Region Archives: US East

Froggy Foibles

Artist’s tallest troll yet unveiled in Detroit Lakes

By Kevin Wallevand
Inforum
June 6, 2024
Category: Froggy Foibles
Region: United States, US East

Thomas Dambo

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. — Just off the beach in the heart of Detroit Lakes Thursday, volunteers put the finishing touches on one of the trolls that have been very public the last few days. World renowned artist Thomas Dambo is the heart and soul behind this recycling art. “Over the last decade, I have built 138 giant recycled sculptures in 17 countries and 19 American states all across the world. And I make them in a treasure hunt, so I hide them,” Dambo said. Just outside Detroit Lakes, deep in the woods, a treasure hunt is about to begin next week, during which residents can search for Dambo’s trolls. The trolls are made of recycled wood and other materials from all over the world. They are now in Detroit Lakes, so we went on a hunt. People can start looking for the trolls in Detroit Lakes on Monday, June 10. Until then, their locations are top secret. 

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Business & Politics

Bar Pole and Piling Revives Mississippi Mill, Creates 20 New Full-Time Jobs

By United Bancorporation
PR Newswire
June 25, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

QUITMAN, Mississippi — UB Community Development (UBCD), a community development partner of United Bank, provided a combined $10 million in Federal and Mississippi New Markets Tax Credit funding to aid in construction of a utility pole mill in Quitman, Mississippi. Bar Pole and Piling purchased the site of the former Bazor Lumber sawmill in Spring of 2023. …Once construction is complete, the new BP&P facility will include new technology and equipment that detects defects in logs prior to being processed into poles. The poles will then be sold to pressure treatment plants. Upon reaching full capacity, the mill is expected to create twenty full-time jobs. ..Bar Pole and Piling will partner with local loggers who harvest and deliver the bark poles to the facility. This project will help expand their presence into the southeast portion of the country.

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Three-generation family-owned New Hampshire sawmill destroyed in fire

By Ray Brewer
WMUR Manchester
June 24, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

BOSCAWEN, New Hampshire — A Boscawen sawmill that has been run by the same family for three generations is gone after an early morning fire leveled the business days before the owners were set to retire. The official cause of the fire is undetermined, but the owners said they have no doubt it was started by lightning. “This is history right here that has been burnt to the ground,” said owner Lynn Colby, of Colby Lumber. For nearly a century, the Colby family ran the sawmill. Now, all that’s left is rubble. …Video from a witness showed the sawmill building fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the Colby Sawmill. A passerby called in the fire at around 4 a.m. The fire would eventually go to two alarms, fed by more than just the wood in the sawmill.

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T&D Wood Energy fined for repeated environmental violations, excess emissions

By Emmett Gartner
The Maine Monitor in the Press Herald
June 23, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

SANFORD, Maine — State officials voted Thursday to fine the operators of a Sanford wood pellet manufacturing facility $151,550 for a string of violations dating back to 2020. The violations – which include failing to meet testing deadlines, exceeding emissions requirements and failing to keep sufficient records — were ongoing even as the facility was awarded $600,000 in state funds in 2022. The money has not yet been distributed. The plant, operated by T&D Wood Energy and formerly included Player Design, has been the subject of several complaints made to the state Department of Environmental Protection over the years, DEP staff said. …Despite warnings from the department, issues abounded over the next few years. DEP staff conducted several full inspections and issued four license amendments to address noncompliance issues, said Kennedy.

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Kimberly-Clark reports progress on ambition to be 100% Natural Forest Free, appoints Lisa Morden as Chief Sustainability Officer

Kimberly-Clark Corporation
June 5, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

DALLAS — Kimberly-Clark today published its annual sustainability report, including an update on the company’s progress toward its 2030 sustainability goals and a new ambition to be 100% Natural Forest Free across its portfolio beyond 2030. …”Sustainability is woven into the fabric of our 152-year-old company’s innovation strategy and purpose, serving as a guiding principle across every facet of our operations,” said Mike Hsu, Chairman and CEO at Kimberly-Clark. …Building on Kimberly-Clark’s long-standing support of sustainable forest management, the company’s 100% Natural Forest Free commitment will greatly reduce its nature footprint since forests play a critical role in protecting biodiversity and helping mitigate climate change. Kimberly-Clark expects to be more than halfway to this goal by 2030. …The company also appointed Lisa Morden, formerly Vice President of Safety, Sustainability, and Occupational Health to the role of Chief Sustainability Officer.

In related coverage by NRDC’s Shelley Vineyard: Kimberly-Clark is on a roll with new goals

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Is closure of Vermont lumber mill a sign of forest industry woes?

By Connor Ullathorne
WCAX News
June 12, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

NORTH CLARENDON, Vermont — A southern Vermont lumber mill is closing its doors. Mill River Lumber in Clarendon is the second lumber mill to close recently; A. Johnson Lumber in Bristol closed last year. Workers at Mill River Lumber were only able to confirm the mill is in the process of closing but did not give a reason why or an exact date. The mill was created in 1983. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation says the last 18 months have hit both loggers and mills hard. Recent winters with above-average warm temperatures, as well as wet summers, have decreased the time loggers can spend chopping down trees, like the eastern white pine that Mill River Lumber processes. …“Sawmills seem to be like the dairy farms, they’re getting less and less, a few every year disappear,” Joe Gagnon said.

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Michigan Association of Timbermen Announces State-wide Trade Show

TimberLine Magazine
June 5, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

Gaylord, Michigan – The Michigan Association of Timbermen is excited to announce the first biennial Michigan Forest Products Show, set to take place on August 9-10, 2024, at The Ellison Place in Gaylord, Michigan. This premier event will bring together hundreds of vendors, equipment dealers, and industry experts for two action-packed days dedicated to showcasing the best in the forestry industry. The Michigan Forest Products Show promises a comprehensive experience with a wide array of industry exhibits, the latest in logging equipment, milling innovations, and emerging technology. This event is designed to cater to professionals in the forestry industry as well as provide entertainment, food, and fun for the whole family. …For more information on attending or exhibiting at the Michigan Forest Products Show, click here or contact the Michigan Association of Timbermen at (906)293-3236.

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Dr. Puneet Dwivedi Receives SFI Leadership in Conservation Award for Advancing the Value of SFI Fiber Sourcing

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
June 6, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

Puneet Dwivedi

ATLANTA — The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) announced Dr. Puneet Dwivedi as the recipient of the 2024 SFI Leadership in Conservation Award. Dr. Puneet Dwivedi, an Associate Professor of Sustainability Sciences at the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, is being recognized for his science-based impact assessment of the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard. “Dr. Dwivedi’s research to evaluate the impact of the water quality and logger training requirements in the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard is invaluable. His research findings demonstrate the positive influence of the SFI standard in raising the bar for operators to implement best management practices (BMPs) that protect water quality to the benefit of aquatic biodiversity in the southeast United States.” …As part of his ongoing work with SFI’s conservation research, Dwivedi received two SFI conservation grants focused on the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard’s impact on best management practices.

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Finance & Economics

The future of Southern Yellow Pine–Fastmarkets Webinar

By Joe Pruski, Managing Editor, Fastmarkets
YouTube
June 20, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US East

SYP market share in North America has seen incredible growth in the past 10 years and with lumber demand set to grow at a healthy pace over the remainder of this decade, there could be new price risks for players in the market. Meanwhile, supply constraints loom large in the North American lumber market. Themes discussed: The recent growth of SYP; Fastmarkets’ short-term forecast of both SYP North American demand and supply; A review of the price correlation between SYP and SPF; How the new CME truck contract fits into the changing supply landscape; and Key implications for pricing volatility, hedging opportunities and broader market dynamics. [1 hour video]

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WestRock Stockholders Approve Combination with Smurfit Kappa

WestRock Company
June 13, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, US East

ATLANTA — WestRock Company, a provider of fiber-based paper and packaging solutions, announced that, based on the preliminary vote count, WestRock stockholders voted to approve the Transaction Agreement and other proposals related to the combination of Smurfit Kappa Group and WestRock at WestRock’s Special Meeting of Stockholders. Pursuant to the terms of the Transaction Agreement, Smurfit WestRock will acquire Smurfit Kappa by means of a scheme of arrangement under the Companies Act 2014 of Ireland, and Sun Merger Sub, a wholly owned subsidiary of Smurfit WestRock, will merge with and into WestRock, with WestRock surviving the Merger and becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Smurfit WestRock. Completion of the Combination remains subject to certain conditions, as described in the Transaction Agreement.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Mass timber facility in Greenville reaches full capacity

By Ross Norton
GSA Business Report
June 24, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Greenville, South Carolina — It’s not often that proximity to New York City is cited as a reason for being in Greenville, but that was the case when Timberlab began operations in April 2023. Timberlab’s product — large glulam members for mass timber structures — is pretty specialized. Timberlab, a nationwide provider of what the company calls “holistic mass timber systems,” has reached full capacity at its facilities on Old Grove Road in Piedmont. The company, based in Portland, Ore., made the announcement recently with a plant tour in partnership with its affiliate, Swinerton, a commercial general contractor with offices nationwide. Since spring 2023, the 75,000-square foot engineering and fabrication plant has supported nearly a half-million square feet of sustainable development east of the Mississippi River, Timberlab said in a news release. Timberlab at full capacity, with two state-of-the-art CNC machines, can produce annually 1 million square feet of mass timber fabrications.

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2024 Timber-Strong Design Build Competition: Small Buildings, Big Educational Opportunities

By APA – The Engineered Wood Association
Building Design + Construction
June 20, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Some designed playhouses. One team created a “barndominium.” And at least one erected a tiny pub. Those are just three entry examples from the 2024 Timber-Strong Design Build competition, which took place nationwide at college campuses this spring. Since 2019, the contest has given engineering students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with wood design and construction. It also teaches teamwork, planning and demonstrates the value of prefabrication. What began as a giant Jenga contest more than seven years ago today attracts hundreds of participating students and over a thousand spectators. This year’s competition included 464 students from 46 schools. APA – The Engineered Wood Association, the American Wood Council and Simpson Strong-Tie partner with the American Society of Civil Engineers to carry out the competition.  

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Clemson’s WU+D Institute hosts workshop highlighting the benefits of building with wood

By Jonathan Veit
Clemson University News
June 19, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

CLEMSON, South Carolina — Architecture faculty from across the U.S. gained a deeper understanding of the critical role timber building systems can play in decarbonizing the environment during a two-and-a-half-day immersive Timber Design Faculty Development Workshop hosted May 20- 22 by the Clemson University Wood Utilization + Design Institute and Clemson’s School of Architecture. The workshop — which was sponsored by the Softwood Lumber Board and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities — brought participants and speakers from 22 different colleges and universities to Clemson to learn about mass timber design and building, and strategies for incorporating the subject matter into their teaching, research, outreach and practice. …The workshop was highlighted by tours of the Clemson Experimental Forest, two campus buildings built with mass timber and a hands-on look at ongoing research being conducted at Clemson’s Built Environment Lab (BEL).

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TALL TIMBER: Upfront Carbon — The Now Narrative

By The Skyscraper Museum
World Architects
June 14, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

The Skyscraper Museum continues its “Mass Timber Semester” lecture series, which brings together key voices in the Mass Timber movement to reflect on its short history, current condition, and promising future, with an IN-PERSON program at SOM’s lower Manhattan office at 7 World Trade Center. A decade ago, concerns about energy consumption in the building sector focused on operational carbon… Today, the discussion has shifted in part to embodied carbon, which can also be called “upfront carbon,” because it is carbon released into the atmosphere before the building even opens its doors. …While the concept of embodied carbon is still not widely understood by the public, it has a history in the architectural community that our program will explore. Longtime thought leaders David Lewis and Alan Organschi will discuss the role of research in both academic and professional practice in advancing ideas about low-embodied carbon materials, such as Mass Timber. 

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Under Armour’s Baltimore headquarters: Why Mass Timber is Key to Fast-Track Build!

Wood Central
June 14, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Eight years after Baltimore-based Under Armour bought waterfront land for a new global headquarters, it has a move-in date! The first wave of corporate workers will relocate in November to a purpose-built, five-story building nearly complete and, importantly, two months ahead of schedule! The secret? A mass timber design that allowed crews to reduce bottlenecks and deliver the project at a rapid pace! …The 26,012 square metre building is made from cross-laminated timber as part of a wave of mass timber projects now sweeping the American South. Spearheaded by Gensler, it is setting new standards for combining cutting-edge design, sustainability, and efficient construction techniques. …However, the standout feature is its cross-laminated timber structure, an unusual material choice for such a high-profile project in the city. …While the project is one of the architect’s largest mass timber commissioned, Gensler has been involved in over 100 projects, representing millions of square metres.

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AF&PA Supports New York Legislature’s Decision to Shelve and Improve the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act

The American Forest & Paper Association
June 10, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

WASHINGTON – This past weekend, the New York State Legislature concluded its session without passing the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. While the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) supports efforts to improve recycling, the legislation lacked provisions to ensure it would not negatively impact highly recycled materials like paper and paper-based packaging. We look forward to continuing discussions that ensure paper-based packaging recycling remains a viable and sustainable option for New Yorkers.

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The cement that could turn your house into a giant battery

By Tom Ought
BBC News
June 11, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Concrete is perhaps the most commonly used building material in the world. With a bit of tweaking, it could help to power our homes too. On a laboratory bench in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a stack of polished cylinders of black-coloured concrete sit bathed in liquid and entwined in cables. To a casual observer, they aren’t doing much. But then Damian Stefaniuk flicks a switch. The blocks of human-made rock are wired up to an LED – and the bulb flickers into life. …Despite some new discoveries of lithium reserves, the finite supply of this material… has driven the search for alternative battery materials. This is where Stefaniuk and his concrete come in. He and his colleagues at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way of creating an energy storage device known as a supercapacitor from three basic, cheap materials – water, cement and a soot-like substance called carbon black.

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Colorado School of Mines professor’s research helping lead the way for mass timber building revolution in U.S.

By Andrew Haubner
CBS News
June 11, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Colorado School of Mines professor Shiling Pei has had a busy year. His research is helping lead the way for a revolution in construction using strong, lightweight, renewable timber. “We submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation to ask, ‘can we build a resilient, tall wood building in seismic regions made of mass timber?'” Pei explained. Pei, who received his Ph.D. in civil engineering from Colorado State University, was part of a group that made history in San Diego. Mass timber has been used in construction projects for roughly 30 years. The products are load-bearing components like columns, beams and panels. These are smaller pieces of wood that have multiple layers fastened with glue, dowels or nails. While it’s lighter weight than concrete or steel it’s just as strong.

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Mississippi Dept of Agriculture and Commerce Hosts Inbound Timber Trade Mission

By Sue Honea
Magee News
June 7, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

JACKSON, Mississippi – The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) and the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) hosted an inbound trade mission with timber buyers from the Dominican Republic, Great Britian, Mexico, Poland, Spain and Vietnam. Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson said, “Timber is the leading agricultural commodity in over half of the counties in the state, with a value of production of $1.48 billion in 2023.” …The 2024 trade delegation toured Rutland Lumber in Collins, Hood Industries in Silver Creek and REX Lumber in Brookhaven before attending the Mississippi Timber Products Showcase at the Mississippi Trade Mart. During a follow-up showcase, these international trade delegates held business to business meetings and visited with six Mississippi timber companies from around the state, including Hardwoods of America, Hood Industries, LandMAX Properties, REX Lumber, Rutland Lumber and Southeastern Timber Products.

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Two-Story House Built in Just Eight Hours Showcases Offsite Manufacturing Practices

By 84 Lumber
PR Newswire
June 7, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

WASHINGTON — The Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) in partnership with 84 Lumber and the National Framers Council, demonstrated the future of home construction at the Innovative Housing Showcase in Washington, D.C. , by building a two-story, 2,400-square-foot house on the National Mall in under eight hours. This impressive accomplishment showcases the efficiency and sustainability of modern offsite manufacturing techniques. 

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Forestry

$16 million in grants awarded to strengthen Minnesota’s community forests

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
June 27, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has announced that 81 communities will be receiving a collective $16 million through the ReLeaf Community Forestry Grants and the Shade Tree Bonding Grants, marking a significant investment in community forestry. These grants underscore Minnesota’s commitment to addressing emerald ash borer and other invasive pests while fostering climate-resilient communities. …These projects will have a positive impact on community forest health, environmental equity, and overall well-being. They will help replace, diversify, and strengthen Minnesota’s urban tree canopy, increase the urban canopy’s resiliency, and help with climate mitigation through carbon storage and the cooling benefits of shade trees. The $16 million awarded is a significant increase over the past grant cycles, and illustrates the Minnesota Legislature’s and Walz-Flanagan Administration’s commitment to preserving and improving community forests now and into the future.

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Burning the forest for the trees

By Janisse Ray
The Bitter Southerner
June 27, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

NORTH CAROLINA — Longleaf pine can survive natural disasters, but it has barely survived us humans. Writer and naturalist Janisse Ray visits a longleaf champion who wants to bring back this forest of heart-stopping beauty – one match at a time. The night a massive winter storm hit the pine barrens of the Carolinas, Jesse Wimberly lay awake listening to limbs popping in the forest surrounding his cabin. He had planted every one of the longleaf pines by hand. Nobody wants to lose longleaf. Too much has been lost already. When Reed Noss surveyed endangered U.S. ecosystems in 1995, only 3 percent of the historic, iconic forest remained. Noss called the landscape “critically endangered.” Longleaf pine once covered 92 million acres of the upland South. Although it survives disturbances like hurricanes and fires, it could not survive the greatest disturbance of all, us humans.

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Forest Service changes Nantahala timber harvest plans in face of lawsuit

By Jack Igelman
Carolina Public Press
June 26, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

North Carolina — The U.S. Forest Service has announced it will not harvest timber from a 15-acre patch of North Carolina mountain forest that is the subject of a federal lawsuit. The Forest Service said in a June 21 statement that it would remove the acreage from its Southside Project within the Nantahala National Forest in Jackson County. District Ranger M. Troy Waskey decided not to build a temporary road and harvest timber from stand 41-53, according to the statement. Rangers are responsible for project decisions in their districts. … “Rather than continue a lengthy legal process, the Forest Service will now focus on the successful implementation of the remainder of this important project. This change only impacts a small 15-acre stand within the Southside Project, and proposed activities outside of the stand will continue,” said Forest Supervisor for the National Forests in North Carolina, James Melonas in the statement.

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Forestry researcher will work with scientists in Mexico, Italy to advance ‘climate-smart forestry’

By Lauren Noel
Michigan State University
June 24, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Michigan State University Department of Forestry Professor David MacFarlane has been selected for the Fulbright Global Scholar Award for 2024-2025. The prestigious Fulbright Global Scholar Award encourages international connections and fosters understanding and cooperation across nations. MacFarlane will spend a portion of his sabbatical leave in the 2024-2025 academic year collaborating with scholars at institutions in Mexico and Italy. MacFarlane intends to advance an emerging concept called “Climate-Smart Forestry,” which emphasizes connections between forests, society and climate. Climate-smart forestry focuses on enhancing human health and community resilience through adaptive forest management, increasing carbon storage in forests to mitigate climate change, and using forest resources sustainably to substitute for non-renewable energy and materials.

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Forest Products Expo 2025 Booth Sales Now Open

Southern Forest Products Association
June 25, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Exhibit space sales for the 38th Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition (Forest Products EXPO 2025), presented by the Southern Forest Products Association, are now open! The three-day biannual tradeshow, to be held August 6-8, 2025, will return to the Music City Center in Nashville and provide attendees with solutions for nearly every stage of manufacturing. From raw material handling to crane operations; metal detection and scanning technologies; log optimization, drying, grading, sorting, packaging, and distribution, customers new and old will be waiting to explore these solutions with you face to face.

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Massachusetts releases forest plan, highlighting role in carbon sequestration

By Jim Levulis
WAMC Northeast Public Radio
June 24, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

The state of Massachusetts has released a plan to protect and manage forest lands, prioritizing the natural resource for its carbon sequestration capabilities. More than 55 percent of the Bay State is forested, covering roughly 3 million acres. The Forests as Climate Solutions Initiative includes recommendations from a state-formed committee and public input, covering topics such as forest management, siting of renewable energy infrastructure and timber harvesting. To understand the plan, WAMC’s Jim Levulis spoke with two members of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs: Kurt Gaertner, the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Policy, and Stephanie Cooper, the Undersecretary for the Environment.

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New Vermont Economic Development Authority program supports those in the woods

By Vermont Economic Development Authority
VTDigger
June 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

New opportunities to participate in creative financing programs with the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) are now available to those working in the state’s forest economy. The Forestry Loan Program was unveiled June 4. Through this new program, $3 million in financing can be provided in loans, each up to $500,000, with subsidized interest rates. Loggers, foresters, log haulers, biomass producers, sawmills, firewood producers and wood product manufacturers may be eligible for funding to support working capital, equipment and refinancing. The Vermont Forest Futures Strategic Roadmap, the forest based economy in the Green Mountain State accounts for about $2.1 billion annually and over 13,800 jobs. And VEDA, now in its 50th year, is tasked with furthering the state’s workforce, business development and public policy goals — something it continues to do through financing programs that help small business owners grow and create even more jobs. 

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Maine is preparing for a future without its iconic pines

By Elizabeth Walztoni
The Bangor Daily News
June 17, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

MAINE — The health of the iconic evergreen trees that define the Pine Tree State is at risk from climate change. Researchers across the state have begun planting tree species from mid-Atlantic states to replace these trees as temperatures rise, extreme weather intensifies and pests spread. They believe this practice, called assisted migration, will keep Maine’s forests functioning amid climate change. The migration would happen over time without human planting, but moving trees now will prevent ecosystems from collapsing if weather conditions get more extreme, researchers said. Pine, spruce, cedar, ash and beech are some of the softwood tree species expected to decline here in coming decades. Hardwoods such as poplar, maple and oak are poised to take their places. How Maine people adopt these new species on their land — if they do — will make a big difference for the country’s most forested state, researchers said.

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Paper Excellence Group Professionals at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Annual Conference

Paper Excellence Canada
June 12, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Last week, Quinton Hayward, Chief Forester, (Paper Excellence); Luke Dillinger Sr Director Fibre Procurement (Domtar); Sam Bourque, Forestry and Certification coordinator (Resolute); and Kevin Gallagher, Forest Analyst (Resolute) attended the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s conference focused on several critical topics related to sustainable forest management and conservation: Protection of Endangered Species; Mass Timber; EUDR Compliance; and Indigenous Relations Collaboration. …SFI’s goal is identifying and advancing nature and community grown solutions to conserve, sustainably manage, and restore ecosystems in ways that effectively address societal and environmental challenges to benefit both people and the planet.

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Studying the Changing Landscape of Forest Management

By Elaina Hancock
University of Connecticut
June 14, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

STORRS, Connecticut — Around 40% of forested land in the United States is privately owned, and for agencies tasked with preserving the nation’s natural resources, collaborations with private landowners are not just a vast opportunity, but a necessity. To facilitate these collaborations and enhance the effectiveness of natural resource management, UConn researchers are taking a humanities approach to understand what influences private landowners to make conservation and stewardship plans. Ava Smith, Chadwick Rittenhouse, Eleanor Shoreman-Ouimet, and Thomas Worthley are working to understand these influences and motivations. Their findings are published in the Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. The first step in understanding why landowners do or don’t undertake land management planning steps was to establish what has already been studied and identify themes and knowledge gaps. …The researchers also identified potential leverage points for future research or strategies to encourage management plan efforts.

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A forest for everyone, managed by women

By Kayci Willis, Maine TREE Foundation
The Piscataquis Observer
June 13, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

A tree farm near Brownville is gaining attention for being managed entirely by women. Williamsburg Forest, a 180-acre educational forest maintained by the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District, features over two miles of interconnected trails and remarkable property highlights, including legacy white pine trees, vernal pools, and old homesteads. This spring, it was the location of the final installment of Maine’s Forest Climate Change Initiative’s webinar and field tour series. …With an all-female management team, Williamsburg Forest provided a unique opportunity to highlight the impact of inclusion and representation in a generally male-dominated field. According to Molly London, the property’s licensed forester, this opportunity happened organically, “We are a group of professionals who all happen to be women, but we ran with it.” 

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First woman appointed to South Carolina Forestry Commission dies at 97

Legacy
June 13, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Sara Simons

Sara Lee Simons passed away at McLeod Hospice House on June 5, 2024. Sara was born in her family home on February 28, 1927. Sara attended the University of Georgia, graduated in 1949 with a BS in Secondary Education including a certification in natural sciences. She was awarded Education Conservationist of the Year and South Caroline Biology Teacher of the Year. She was a charter member of The South Carolina Association of Naturalists founded in 1976 by Rudy Mancke. She published SCAN: The First Ten Years in memory of Walter. Sara was the first woman appointed by Governor Carroll Campbell to the South Carolina Forestry Commission (SCFC). She was reappointed by Governor David Beasley. She helped launch Project Learning Tree, an award winning international environmental education program.

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Early Forest Products EXPO 2025 Report: It’s Going to Be Another Great Show

By Eric Gee, Executive Director
Southern Forest Products Association
June 11, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Exhibit space reservations have already reached more than 30% of our total number of exhibitors from last year, and I fully expect us to soar past our 2023 total of 217 exhibitors, which was a record number last reached in 2007 when Forest Products EXPO included logging equipment. And it’s not too late to reserve your space for the 38th Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition, which returns to the Music City Center in Nashville from August 6-8, 2025. Booth reservations will open to non-members and first-time exhibitors Monday, June 24, so make sure you get your reservation in before then! That’s also the day we’ll begin assigning booth space, which shall be assigned based on: membership in SFPA; exhibitor priority points; date of receipt of the application/contract and deposit at SFPA; and space size and availability. Remember, SFPA associate members and EXPO 2023 returning exhibiting companies receive discounted exhibit space rates for applications received before July 19, 2024.

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Georgia committees to explore forest innovation, farmland preservation, tree safety

The Georgia Virtue
June 6, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Several Georgia study committees will explore various agricultural issues facing the Peach State, including the potential impact of sustainable aviation fuel. The Senate Advancing Forest Innovation in Georgia Study Committee, created by Senate Resolution 786, will examine how public policy can encourage continued investment in facilities that create sustainable manufacturing components, practices, energy sources and other high-demand products derived from Georgia’s forest products. …“Georgia’s 22 million acres of forests and the existing forest product industry across the state is well positioned to deliver sustainable solutions that can power an emerging bioeconomy,” said Andres Villegas, president & CEO of the Georgia Forestry Association. “GFA is grateful for Sen. Kennedy’s leadership in establishing the Senate Advancing Forestry Innovation Study Committee, which will provide an important opportunity to discuss how Georgia can advance the use of wood-based raw material in a variety of products – from sustainable aviation fuel and mass timber to bioplastics and lignin-based batteries.”

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Mercer International receives Sustainable Forestry Initiative President’s Award

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
June 5, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Atlanta, GA—The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is delighted to announce Mercer International as the recipient of the 2024 SFI President’s Award. Mercer is spearheading the advancement of wood technology to redefine the North American construction landscape and is being recognized for its leadership and commitment to educating customers on the value of sustainably managed forests and promoting SFI certification in the supply chain. Mercer has been integral in ensuring the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) community is informed on SFI’s new standard requirements specific to climate smart forestry, biodiversity conservation, and building relationships with Indigenous Peoples’. As a result of their engagement, more organizations in the AEC community are recognizing the value of using SFI-certified wood for their new construction. The SFI President’s Award celebrates excellence and exceptional initiative in furthering SFI’s mission of advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaboration.

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Vermont Economic Development Authority unveils new forestry loan program

The Bennington Banner
June 5, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

MONTPELIER — The Vermont Economic Development Authority, or VEDA, today unveiled a new loan program available to businesses in the state’s forest economy. Three million dollars in total financing can be provided in the form of loans up to $500,000 with subsidized interest rates for loggers, foresters, log haulers, biomass producers, sawmills, firewood producers and wood product manufacturers, for working capital, equipment and refinancing. According to the Vermont Forest Futures Strategic Roadmap, the forest-based economy in the Green Mountain State accounts for about $2.1 billion annually and more than 13,800 jobs. The wood products industry has a rich history in Vermont’s economy and ecology alike — and it is a world known for high operating costs, variable markets and one heavily impacted by outside factors.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

As ‘Climate Crisis’ inches through the ‘issue attention’ cycle, a wiser approach should emerge

By Steven Koonin, Stanford’s Hoover Institution and author
The Wall Street Journal
June 10, 2024
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, US East

The 2015 Paris Agreement aspired to “reduce the risks and impacts of climate change” by eliminating GHG emissions. The centerpiece of the strategy was a global transition to low-emission energy systems. After nearly a decade, it’s timely to ask how that energy transition is progressing. A useful framework is the “issue attention cycle” described in 1972 by Brookings Institution economist Anthony Downs. The five phases mark the rise, peak, and decline in public salience of major environmental problems. It’s spooky to see how closely the energy transition has so far followed Downs’s description. …The challenges have long been evident. …There are signs that the “climate crisis” has entered Downs’s Phase III, when ambitious goals collide with techno-economic realities. …We should welcome, not bemoan this. It means that today’s ineffective, inefficient, and ill-considered climate-mitigation strategies will be abandoned, making room for a more thoughtful and informed approach. [to access the full story a WSJ subscription is required]

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Massachusetts Outlines Implementation for ‘Forests as Climate Solutions’ Initiative

Morning Ag Clips
June 11, 2024
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, US East

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration unveiled a comprehensive work plan outlining strategies to protect and manage forest lands while prioritizing efforts to address climate change impacts. This plan represents a significant milestone in the “Forests as Climate Solutions” Initiative and presents a detailed timeline for putting into action the recommendations made by the Climate Forestry Committee to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The new climate-oriented policies will focus on expanding forest conservation statewide, increasing transparency in agency practices, investing in scientific data to track and guide progress, and implementing specific forest management techniques. The administration also detailed its plans for paused forest management projects and the process for selecting, planning, and monitoring new projects in the future.

Related in WBUR: Mass. aims to reserve 10% of forest land as part of climate plan

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Health & Safety

Southern Forest Products Association Announces 2023 Sawmill Award Recipients

The Southern Forest Products Association
June 24, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

The Southern Forest Products Association has announced the recipients of the John Edgar Rhodes 2023 Sawmill Safety Excellence Awards. …The eight award recipients represent a record of 2,282,255 total hours worked among 987 employees – achieving safety excellence with zero reported incidents. …“In an industry where worker safety is of utmost importance, operating without any reportable incidents is a significant achievement,” said Eric Gee, SFPA’s executive director. 

  • Mills that produce 50 million board feet or less annually: Almond Brothers Lumber – Coushatta, Louisiana; McShan Lumber Co. – McShan, Alabama; and Swift Lumber – Atmore, Alabama
  • Mills that produce 51 to 150 million board feet annually: West Fraser – Fitzgerald, Georgia; West Fraser – Lake Butler, Florida; West Fraser – Blackshear, Georgia; and West Fraser – Mansfield, Arkansas.
  • Mills that produce more than 150 million board feet annually: LaSalle Lumber Co. – Urania, Louisiana

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State: Two Companies In Wilmington Must Add Dust Control Measures

The WilmingtonBiz
June 24, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

Wilmington, North Carolina — The state is requiring Enviva Pellets and Basaga International with facilities near the Port of Wilmington to adopt additional control measures after investigating resident complaints about the impact of dust in their neighborhoods. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) said the companies must do a better job of controlling fugitive dust.  …Enviva Pellets LLC was notified of the requirements after DAQ identified that facility as the source of two substantiated fugitive dust complaints. The plan must identify the sources of the dust and methods to control it. The agency has to review and approve the plan before it’s implemented. “We are investigating the concerns raised and monitoring the situation daily,” Enviva officials stated in an email Monday afternoon. “We will continue to work in partnership with local officials. Enviva remains committed to the health and safety of our people and local communities.”

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