The former head of BC’s public service says natural resource jobs contribute most to Canadians’ standard of living. In related news: lumber duties are set to rise but future increases are already causing concern. In Wood Product news: fire-prone California homes may soon say goodbye to wood fences; Massachusetts architects rethink their building materials; Florida researchers develop a CO2 absorbing polymer; and the bio-revolution is coming to UK construction.
In Forestry news: the Narwhal says BC doesn’t track unauthorized harvesting; Drax’s California wood pellet expansion faces ENGO pushback; a French oil giant is buying US hardwood forests for carbon credits; and Washington state to decide fate of carbon offset program. Meanwhile: Ireland falls short on its forestry targets, and Spain sees fewer forest fires this year.
Finally, from the archives—a 1935 strike by Humboldt lumber workers came to a violent end.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
Those who work in the woods know all too well that wildfires are undiscerning in what they burn: working forest, parks, old growth forests, wildlife habitat—if there is fuel, it will burn. No matter what your view on how our forests should be managed, it is hard to avoid the reality that wildfire is a threat to our businesses, our livelihoods, as well as to our health and well-being. …To gain a better sense of community perspectives regarding wildfire resiliency, the BC Council of Forest Industries worked with Abacus Data to survey 1,500 British Columbians last spring. The survey found the public perceives wildfires as a problem that is getting worse. Polling showed that 75% of the public follows the news about wildfires closely; in other words, it is a top-of-mind subject; 35% reported that wildfires have already had a large impact on their lives with 74% having experienced smoke from wildfires. 
In the span of 15 years, Paper Excellence has become Canada’s largest pulp and paper producer, and even expanded into solid wood products in Canada and the U.S. with the acquisition in 2023 of Montreal-based, Resolute Forest Products. The company has been on a buying spree in the last five years that has included the purchase of B.C.-based Catalyst Paper in 2019 and Montreal-based Domtar in 2021. …The CBC recently published a detailed investigation concerning its potential connections with Indonesian-based, Asia Pulp & Paper, as well as its past connections with Chinese banking concerns. The fundamental questions they raised were where all the financing for these transactions is coming from and what is the end goal? …The question from an industry perspective is whether Paper Excellence is good for Canadian forestry? The answer to this point is an unequivocal yes, if plans like the one to rebuild the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan pulp mill are any indication. 
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Canada-U.S. relations took centre stage at the federal cabinet retreat in Halifax. …Eight months ago Trudeau launched a renewed Team Canada approach, restoring the game plan initiated under the first Donald Trump presidency. …The tumultuous four years of Trump’s time in the White House was difficult for Canada, as he forced a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and imposed punishing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. …Canada is looking to shore up its interests ahead of him possibly winning again in November, but even if vice-president Kamala Harris prevails, irritants and U.S. protectionism remain in play. …Ongoing U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber remain a large point of disagreement between the two countries. Imposed in 2017, the tariffs remain in place despite multiple Canadian challenges, and earlier this month the Biden-Harris government moved to increase them.
The recent U.S. decision to increase softwood lumber duties to nearly 15% is a blow to Canada. …Since 2017, Canadian lumber producers have paid more than $9-billion in duties. Many Canadians would be surprised to learn that Nova Scotia bears a heavy portion of blame. …The province of Nova Scotia… invests considerable effort to produce the benchmark information that it then shares with the United States. …Few Canadians know that softwood lumber produced in Nova Scotia is exempt from the U.S. duties. When U.S. lumber producers petitioned the U.S. government for the duties, they presented data on Nova Scotia’s timber pricing to support their allegations that other Canadian provinces were subsidizing producers. While Nova Scotia has benefited from securing its exclusion from the U.S. duties, other Canadian provinces bear that heavy burden. …It sets a dangerous precedent where a Canadian province collaborates with a foreign government at the expense of other provinces. [to access the full story a Globe and Mail subscription is required]
Home price growth continues to decelerate, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Index (
California is chipping away at developing new statewide rules to remove plants, mulch and other flammable materials within 5 feet of buildings and structures in fire-prone areas, the Board of Forestry confirmed this month. This proposed set of guidelines would also forbid that ubiquitous backyard feature — a wooden privacy fence. This rule lumps existing flammable fences into the same category as new construction. “We’re already getting calls on that,” Arbor Fence Manager Cassidy Everitt said. The Sonoma fence construction company uses redwood in at least 75% of its business No date is set on when the upcoming defensible space guidelines will be finalized or implemented, California Board of Forestry spokeswoman Edith Hannigan said. Insiders say it’s only a matter of time when insurance companies make the changes mandatory.
BRITISH COLUMBIA — It’s as regular as it depressing. Every summer Canada suffers from major wildfires. …After a 10-week wildfire season in 2017, former BC Forests minister George Abbott filed a 108-recommendation report outlining steps the province could take to reduce wildfire risk. …These reports and others highlight challenges between levels of government, better training of firefighters, updated technology and equipment — and “fuel management.” …Canada — and BC — are pretty good at fighting wildfires, but we aren’t very good at minimizing their size, spread and duration. That’s where “fuel management” comes in. …Want an example of how big a difference fuel management can make? Look to Finland, a country that in latitude, geography and tree species is comparable with the B.C. Interior. …And guess what, the “fuel” — the brush and hazard trees thinned out through this common sense practice — is directed to Finnish pulp and paper mills to keep them running and competitive.
