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Tree Frog Forestry News
February 3, 2026
Category: Today's Takeaway
Hello early bird! We just want you to know that the news team is busy adding stories to this page. Be sure to check back at 9:00 am (PST) for the full line up of articles.
City of Nanaimo director Manly spearheads raw log exports resolution
By Karl Yu
Cowichan Valley Citizen
January 28, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West
The Regional District of Nanaimo board will plead with fellow municipalities to pressure the B.C. and Canadian governments to prohibit raw log exports. At the Jan. 27 RDN board meeting, Paul Manly, City of Nanaimo director, proposed a resolution for the upcoming Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities conference, asking B.C. local governments to call on senior government to “ban the export of raw logs and lumber cants from B.C. to ensure that forests harvested [on] Crown land and private-managed forest lands are processed in B.C.…” The resolution passed and will be brought before AVICC. Should it pass there, it would be forwarded to the Union of B.C. Municipalities. Manly …pointed to recent mill closures on the Island, with a key factor being “lack of accessible and affordable fibre”. …Leanne Salter, Coombs area director, said she thought the resolution needed to be tweaked.
Cherie Whelan has been named the new chief executive officer of the B.C. Forest Safety Council. She takes over on April 1 from Rob Moonen, who announced his retirement in October. Whelan served as CEO of the Newfoundland & Labrador Construction Safety Association for two years and previously held the position of director of SAFE Companies at B.C. Forest Safety Council. The Nanaimo-based council delivers safety training and advisory services to British Columbia’s forest industry.
President Trump Orders Decertification Of All Canadian Made Aircraft, Likely Affecting Numerous Wildfire Platforms
The Hotshot Wake Up Substack
January 29, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States
President Trump put out a statement on social media saying he will decertify “all aircraft made in Canada.” This statement could have wide reaching consequences for the wildfire aviation world. Numerous aircraft made in Canada are widely used in wildfire operations… The President’s statement says this decertification will remain in place until U.S. made Gulfstream aircraft are certified in Canada. What does it mean if you decertify an aircraft in the United States? It basically grounds it. In the United States, decertifying an aircraft typically means deregistering it with the Federal Aviation Administration or revoking its airworthiness certificate. …In addition to decertifying all Canadian aircraft, the president says that if the situation drags on, a 50% tariff will be imposed on all aircraft purchased from Canada. …Getting a decertified plane back into the air is a complex process. …One good solution would be a statement saying, “ALL WILDFIRE AIRCRAFT ARE EXEMPT FROM THIS ORDER.”
American Forest & Paper Association Elects Domtar’s Steve Henry as Chair
American Forest & Paper Association
January 29, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States
Steve Henry
WASHINGTON – The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) today announced Steve Henry, Domtar’s Paper & Packaging CEO & President USA, as incoming Board chair. He joined other pulp, paper, packaging and tissue product industry leaders at the association’s Winter Board of Directors’ Meeting on January 29. “Steve is a trusted leader whose deep industry knowledge and steady commitment to our shared priorities will serve the Board and the entire AF&PA membership well,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. “I’m grateful for his willingness to serve and confident he will help guide the association through another year of meaningful progress.” The AF&PA Board of Directors consists of top industry leaders who represent a broad spectrum of companies in the paper and wood products manufacturing sector. These companies operate mills and converting operations in nearly every state across the country, often in rural communities.
NRLA–MRLDA Government Affairs Program Delivers Million Dollar Savings for Massachusetts Lumber Dealers
Northeastern Retail Lumber Association
January 30, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: US East
Boston, MA — The Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA), working closely with the Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association (MRLDA), continues to deliver measurable, bottom-line results for independent and family-owned lumber and building material dealers across the Commonwealth by stopping costly mandates, advancing workforce development, and addressing rising operating expenses. What You Should Know
Forced Transition to All-Electric Trucks Stopped: Repealing the mandate saved the average independent Massachusetts lumber dealer an estimated $1.1–$1.6 million in avoided truck replacement and on-site charging infrastructure costs, while keeping vehicle and equipment investments local.
Credit Card Fees Under Review: study and recommend reforms to credit card swipe fees.
Workforce Development Barriers Being Removed: Studying multilingual forklift certification testing, expanding opportunity for Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking workers and helping dealers upskill their workforce.
Housing Affordability Preserved: Additional mandates on new home construction… helping keep housing affordable for Massachusetts families.
LP Building Solutions announces board leadership succession
LP Building Solutions
January 28, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: US East
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, a leading manufacturer of high-performance building products, today announced its Board of Directors has elected F. Nicholas Grasberger III as independent Chairperson of the Board, effective Feb. 19, 2026. Grasberger’s appointment follows current Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer W. Bradley Southern’s decision to retire from the Board, including his role as director and Chairperson, on the same date. “Nick brings significant financial expertise and long-standing familiarity with LP’s business and strategy,” said Lead Independent Director Dustan E. McCoy. “Having served on the Board for more than six years, he is well positioned to assume the role of Chairperson, and we look forward to his leadership.” Grasberger has served on LP’s Board since 2019 and currently serves on its Compensation, Finance and Audit, and Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committees.
Tariffs take $350M bite out of CN Rail revenues, with uncertainty now ‘biggest risk’
By Christopher Reynolds
The Canadian Press in Victoria Times Colonist
January 30, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada
MONTREAL — Tariffs and economic angst delivered a significant blow to Canadian National Railway Co. last year, as the question mark hanging over North American free trade continues to threaten profits in 2026. “Tariffs, trade uncertainty and volatility impacted our full-year 2025 revenues by over $350 million,” chief commercial officer Janet Drysdale told analysts on a conference call Friday. Forest products and metals took the biggest bruising, she said, with the two segments seeing a year-over-year revenue drop of eight and four per cent, respectively, in the latest quarter. …On top of trade uncertainty, a less publicized source of angst has rippled through the rail industry since last summer. Union Pacific Corp., the second-largest railway operator in the United States, announced in July it wants to buy Norfolk Southern Corp. in a US$85-billion deal that would create that country’s first transcontinental railway, and potentially trigger a final wave of rail mergers across North America.
BCIT launches national platform: Modern Methods of Construction Education
Education News Canada
January 30, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) launches a national platform, Modern Methods of Construction Education (MMC Edu), bringing education and industry together to advance the future of construction education and training in Canada. The platform is an outcome of the Mass Timber Training Network: Advancing Trades for a Sustainable Future (MTAT) project. The project convened a national network to support the advancement of wood as a low-carbon building material by addressing major barriers to mass timber adoption across Canada. The MTAT network focuses on education and training as a key vehicle for reducing barriers and empowering the next generation of the workforce with the skills needed to succeed in modernized construction. In partnership with Natural Resources Canada (NR Can) and the Green Construction Through Wood Program (GC Wood), BCIT is building the foundation for a skilled workforce in mass timber and off-site construction supporting innovation, sustainability, and workforce readiness across the sector.
Over 7.3B seedlings needed to restore just 15% of forests burned by wildfire from 2023-25
Canadian Tree Nursery Association
January 30, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada
Victoria, BC—New data reveals a staggering gap in Canada’s post-wildfire forest restoration efforts. Current programs are restoring only a small fraction of forests lost to recent wildfires. The Canadian Tree Nursery Association (CTNA-ACPF) today issued a call for immediate and substantive action from provincial and federal governments to dramatically increase commitments to restoring wildfire-impacted forests. Speaking at the Western Forest Contractors Association Annual General Meeting and Conference, Rob Keen, RPF, Executive Director of the CTNA-ACPF, warned that more than 7.3 billion seedlings are required to restore just 15% of the forests destroyed by wildfires between 2023 and 2025—more than 10 times Canada’s current annual seedling production capacity. …Despite rapidly escalating need, restoration efforts are being undermined by funding instability and declining production capacity. …To address this national emergency, the CTNA-ACPF is calling for the creation of a National Post-Wildfire Forest Restoration Program to secure the future of Canada’s Crown forests.
VANCOUVER — A government-commissioned review of forestry in British Columbia is calling for the system to be razed and rebuilt with a focus on trust and transparency about the state of the province’s forests, shifting away “from managing harvest volumes to managing lands.” …The authors of the report, including industry representatives and academics, pitch a model that would change who makes decisions about lumber allotment, taking that power away from the provincial government and shifting it to regional bodies that manage defined areas. …Shannon Janzen a co-chair of the advisory council, and former chief forester, said the use of area-based land management is not a new idea and is already in use in places like Ontario and Alberta. …Forest Minister Ravi Parmar would not commit to implementing the report’s recommendations, telling reporters that he has to consult with other ministries. …A statement from the BC Council of Forest Industries said it would be reviewing the recommendations with its members. …Brian Menzies, the executive director of the Independent Wood Processors Association of B.C., said there’s little detail in the report about how its members would access more fibre.
Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Final Report Calls for Fundamental Shift in Forest and Land Management
By Brandon Wirsz
The Provincial Forestry Advisory Council
February 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West
Victoria, B.C. – A new independent report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council (PFAC) finds that British Columbia’s current forest management system is failing to meet a range needs, including communities, First Nations, businesses and the environment. The report concludes that small, incremental reforms are not enough to address the scale of challenges facing the sector. Titled From Conflict to Care: BC’s Forest Future, the report identifies outdated systems, limited access to trusted public data, and deep structural misalignment as major drivers of ongoing conflict and instability. Decades of layered rules and centralized, top-down decision-making have created a system that lacks the predictability and flexibility needed to respond to today’s ecological, economic, legal and social realities. “This isn’t about tinkering around the edges or adding more rules,” said Shannon Janzen, co-chair, PFAC. “It’s about rethinking the system as a whole. From Conflict to Care lays out a practical path forward, one that moves beyond elusive short-term fixes toward a system capable of addressing challenges and realizing the opportunities that we actually face.”
West Kootenay community, B.C. Timber Sales grapple with risks of logging in watershed
By Bill Metcalfe
The Rossland News
February 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Residents of a Bonnington, 18 km west of Nelson, hope they can rely on B.C. Timber Sales’ assurances that logging in their watershed will reduce wildfire risk and won’t threaten their water supply. For nearly a year, BCTS has engaged in an elaborate communication process with the residents of Bonnington about its plans for the Falls Creek watershed. The agency has a timber license on Crown land in the watershed, which provides drinking water to the rural community of about 600 people. …BCTS plans and designs logging operations, builds logging roads, then sells the timber to the highest bidder. The B.C. government added wildfire mitigation to the BCTS mandate last year. In the spring of 2025, the province hired Cathy Scott-May, a communications consultant, to steer a communication process along with BCTS professional forester Mark Tallman of Nelson. …Tallman said this consultation process is different from anything BCTS has done in the past…
BC First Nations Forestry Council January Newsletter
BC First Nations Forestry Council
January 30, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
The BC First Nations Forestry Council has released its January 2026 newsletter, highlighting continued momentum toward stronger collaboration, relationship-building, and First Nations leadership in B.C.’s forest sector. The update reflects on recent engagement with Nations, government, and industry, and emphasizes the importance of moving from dialogue to on-the-ground action through forest landscape planning, shared decision-making, and DRIPA-informed processes. A major focus of the newsletter is a preview of the 2026 BC First Nations Forestry Conference, which will bring together First Nations, industry partners, and government for three days of discussion, learning, and networking. The conference program will feature a First Nations caucus, workshops, panel discussions, youth engagement, and expanded networking opportunities. Readers will also find early details on registration, sponsorship, and event planning. The full newsletter offers useful insight into current priorities and upcoming opportunities shaping Indigenous leadership in forestry across the province.
Squamish duo joins fight against old-growth logging on Vancouver Island
By Liz McDonald
The Squamish Chief
January 29, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Sarah Higgins
Two people living in Squamish recently returned from the Walbran blockade on Vancouver Island, hopeful for meaningful change to prevent old growth logging in B.C. Sarah Higgins was inspired to take action while finishing her undergraduate degree in international studies at Simon Fraser University. “It felt so wrong to just sit there and write an essay about it, and then close my laptop and walk away, and then I saw on the news that this blockade was ongoing on Vancouver Island. And that was kind of all the motivation I needed,” she said. …Joel Gillman arrived at the blockade in December after RCMP enforcement dismantled the cougar camp, a camp where blockaders created a giant wooden sculpture of a cougar. …As an outdoor recreationalist, he believes these forests should be protected for benefit beyond economics. The two were there on invitation from Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones, whose traditional territory is being logged.
Forest Enhancement Society of BC project updates from around the province
Forest Enhancement Society of BC
January 30, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
The latest newsletter from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC reflects on ongoing forestry challenges and emphasizes the value of collaboration, proactive planning, and shared solutions to strengthen forest health and resilience across British Columbia. It highlights a safety tip from the BC Forest Safety Council focused on mental health support for forestry workers, offering a free, confidential service to help industry professionals navigate stress. The newsletter also announces a new Extension Specialist position through a partnership with the Silviculture Innovation Program (SIP) aimed at translating technical and field knowledge into practical forestry resources. There’s a Faces of Forestry feature on Jennifer Grenz, plus links to a range of recent FESBC-funded project stories — from wildfire rehabilitation to biomass utilization — showcasing work being done by partners and communities province-wide.
B.C.’s forestry industry raises alarm about trees lost to forest fires
By Mary Griffin
Chek News
January 29, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Another dire warning is coming from B.C.’s forest industry, but this time from the tree-planting side, with those working in reforestation saying funding is running out as record wildfires took out huge sections of the province’s forests. A Western Forest Products greenhouse in Saanichton produces hundreds of thousands of tree seedlings. Many will be planted on Vancouver Island, according to Christina Lavoie, nursery supervisor, Western Forest Products, Saanich Forestry Centre. B.C. logging companies are legally required to restore the trees they harvest, but as the industry shrinks, fewer trees are being planted. Add to that the loss of trees due to years of record forest fires. …At the Western Forestry Contractors’ Association annual conference, there is concern about just how many trees are being lost to forest fires, and pests on public lands. …Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says he’s working with industry on solutions.
Regional District of Nanaimo thanks Mosaic for reducing Hamilton Marsh price to $28M
Parksville Qualicum News
January 29, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
The Regional District of Nanaimo and Mosaic Forest Management continue to work together toward securing Hamilton Marsh lands as a regional park and conservation area. Mosaic has agreed to revise the purchase terms to $28 million from $30 million, subject to RDN board approval, in their efforts to help the RDN preserve the site. With the lower purchase price and generous support from the community and other agencies, which will to announced if all the conditions of the purchase agreement are satisfied, the RDN and Mosaic are optimistic a deal can be concluded to secure the “critical forest and wetland area.” “We thank Mosaic Forest Management for continuing to work with the RDN to acquire this ecologically significant land and for their reduction in the purchase price,” said Stuart McLean, RDN chair. …Hamilton Marsh, owned by Island Timberlands and managed by Mosaic Forest Management, is situated south of Qualicum Beach.
In our January update, we begin by thanking community forest leaders across BC for their continued commitment and resilience. We also share several internal updates, including new team capacity focused on wildfire resilience, communications, and planning for our Indicators Report and upcoming conference. Read important policy and reporting updates, including changes to the provincial Logging Residue and Waste Measurement Procedures Manual, along with a reminder to participate in the annual Logging Cost Survey, which plays a key role in stumpage calculations. We highlight progress on wildfire risk reduction, including funding opportunities supported through our partnership with the BC Wildfire Service. Member news includes updates on tenure expansion for the Nakusp and Area Community Forest. Safety and well-being remain a priority, and we share information on free mental health supports available to forestry workers, along with the latest WorkSafeBC resources. Finally, don’t miss new tools and resources, sector news, and upcoming events, including our 2026 Conference and AGM in Vernon.
The latest Woodlots Weekly from Woodlots BC kicks off with a call for feedback on access gates—licensees are asked to share their experiences managing gated roads on their woodlots to help gauge how widespread this practice is and inform future discussion. Executive Director Gord Chipman then emphasizes the importance of sharing Woodlots BC social media content to broaden understanding of the great forestry work happening on small woodlots and help spread that message beyond the immediate community. The newsletter features a member spotlight on veteran woodlot licensee Gary Burns from the Slocan Valley and points readers to a short video highlighting his long-term stewardship. Updates include changes to the waste and residue policy by the Ministry of Forests, including new effective dates for the interior and coastal regions, and announcements about the 2026 SISCO workshop and a range of upcoming forestry events.
Support for the North Island College Forestry Program in Campbell River
BC Truck Loggers Association
January 28, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
The BC Truck Loggers Association sent a letter to the North Island College regarding the potential discontinuation of two forestry programs. This would mean a significant loss of forestry education for the forest industry, and we’re asking for your support by copying and pasting our letter into an email and sending it to the college Board of Governors at bog@nic.bc.ca …The North Island College forestry programs are an essential contributor to education and economic opportunity for students in Campbell River and the north Island and provides an important stream of new graduates for forestry businesses. The program has strong backing from local industry, government and First Nations, and it would be regrettable to see the program discontinued at a time when sustained investment in forestry education is vital to British Columbia’s future.
Indigenous Economic Pathways and PEFC Canada Sign MOU to Advance Indigenous-Led Forest Certification in Canada
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
January 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Vancouver, BC — Indigenous Economic Pathways (IEP) and PEFC Canada are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on advancing Indigenous-led group forest management certification in Canada. This partnership supports First Nations leadership in forestry by co-developing certification pathways that reflect Indigenous stewardship, governance, and values, while strengthening access to markets, capacity, and long-term economic opportunity. The collaboration represents a practical step forward in advancing Indigenous economic reconciliation within Canada’s forest sector. Through this MOU, IEP and PEFC Canada will work together to support Indigenous Nations and organizations interested in forest certification models that are locally appropriate, scalable, and aligned with Indigenous priorities, while remaining nationally and internationally recognized.
Ontario Investing More Than $235,000 in Research to Protect Natural Resources
By Natural Resources
The Government of Ontario
January 30, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East
TORONTO — The Ontario government is investing over $235,000 through Collaborative Research Agreements to support seven innovative research projects across the province that will help protect wildlife, improve fisheries management and strengthen the forestry sector, as part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario’s natural resources and communities. These new projects bring the government’s total investment in active Collaborative Research Agreement projects to more than $3 million as Ontario continues to take action to protect the lands, waters and wildlife families and industries depend on. “Through this investment, we are strengthening our plan to protect Ontario’s forests, waterways and wildlife,” said Mike Harris, Minister of Natural Resources. “These research projects will [support] good-paying jobs and build resilient communities across Ontario.” Funding will be provided over the next two to four years to five Ontario universities.
Local 89 testifies in Ontario pre-budget consultations
By Ian Boyko
Unifor
January 29, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East
Alexander Dumais
Unifor Local 89 President Alex Dumais presented testimony about the province’s forestry sector to the Ontario Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on January 27. Dumais outlined how the combination of softwood duties and Trump tariffs have contributed to record job losses in the sector as closures and curtailments spread across the province. He described how the losses impact the small communities who rely on the economic activity driven by forestry. “The integrated nature of the forestry sector means the closure of a single mill creates direct job losses, but also spin-off job losses both upstream and downstream,” said Dumais. “Without a plan to transform the forestry sector at the same time, the industry will still face crisis and decline.” Dumais shared Unifor’s Fight for Forestry policy solutions to get the sector back on track, including income support and a national industrial strategy for forestry that coordinates government, industry, and labour’s efforts.
Corner Brook is one of three places in Canada taking part in pilot project on a wildfire resiliency template
By Tonya Organ
Bay FM 100.1
January 28, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East
It’s called the “Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan” and is funded by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre or the CIFFC. Corner Brook is one of three places in Canada taking part in a project that will lead to the creation of a national template to follow during wildfires. It’s called the “Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan” and is funded by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre or the CIFFC. At this week’s public council meeting, the Supervisor of Fire Management Coordination, Jeff Motty was on hand to talk about work the team has done since starting during the end of September. This included an assessment and analysis which will be used in a template for groups across the nation.
Conservationists sue Trump admin over rule cutting public comments on forest projects
By Monique Merrill
Courthouse News Service
January 28, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States
Two conservation groups are suing the Trump administration, challenging a U.S. Department of Agriculture rule that strips public comment requirements from most national forest projects. In a federal lawsuit, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club accuse the Trump administration of violating environmental law by approving an interim final rule that eliminates the requirement for federal agencies to solicit public comments during project reviews. “It’s illegal and unjust for Trump to shut out the American public while wrecking our national forests so mining, logging and oil companies can make a quick buck,” said Wendy Park, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We’re suing to make sure people have a say in what happens on their public lands, as they have for 50 years.” The conservation groups named the Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service — along with their administrators — as defendants.
Intertribal Timber Council Leaders Travel to Brussels to Educate EU Officials on Indigenous Forest Management and the EUDR
By Intertribal Timber Council
PR Newswire
January 28, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, International
BRUSSELS — Leaders of the Intertribal Timber Council (ITC) are in Brussels this week to meet with European Union officials to explain how the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) is affecting Indigenous forest managers in the United States. President Cody Desautel, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and Vice President Phil Rigdon, Yakama Nation, are meeting with representatives of several European countries to discuss Tribal sovereignty, Indigenous forest governance, and the impacts of EUDR implementation on Tribal Nations that manage millions of acres of forestland under long-standing, legally protected stewardship systems. The EUDR… aims to prevent global deforestation by requiring traceability and geolocation data… Tribal leaders say these requirements do not distinguish between high-risk deforestation contexts and low-risk forests sustainably managed under Tribal law, U.S. federal law, and treaty obligations. Detailed geolocation and traceability requirements raise concerns about Indigenous data sovereignty and protection of culturally and ecologically sensitive areas.
University of Wyoming professors establish Teton study sites in global forest database
By Monica Stout
Buckrail
January 29, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West
JACKSON, Wyo. — A new forest-monitoring site in the Teton Range has been added to an international network of forest plots and research scientists who track long-term tree health over time. A system of six plots in the Teton area is now included in Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) Network database. Two University of Wyoming (UW) professors, Tucker Furniss and Sara Germain, co-founded the new study site, which was established in 2024 and officially joined the network in 2025. The main plot, 25 hectares on the north shore of Bradley Lake in Grand Teton National Park, consists of “upper-montane, mixed-conifer forest,” says the ForestGEO website. Five smaller plots make up the local network, each one 4 hectares or smaller. …ForestGEO is an initiative managed by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, which established the first site in Panama in 1981. The network is dedicated to the long-term study of trees and forests around the world.
Pinyon-juniper woodlands provide food for rare birds, cover for predator species and wood for Southern Utahns, and they dominate the state’s forests. But land managers face a paradox: while many pinyon-juniper species are declining due to climate stress, others are expanding into sensitive habitats, forcing difficult tradeoffs. This forest type encompasses approximately 60% — 8 million acres — of Utah’s woodlands and a significant percentage of Dixie National Forest. “It’s our most common forest type,” said Darren McAvoy, a forestry and wildland resources specialist at Utah State University Extension’s Wildland Resources Department. “It is important for so many different wildlife species, and it’s the one that we live in the most in a lot of places, especially down in St. George.” Pinyon-juniper woodlands can typically be found between 5,000 and 8,000 feet in elevation, and tend to be a “bit scrubby,” he told St. George News.
Washington timber industry sees ‘ecosystem services’ as another cut
By Don Jenkins
Capital Press
January 29, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West
The Washington wood-products industry says timber harvests will spiral downward if lawmakers pass a bill championed by Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove. At Upthegrove’s request, legislators are considering authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to sell “ecosystem services,” possibly by delaying or canceling timber harvests. DNR officials say ecosystem services could be a new source of revenue as businesses buy carbon credits to “offset” their emissions. Carbon credits could add to the money rural counties and schools receive from timber sales, according to DNR. The timber industry, backed by the Washington State Association of Counties, argues its more likely ecosystem services would replace timber sales. Rural public services would get less money, Paul Jewell, the counties’ policy director, said. More importantly, rural counties will lose timber jobs, he said. “Sales of ecosystem services can’t replace those economic benefits,” he told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 28.
The Idaho Forest Products Commission (IFPC) is excited to announce the launch of a new design for the existing Timber specialty license plate. The new plate reads: “Forests Forever: Manage. Harvest. Plant. Repeat.” Featuring a stunning landscape of Idaho forests, the plate allows Idahoans to show their love for the outdoors while directly supporting reforestation and environmental education for youth across the state. “The new plate highlights a simple, powerful message: With care, Idaho’s forests can and will be forever,” said Jennifer Okerlund, IFPC Director. “Supporting thoughtful management, responsible harvest, and replanting ensures this.” Forest management is vital to healthy, sustainable forests in Idaho and for every one tree harvested, seven are growing for the future. Proceeds from each Timber “Forest Forever” plate help fund replanting projects and environmental public education about sustainable forestry, wildfire prevention and programs that connect Idaho youth with the outdoors.
World Wetlands Day 2026: Integrating Traditional Knowledge for Climate Resilience
By Reyyan Dogan
Arch Daily
February 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International
Observed annually on February 2, World Wetlands Day marks the adoption of the Ramsar Convention in 1971 and provides an international framework for recognizing the role of wetlands in environmental protection and sustainable development. The 2026 edition is held under the theme “Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage,” drawing attention to the long-standing relationships between wetland ecosystems and the cultural practices, knowledge systems, and governance structures developed by communities over centuries. The theme highlights how inherited ecological knowledge, often embedded in rituals, seasonal calendars, land-use practices, and spatial organization, has shaped resilient interactions between human settlements and water-based landscapes. …World Wetlands Day 2026 emphasizes the need to reconsider prevailing development models by integrating traditional knowledge with scientific research and planning strategies in efforts toward conservation, restoration, and long-term environmental stewardship.
Sustainability key to repositioning Việt Nam’s wood industry in global supply chains
The Việt Nam News
January 30, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International
HCM CITY — Proactive compliance with legal timber sourcing and sustainability standards is essential not only for business survival, but also for repositioning Việt Nam’s wood industry towards greater transparency, responsibility, and higher value creation in global supply chains, speakers said at a seminar in HCM City on January 29. Speaking at the Forest Talk & Link seminar themed “Wood Consumption, Climate Change and Deforestation-Free Requirements”, Võ Quang Hà, Chairman of the HCM City Structure Architecture Wood Association (SAWA), said Việt Nam exported more than US$17 billion worth of wood and wood products in 2025, ranking among the world’s leading furniture exporters. However, an estimated $4–5 billion in export revenue still derives from low-value wood chips and pellets, underscoring the sector’s significant untapped potential for value-added growth. Developing large-timber plantations was identified as a key solution.
Strategic tree planting could help Canada become carbon neutral by mid-century
By The University of Waterloo
Phys.Org
February 1, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada
A new study finds that Canada could remove at least five times its annual carbon emissions with strategic planting of more than six million trees along the northern edge of the boreal forest. The paper, “Substantial carbon removal capacity of Taiga reforestation and afforestation at Canada’s boreal edge,” appears in Communications Earth & Environment. Researchers at the University of Waterloo factored in satellite data, fire probabilities, loss of vegetation, and climate variables to estimate how much carbon the forests would remove. They found that planting about 6.4 million hectares of trees in that region could remove roughly 3.9 gigatonnes of CO₂ by 2100. Scaling up to the most suitable areas increased the potential to around 19 gigatonnes. Reducing greenhouse gases is key to minimizing the worst effects of climate change. These results represent a significant step toward Canada’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2050 and meeting its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement.
What do northern communities need to make bioenergy projects successful? That was a key question addressed during the Arctic Bioenergy Summit and Tour in Yellowknife earlier this week. Hosted by the Arctic Energy Alliance and Wood Pellet Association of Canada, the event began with a day-long tour of buildings in Yellowknife that use biomass heating systems followed by a two-day conference at the Chateau Nova Hotel. “We’re the lead jurisdiction in Canada in terms of adoption of biomass for space heating and wood pellets,” Mark Heyck, executive director of the Arctic Energy Alliance, told Cabin Radio. “We want to continue that conversation, see where the future of that fuel source is going here in the Northwest Territories, but also learn from other jurisdictions in Canada and around the circumpolar world about what they’re working on.” …Following the conference, the Arctic Energy Alliance hosted a biomass boiler operator training course.
In 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service awarded $80 million in Wood Innovation Grantsto support wood products manufacturing, expand active forest management, and accelerate energy innovation. West Biofuels is one past grant recipient showing how investing in wood innovations can power rural communities and increase the health of our nation’s forests. National forests and grasslands provide plenty for the American public, from recreation opportunities to resources like drinking water, minerals, gas, oil and timber. Forests across the country are also ramping up production of another common good—electricity. The Hat Creek Bioenergy Facility, located in Burney, California, began Commercial Operations in late June and converts biomass from surrounding forests into electricity for the local grid. The facility hosted its ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 10 to celebrate the commissioning and successful first months of operations.
Scientists hope carbon credits can help Georgia’s faltering forestry industry
By Emily Jones
WABE News Atlanta’s NPR Station
January 30, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: US East
…Timber prices have been low for a long time; they never really recovered from the 2008 housing crash. Nearly a dozen paper mills closed across the South in recent years, and Hurricane Helene tore down trees in much of Georgia and the Carolinas. It’s left many in Georgia, one of the leading states for forestry, with a dilemma: what do you do when your income relies on a forest but nobody wants to buy your trees? A group of researchers and industry leaders thinks paying landowners for carbon storage could help. “We may see a decline in the number of acres that are kept in forests and the quality of the land that is forested,” said David Eady with Georgia Tech’s business school. Losing those trees would shrink the industry and be devastating for the environment. …So Eady and others asked: why not use that carbon storage to keep foresters in business?
Irish factory hoping to turn wood dust into electricity
By Niall McCracken
The BBC
February 1, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: International
A door company in Ireland says it holds the key to turning wood dust into electricity to help power its factory. It’s part of a new multimillion-pound investment by O&S Doors. The company says the onsite renewable heat and energy technology is “a first on the island of Ireland”. Currently the company takes wood dust left over from the manufacturing process and ships it to England where it is used as animal bedding or sent to landfill. But the company – located just outside Benburb in County Tyrone – has revealed new details of its plans to install a biomass-fuelled combined heat and power system. It will turn the dust into millions of units of electricity that can reused to power parts of the factory. …O&S Doors says its biomass-fuelled combined heat and power system will harness MDF dust.
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The Regional District of Nanaimo board will plead with fellow municipalities to pressure the B.C. and Canadian governments to prohibit raw log exports. At the Jan. 27 RDN board meeting, Paul Manly, City of Nanaimo director, proposed a resolution for the upcoming Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities conference, asking B.C. local governments to call on senior government to “ban the export of raw logs and lumber cants from B.C. to ensure that forests harvested [on] Crown land and private-managed forest lands are processed in B.C.…” The resolution passed and will be brought before AVICC. Should it pass there, it would be forwarded to the Union of B.C. Municipalities. Manly …pointed to recent mill closures on the Island, with a key factor being “lack of accessible and affordable fibre”. …Leanne Salter, Coombs area director, said she thought the resolution needed to be tweaked.
Cherie Whelan has been named the new chief executive officer of the B.C. Forest Safety Council. She takes over on April 1 from Rob Moonen, who announced his retirement in October. Whelan served as CEO of the Newfoundland & Labrador Construction Safety Association for two years and previously held the position of director of SAFE Companies at B.C. Forest Safety Council. The Nanaimo-based council delivers safety training and advisory services to British Columbia’s forest industry.
MONTREAL — Tariffs and economic angst delivered a significant blow to Canadian National Railway Co. last year, as the question mark hanging over North American free trade continues to threaten profits in 2026. “Tariffs, trade uncertainty and volatility impacted our full-year 2025 revenues by over $350 million,” chief commercial officer Janet Drysdale told analysts on a conference call Friday. Forest products and metals took the biggest bruising, she said, with the two segments seeing a year-over-year revenue drop of eight and four per cent, respectively, in the latest quarter. …On top of trade uncertainty, a less publicized source of angst has rippled through the rail industry since last summer. Union Pacific Corp., the second-largest railway operator in the United States, announced in July it wants to buy Norfolk Southern Corp. in a US$85-billion deal that would create that country’s first transcontinental railway, and potentially trigger a final wave of rail mergers across North America.
VANCOUVER — A government-commissioned review of forestry in British Columbia is calling for the system to be razed and rebuilt with a focus on trust and transparency about the state of the province’s forests, shifting away “from managing harvest volumes to managing lands.” …The authors of the report, including industry representatives and academics, pitch a model that would change who makes decisions about lumber allotment, taking that power away from the provincial government and shifting it to regional bodies that manage defined areas. …Shannon Janzen a co-chair of the advisory council, and former chief forester, said the use of area-based land management is not a new idea and is already in use in places like Ontario and Alberta. …Forest Minister Ravi Parmar would not commit to implementing the report’s recommendations, telling reporters that he has to consult with other ministries. …A statement from the BC Council of Forest Industries said it would be reviewing the recommendations with its members. …Brian Menzies, the executive director of the Independent Wood Processors Association of B.C., said there’s little detail in the report about how its members would access more fibre.
Victoria, B.C. – A new independent report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council (PFAC) finds that British Columbia’s current forest management system is failing to meet a range needs, including communities, First Nations, businesses and the environment. The report concludes that small, incremental reforms are not enough to address the scale of challenges facing the sector. Titled 
Residents of a Bonnington, 18 km west of Nelson, hope they can rely on B.C. Timber Sales’ assurances that logging in their watershed will reduce wildfire risk and won’t threaten their water supply. For nearly a year, BCTS has engaged in an elaborate communication process with the residents of Bonnington about its plans for the Falls Creek watershed. The agency has a timber license on Crown land in the watershed, which provides drinking water to the rural community of about 600 people. …BCTS plans and designs logging operations, builds logging roads, then sells the timber to the highest bidder. The B.C. government added wildfire mitigation to the BCTS mandate last year. In the spring of 2025, the province hired Cathy Scott-May, a communications consultant, to steer a communication process along with BCTS professional forester Mark Tallman of Nelson. …Tallman said this consultation process is different from anything BCTS has done in the past…
The latest newsletter from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC reflects on ongoing forestry challenges and emphasizes the value of collaboration, proactive planning, and shared solutions to strengthen forest health and resilience across British Columbia. It highlights a safety tip from the BC Forest Safety Council focused on mental health support for forestry workers, offering a free, confidential service to help industry professionals navigate stress. The newsletter also announces a new Extension Specialist position through a partnership with the Silviculture Innovation Program (SIP) aimed at translating technical and field knowledge into practical forestry resources. There’s a Faces of Forestry feature on Jennifer Grenz, plus links to a range of recent FESBC-funded project stories — from wildfire rehabilitation to biomass utilization — showcasing work being done by partners and communities province-wide.
Another dire warning is coming from B.C.’s forest industry, but this time from the tree-planting side, with those working in reforestation saying funding is running out as record wildfires took out huge sections of the province’s forests. A Western Forest Products greenhouse in Saanichton produces hundreds of thousands of tree seedlings. Many will be planted on Vancouver Island, according to Christina Lavoie, nursery supervisor, Western Forest Products, Saanich Forestry Centre. B.C. logging companies are legally required to restore the trees they harvest, but as the industry shrinks, fewer trees are being planted. Add to that the loss of trees due to years of record forest fires. …At the Western Forestry Contractors’ Association annual conference, there is concern about just how many trees are being lost to forest fires, and pests on public lands. …Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says he’s working with industry on solutions.
The BC Truck Loggers Association sent a letter to the North Island College regarding the potential discontinuation of two forestry programs. This would mean a significant loss of forestry education for the forest industry, and we’re asking for your support by copying and pasting our letter into an email and sending it to the college Board of Governors at bog@nic.bc.ca …The North Island College forestry programs are an essential contributor to education and economic opportunity for students in Campbell River and the north Island and provides an important stream of new graduates for forestry businesses. The program has strong backing from local industry, government and First Nations, and it would be regrettable to see the program discontinued at a time when sustained investment in forestry education is vital to British Columbia’s future.
Two conservation groups are suing the Trump administration, challenging a U.S. Department of Agriculture rule that strips public comment requirements from most national forest projects. In a federal 
The Washington wood-products industry says timber harvests will spiral downward if lawmakers pass a bill championed by Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove. At Upthegrove’s request, legislators are considering authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to sell “ecosystem services,” possibly by delaying or canceling timber harvests. DNR officials say ecosystem services could be a new source of revenue as businesses buy carbon credits to “offset” their emissions. Carbon credits could add to the money rural counties and schools receive from timber sales, according to DNR. The timber industry, backed by the Washington State Association of Counties, argues its more likely ecosystem services would replace timber sales. Rural public services would get less money, Paul Jewell, the counties’ policy director, said. More importantly, rural counties will lose timber jobs, he said. “Sales of ecosystem services can’t replace those economic benefits,” he told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 28.
Observed annually on February 2, World Wetlands Day marks the adoption of the Ramsar Convention in 1971 and provides an international framework for recognizing the role of wetlands in environmental protection and sustainable development. The 2026 edition is held under the theme “Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage,” drawing attention to the long-standing relationships between wetland ecosystems and the cultural practices, knowledge systems, and governance structures developed by communities over centuries. The theme highlights how inherited ecological knowledge, often embedded in rituals, seasonal calendars, land-use practices, and spatial organization, has shaped resilient interactions between human settlements and water-based landscapes. …World Wetlands Day 2026 emphasizes the need to reconsider prevailing development models by integrating traditional knowledge with scientific research and planning strategies in efforts toward conservation, restoration, and long-term environmental stewardship.
HCM CITY — Proactive compliance with legal timber sourcing and sustainability standards is essential not only for business survival, but also for repositioning Việt Nam’s wood industry towards greater transparency, responsibility, and higher value creation in global supply chains, speakers said at a seminar in HCM City on January 29. Speaking at the Forest Talk & Link seminar themed “Wood Consumption, Climate Change and Deforestation-Free Requirements”, Võ Quang Hà, Chairman of the HCM City Structure Architecture Wood Association (SAWA), said Việt Nam exported more than US$17 billion worth of wood and wood products in 2025, ranking among the world’s leading furniture exporters. However, an estimated $4–5 billion in export revenue still derives from low-value wood chips and pellets, underscoring the sector’s significant untapped potential for value-added growth. Developing large-timber plantations was identified as a key solution.
A new study finds that Canada could remove at least five times its annual carbon emissions with strategic planting of more than six million trees along the northern edge of the boreal forest. The 
What do northern communities need to make bioenergy projects successful? That was a key question addressed during the Arctic Bioenergy Summit and Tour in Yellowknife earlier this week. Hosted by the Arctic Energy Alliance and Wood Pellet Association of Canada, the event began with a day-long tour of buildings in Yellowknife that use biomass heating systems followed by a two-day conference at the Chateau Nova Hotel. “We’re the lead jurisdiction in Canada in terms of adoption of biomass for space heating and wood pellets,” Mark Heyck, executive director of the Arctic Energy Alliance, told Cabin Radio. “We want to continue that conversation, see where the future of that fuel source is going here in the Northwest Territories, but also learn from other jurisdictions in Canada and around the circumpolar world about what they’re working on.” …Following the conference, the Arctic Energy Alliance hosted a biomass boiler operator training course. 
…Timber prices have been low for a long time; they never really recovered from the 2008 housing crash. Nearly a dozen paper mills closed across the South in recent years, and Hurricane Helene tore down trees in much of Georgia and the Carolinas. It’s left many in Georgia, one of the leading states for forestry, with a dilemma: what do you do when your income relies on a forest but nobody wants to buy your trees? A group of researchers and industry leaders thinks paying landowners for carbon storage could help. “We may see a decline in the number of acres that are kept in forests and the quality of the land that is forested,” said David Eady with Georgia Tech’s business school. Losing those trees would shrink the industry and be devastating for the environment. …So Eady and others asked: why not use that carbon storage to keep foresters in business?
A door company in Ireland says it holds the key to turning wood dust into electricity to help power its factory. It’s part of a new multimillion-pound investment by O&S Doors. The company says the onsite renewable heat and energy technology is “a first on the island of Ireland”. Currently the company takes wood dust left over from the manufacturing process and ships it to England where it is used as animal bedding or sent to landfill. But the company – located just outside Benburb in County Tyrone – has revealed new details of its plans to install a biomass-fuelled combined heat and power system. It will turn the dust into millions of units of electricity that can reused to power parts of the factory. …O&S Doors says its biomass-fuelled combined heat and power system will harness MDF dust.