Another questionably secured load in the bed of a truck along a San Antonio highway is stirring up conversation online. A truck was spotted carrying lumber upright with the pieces of wood skyrocketing, clearly taller than the truck itself. …A truck, avoiding state law which prohibits overhang of more than 3 feet either in front or back of a vehicle, opted to put their lumber load upright. Narrowly missing highway overhangs, the lumber appears to violate state law which says the overall height of a load hauled in Texas can’t exceed 14 feet …The beams, which protruded several feet above the back of the truck, were swaying in the wind, tied down only at a couple places at their base by a questionable and slacked set of ropes.
TUPPER LAKE, N.Y. — Immigrations and Customs Enforcement conducted a raid Feb. 18 at Tupper Lake Pine Mill in New York state and detained nine employees. In a statement …the parent company of the mill, The Matra Group, said that the employees were authorized to work in the U.S. …“Nine employees were detained, all of whom were, to our knowledge, authorized to work in the United States, as we verify all employees through the I-9 process,” Nicholas Drouin, Matra co-president and director of manufacturing said. All U.S. employers must follow that process to verify workers’ identities and employment eligibility. …The mill — formerly known as the Tupper Lake Hardwoods Inc. — is owned by the Quebec-based Matra Group, a lumber harvesting and distribution company. 
WASHINGTON — 
Year-end 2024 Southern Pine lumber (treated and untreated) exports hit 565.7 Mbf, which was up 11% over the previous year, according to December 2024 data from the USDA. On a monthly basis, Southern Pine lumber exports were up 21.9% in December 2024 over the same month in 2023 but down 2.2% from November 2024. …Softwood imports, meanwhile, were down 11.5% in December 2024 compared with the same month a year ago and down 11% from November 2024. …Mexico remains the largest export market (by volume) of Southern Pine and treated lumber, up 23% over 2023 with 150.2 Mbf of imports. The Dominican Republic, the No. 2 importer of Southern Pine, ended the year 19.1% ahead of 2023 with 92.3 Mbf. India’s total of SYP imports ended 3.1% ahead of last year with 36.6 Mbf. Canada: up 30% with 27.4 Mbf in 2024. Canada ended the year as the No. 5 importer of Southern Pine lumber (treated and untreated).
A group of scientists has been quietly working for decades on a project to improve tree genetics, with white oaks among the target species for the UT Tree Improvement Program. For those who are curious, genetics in organisms refers to the study of genes and how they are passed down from generation to generation. Genetics in trees, however, focuses on the study of genes within tree species and examines how their genetic makeup influences traits such as growth rate, wood quality, and resilience to environmental stresses. Scott Schlarbaum, a distinguished professor of forestry at UTIA, leads the UT Tree Improvement Program and is among the co-authors of the paper that describes the white oak genome and how local adaptations may have implications for the species in relation to heat and drought stress. Photo by A. Mains, courtesy UTIA.
Alabama’s roads and bridges are already under immense strain, but two bills moving through the Legislature could accelerate their decline—adding 150 million dollars in maintenance costs annually, reducing highway lifespan by up to 30 percent, and forcing weight restrictions on hundreds of bridges. Senate Bill 110 and House Bill 204 would allow heavier log trucks to operate on Alabama highways while simultaneously limiting enforcement by requiring state troopers to escort overweight trucks to permanent platform scales—effectively halting roadside safety inspections for extended periods. Experts warn that these changes could have devastating consequences for infrastructure durability, public safety, and taxpayer-funded repairs. The push for heavier loads is being driven by logging and timber industry interests, which stand to benefit financially from relaxed restrictions. However, transportation and infrastructure experts warn that the cost to the public far outweighs any economic gain.
Senator Mike Rounds has re-introduced a bill that would require National Forest superintendents to submit remediation plans if their timber production falls well below the allowable amounts laid out in forest plans. The remediation plans would be required to bring timber production in the respective forests back to at least 75% of their allowable amounts. Rounds says timber production in the Black Hills has far below its allowable 181,000 units. “Three years ago, we did about 80,000, the year before last we did about 60,000, and we’re down to about 59,000 units this year, and so the bottom line is not even a third of what we should be harvesting in the Black Hills is actually being done,” Rounds said. “But it also means some of those forests that could be more properly managed, based upon their own plan are not being harvested, the plan is not being followed,” Rounds said.
The State of New York last week announced the launch of two new interactive tools for recording and tracking the number of trees planted as part of a climate initiative to reach 25 million trees by 2033. Developed by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation and its Office of Information Technology Services, the Tree Tracker allows state agencies and private organizations and individuals to report the number and location of trees planted, as well as planting dates, species and tree size. “New York is taking decisive action to protect our environment and strengthen communities’ ability to withstand severe weather,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in the press release. “Our progress toward the 25 Million Tree goal is a testament to the power of community-driven action, and the new Tree Tracker will make it easier for New Yorkers to track our progress, share updates and contribute to a healthier environment for the future.”
NEW YORK — Chestnut Carbon, a leading developer of nature-based carbon removal solutions, announced today that they have completed the first issuance and sale of Improved Forest Management (IFM) credits sourced from their conservation membership program branded as Forest Carbon Works. The issuance of more than 64,000 credits, or tons of carbon removal, were sold to multiple corporate buyers, including JPMorganChase. These transactions totaled $2.2 million. Chestnut’s U.S.-based IFM membership program, Forest Carbon Works, provides an opportunity for private forest owners to access income-generating carbon markets while preserving the integrity and legacy of their land. The program includes landowners in 36 states with more than 150,000 acres enrolled as of February 2025. These carbon removal credits are certified through Verra on the voluntary carbon market (VCM) and undergo rigorous third-party audits.
Can you fly airplanes with wood? The answer is: yes. It’s a very qualified “yes” — and it may not happen for many years — but the potential exists to manufacture sustainable aviation fuel from residual wood products and other non-petroleum-based sources that can reduce an airplane’s carbon footprint. “The technology to fly airplanes with wood exists but needs to be scaled up to show the true potential,” Rick Horton, executive vice president of Minnesota Forest Industries, told the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee at an informational hearing Monday. Horton was one of several testifiers who said using sustainable aviation fuel to power airplanes is in its infancy and needs large-scale development — and probably government subsidies — to make it economically viable… Sustainable aviation fuel currently costs two to five times more than conventional jet fuel.