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Tree Frog Forestry News
April 16, 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.
International Pulp Week 2026: Global pulp leaders convene in Vancouver
International Pulp Week
April 15, 2026
Category: Special Feature
Region: Canada West
Global pulp leaders are set to gather in Vancouver this May for International Pulp Week, hosted by ThePulp and Paper Products Council. Widely recognized as the premier event for the market pulp sector, IPW brings together producers, customers, suppliers, and analysts for a deep dive into the forces shaping global markets. This year’s program tackles everything from economic uncertainty and trade dynamics to fibre optimization, specialty cellulose, and emerging opportunities in carbon capture. With expert insights from leading companies and analysts, the conference offers a comprehensive look at both current challenges and future directions. Beyond the sessions, delegates can explore real-world innovation through optional tours—including carbon capture technology at Svante and forest restoration in Vancouver’s Stanley Park. For anyone connected to the global pulp value chain, International Pulp Week remains a must-attend event.
Forsite launches unified brand, expands forestry capabilities across North America
By Sara Braun, VP, Marketing & Sales Operations
Forsite
April 14, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, International
SALMON ARM, British Columbia — Forsite Consultants Ltd. today announced the launch of the unified Forsite brand and the integration of six specialized companies into one cohesive, fullservice organization. The milestone brings together decades of expertise in forestry, wildfire science and geospatial intelligence under a single, customer-focused platform serving clients across Canada and the United States. The new Forsite unites Barr Air Patrol, Barr Geospatial Solutions, Airborne Imaging Inc., Northwest Management Inc., Forcorp and Forsite Consultants Ltd., combining aerial LiDAR acquisition, advanced analytics and on-the-ground forestry expertise. The result is a single partner that supports clients from initial data capture through analysis, planning and field implementation. Expanded forestry capabilities under one brand Forsite’s forestry services now integrate field-based expertise with high-resolution remote sensing and advanced modeling, enabling more complete and actionable insights across complex landscapes.
Canadian Resource Roadways into Forestry with Berland (Alberta Newsprint Company) Road Acquisition
By Canadian Resource Roadways
Cision Newswire
April 16, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West
CALGARY, AB – Canadian Resource Roadways (CRR), a leader in resource infrastructure ownership and operations, has entered into an agreement with ANC Timber Ltd., an affiliate of the Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC), to acquire a 90% interest in the Berland Resource Road (ANC Road) in northwestern Alberta. …this transaction represents CRR making its first strategic partnership in the forestry sector. This marks an important step in the company’s strategy to extend its established resource infrastructure platform across all of Canada’s key resource industries. Following the acquisition, CRR will own and operate over 300 kilometres of resource roads across Alberta. ANC Timber is the woodlands arm of the Alberta Newsprint Company, Alberta’s only newsprint mill, located near Whitecourt, Alberta. The mill is a joint venture between entities controlled by Stern Partners and West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd., combining long-term private capital with one of North America’s leading forestry operators.
Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau has an immediate opening for the position of District Supervisor (Inspector) – Canadian Region.
Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau
April 13, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
The Canadian District Supervisor position is a unique and highly sought after opportunity for those intimately involved in the quality control of lumber or manufactured wood products. PLIB’s District Supervisors are responsible for evaluating the quality of lumber, glulam, and wood packaging products. Our inspectors influence a wide range of important issues that impact the wood products industry through participation in the development of quality standards and educating mill personnel. PLIB’s Canadian Division serves a variety of producers across Western Canada. This position requires fully reimbursed travel. Interested candidates that meet the qualification criteria are encouraged to visit the PLIB website for a complete job description and application process.
Mirax Group Acquires Former Errington Cedar Sawmill
By Parm Binning, VP Business Development
Mirax Group
April 13, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West
Abbotsford, BC — Mirax Group, a privately held, family-owned British Columbia company with deep roots in forestry, lumber manufacturing, value-added wood products, and diversified industrial operations, has acquired the former Errington Cedar Sawmill in Errington, BC. This strategic acquisition reinforces Mirax Group’s commitment to investing in the sustainable growth of British Columbia’s forestry sector, preserving local jobs, and enhancing supply chain resilience for cedar and softwood products destined for global markets. The Errington Cedar Sawmill, long recognized for its legacy in processing premium cedar products for domestic and international customers — faced closure in recent years following industry challenges. With the transaction now complete, Mirax Group will operate the facility as the Vancoast Sawmill division, and position the site as a cornerstone in its expanding coastal operations. …The company also plans to evaluate investments in modernized milling technology and value-added processing to enhance product diversity and competitiveness.
B.C. government easing carbon tax for pulp mills as industry grapples with future
By Mark Page
Victoria News
April 10, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West
David Eby
Premier David Eby told the annual gathering of the B.C. Council of Forest Industries (COFI) on Friday said that the government plans to ease industrial carbon prices for pulp mills as the province’s forestry sector continues to struggle to remain competitive. “We have been working with COFI to address costs faced by the sector,” he said. “Whether it is in relation to water permits or carbon pricing.” B.C. axed its consumer carbon tax last year, but kept industrial carbon pricing, a mechanism by which companies must pay for the pollution they release into the atmosphere. This pricing system ideally encourages producers to clean up. But Eby says the government wants to make it fair for pulp mills, which cannot easily reduce emissions coming from lime kilns. “Putting costs on for no reason, for no end goal, is something that we do not want to do,” Eby said.
The Ford government is being accused of abandoning Terrace Bay. A proposal to purchase an AV Terrace Bay Pulp Mill was presented to the government last June. Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Lise Vaugeois told the Ontario Legislature on Tuesday that it came from the United Steelworkers and an unnamed industrial developer. It proposed continuing to produce pulp or converting the mill to produce biofuels. She says the business plan was presented to the Ministry of Forestry, but the province has yet to respond. “The same company with the same proposal is now repurposing an idled mill in Quebec,” says Vaugeois. “The Ontario government has clearly abandoned the community of Terrace Bay, leaving them with toxic waste and the loss of their tax base.”
2026 Wood Design & Building Awards Call for Submissions Now Open
The Canadian Wood Council
April 15, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada
OTTAWA, ON, April 15, 2026 – The Canadian Wood Council is accepting submissions for the 2026 Wood Design & Building Awards. The prestigious annual program, now in its 42nd year, invites architects, designers, and project teams from across North America and around the world to submit their most inspiring wood projects for consideration. “The program is a celebration of architectural excellence,” says Ioana Lazea, Senior Manager for the program at the Canadian Wood Council. “Year after year, it brings forward the creativity, ambition, and craft of the industry’s leading designers, those pushing wood to new heights and redefining what’s possible in the built environment.” In a time when technology is rapidly transforming how we design and build, wood architecture is evolving in remarkable ways. Each year, the program showcases some of the most compelling and beautiful buildings in the world, but increasingly, these projects are also defined by the sophistication of the systems behind them.
Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau offers online Grader Training Program
Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau
April 13, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, United States
PLIB has launched the Fundamentals of Lumber Grading, a comprehensive introductory online training course providing detailed foundational knowledge of lumber grading. This is the first of several training programs PLIB plans to offer on the agency’s new Education and Training website. Our on-demand courses prepare graders to identify lumber characteristics, accurately apply grading rules, and transition confidently to hands-on training. With real grading footage, 3D scanner models, and expert guidance, PLIB’s Grader Training Program will help your team build precision and efficiency where it matters most.
The awards, by Built Green Canada, are showcase sustainability efforts across the country in the residential construction sector. Alberta, Canada’s oil and gas province, is becoming a green building hub. Two of the four winners in the 2026 Maverick Awards are Alberta based, and Alberta home builders were prominent in all three award categories. Excel Homes, which builds in both Calgary and Edmonton, and Edmonton’s Effect Home Builders shared the Maverick’s Ambassador award, finishing in a first-place tie. In the Maverick’s other two categories, Vancouver’s Carbon Wise was the Innovation Award winner and Best Builders of Abbotsford, B.C., received the Transformation Maverick award — in both, Edmonton’s Landmark Homes placed as a finalist. The awards, introduced by Built Green Canada in 2024, are designed to showcase sustainability efforts being employed across the country in the residential construction sector.
As the world gets hotter and wildfires more intense, architects are turning back to trees for more than inspiration. Engineered materials like cross-laminated and glue-laminated timber, in which layers of wood are glued together, create beams that are tough and somewhat flexible, yet lightweight. They’re so strong, in fact, that designers are crafting wood structures that are 15, 20, even 25 stories high: In 2022, the 284-foot Ascent MKE Building opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, becoming the world’s tallest timber building. It’s exactly because the world is getting hotter that architects are pushing the limits of how tall they can build with “mass timber,” as it’s known in the field: As trees grow, they capture planet-warming carbon, which is then permanently incorporated into the edifice. To that end, last month crews completed a 10-story building in Vancouver, called the Hive, which is now North America’s tallest brace-framed, seismic-force-resisting (meaning it shrugs off earthquakes) timber structure.
The Forest Stewardship Council Canada is excited to announce FSC Forest Week, taking place September 21-27 this year. Building on our momentum from last year, we hope to continue the success of Forest Week as a movement, in partnership with our Certificate Holders and Promotional Licence Holders across Canada. This year’s campaign will again centre around the core theme do one thing for forests. Throughout Forest Week, we encourage people and businesses alike to choose one simple action to help protect the world’s forests and to post about it on social media – recognizing that together, our individual efforts have a powerful collective impact. All FSC Certificate and Licence Holders will have access to the campaign toolkit, containing social media posts and visual assets for each day of Forest Week. The 2026 toolkit will inform audiences of the importance of forests and the benefits they provide, and to inspire everyone – no matter where they live – to do their one thing for forests.
Indigenous Knowledge Network launches to strengthen community-led forest stewardship across Canada
Forest Stewardship Council Canada
April 9, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Canada, together with the FSC Canada Indigenous Chamber, the FSC Indigenous Foundation, and Indigenous communities across the country, is proud to announce the launch of the Indigenous Knowledge Networks, a new Indigenous led initiative designed to strengthen community-driven forest stewardship, knowledge sharing, and rights-based governance. The Indigenous Knowledge Networks will serve as a collaborative platform where Indigenous communities can connect, share wise practices, and advance their own stewardship priorities in ways that reflect local governance systems, cultural protocols, and community-defined goals. As part of the launch, Wahkohtowin Development GP has been named the first regional Network, supporting sister Nations across the Northeast Superior Region. Wahkohtowin will lead in-person gatherings, virtual learning opportunities, and community-driven activities that strengthen relationships and build capacity across the region. …The first phase of the Indigenous Knowledge Network will include a visioning process…
FPAC Policy Webinar: Shared Risk, Shared Solutions: The Future of Wildfire
By Forest Products Association of Canada
Zoom
April 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada
Join us on Thursday, April 23 for a Wildfire Policy Webinar: Shared Risk, Shared Solutions: the Future of Wildfire. As wildfire risks intensify across Canada, there is growing recognition that reactive response alone is no longer sufficient. This webinar brings together leading experts to examine how Canada can enable proactive, prevention first approaches to wildfire management through federal policymaking. The discussion will move from the fundamentals of wildfire prevention, mitigation, and response to the federal policy and regulatory reforms needed to scale mitigation efforts, strengthen resilience, and protect communities, ecosystems, and economic stability. Speakers will explore practical solutions including predictive fire modelling and risk forecasting, Indigenous-led fire management, and place based knowledge mobilization—highlighting how active forest management can be positioned as a long-term public investment. This session is designed for policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders engaged in forest management, climate resilience, and public safety policy.
Forest Stewardship Council Canada News and Views for April
Forest Stewardship Council Canada
April 13, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Canada’s April update highlights a mix of national engagement, new initiatives, and evolving guidance shaping responsible forest management. FSC Canada will take part in Toronto Climate Week 2026, bringing forest stewardship into broader climate conversations, while a newly launched Indigenous Knowledge Network aims to strengthen community-led stewardship across the country. Ongoing consultation on Motion 45 reflects continued work to refine approaches to Intact Forest Landscapes in the Canadian context. Looking ahead, FSC is also promoting Forest Week 2026 as an opportunity to connect Canadians with forests and sustainable practices. On the technical side, new guidance on the market use and communication of ecosystem services impacts has been released, alongside a French translation of the Risk Assessment Framework to improve accessibility. The update also explores how investors are increasingly supporting healthy, resilient forests, underscoring the growing alignment between finance and sustainable forest management.
Squamish unveils first wildfire plan update since 2017
By Owen Spillios-Hunter
The Squamish Reporter
April 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
District of Squamish staff are asking Council to endorse a new wildfire strategy with 53 specific actions to protect residents, homes and critical infrastructure. According to staff, the 2026 Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan, prepared by Blackwell Consulting Ltd., must be adopted by April 30 for the District to remain eligible for up to $400,000 in provincial FireSmart grant funding over the next two years. The plan is Squamish’s first major wildfire strategy update since 2017. In the years since, rapid population growth, increased tourism pressure, and new development pushing into forested terrain have changed the risk picture considerably. It was developed in collaboration with Squamish Nation, Squamish Community Forest, BC Wildfire Service, BC Parks, the Ministry of Forests, and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. …The plan identifies hiring a full-time FireSmart Coordinator as a high-priority step with a three-month timeline. …The plan also calls on the District to review Squamish Fire Rescue staffing levels…
Peachlanders opposing cutblocks near old growth forest in community watershed
By Ty Lim
The Kelowna Capital News
April 13, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Peachland residents are once again fighting against logging in their watershed. Following the proposal of three new BC Timber Services (BCTS) cutblocks overlapping with Old Growth Deferral zones in the Peachland Community Watershed, the Peachland Watershed Protection Alliance (PWPA) have started a petition to halt old growth logging entirely. The petition, created in late March, calls to stop commercial and partial clear-cut logging in the Peachland watershed’s old growth and primary growth forests. …Taryn Skalbania, one of the founders of the PWPA, has ran the organization for over a decade to fight against logging in her community. She said this isn’t the first time the PWPA has opposed logging in their community, but that this is the “line in the sand.” …ecologist and former member of the old growth TAP Rachel Holt said there is only two per cent of old forest the IDFdk2 forestry zone – which covers the Okanagan area – remaining.
Inviting Cariboo-Chilcotin residents to help guide forest management
By Ministry of Forests
Government of British Columbia
April 13, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Local residents are invited to share their input on the development of the Cariboo-Chilcotin forest landscape plan (FLP) to guide long-term forest management decisions in the area. People can share their thoughts through a survey, which will run from Monday, April 13 to May 30, 2026. The Ministry of Forests will also hold two open houses (April 29 and May 2) so the community can learn more about forest landscape planning and ask questions. …FLPs are developed in partnership with First Nations to ensure meaningful participation in forestry planning and long-term decision-making. …Engagement with forest licensees, subject-matter experts and the public is a key part of every FLP. …Through early collaboration with First Nations partners and initial engagement with forest licence holders, key themes have emerged that will be integrated into the survey for public feedback to reflect community priorities. Developing FLPs is a new approach to forest stewardship that establishes clear direction for the management of forest-related values…
Clear-cut logging plans scaled back in parts of Kananaskis, but conservationists’ concerns remain
By Bill Kaufmann
Calgary Herald
April 10, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Clear-cut logging plans impacting popular trail areas in Kananaskis have been reduced in some places while accelerated in another — and conservationists remain concerned over their potential impact. Following public feedback, two cut blocks in the West Bragg Creek and Moose Mountain areas that initially totaled 880 hectares have been scaled back to 556 hectares. Work in West Bragg Creek will begin next fall, with Moose Mountain in 2027 or 2028. But another clear-cut in the same general area, specifically meant to protect the nearby hamlet of Bragg Creek through provincial directive, slated for 2027 will cover 433 hectares. While some critics see improvements in planning for the cut blocks, they still fear how they will affect recreational activities and environmental sustainability. …“A lot of work’s been done in collaboration with trail groups so there’s a better overall experience for trail users and there’s been a reduction in the proposed harvest,” said West Fraser spokesman Tyler Steneker.
Trans Mountain sued after allegedly destroying road and stranding millions in B.C. timber
By Stefan Labbé
Business in Vancouver
April 10, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
A B.C. logging company has sued the owners of a major oil pipeline for allegedly destroying a key access road and stranding $4 million worth of timber near the Coquihalla Highway. The dispute dates back to 2022, when Western Canadian Timber Products Ltd. and Trans Mountain Pipeline Limited Partnership entered into an agreement around a patch of forest northeast of Hope, B.C. A lawsuit, filed April 2 in B.C. Supreme Court, claims the agreement granted Trans Mountain access to a proposed cutblock in the Portia and Boston Bar Creek area so it could complete construction of a second oil pipeline from Edmonton, Alta., to B.C.’s Lower Mainland. Originally built to transport crude and refined oil from Alberta to the B.C. coast, the Trans Mountain pipeline was recently expanded through a massive “twinning” project that nearly tripled its capacity.
Evans Lake Fire Recovery Fund: Rebuilding Evans Lake together
Evans Lake Forest Education Society
April 13, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
On Saturday, March 28, 2026, a fire at Evans Lake resulted in the loss of two buildings, including four cabins. We are deeply grateful that no campers were on site and all staff are safe—but the loss to our community is significant. We want to sincerely thank Squamish Fire & Rescue, Britannia Beach Volunteer Fire Department, RCMP, Conservation Officers, our team, and a member of our community for their quick and compassionate response. Right now, our focus is on recovery. While we are insured, there are always substantial costs that aren’t fully covered. …Donations will directly support urgent recovery needs, replacement of essential spaces, and ongoing operations—helping ensure we can continue to provide meaningful outdoor experiences for thousands of children and families. Evans Lake is more than a place, it’s where confidence grows, friendships form, and lifelong memories are made. With your support, we will rebuild and continue this work for years to come. Thank you for being part of our community and standing with us.
Environmental stewards in the Logan Lake area are looking to put their forest lands on the proverbial map. Logan Lake Community Forest (LLCF), which provides local management of public forest lands for the benefit of Logan Lake and its surrounding communities, is the subject of a new film among its re-branding efforts. …LLCF involves Indigenous collaboration, sustainable forest management, wildfire risk reduction and responsible resource development to support recreation and wildlife in a unique manner. …The film, in collaboration with the BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA), provides a look at the planning and treatment activities of the LLCF specific to wildfire risk reduction, and the enhancement of trails and wildlife habitat, and is part of a broader provincial-wide storytelling initiative showcasing community forests across British Columbia.
Nova Scotia looks forward to the annual woodland conference to learn about the latest information and issues related to privately owned forest land. Each year for more than 30 years, the three regions have hosted a conference in various locations to provide reasonable accessibility for most. …The organizing group for the conference consists of woodland owners, woodland owner organizations, silviculture funding organizations, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Indigenous interests, forest industry, and wildlife interests. The conference agenda is created by analysing the recommendations of the previous woodland conference participants, along with current issues and opportunities. Created originally for woodland owners, the conference has evolved into an event for anyone who has a general interest in the forest and forest organisms. …Representatives from the Association of Sustainable Forestry will provide a presentation that explains the many funding assistance programs they offer landowners for various silviculture and biodiversity treatments and objectives.
London, which was densely forested when it was settled, has long been dubbed the Forest City. This year, the city was also named Canada’s forest capital by the Canadian Institute of Forestry. Annually, the Canadian Institute of Forestry awards regions across Canada for their “leadership in forest conservation, environmental stewardship and sustainable forest management.” London, Ont., is the first large urban city to be named the country’s forest capital. “I’m impressed with the amount of trees planted by Londers,” said James Voogt, a geography professor at Western University. …The honour will be commemorated through various events throughout the year, including tree giveaways, “treevnings” and conventions on the importance of trees, climate resiliency and sustainability, and youth engagement activities. According to the city, these events will engage Londoners and organizations about appreciating and contributing to London’s forests.
Fifth Water Bomber Soars Back to Gander to Return to the Provincial Fleet
By Transportation and Infrastructure Forestry, Agriculture and Lands
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
April 13, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East
The province’s fifth water bomber returned to Gander on Friday, marking its official return to the firefighting fleet following the completion of repairs. This action underscores the Provincial Government’s commitment to keeping communities safe. The water bomber will be with the fleet in Gander and relocated to Labrador at the start of Labrador’s forest fire season. It will be available for Labrador in advance of the fire season if the fire risk requires it. The Honourable Pleaman Forsey, Minister of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands, was on the ground in Gander to welcome the CL-415 back to the fleet. Flying in wildfire conditions carries significant risk and operational complexity, creating an exceptionally demanding work environment. During one such wildfire-fighting effort on the Burin Peninsula, the aircraft sustained substantial structural damage while collecting water for fire suppression. In April 2025, a contract valued at $14.8 million was awarded to De Havilland Aircraft of Canada for the repairs.
Forest Service announces $248 Million in Secure Rural Schools payments to support counties, schools, and wildfire preparedness
By the US Forest Service
The US Department of Agriculture
April 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States
The U.S. Forest Service today announced it will be issuing $248 million in Secure Rural Schools payments for 2025, delivering critical funding to eligible states and counties with National Forest System lands. These payments help sustain public schools, maintain local roads, strengthen wildfire preparedness, and support other essential services in rural communities. “Secure Rural Schools payments reflect our strong partnership with the counties and communities that surround national forests,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “These funds support critical infrastructure, while advancing active forest management and restoration that keep forests resilient and communities safer. We remain committed to deliver this support directly to rural communities that depend on these resources.” The 2025 payments include Title I, Title III and 1908 Act allocations, which help fund education, transportation infrastructure and critical community services in rural areas. They also enhance wildfire readiness at the local level — making communities safer and improving coordination with Forest Service wildfire response efforts.
Forest Service shake-up will boost states’ role, but even supporters have concerns
By Alex Brown
The Bellingham Herald
April 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West
A reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service signals that the agency is planning to lean heavily on states to help manage millions of acres of federal land. State officials and timber industry leaders say they’ve been given scant details about the plan to move the agency’s headquarters to Salt Lake City and close scores of research stations in dozens of states. While they wait for the dust to settle, they’re preparing for the Forest Service … to ask more of its partners under the new model. “The Forest Service itself is unable to uphold its mission and cannot alone manage the many challenges on these landscapes,” said Nick Smith, with the American Forest Resource Council. “The transition … is a recognition that partnerships are the future for the Forest Service.” But many forestry veterans fear the shake-up will cause more attrition… [Seeing the move to] Utah — a state whose leaders are often hostile to federal land ownership — as designed to undermine the Forest Service’s management of its lands.
Flathead Forest Authorizes Logging Project West of Blacktail Mountain
By Tristan Scott
The Flathead Beacon
April 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West
Flathead National Forest officials have authorized an emergency logging and thinning project in the Salish Mountains near Lakeside, three miles west of Blacktail Mountain, with the aim of reducing wildland fire risk and improving forest health. The decision authorizes 2,823 acres of commercial vegetation treatment and construction of approximately 5.6 miles of temporary roads. Crews will use more than 67 miles of existing roads and haul routes. First proposed last October, the West Truman Project advanced quickly through the U.S. Forest Service’s environmental compliance process under a categorical exclusion, receiving final approval on April 14. Implementation of the project could begin “as early as fall 2027,” according to the decision and finding of applicability and no extraordinary circumstances (FANEC) signed by Swan Lake District Ranger Sarah Canepa. …The project would commercially thin 736 acres while using improvement cuts on 939 acres. It would treat 346 acres for shelterwood and 802 acres for seed tree.
Communities are waiting on billions in disaster funding from the Trump administration
By Lauren Sommer
National Public Radio
April 10, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West
Placerville, Calif., bears all the markers of a community at risk of a wildfire. The city’s rolling hillsides are dense with brush, which dries out during the hot summers. Older homes made of wood, which are more prone to igniting, are dotted throughout. …Local officials are trying to do something about it. The community is one of a handful piloting a program to help houses survive wildfires. Residents can get financial support to add fire-resistant building materials and to clear flammable brush around their homes. The program is largely funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). For three years, the county staff has been preparing to enroll more than 500 homes. But under the Trump administration, the project has been stalled for more than a year. The county needs FEMA to approve the project plan, but the agency hasn’t responded. Placerville is one of hundreds of communities around the country waiting on a growing backlog at FEMA.
When stewarding a forested landscape, there is no single tool for every acre. We do not log every mountainside, burn every valley bottom or treat every forest the same way. Good stewardship depends on matching the tool to the place, the time and the need. The same should be true of agency reform. If the U.S. Forest Service needs to change — and in many ways it does — it should be reformed with the same care good land managers bring to the ground. That is why the March 31 reorganization order announced by the Trump administration and USDA Secretary is more troubling than it first appears. Moving leadership closer to Western landscapes and communities is not a radical idea, and it is easy to see why Utahns — and many westerners — would welcome a Forest Service headquarters in Salt Lake City rather than Washington. But reform, too, must fit the landscape it is meant to improve.
New Zealand Forest Owners Association backs India trade deal
By Jen Nolan
New Zealand Forest Owners Association
April 13, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International
The New Zealand Forest Owners Association has joined the wider BusinessNZ network to call on political parties across Parliament to support the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This FTA would expand economic opportunity for forest growers, wood processors, exporters, and regional communities. New Zealand Forest Owners Association Chief Executive Elizabeth Heeg says India represents a significant growth market for New Zealand. Wood and wood products are already New Zealand’s largest goods export to India, worth NZ$134 million in the year to June 2025 and growing. “India is a large, fast-growing economy and an increasingly important partner for New Zealand. A high-quality trade agreement would help improve access for our sustainable timber and wood products and give forest growers and processors greater confidence to invest for the future.” It is also an opportunity to deepen the relationship between New Zealand and India through collaboration on research, education, and forestry practice.”
Building a digital platform to turn Forest Stewardship into Verified Impact.
PwC Deutschland
April 13, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) brings 30 years of experience and a balanced, democratic, multi-stakeholder governance model with equal chamber voting to set the most rigorous standards on deforestation, biodiversity and human rights. Globally recognised as a leading system for responsible forestry, FSC protects forests and communities through an independent three-layer assurance system that certifies forest management, supply chains, restoration, ecosystem services and other non-timber outcomes – making it a preferred choice of major global brands and NGOs. As sustainability expectations across consumers and businesses rise, FSC continues to innovate to deliver reliable, meaningful data on supply chains and forest impacts. FSC verified impact reporting enables credible claims about how forest management contributes to carbon removal and carbon storage, biodiversity outcomes and community livelihoods. To remain relevant and resilient in changing landscapes, FSC prioritises greater transparency, interoperability and security across its standards and assurance, strengthening responsible sourcing from forest to final product.
A company building two of Canada’s largest wood pellet mills says it will rely on a steady diet of trees logged in forests recently burned by wildfires. Roughly five million trees will have to come down each year to feed the two northern Alberta mills, which Powerwood Canada Corp. plans to build near the communities of La Crête and High Level. The company claims that wildfires create nightmarish landscapes and that logging such forests as fast as possible is key to restoring their health. But scientists counter that burned forests are important for biodiversity and that aggressively logging them spells disaster for plants and animals that rely on burned landscapes to flourish. Powerwood CEO David Peters said that in addition to northern Alberta the company is eyeing other “brownfield” logging opportunities in British Columbia and in Eastern Canada due to the significant number of wildfires in recent years.
Wisconsin forestry industry to get boost from sustainable aviation fuel facility in Hayward
By Sophia Lauber
Northern News Now
April 9, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: US East
HAYWARD, Wis. – A new refinery planned for Hayward will convert wood into sustainable aviation fuel, using waste wood, such as scrap wood or invasive species. Hayward companies FutureWood and Johnson Timber Corporation will source and process the wood, while Synthec Fuels will handle the fuel refining process. President of FutureWood DJ Aderman says the facility will harness products not currently utilized in the forestry industry. “What’s really cool about this is we’re gonna use a lot of mill residuals. We’re gonna use a lot of products that we’re not currently using right now, unmerchable tops, species that have no or little value,” said Aderman. Last week, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed the Forestry Revitalization Act, which approved up to $120 million in tax credits for the $1.7 billion project. The legislation aims to bolster the forestry industry, which has seen major downturns due to mill closures in recent years.
WINNIPEG – Manitoba’s provincial government is facing renewed pressure to address the respiratory health risks posed to wildland firefighters who operate in heavily smoke-filled environments. While the province has introduced voluntary measures … officials and experts acknowledge that mitigating the hazards of noxious gases and particulate matter remains a complex, ongoing challenge. …Manitoba’s struggle reflects a wider issue across Canada. In 2023, the BC Wildfire Service began testing and offering specialized respiratory devices and masks to crews, while ongoing research—such as projects at the University of British Columbia—seeks to better understand the long-term respiratory impacts on those who battle wildfires. Advocacy groups, including the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union (MGEU), have previously campaigned for better workplace protections. In 2024, the province proclaimed amendments to The Workers Compensation Amendment Act, expanding presumptive coverage for heart injuries and cancer to include forest firefighters, a move MGEU President Kyle Ross called “a long time coming.”
Vehicle ignites 20-acre wildfire in Ocala National Forest after going off road, getting stuck
Ocala-News
April 13, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: US East
@USFS
A weekend off-roading excursion turned into a 20-acre wildfire in the Ocala National Forest after a vehicle’s exhaust system ignited dry grass. U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Lake County Fire Rescue firefighting crews responded to the “Grassy Pond 3 Fire” located off Paisley Road on Saturday, April 11. According to the USFS, the fire was caused by a 4×4 vehicle that was driven off a designated trail and into a patch of soft ground. The vehicle became stuck, and despite recent rainfall in the area, the surrounding tall grass had dried enough to be ignited by the heat of the vehicle’s exhaust system. The operators and bystanders were unable to free the vehicle, which was declared a total loss. …On Sunday, the U.S. Forest Service issued a stern reminder to visitors that driving off designated trails and surfaces is both unwise and illegal on forest land.
Peninsula-made WildFire Whisky pairs nicely with iconic Mars water bomber
By Christine van Reeuwyk
Victoria News
April 13, 2026
Category: Forest History & Archives
Region: Canada West
[Tree Frog Editors debated what section to place this story under! It’s Business, Forestry, History and a bit of fun, which could be a Foible. In the end, we picked the history section!] A North Saanich distillery is digging deep into nostalgia, partnering with an iconic neighbour for a fun collectible of its best-selling product. Best Coast Distillers honours the iconic Hawaii Mars water bomber and its place in West Coast history with a limited release and partial proceeds going toward the BC Aviation Museum for the icon. …Hawaii Mars is one of two remaining Martin JRM-3 Mars water bombers. It flew cargo between Hawaii and the Pacific Islands during the Second World War and supported the Korean War with medical transport between Hawaii and California before transitioning to cargo operations. They were sold to a consortium of B.C. timber companies in 1958 and converted into the world’s largest water bombers to fight forest fires, carrying 27,000 litres per drop. Coulson Aviation bought them in 2007, marking the start of its fixed-wing air tanker operations for aerial wildfire support. Coulson retired its Mars water bombers in 2015.
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SALMON ARM, British Columbia — Forsite Consultants Ltd. today announced the launch of 
The Canadian District Supervisor position is a unique and highly sought after opportunity for those intimately involved in the quality control of lumber or manufactured wood products. PLIB’s District Supervisors are responsible for evaluating the quality of lumber, glulam, and wood packaging products. Our inspectors influence a wide range of important issues that impact the wood products industry through participation in the development of quality standards and educating mill personnel. PLIB’s Canadian Division serves a variety of producers across Western Canada. This position requires fully reimbursed travel. Interested candidates that meet the qualification criteria are encouraged to visit the PLIB website for a complete job description and application process.
Abbotsford, BC — Mirax Group, a privately held, family-owned British Columbia company with deep roots in forestry, lumber manufacturing, value-added wood products, and diversified industrial operations, has acquired the former Errington Cedar Sawmill in Errington, BC. This strategic acquisition reinforces Mirax Group’s commitment to investing in the sustainable growth of British Columbia’s forestry sector, preserving local jobs, and enhancing supply chain resilience for cedar and softwood products destined for global markets. The Errington Cedar Sawmill, long recognized for its legacy in processing premium cedar products for domestic and international customers — faced closure in recent years following industry challenges. With the transaction now complete, Mirax Group will operate the facility as the Vancoast Sawmill division, and position the site as a cornerstone in its expanding coastal operations. …The company also plans to evaluate investments in modernized milling technology and value-added processing to enhance product diversity and competitiveness.
As the world gets hotter and wildfires more intense, architects are turning back to trees for more than inspiration. Engineered materials like cross-laminated and glue-laminated timber, in which layers of wood are glued together, create beams that are tough and somewhat flexible, yet lightweight. They’re so strong, in fact, that designers are crafting wood structures that are 15, 20, even 25 stories high: In 2022, the 284-foot Ascent MKE Building opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, becoming the world’s tallest timber building. It’s exactly because the world is getting hotter that architects are pushing the limits of how tall they can build with “mass timber,” as it’s known in the field: As trees grow, they capture planet-warming carbon, which is then permanently incorporated into the edifice. To that end, last month crews completed a 10-story building in Vancouver, called the Hive, which is now North America’s tallest brace-framed, seismic-force-resisting (meaning it shrugs off earthquakes) timber structure. 
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Canada, together with the FSC Canada Indigenous Chamber, the FSC Indigenous Foundation, and Indigenous communities across the country, is proud to announce the launch of the Indigenous Knowledge Networks, a new Indigenous led initiative designed to strengthen community-driven forest stewardship, knowledge sharing, and rights-based governance. The Indigenous Knowledge Networks will serve as a collaborative platform where Indigenous communities can connect, share wise practices, and advance their own stewardship priorities in ways that reflect local governance systems, cultural protocols, and community-defined goals. As part of the launch, Wahkohtowin Development GP has been named the first regional Network, supporting sister Nations across the Northeast Superior Region. Wahkohtowin will lead in-person gatherings, virtual learning opportunities, and community-driven activities that strengthen relationships and build capacity across the region. …The first phase of the Indigenous Knowledge Network will include a visioning process…
District of Squamish staff are asking Council to endorse a new wildfire strategy with 53 specific actions to protect residents, homes and critical infrastructure. According to staff, the 2026 Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan, prepared by Blackwell Consulting Ltd., must be adopted by April 30 for the District to remain eligible for up to $400,000 in provincial FireSmart grant funding over the next two years. The plan is Squamish’s first major wildfire strategy update since 2017. In the years since, rapid population growth, increased tourism pressure, and new development pushing into forested terrain have changed the risk picture considerably. It was developed in collaboration with Squamish Nation, Squamish Community Forest, BC Wildfire Service, BC Parks, the Ministry of Forests, and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. …The plan identifies hiring a full-time FireSmart Coordinator as a high-priority step with a three-month timeline. …The plan also calls on the District to review Squamish Fire Rescue staffing levels…
Peachland residents are once again fighting against logging in their watershed. Following the proposal of three new BC Timber Services (BCTS) cutblocks overlapping with Old Growth Deferral zones in the Peachland Community Watershed, the Peachland Watershed Protection Alliance (PWPA) have started a petition to halt old growth logging entirely. The petition, created in late March, calls to stop commercial and partial clear-cut logging in the Peachland watershed’s old growth and primary growth forests. …Taryn Skalbania, one of the founders of the PWPA, has ran the organization for over a decade to fight against logging in her community. She said this isn’t the first time the PWPA has opposed logging in their community, but that this is the “line in the sand.” …ecologist and former member of the old growth TAP Rachel Holt said there is only two per cent of old forest the IDFdk2 forestry zone – which covers the Okanagan area – remaining.
Local residents are invited to share their input on the development of the Cariboo-Chilcotin forest landscape plan (FLP) to guide long-term forest management decisions in the area. People can share their thoughts through a survey, which will run from Monday, April 13 to May 30, 2026. The Ministry of Forests will also hold two open houses (April 29 and May 2) so the community can learn more about forest landscape planning and ask questions. …FLPs are developed in partnership with First Nations to ensure meaningful participation in forestry planning and long-term decision-making. …Engagement with forest licensees, subject-matter experts and the public is a key part of every FLP. …Through early collaboration with First Nations partners and initial engagement with forest licence holders, key themes have emerged that will be integrated into the survey for public feedback to reflect community priorities. Developing FLPs is a new approach to forest stewardship that establishes clear direction for the management of forest-related values…
A B.C. logging company has sued the owners of a major oil pipeline for allegedly destroying a key access road and stranding $4 million worth of timber near the Coquihalla Highway. The dispute dates back to 2022, when Western Canadian Timber Products Ltd. and Trans Mountain Pipeline Limited Partnership entered into an agreement around a patch of forest northeast of Hope, B.C. A lawsuit, filed April 2 in B.C. Supreme Court, claims the agreement granted Trans Mountain access to a proposed cutblock in the Portia and Boston Bar Creek area so it could complete construction of a second oil pipeline from Edmonton, Alta., to B.C.’s Lower Mainland. Originally built to transport crude and refined oil from Alberta to the B.C. coast, the Trans Mountain pipeline was recently expanded through a massive “twinning” project that nearly tripled its capacity.
A reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service signals that the agency is planning to lean heavily on states to help manage millions of acres of federal land. State officials and timber industry leaders say they’ve been given scant details about the plan to move the agency’s headquarters to Salt Lake City and close scores of research stations in dozens of states. While they wait for the dust to settle, they’re preparing for the Forest Service … to ask more of its partners under the new model. “The Forest Service itself is unable to uphold its mission and cannot alone manage the many challenges on these landscapes,” said Nick Smith, with the American Forest Resource Council. “The transition … is a recognition that partnerships are the future for the Forest Service.” But many forestry veterans fear the shake-up will cause more attrition… [Seeing the move to] Utah — a state whose leaders are often hostile to federal land ownership — as designed to undermine the Forest Service’s management of its lands.
Flathead National Forest officials have authorized an emergency logging and thinning project in the Salish Mountains near Lakeside, three miles west of Blacktail Mountain, with the aim of reducing wildland fire risk and improving forest health. The decision authorizes 2,823 acres of commercial vegetation treatment and construction of approximately 5.6 miles of temporary roads. Crews will use more than 67 miles of existing roads and haul routes. First proposed last October, the West Truman Project advanced quickly through the U.S. Forest Service’s environmental compliance process under a categorical exclusion, receiving final approval on April 14. Implementation of the project could begin “as early as fall 2027,” according to the decision and finding of applicability and no extraordinary circumstances (FANEC) signed by Swan Lake District Ranger Sarah Canepa. …The project would commercially thin 736 acres while using improvement cuts on 939 acres. It would treat 346 acres for shelterwood and 802 acres for seed tree.
Placerville, Calif., bears all the markers of a community at risk of a wildfire. The city’s rolling hillsides are dense with brush, which dries out during the hot summers. Older homes made of wood, which are more prone to igniting, are dotted throughout. …Local officials are trying to do something about it. The community is one of a handful 
A company building two of Canada’s largest wood pellet mills says it will rely on a steady diet of trees logged in forests recently burned by wildfires. Roughly five million trees will have to come down each year to feed the two northern Alberta mills, which Powerwood Canada Corp. plans to build near the communities of La Crête and High Level. The company claims that wildfires create nightmarish landscapes and that logging such forests as fast as possible is key to restoring their health. But scientists counter that burned forests are important for biodiversity and that aggressively logging them spells disaster for plants and animals that rely on burned landscapes to flourish. Powerwood CEO David Peters said that in addition to northern Alberta the company is eyeing other “brownfield” logging opportunities in British Columbia and in Eastern Canada due to the significant number of wildfires in recent years.
HAYWARD, Wis. – A new refinery planned for Hayward will convert wood into sustainable aviation fuel, using waste wood, such as scrap wood or invasive species. Hayward companies FutureWood and Johnson Timber Corporation will source and process the wood, while Synthec Fuels will handle the fuel refining process. President of FutureWood DJ Aderman says the facility will harness products not currently utilized in the forestry industry. “What’s really cool about this is we’re gonna use a lot of mill residuals. We’re gonna use a lot of products that we’re not currently using right now, unmerchable tops, species that have no or little value,” said Aderman. Last week, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed the Forestry Revitalization Act, which approved up to $120 million in tax credits for the $1.7 billion project. The legislation aims to bolster the forestry industry, which has seen major downturns due to mill closures in recent years.
…Hawaii Mars is one of two remaining Martin JRM-3 Mars water bombers. It flew cargo between Hawaii and the Pacific Islands during the Second World War and supported the Korean War with medical transport between Hawaii and California before transitioning to cargo operations. They were sold to a consortium of B.C. timber companies in 1958 and converted into the world’s largest water bombers to fight forest fires, carrying 27,000 litres per drop. Coulson Aviation bought them in 2007, marking the start of its fixed-wing air tanker operations for aerial wildfire support. Coulson retired its Mars water bombers in 2015.