Blog Archives

Opinion / EdiTOADial

Glimmers of hope for directional change on the trajectory of BC’s forest sector

By Bob Brash, TLA Executive Director
Truck LoggerBC Magazine
April 1, 2025
Category: Opinion / EdiTOADial
Region: Canada, Canada West

Well, 2025 will prove to be an interesting year ahead. …Provincially there are some glimmers of hope for some directional changes to the current trajectory of BC’s forest sector through the appointment of an energized and determined Minister of Forests. At the recent TLA convention, there also seemed to be acknowledgment that the need for change was recognized with the Premier and Minister. …The government’s forestry mandate appears to be granted for firm actions, even more so with our obvious need for more self-reliance as a country. But muddying the background is the reality that anything that needs to be accomplished must be done within the spectre of massive provincial deficits and a hiring freeze. Where to start?

There needs to be a review of all the current policies, legislation, and regulations to ensure they mesh with the overall vision and contribute towards its successful implementation. It is fair to say the cumulative array of constraints over the last decades encircling the forest sector have been decidedly negative. …Albeit a complex and onerous task, the hope is the creation of renewed investment certainty for all those making their decisions towards the future of the sector. …There must be a meaningful transition plan and set of actions in place to ensure the components of the sector survive while these changes are being contemplated and implemented. …An effective transition plan requires government to work hand-in-hand with the industry towards ensuring a level of harvest is agreed upon and delivered to at least minimally sustain all concerned over these next few years. It also means giving decision-makers of permitting and delivery programs the authority and support to make those tough interim decisions. It also means that the short-term harvest level to sustain our sector is not the plus or minus 32 million m3 currently happening.

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Business & Politics

The return of Donald Trump and the threat of tariffs and duties.

By Robert McKellar, principal at Harmattan Risk
Truck LoggerBC Magazine
April 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Robert McKellar

You know that times have changed when a political risk consultant experienced in managing challenges for companies working in the Middle East or West Africa casts an eye on BC’s forest industry. …The TLA and its members already manage political risk to BC’s logging industry, but given what lies ahead, a broader and more explicit political risk mindset can only help. On the domestic front, provincial and federal government policy is an ongoing source of political risk. …This is not a new challenge, but it has become particularly pressing in the context of the shockwaves from the return of Donald Trump and the threat of tariffs and duties. …The lack of provincial and federal government regulatory clarity alongside a serious squeeze in the US market, means that the lumber industry is somewhat impaired and confused just when it needs to be maximally focused and agile, and capable of inspiring investor confidence.

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White House considering roughly 20% tariff on most imports, report says

By Jesse Pound
CNBC News
April 1, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States, International

White House aides have drafted a proposal that would levy tariffs of roughly 20% on most imports, the Washington Post reported. The report cited three people familiar with the matter. It also said White House advisers cautioned that several options are still on the table, meaning the 20% tariffs may not come to pass. Another plan being considered is the country-by-country “reciprocal” approach, according to the Washington Post. The report comes a day before April 2, when President Donald Trump is set to announce his larger plans for global trade. The date has loomed over Wall Street, where stocks have been struggling in part due to uncertainty around rapidly changing global trade policy. Unlike the tariffs already announced by the Trump administration, the new plan is expected to be more widespread and permanent as opposed to targeting specific countries or industries. 

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Trump says larger tariffs could be imposed on Canada, EU if they cause US ‘economic harm’

By Surbhi Misra & Shubham Kalia
Reuters in CTV News
March 27, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States, International

US President Trump said, “If the European Union works with Canada in order to do economic harm to the USA, large scale tariffs, far larger than currently planned, will be placed on them both in order to protect the best friend that each of those two countries has ever had,” he said. On Wednesday, Trump unveiled a 25% tariff on imported vehicles, expanding a global trade war and prompting criticism and threats of retaliation from affected US allies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the move as “bad for businesses, worse for consumers,” while Prime Minister Mark Carney labeled the tariffs a “direct attack” on Canadian workers and said retaliatory measures were being considered. The new levies on cars and light trucks will take effect on April 3, the day after Trump plans to announce reciprocal tariffs aimed at the countries responsible for the bulk of the US trade deficit. 

Related coverage in:

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Trump tariffs on Canadian lumber risk pinching toilet paper supply

By Mathieu Dion and Thomas Seal
Bloomberg News in the Financial Post
March 27, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

President Trump’s promised tariffs on softwood lumber risk disrupting the supply chain for something nobody wants to be caught without: toilet paper….While Trump advocates for new tariffs partly to bolster US manufacturing, they may also hit the availability of northern bleached softwood kraft pulp, or NBSK, a key component in making toilet paper and paper towels. NBSK constitutes about 30% of standard U.S. bathroom tissue and half of a typical paper towel, and is currently sourced primarily from Canada, said Brian McClay, chairman of TTOBMA. He added that the U.S. imported about 2 million tons of Canadian NBSK last year, highlighting the longstanding reliance of American paper-goods producers on pulp from their northern neighbour. …“If Canadian pulp mills close because they don’t have the fibre supply, I can’t think of any other option for them — they just can’t switch the recipe around,” he said. The scenario risks reviving painful memories of pandemic-era toilet paper shortages.

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Fire at West Fraser quickly contained by fire crews

By Lauren Meister
Cochrane Now
March 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

COCHRAN, Alberta — A fire broke out at West Fraser Cochrane on Wednesday evening, prompting a swift response from Cochrane Fire Services. According to Fire Chief Shawn Polley, several calls came in reporting a vehicle fire in the company’s mulch lot. …”The staff at West Fraser did a great job moving the vehicle to an open area, giving fire crews good access and preventing the fire from spreading to nearby mulch or a log deck.” The on-duty crew quickly contained the blaze using a single hose line, and a water tender was brought in to ensure an adequate water supply. Thanks to the rapid response, the fire was fully suppressed within an hour. While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, Polley noted that equipment failure may have been a factor.

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Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks to advocate for fair trade practices in Texas

By Jayk Sterkenburg
Chat News Today
March 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Todd Loewen

A trade mission aims to highlight the importance of Alberta’s high-quality wood products and ensure continued access to the vital market, as Texas is Alberta’s largest U.S. market for lumber. From March 31 to April 3, Alberta’s Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen and a delegation from the Alberta Forest Products Association will meet with key government officials, industry representatives and advocacy groups in Texas. …Texas received $176 million worth of Alberta lumber in 2024, accounting for 17% of the province’s total lumber exports to the US. …Loewen said “Our wood products are vital to homebuilding and helping American businesses grow, and we are committed to ensuring this partnership continues to flourish”. …In 2024, $3 billion of Alberta forest products were exported to the U.S., representing 72% of Alberta’s total forest product exports. These exports included $1 billion worth of softwood lumber, $808 million worth of OSB, $704 million worth of kraft pulp.

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Cariboo’s West Fraser adapts to uncertainty

By Andie Mollins
The Williams Lake Tribune
March 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

As the Cariboo’s largest forestry company marks 70 years in the industry, the need to adapt to an ever-changing world continues to be a reality for West Fraser. With growing uncertainties in the wake of climate change and the current U.S. administration’s inconsistent and unreliable decision-making, West Fraser faces a multitude of challenges which require close monitoring and forward-thinking planning. …“Forests are complex ecosystems that require careful management for a range of environmental, social, economic and cultural values,” said Chad Swanson, the company’s chief forester of B.C. operations. The company harvests less than 0.5% of the forests it manages per year. …“At this point we continue to monitor the situation closely and are working with our Federal and Provincial governments to support them in their effort,” said Joyce Wagenaar, the company’s director of communications, in response to Black Press’ inquiry on the impacts of U.S. tariffs.

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Forestry is the focus as COFI brings annual conference to Prince George

The Prince George Citizen
March 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Kim Haakstad

PRINCE GEORGE — The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) will hold its annual convention at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre from Wednesday, April 2 to Friday, April 4. More than 600 delegates are expected, including industry executives, policymakers, and First Nations leaders. The theme of the conference is Where Do We Stand? Strategies for Competitiveness and Sustainability. …Discussions will focus on global trade, product diversification, wildfire resilience, and fibre supply, with opportunities for delegates to engage with decision-makers across the supply chain. Keynotes and panel discussions will cover topics such as global trade, sustainability, and wildfire resilience. The conference will also feature a trade show and networking opportunities. …A session on fibre availability will feature insights from former BC cabinet minister George Abbott, while BC Forests Minister Ravi Parmar will provide an address on the future of forestry in the province.

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BC’s hopes for a hydrogen economy are under threat. Canfor/Teralta Prince George project paused

By Jason Proctor
CBC News
March 27, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

At least seven “large-scale hydrogen projects” were cancelled or paused. …One of those plans — Fortescue’s Project Coyote — has since been made public, but six more projects that have been quietly put on ice, including a Prince George clean hydrogen project. Hydrogen’s potential as an environmentally-friendly alternative to fossil fuels has generated global excitement. It can be produced from domestic resources including natural gas, biomass, and wind or solar power… with zero to negligible amounts of greenhouse gases. Eby announced a project led by Chilliwack-based Teralta Hydrogen Solutions to power a Canfor mill with hydrogen produced as a byproduct from a nearby Chemtrade sodium chlorate production facility. But according to the FOI documents, that project has since been paused. …A Teralta spokesperson said that while the project itself was successful, the closure of the Canfor mill and Chemtrade’s decision to stop producing sodium chlorate in Prince George meant it was no longer viable.

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Tariffs a ‘real opportunity’ for made-in-Ontario supply chain: OFIA president

By Marissa Lentz-McGrath
Timmins Today
March 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

Ian Dunn

Ontario’s forestry sector is feeling the weight of ongoing trade disputes and potential new tariffs. In talks with the US and industry leaders, Ontario Forest Industries Association president Ian Dunn said the message is about collaboration. …“We met with the National Association of Home Builders. Obviously, they’re very concerned about the pricing of construction materials. They’re looking for free trade, and they are a very loud voice.” …“But at the end of the day, the Ontario industry is going to have very little sway or impact on the Trump administration. It’s going to require Americans talking to their administration.” …Given the heavy reliance on the U.S. market — where 97% of Ontario’s forestry exports go — Dunn sees diversification as a necessary step. …“I’m hopeful that there will be a settlement on a softwood lumber dispute. I’m hopeful that Canada and the US will find a path forward on tariffs in general,” he said.

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National Lumber and Building Material Dealers (NLMBDA) appeals to White House on tariffs and lumber

By Jonathan Paine, NLMBDA President
HBSDealer
March 31, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States

The US-Canadian lumber and building material industry is predicated on a fundamental understanding that our respective economies flourish when we engage in robust and fair trade between our two nations. Canada has long been a crucial partner in providing the United States with lumber and various building materials. These products are essential to the construction of homes, commercial buildings, and infrastructure across the United States. …Our industry is supportive of your administration’s initiative of increasing domestic sourcing of lumber to reduce reliance on foreign imports through strengthening the U.S. timber industry. However, it is important to recognize that achieving this goal will take time and require significant investment in both infrastructure and sustainable forest management. While domestically available species such as Southern Yellow Pine are a valuable resource, they do not serve as a direct substitute for the many applications where Canadian Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF) is preferred. 

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Dean, Whitehouse Lead Bicameral Bill to Preserve Northern Rockies Ecosystem

Office of Rep. Madeleine Dean, Pennsylvania
March 27, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Madeleine Dean (D-PA) and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced legislation to protect more than 23 million acres of public land in Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming — safeguarding endangered and threatened species, preserving biodiversity, and combating climate change by preserving millions of trees that serve as a carbon sink. In addition to roughly 20 million acres of federally protected wilderness, the NREPA would also designate: Specified federal lands as biological connecting corridors and as special corridor management areas; Segments of specified rivers and creeks in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; and Specified areas as wildland recovery areas. Wildland recovery plans would be required for each recovery area. Full bill text is available here.

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Wood Flooring Importer to Pay Over $8.1M to Settle False Claims Act Duty Evasion Charges

Miller & Chevalier LLP
March 26, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

CALIFORNIA — The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it had reached an $8.1 million settlement in a civil False Claims Act case based on alleged customs violations by defendants Evolutions Flooring, a San Francisco-based importer of wood flooring, and its owners Mengya Lin and Jin Qian. …The complaint shows how DOJ and relators may formulate such cases. Evolutions and its owners were accused of knowingly evading customs duties, including antidumping duties, countervailing duties, and section 301 tariffs, on wood flooring manufactured in the People’s Republic of China. Acting at the direction of its owners, Evolutions allegedly mispresented the country of origin of certain flooring imports – declaring them as Malaysia-origin – to avoid the high duties applicable to China-origin products. Evolutions also allegedly falsely declared the true manufacturer of the imported merchandise. 

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Sumitomo Forestry Acquires Teal Jones Louisiana sawmill

Sumitomo Forestry Co. Ltd.
April 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

LOUISIANA — Sumitomo Forestry announced that on March 28, 2025, the Board of Directors resolved to acquire 100% of the shares of Teal Jones Louisiana Holdings through its wholly owned subsidiary Sumitomo Forestry America, and to begin procedures to make Teal Jones a consolidated subsidiary. The acquisition will be carried out in accordance with procedures outlined under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act of Canada and Chapter 15 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. It is subject to approval by the Courts of Canada and the United States. After these procedures, Sumitomo Forestry plans to complete this acquisition by the second quarter of 2025. In addition, since Teal Jones capital is more than 10% of Sumitomo Forestry’s capital, Teal Jones will become a specified subsidiary of Sumitomo Forestry.

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Site of former Georgetown paper mill to turn into biomass plant, senator says

By Caleb McCusker
Georgetown County News
March 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

GEORGETOWN, South Carolina — The site of the former International Paper mill in Georgetown that closed last year is soon set to turn into a biomass plant, state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch of Murrells Inlet said. “I can confirm the plant is slated to be (primarily) a bio mass plant,” Goldfinch said. “There will be other stuff there as well, but that will be the primary function.”mBiomass is organic matter that’s derived from living or recently living organisms, primarily plants and animals, and can be used as a source of energy or other materials.,No additional information about the plans, including who is behind the project, was immediately available. The paper mill closed permanently in December. It employed 674 people before its closure.

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TimberHP voluntarily files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization

By Kaitlyn Budion
Maine Public
March 27, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

MADISON, Maine — TimberHP, the wood fiber insulation manufacturer in Madison, has filed a voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization plan in US Bankruptcy Court. According to court filings, TimberHP ran into delays and unexpected costs when retrofitting its facility at the Madison paper mill because of inflation and supply-chain issues That has in turn delayed the launch of its third product, TimberBoard, which company officials say is expected to be its most profitable. The company set out to raise an additional $60 million in recent years, but ultimately managed to bring in just half that amount, prompting the organization to file for protection. The company expects to emerge from the process…and in the meantime, business will “continue as usual and without interruption.” The reorganization plans to preserve all of the company’s 54 full-time employees. 

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A US-Canada trade war could pose an existential threat to Vermont’s forest economy

By Olivia Gieger
VTDigger
March 26, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

VERMONT — Oliver Pierson, Vermont state’s director of forestry, and Katharine Servidio, mapped out the [tarrif] tangle for the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry. As sawmill capacity in the U.S. has retracted, New England’s loggers have looked to Canada to process timber felled on this side of the border. …Vermont imported $52 million in sawmill and wood products from Canada in 2024, according to Pierson. …There is a case for bringing more milling back to America, Pierson said, but “it wouldn’t be for a year or two from now when we’d be able to stand up additional processing capacity.” In the short term, Servidio and Pierson said that they expect that U.S. tariffs on lumber imported from Canada and retaliatory Canadian tariffs on Vermont timber will be debilitating for the logging industry in the state.

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Metsä Board appoints Esa Kaikkonen as CEO, replacing Mika Joukio

Metsä Group
March 31, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: International

FINLAND — Metsä Board Corporation confirms that its CEO Mika Joukio will step down from his position on 7 April 2025, with Esa Kaikkonen appointed as his successor by the company’s Board of Directors. Joukio will continue supporting the transition until October 2025. This announcement follows an agreement between Joukio and the Board finalized Monday, according to Metsä Board Corporation. Joukio’s career spans 35 years, beginning at the Tako board mill and culminating in his appointment as CEO in 2014.  …Kaikkonen, currently EVP, Strategy at Metsä Group, has held senior roles across the organization since 1998. His previous positions include CEO of Metsä Tissue (2018–2025), EVP of Metsä Wood (2013–2018), and Group General Counsel (2003–2013).

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No solution in the labour dispute at Finland’s UPM Plywood

UPM Plywood
March 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: International

FINLAND — UPM Plywood and the Industrial Union have failed to reach an agreement on a new employer-specific collective agreement. The union rejected the mediator’s settlement proposal, and the five-week strike at UPM Plywood mills in Finland continues. The proposal made by conciliator Jukka Ahtela on Friday was in line with the general pay increase level agreed by the Industrial Union for the export industry in Finland. The agreement would have allowed UPM Plywood employees to receive a total pay increase of 7.8% over 3 years. UPM Plywood accepted the proposal.m …The strikes have halted production at UPM Plywood mills in Finland. UPM Plywood mills in Finland employ 1,000 people covered by the collective agreement with the Industrial Union. Production at UPM Plywood’s Otepää mill in Estonia continues as normal.

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Finance & Economics

Canada’s housing market projections point to slowdown from 2025 – 2027

The REMI Network
March 31, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada

Predicting Canada’s economic future remains challenging due to ongoing tariff disputes, reduced immigration targets, and changes in federal leadership, all of which contribute to housing market uncertainty. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) latest Housing Market Outlook, these factors will inevitably influence rental housing demand. CMHC forecasts that in 2025, rent growth across most Canadian markets will slow as vacancy rates increase, ultimately leading to gradual improvements in rental affordability. As per the report, “We expect lower immigration and an increase in first-time homebuyers to continue to reduce rental demand throughout 2025 – 2027. Supply will continue to expand as new rental units are completed, leading to higher vacancies and slower rent increases.”

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Canada’s GDP grew 0.4% in January, following a 0.3% increase in December

Statistics Canada
March 28, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada

Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.4% in January, following a 0.3% increase in December. Both goods-producing and services-producing industries were up, with 13 of 20 sectors rising in January. …Construction rose 0.7% in January as most types of construction activity were up. Residential building construction (+1.4%) was the largest contributor to the increase in January, posting its fifth increase in six months and bringing activity to its highest level since November 2023. Higher multi-unit construction activity in Ontario and greater activity in home alterations and improvements drove the increase in January 2025. Repair construction was up 1.2% in January, while non-residential building construction (+1.2%) posted its sixth consecutive increase, driven by higher activity in public and industrial building construction in January.

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Lumber Futures Near 2-1/2-Year Highs

Trading View
March 27, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

Lumber futures rose toward $680 per thousand board feet, approaching a two-and-a-half-year high of $685 seen on March 24th, driven largely by the looming threat of additional tariffs. Proposed increases could raise Canadian lumber duties from around 15% to nearly 40%, a critical factor given that Canada supplies roughly 25% of U.S. lumber—even as some production has migrated to the U.S. South. Meanwhile, year-over-year, the housing market reveals modest contractions, with housing starts declining by 3% compared to the previous year and new home sales exhibiting similar softness, even as existing home sales show relative stabilization. This backdrop of enduring supply constraints—exacerbated by transportation delays and inventory hoarding—combined with the persistent, albeit slightly subdued, demand in the construction sector, underscores a market environment where tariff-driven supply pressures support elevated lumber prices amid ongoing uncertainty.

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US trade war could affect construction inputs in B.C.

By Jami Makin
Business in Vancouver
March 28, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, Canada West

The ongoing trade spat between the U.S. and Canada is impacting BC’s construction sector in ways that could bring short-term gain and long-term pain. At first, there could be an oversupply of lumber if Canadian softwood is taken out of the U.S. equation, resulting in lower costs for B.C. builders and developers, said Padraic Kelly, Vancouver-based director with BTY Group. But costs would later rise significantly, he said. “The medium- and long-term pain would be that if the American market is choked out, mills would close, supply would be constrained and costs would ultimately go up,” Kelly said. The total levy on Canadian softwood lumber going into the U.S. could total between 45% and 55%, taking into account anti-dumping measures introduced by the Biden administration and scheduled to increase this August. Other big-ticket impacts to B.C. construction could be the mechanical and electrical divisions within construction budgets, he said.

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Wall Street joins global sell-off as Trump tariffs fuel recession fears

By Graeme Wearden
The Guardian
March 31, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States, International

Donald Trump’s trade war is alarming the global markets, sending shares sliding in their worst month in over two years. Stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region are in retreat this morning, as investors fear Trump will announce swingeing new tariffs on Wednesday, which has been dubbed “Liberation Day” by the US president. Japan’s Nikkei has lost 3.9%, down 1,457 points at 35,662 points today, while South Korea’s KOSPI is down 3%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 has fallen 1.7%. In China, which has already been hit by Trump tariffs this year. the CSI 300 is 0.9% lower. …Today’s selloff comes after Donald Trump told reporters that the reciprocal tariffs he is set to announce this week will include all nations. …On Friday, core inflation rose by more than expected, while consumer sentiment weakened to its lowest level since 2022. 

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Lessons From Paradise: What L.A. Homeowners Should Learn From Survivors of Devastating Camp Fire

By Snejana Farberov
Realtor.com
March 27, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US West

More than six years before Los Angeles and its suburbs were overwhelmed by January’s devastating wildfires, the small town of Paradise, CA, nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills, was virtually wiped off the face of the earth by the Camp Fire inferno, the deadliest in state history. Fast-forward to March 2025, Paradise is just 33% rebuilt and has less than half of the population it had pre-disaster. Paradise Mayor Steven Crowder said that homeowners in areas hardest hit by the latest round of wildfires, including the wealthy enclave of Pacific Palisades and the suburb of Altadena, should temper their expectations when it comes to the pace of the recovery, which could take decades. …Crowder said that the pace of Paradise’s rebuilding has been relatively slow, in part because of the dramatically elevated construction costs. Before the wildfire, people were building homes for $175 to $200 per foot. Overnight, that surged to $350 a foot.

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Homebuilder unveils ‘fire-resilient’ neighborhood to limit devastation from wildfires

By Daniella Genovese
NY Post
March 27, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US West

KB Home on Thursday unveiled its first wildfire-resilient neighborhood in Southern California, marking one of the many solutions the homebuilding industry is working on to protect structures and communities from the devastating effects of natural disasters. KB Home announced that KB Home’s Dixon Trail community in Escondido is the first in the nation that meets the home- and neighborhood-level wildfire resilience standards developed by the independent nonprofit research organization Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. The community was built with fire-resistant materials and is “designed to IBHS’s highest level of protection against direct flame contact, radiant heat and embers, which helps to meaningfully reduce the likelihood of wildfire spread,” the company said. …For instance, the company has installed Class A fire-rated roofs, noncombustible gutters, upgraded windows and doors, and ember- and flame-resistant vents for homes. It also created a 5-foot noncombustible buffer around structures.

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Got wood? Vantage Towers and its mission to deploy sustainable telco towers

By Paul Lipscombe
Data Center Dynamics
March 27, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

“We want our towers to be pleasant to look at, and wood can help us to do that,” says Jean-Claude Geha, chief technology officer at Vantage Towers. Today the company has 84,600 towers to its name, with most of these structures made from traditional materials such as steel. However, Vantage has sought to break from the norm and try a different approach with some of its newer tower structures. This is where wood comes in. Although a very small number – 12, to be precise – of Vantage’s tower portfolio are made from timber. …Founded in 2020 by Vodafone, Vantage Towers operates across 10 European countries. …At present, Vantage has deployed its wooden structures in Hungary and Germany, where, in October 2023, the company announced it was building North Rhine-Westphalia’s first sustainable wooden-structured telecommunication mast in the town of Neunkirchen, Siegerland. The 40-meter high Ecopol tower is set to be erected early this year. 

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Forestry

New Report shows repeat spraying of BC and New Brunswick forests, contrary to federal approval

By Safe Food Matters Inc.
Cision Newswire
March 28, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

TORONTO – A new report shows pesticides are sprayed on Canadian forests up to 7 times in the forestry cycle, not just once – as assumed in Health Canada’s approval for spraying. It also shows the risks to people eating forest foods, including Indigenous people and foragers, have not been assessed. The report, written by Safe Food Matters, presents data compiled by the Wilderness Committee and Stop Spraying New Brunswick showing cutblocks in New Brunswick and British Columbia have been sprayed 2, 3 or more times with glyphosate, the main pesticide used in forestry. It presents evidence that many Indigenous people eat forest foods, putting them at risk. Recent science from the University of Northern BC shows glyphosate accumulates and persists for years in forest plants like berries and roots. Based on the report, groups are signing an Open Letter to the Health Minister to cancel the approval.

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TLA 80th Annual Convention: Advancing Innovation for 80 Years

By Kelly, Editor, Tree Frog Forestry News
Truck LoggerBC Magazine
April 1, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

David Eby

The 80th annual Truck Loggers Association (TLA) Convention brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts at a time of significant change and challenge for BC’s forest sector. The attendees engaged in discussions on investment concerns, policy shifts, contractor sustainability, wildfire and climate change mitigation, and technological advancements shaping the industry’s future. Three keynote speakers stood out: Premier David Eby, who took an unusually conciliatory tone in acknowledging past missteps; Forest Minister Ravi Parmar, who laid out ambitious promises for the future, and John Rustad, BC Conservative leader, who provided a strong counterpoint. The convention opened with a sobering but forward-looking message from TLA President Dorian Uzzell and owner of Wahkash Contracting. Reflecting on this year’s theme, he underscored the growing uncertainty in BC forestry, warning that policy-driven inefficiencies are making some forests uneconomical to operate in. “If the entire supply chain isn’t functioning, we all become the have-nots,” he cautioned. 

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Conservationists say land-use plan will decimate at-risk caribou herds in northwestern Alberta

By Brittany Ekelund
CTV News
March 27, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

ALBERTA — Conservationists say a new land-use plan from the province stands to “wipe out” two vulnerable caribou populations in northwestern Alberta. The Alberta Wilderness Association and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society released a statement on Wednesday decrying the proposed Upper Smoky Sub-regional Plan. The plan will cover an area north of Jasper National Park. …“The timber harvest proposed in the draft Upper Smoky Sub-regional Plan would allow Weyerhaeuser to clearcut the remaining critical winter habitat and eliminate the ability of these caribou to annually migrate to the foothill’s forests,” the statement read. …To help halt caribou declines, the province has increased wolf reduction programs.  …Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schultz’s press secretary said the plan is not final and the draft materials are designed to generate input and feedback from those most impacted. …An online public survey on the new plan will be open until June 25.

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Devastating ice storms drop trees and power lines across central Ontario

By Cheryl Browne
CTV News
March 31, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

Dark streetlights, four-way stop rules in effect, trees lying across well-travelled roads, cold inside the homes and trees pop and crack signalling more destruction above. An ice storm the likes of which this area hasn’t seen in a decade has decimated the power grids, retail and business industries and yes, social media and the internet. Seemingly closed off to the rest of Ontario, areas from Newmarket and farther north to Huntsville and beyond can only watch as more trees fall, more power lines pop off from their tethers and relatives, too, remain in the dark without our social media lifelines. …In Muskoka, a State of Emergency has been called. Residents are urged to staff home and off the roads. …As of Monday morning, at 7:15 a.m., there are still almost 400,000 Hydro One customers affected by the power outages.

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Province of Ontario bolsters staff in preparation for 2025 wildland fire season

By Kris Ketonen
CBC News
March 28, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

The Province of Ontario says it’s prepared for the fast-approaching 2025 wildland fire season. The new season starts on April 1, and preparations have included filling more than 100 new, permanent positions to help support forest fire fighting operations, said Chris Marchand, fire information officer with Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES). …Exactly how busy this season will be remains unknown, Marchand said, as it’s very difficult to predict how intense a fire season will be. …Marchand said the previous winter saw “somewhat normal” snowfall patterns across Ontario. …Marchand noted, however, that the 2024 fire season was slower than usual — 480 fires were reported, down from the 10-year, seasonal average of 700 fires. The Province of Ontario said it partnered with the federal government last year to invest $64 million in the provincial wil

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Logging is quietly ravaging US forests. Trump is taking an axe to protections

By Jennifer Skene, NRDC
The Guardian
March 31, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, International

The world is running out of time to halt deforestation. Yet instead of stepping up, the US is dismantling forest protections and undermining global progress – highlighting the dangers of global forest policy that fails to hold the wealthiest, most powerful countries accountable. …But the latest actions by the US highlight just how dangerous and unbalanced this paradigm is. …Under the pretense of national security, Trump’s orders aim to gut environmental safeguards and fast-track industrial clearcutting in some of the US’s most precious and climate-critical forests. …Meanwhile, as Europe strengthens forest accountability, US state officials are pushing to exempt the country from new deforestation protections.. These officials, echoing industry talking points, are urging the EU to exclude US wood products from a law requiring due diligence to prevent imports or exports tied to deforestation or forest degradation. Their argument? That the US doesn’t need oversight.

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Oldest whitebark pine tolerates Idaho’s harsh climate, crucial for ecosystems

By Anna Daly
BoiseDev
March 27, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

IDAHO — The Western Pine may be Idaho’s state tree – but… the Whitebark Pine survives harsh weather conditions and can live over 1,000 years and grow over 90 feet tall. …In addition to feeding several birds and mammals, the tree provides shelter and nest sites for many animals including deer and elk. It is also key to helping with Idaho’s water supply. …Another interesting fact about the Whitebark Pine is that it relies solely on the bird – the Clark’s nutcracker – to reproduce. “Carrying the seeds in a pouch under its tongue, the bird buries them in shallow soil caches, sometimes up to 10 km away,” the National Park Service notes on its website. “Nutcrackers are known to cache up to 90,000+ seeds in a good seed crop year!” These trees are very slow-growing. …In 2022, the Whitebark Pine was officially listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. 

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Historic ice storm cripples northern Michigan, leaves 90,000 without power

By Myesha Johnson and Anne Snabes
The Detroit News
March 30, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

MICHIGAN — A crippling ice storm in northern Michigan has knocked out power to at least 90,000 residential and business customers. As of midday Sunday, half an inch to three-quarters of an inch of ice had accumulated in much of northeast Lower Michigan, and an inch and a half had accumulated in Elmira, near Gaylord. …Virtually all customers of the Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op and Alpena Power Co. were without power Sunday, some for more than 30 hours. Presque Isle reported about 32,000 electric members and reported about 32,000 outages. Alpena Power serves about 16,750 electric customers covering 250 square miles in the northeastern Lower Peninsula of Michigan and said 99% of its customers were without power. The two utilities serve much of Michigan’s northeastern Lower Peninsula. “This storm is unlike anything we have experienced,” Presque Ile co-op president and CEO Allan Berg said.

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Former Head Of Oklahoma Forestry Department Speaks Out Following Firing

By Christian Hans
News9.com
March 31, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Mark Goeller

OKLAHOMA — The former head of the Oklahoma Forestry Service is speaking out after he was fired by Gov. Kevin Stitt for his agency’s response to a wildfire outbreak earlier this month. Mark Goeller, who was let go by the state on March 26, posed on social media Sunday evening, claiming he has been falsely accused of not meeting the standards required by his position. …”The Agency to which I dedicated over 40 years of my life was said to have performed poorly. Preparations were made well in advance, the public was notified of the impending fire danger, firefighting resources were ordered and in place.” He said nothing was held back regarding his agency’s response to the wildfires, and it was because of their efforts the fires were not as impactful as they could have been.

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Allegheny National Forest could see more logging under Trump, local officials hope

By Abigail Hakas
Pittsburgh Union Progress
March 30, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

PITTSBURG, Pennsylvania — Local officials are pushing for more logging in Pennsylvania’s only national forest, and the federal government might grant their wish. President Trump warned of a reliance on imported wood amid threat of Canadian lumber tariffs and called for more logging in federal forests. The Allegheny National Forest spans over 500,000 acres, drawing thousands of people for camping, hunting, boating and other outdoor activities. Local officials can’t rely on property tax from the federal land, but they do receive a 25% share of revenue from timber sales in their counties. mOfficials hope for increased timber sales to generate more cash for their budgets. …U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Centre County, “I welcome reforms that will ensure a robust forest industry, strengthen rural economies and benefit local education.” …“I am in favor of [increased logging], but it has to be done wisely. You can’t overcut,” said Ken Klakamp, Warren County commissioner.

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AI-powered drones track down fires in German forests

By Stebastien Ash
Phys.org
March 30, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: International

GERMANY — Inside a green orb planted in the German countryside is a high-tech aid to prevent wildfires. The installation, resembling a giant golf ball covered in solar panels, is the hangar for an AI-powered drone that its developer hopes one day will be able to sniff out and extinguish new blazes in minutes. “Fires are spreading much faster and more aggressively than in the past,” Carsten Brinkschulte, the CEO of the German firm Dryad, said at a demonstration of the technology. …Dryad is in the running with 29 other teams from around the globe for a multi-million-dollar prize to develop the ability to autonomously put out fires within 10 minutes. During Dryad’s demonstration on Thursday—the first for a computer-steered wildfire detection drone according to the company—chemicals in smoke from burning wood were picked up by sensors distributed in the forest.

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Forest History & Archives

Telegraph Cove: From wilderness to community, from flames to new hope

By Alison Liebel
Parksville Qualicum Beach News
March 30, 2025
Category: Forest History & Archives
Region: Canada, Canada West

TELEGRAPH COVE, BC — Many North Island communities are saddened by the news of the fire at Telegraph Cove on Dec. 31, 2024 as images of the blaze consuming the historic mill building and the Whale Interpretive Centre were startling. …Telegraph Cove is a rare reminder of early industrial life on the coast. In 1909, Alfred Marmaduke “Duke” Wastell was recruited to manage a struggling box-making factory in Alert Bay, also known as ‘Yalis. It was to make the shipping boxes for the cannery operated by BC Fishing and Packing Co. ‘Yalis, with a population of 230, was a hub of economic activity, driven by its booming fishing and logging industries. Logging operations dotted the coastline, but getting timber to market was difficult. …In 1912, the federal government began constructing a telephone and telegraph line stretching from Campbell River to Northern Vancouver Island. At that time, ‘Yalis served as the headquarters for commercial interests, and the superintendent of telegraphs wanted to set up a telegraph station nearby.

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