The Forest Products Association of Canada released a 13-part exposé on the importance of a healthy Canadian forest sector. In related news: a BC Council of Forest Industries report on its supply chain and community benefits; and Drax’s contribution to Canada’s economy. In other Business news: Washington governor Inslee fights repeal of cap-and-trade law; production of Madill logging equipment is back in Prince George, BC; and the Softwood Lumber Board has six new board members.
In Forestry news: Alberta works to mitigate the fungus threat to bats; Whistler, BC is unlikely to change its fuel-thinning policy; Washington ENGOs want to curb old-growth logging; the BC Forest Practice Board will audit Canfor’s Cranbrook forest operations; Ireland’s Glenveagh National Park is rewilding its degraded lands, and wildfire updates from Arizona, Portugal, Peru and Brazil.
Finally, BC’s Garry Merkel and Jennifer Gunter were honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
Canada
Senior representatives from the British Columbia Lumber Trade Council (BCLTC) and officials from the Government of BC met in Washington, D.C., this week for four days of critical hearings for the long-standing softwood lumber dispute. “America’s softwood lumber duties are unfair in every measure,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. Premier Eby and I also recently urged the federal government to elevate the softwood lumber dispute to the highest-level priority.” From Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, until Friday, Sept.13, 2024, the first Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) dispute settlement panel heard arguments from all parties regarding the countervailing duty determination for the first administrative review. …Kurt Niquidet, president, BC Lumber and Trade Council said “The appeal process is an essential part of CUSMA that needs to occur in a timely fashion to ensure fair trade with our most important trading partner. Delays in the process have made it increasingly difficult for companies across Canada.
VANCOUVER, BC – British Columbia’s forestry workers will take part in the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference as part of a campaign to strengthen and secure good paying jobs in the industry. …Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle said, “We invite municipal leadership to be a part of the solution.” Since 2001, the industry has seen a staggering 45% drop in employment, translating to lost livelihoods for nearly 35,000 workers. Last year alone, the forestry sector saw the loss of 3,750 jobs. Earlier this year, three unions representing the majority of forestry workers (Unifor, United Steelworkers, and the Public and Private Workers of Canada)… co-published a research paper that reviewed the history of the sector, the real human cost of policy failures, and outlines comprehensive fixes for B.C. forestry. …The City of Kamloops submitted a motion for debate greater support for the forestry industry.
VANCOUVER, BC — A new 
VANCOUVER, BC – A new economic study by COFI highlights the vital role of British Columbia’s forestry industry, as it touches so many communities across the province. In 2022, the forestry industry engaged over 9,970 suppliers and vendors across BC, resulting in $6.6 billion in expenditures on goods and services. …“This study demonstrates that when BC’s forest industry is performing well, it benefits communities throughout the province. Without a healthy forest economy, thousands of businesses are impacted,” said Kurt Niquidet at COFI. …“However, the industry faces significant challenges that threaten its stability and growth. These include greater regulatory complexity, higher costs, and uncertainty over access to the land base.” In 2022, BC’s forest industry: spent $326 million on supply chain expenditures with Indigenous-affiliated vendors; has an average spend of $662,000 per vendor, had $1.2 billion of expenditures on logistics and transportation, and had $23.2 million of total community investments (from 2020 to 2022). [The 
Market conditions, a lack of fibre and US tariffs are forcing the two-week closure the Tolko lumber plant in Armstrong. Tolko spokesperson Chris Downey said employees were notified the mill will be taking two weeks of downtime beginning Sept. 16 and ending Oct. 1. “Unfortunately, the availability of economic fibre in BC, combined with weak market conditions and increased US tariffs continue to have an impact on our operations,” Downey said in an email. “As we’ve seen recently, the entire industry is feeling this pressure and while we prefer to be fully operational, difficult decisions are needed to ensure we are sustainable for the future.” Scales in the region will remain open.
Southern Pine lumber has traded in a historically narrow range this year, and traders anticipate that trend to persist through the balance of 2024. A widespread perception that price volatility will remain minimal through the fourth quarter has governed conservative trading strategies throughout the distribution pipeline this summer. …Many note that demand in the South could strengthen as the fall building season approaches and cooler weather allows builders to expand job site activity to lengthier workdays. …However, few traders anticipate demand gaining any appreciable ground on supplies in the months ahead, even if consumption shows a seasonal hike. …The Southern Pine Composite is on pace through August to post the lowest annual average since 2015. 
In 2001, 
LONDON — The cooling towers of the giant Drax power station loom over rural North Yorkshire as a reminder of Britain’s grimy past – and as a beacon of its efforts to create a net zero economy by 2050. The power plant was once one of the largest coal-burners in Europe, and a lightning rod for campaigners against fossil fuels in the UK’s electricity system. Today, its owners claim to be the UK’s largest renewable energy power plant – burning 7m tonnes of biomass pellets a year. But this power plant’s green revolution is not without its sceptics. Green groups and climate scientists insist Drax remains the largest single source of carbon emissions in the UK, and that its FTSE 250 owners should not have been allowed to claim billions of pounds in renewable energy subsidies. …The battle between the two camps has reignited as the government prepares to decide whether to extend a subsidy scheme.
