the parcels has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday in Clallam County Superior Court. If a 90-day injunction is issued, the tree climber will remove themselves from the tree. If the decision is not in favor of the environmentalists, the climber likely will stay up there indefinitely. “It’s going to be crunch time,” activist Peter Stedman said. The tree sit began about 5:30 a.m. May 7, when an unidentified professional tree climber attached themselves to a dunk tank platform 50 to 100 feet up in a tree. That platform was then attached to debris piled in the middle of a logging road. If the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) attempts to remove the debris to gain access to those parcels, the tree climber’s platform will drop.

Related content:

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Legal Intervention Defends Northern Spotted Owl Habitat

The Center for Biological Diversity
May 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

PORTLAND, Oregon— Conservation groups intervened in a lawsuit brought by the timber industry and counties seeking to strip northern spotted owls of protections for their critical habitat across millions of acres of forests in California, Oregon and Washington. The industry lawsuit attempts to reinstate a critical habitat rollback issued in the final weeks of the first Trump administration that removed nearly 3.5 million acres from the 9.6 million acres that were protected for spotted owls in 2012. “The forests these precious owls depend on also provide all of us with benefits like clean water, recreation, jobs and climate resiliency,” said Chelsea Stewart-Fusek, an endangered species attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Given Trump’s relentless assaults on our most cherished wildlife and public lands, it’s no surprise that corporate timber interests are resurrecting their attacks on northern spotted owls and the places they live in the name of short-term profit.”

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Registration Now Open for Forest Products EXPO 2025

The Southern Forest Products Association
May 22, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Haven’t been to the Forest Products Machinery & Equipment EXPO before, or if you have, has it been a while? You’re missing out! But you can change that now that registration and housing reservations in the official hotel block for the 38th Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition (EXPO 2025), presented by the Southern Forest Products Association, are now open! The three-day biannual tradeshow, to be held August 6-8, 2025, at the Music City Center in Nashville, will provide you with solutions for nearly every stage of manufacturing for softwood and hardwood operations. From raw material handling to crane operations; metal detection and scanning technologies; log optimization, drying, grading, sorting, packaging, and distribution, there’s an exhibiting company representative on site to explore these solutions with you face to face. EXPO 2025 will be one of the best yet with: 220+ exhibitors from 34 states and 9 countries showcasing products from 168 different categories across nearly 60,000 square feet.

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Michigan State University researcher receives $500K grant to study tree species suited to future Michigan climates

By Cameron Rudolph
Michigan State University
May 15, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: US East

Jeremy Johnson

EAST LANSING, Mich. — A Michigan State University researcher has received a $500,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to explore assisted tree migration as a way to protect the future productivity of Michigan forests. …The project is led by Jeremy Johnson, an assistant professor of forest genetics in the MSU Department of Forestry. He said that many of Michigan’s most important tree species, such as red pine, are at the southern end of their native ranges. As temperatures increase and precipitation becomes more unpredictable, these species may struggle to adjust. …Johnson and his team will monitor how climate and soil type affect tree growth using a common garden model in which several tree species are grown together under the same conditions. Six conifer species and American Chestnut were identified for planting at nine common gardens across Michigan. In the seed collection process, 50 families will be represented for each species.

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First-ever National Forest biomass risk assessment receives interim approval.

US Endowment for Forestry and Communities
May 16, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: US East

The first-ever Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) for National Forest System lands under the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has been completed and approved for use by biomass producers, providing a comprehensive framework for sustainable biomass sourcing across all forests administered by the USDA Forest Service (USFS) in the contiguous U.S. SBP-endorsed RRAs are crucial for identifying and mitigating risks associated with the sustainable sourcing of feedstock for biomass and woodchip production, opening significant opportunities in markets with strict sustainability requirements, such as Europe and Asia. By expanding access to these markets, this interim risk assessment provides a unique opportunity that balances conservation goals with economic and renewable energy development. Typically, RRAs analyze specific geographic regions, provinces or states. This RRA is unique in that it took the innovative approach of considering the vast and unique network of National Forests in the United States as one region, providing a targeted and specific review.   

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Do Forest Carbon Credits Work and Actually Help the Environment?

By Andrew Thurston
The Brink @ Boston University
May 15, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States

[Airplanes produce] a lot of emissions. In fact, the airline industry produces more greenhouse gases than many major countries. Most airlines … are pushing for cleaner fuels—and offering passengers the chance to help them offset a flight’s carbon emissions. Book a trip with a big carrier and you might be asked if you want to invest in forest preservation, saving enough trees to soak up your jet-setting’s environmental emissions. But is that really helping the planet or is it just a way for corporations to look better? A new study co-led by researchers at Boston University and the nonprofit Clean Air Task Force has found some of these efforts, known as forest carbon credit schemes, might not be doing much good. After examining the standards-governing programs … researchers recommend a series of new guidelines and improvements to “the carbon market system that would promote reliably high-quality forest carbon credits.”

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Applying CATF’s Ground-Truth Forest Carbon Protocol Assessment to California

Clean Air Task Force
May 16, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, US West

Earlier this week, Clean Air Task Force (CATF), alongside a team of leading U.S. forest carbon scientists, published a deep dive into the rules that govern a wide range of forest carbon credit certifications relevant to North America. The assessment examines rules of the road for quantifying carbon credits and identifies what works well, where there are weaknesses, and opportunities for improvements to ensure that forest carbon credits achieve their promised climate benefits… CATF’s assessment scored some elements of California’s current forest protocol that lays out the requirements for carbon credit certification as robust, such as the 100-year monitoring period for stored carbon in forests, and others as weak, like the risk assessment procedure.  While high-quality credits are possible under the current protocol, the bar needs to be raised to guarantee that credits are delivering on their promise.

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California Plans to Proceed with Carbon Cap-and-Invest Program Despite Pressure from Trump

By Mark Segal
ESG Today
May 16, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, US West

California Governor Gavin Newsom released a revised proposal for the 2025-2026 state budget, containing plans to extend the state’s “Cap-and-Invest” program, requiring major emitters to purchase allowances for carbon emissions above a declining cap, through 2045. The Cap-and-Invest program, which was set to expire in 2030, is anticipated to result in a continuation of the California Climate Credit, resulting in approximately $60 billion available for utility bill credits to California residents over the duration of the extension. The proposed extension of the carbon pricing program comes despite growing pressure by the Trump administration and Republican state politicians targeting state initiatives charging companies for their greenhouse gas emissions. …Trump specifically called out California’s cap-and-trade system, in addition to new laws in New York and Vermont aimed at fining energy companies for their contributions to climate change. …Newsom said “California’s fundamental values don’t change just because the federal winds have shifted.”

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Georgia offers carbon credits for mass timber projects. How it works.

By Margaret Walker
The Telegraph
May 16, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, US East

Georgia is the first state in the nation to create a carbon registry program that rewards sustainable building practices with carbon credits, with goals to boost both the state’s environment and economy equally. And while only one building project has made it to the registry since the program started, those who helped start the program are confident more developments in the Peach State will start taking advantage of the program soon. The Georgia Carbon Sequestration Registry, first developed in 2008, was originally created to help landowners certify the carbon stored in their forests. But as Georgia kept rapidly growing, lawmakers saw an opportunity to expand the registry’s impact, changing it to allow for financial incentive for constructing developments with mass timber. In 2021, legislation passed that gave the Georgia Forestry Commission a year to write the protocol for the amended carbon registry.

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Health & Safety

National Fire Protection Association 660: The New Standard For Combustible Dust

By Brian Edwards, NFPA Committee for Combustible Dust
Biomass Magazine
May 19, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

For the past 10 years, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)  has been working to consolidate several industry-specific standards for combustible dust. In December 2024, the NFPA completed its goal by issuing “NFPA 660–Standard for Combustible Dusts and Particulate Solids.” This new standard combines six existing standards, including NFPA 61 (agricultural dust) and NFPA 664 (wood dust), into a single standard that covers all industries where combustible dust and particulates are generated, used and handled. Building permitting authorities, code enforcers and fire agencies use the NFPA standards to establish the basis of design and operation for new and existing industrial sites, so it’s important for pellet mill owners and operators to be aware of NFPA requirements, especially for new projects and plant modifications. NFPA 660 covers both administrative and engineering requirements at facilities with combustible dust, and its goal is to minimize fires and explosions, help companies maintain business continuity, and, most importantly, protect workers and the public.

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