Business groups say a railway strike could be catastrophic—after regulators clear the way and CPKC and Union respond. In other Business news: a new study on the timber impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the US EPA unveils its label program for green construction materials; Portland’s mass timber-roofed airport expansion opens this Wednesday; and the Australian timber industry battles shift to man-made power poles.
In other news: the US launched a wildland firefighter health and wellbeing program; US forestry lawsuits said to prevent progress on addressing climate change; David Suzuki says climate change is fuelling wildfires worldwide; Germany’s climate goals spark debate over wood energy; the CBC has a feature story on the Jasper wildfire; and wildfires continue to rage out of control in Greece.
Finally, the historic Martin Mars water bomber completes its final flight.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
The Washington-based Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) has been tracking a decline in recovered paper exports from the U.S. that shaped the 2023 market and has sustained throughout this year. Although China’s door is again slightly open to imports that meet specific standards, a combination of its withdrawal from the market and adjustments by U.S. mills to accept more grades of recovered paper has caused at least a temporary change in the import-export balance. In Europe, the shrinking Chinese market has been a factor, but in the past two years, that trend has been offset by different geopolitical and recycling market circumstances that have created a surplus of recovered paper on a continent that now has a higher volume moving offshore. …The increase in global recovered paper trade from Europe counters a trend seen in the U.S., where recovered paper exports dropped 18 percent last year and continue to fall in early 2024, according to ReMA.
BURNABY, BC — Interfor recorded a Net loss in Q2’24 of $75.8 million compared to a Net loss of $72.9 million, and a Net loss of $14.1 million in Q2’23. Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $16.7 million on sales of $771.2 million in Q2’24 versus a loss of $22.3 million on sales of $813.2 million in Q1’24 and Adjusted EBITDA of $41.9 million on sales of $871.8 million in Q2’23. …In Q2’24, lumber production totalled 1.0 billion board feet, representing a 35 million board foot decrease over the prior quarter. This decrease partially reflects the temporary production curtailments announced on April 30, 2024 and the indefinite curtailment of the Philomath, Oregon sawmill. …In response to the ongoing market weakness, Interfor plans to temporarily reduce its total lumber production by approximately 280 to 350 million board feet between August and December of 2024, representing 15 to 18% of its normal operating stance. 
NEW YORK — Mercer International reported second quarter 2024 results. …Highlights include: second quarter sales of $499 million, down from $553 million in Q1, 2024; Operating EBITDA of $30.4 million, an increase from negative Operating EBITDA of $68.7 million in the same quarter of 2023; Net loss was $67.6 million, which included a non-cash impairment of $34.3 million against goodwill related to the Torgau facility, compared to a net loss of $98.3 million in the second quarter of 2023, which included a non-cash loss on disposal of $23.6 million related to the dissolution of the Cariboo Pulp and Paper joint venture. …Mr. Juan Carlos Bueno, CEO, stated: “The second quarter was another improved quarter for our pulp segment as we continued to benefit from strengthening markets. In the second quarter, pulp prices continued to improve in all key markets due to strengthening demand and supply-side disruption. 
The U.S. exported 739,277.2 metric tons of wood pellets in June, down from both 926,024.1 metric tons the previous month and 866,131.6 metric tons in June 2023, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on Aug. 6. The U.S. exported wood pellets to more than a dozen countries in June. The U.K. was the top destination for U.S. wood pellet exports at 553,735 metric tons, followed by the Netherlands at 92,936.1 metric tons and Japan at 56,272.7 metric tons. The value of U.S. wood pellet exports fell to $145.2 million in June, down from $167.35 million in May and $171.46 million in June 2023. Total U.S. wood pellet exports for the first half of 2024 reached 4.86 million metric tons at a value of $919.83 million, compared to 4.62 million metric tons exported during the same period of last year at a value of $861.47 million. [END]
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine stretches into its third year, international trade has felt the effects as sanctions on Russian exports have expanded. Now researchers have found that the invasion may not only have significant short-term impacts on the global timber markets but may leave lasting effects on the global economy and the environment. These 
Australia’s forestry industry raised eyebrows this month when it 
UK — The Drax power station was responsible for four times more carbon emissions than the UK’s last remaining coal-fired plant last year, despite taking more than £0.5bn in clean-energy subsidies in 2023, according to a report. The North Yorkshire power plant, which burns wood pellets imported from North America to generate electricity, was revealed as Britain’s single largest carbon emitter in 2023 by a report from the climate thinktank Ember. The figures show that Drax, which has received billions in subsidies since it began switching from coal to biomass in 2012, was responsible for 11.5m tonnes of CO2 last year, or nearly 3% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. Drax produced four times more carbon dioxide than the UK’s last remaining coal-fired power station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, which is due to close in September.
LAKEVIEW, Oregon— A wildfire in Lake County that was spotted over the weekend has grown exponentially from 1,500 to 17,000 acres over the course of one day. Oregon Department of Forestry’s interim assistant district forester Jennifer Case said the Warner Peak Fire is burning on lands that are treacherous for fire crews to fight. “Difficult access, steep terrain, and we did have a red-flag warning (Wednesday),” Case said. “So that’s going to contribute to fire behavior.” As of Wednesday afternoon, Inciweb reported a total of 160 personnel assigned to the fire. Case noted a lack of resources has also contributed to the sudden expansion of the blaze. …As of Thursday morning, the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge is closed. No evacuations are in place at this time.