The UN’s 2026 edition of State of the World’s Forests calls for global action, as the threats to forests mount and the window for restoration narrows. In related news: IKEA looks to climate-smart forestry amid growing pressures; the BC Forest Professional magazine examines post-harvest burning; Utah reports its worst wildfire season since 2007; and the future of the US Roadless Rule remains under debate. Meanwhile: the 2026 Catherine Lalonde Memorial Scholarships are open for submissions; and a 1,289-year-old whitebark pine is the oldest on record.
In Business news: US-China agreement includes more hardwood lumber trade; Trump’s ban on $1B of Canadian imports takes effect; Canada appeals a US softwood lumber ruling; AV Nackawic workers prepare for the mill’s temporary closure; a work dies at Canfor’s Axis, Alabama mill; and paper manufacturing is returning to Chillicothe, Ohio. Meanwhile: BC’s export troubles began before the recent US tariffs; and Do it Best backs FEA’s PricePulse as an alternative to Random Lengths.
Finally, tomorrow marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. The Frogs will be honouring its significance, and will return Thursday.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News Editor
Prime Minister 
In an early loss for the Carney government, a federal court refused to strike down a climate lawsuit brought by Canadian youth. Justice Patrick Gleeson sided with the young people and the environmental advocates who are asking the court to hear what could be a landmark case on the federal government’s climate accountability legislation. The ruling means the environmentalists will likely get their day in court where both they and the government will get an opportunity to argue whether the Carney government must update its climate plan, formally known as the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. Back in June, three young people and two environmental groups launched a lawsuit asking the Federal Court to order Ottawa to amend its climate plan. Since the plan was first launched in 2022, the Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has eliminated key measures needed for Canada to achieve the 2030 target. 
Washington, D.C. — A steep decline in hardwood exports, the growing popularity of man-made wood alternatives and surging fuel prices have been battering the American hardwood lumber industry. In Kentucky, 78 wood industry facilities, mostly sawmills, have closed in the last four years, according to the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. The U.S. relationship with China has been a major source of the industry’s problems and a focus of proposals to address them. China once bought about half of U.S. hardwood exports, according to the Hardwood Federation. Then, eight years ago, President Donald Trump slapped tariffs on imports from China, and China retaliated with tariffs on hardwood and other American imports. The reciprocal tariffs were eventually rolled back, but China’s purchases of American hardwood never returned to their previous levels. …advocates are pushing for lawmakers to pass legislation for $12 billion in agriculture relief, including $200 million for the hardwood industry.
Fueled by supply chain interruptions due to war in the Middle East, diesel prices have reached historic highs in 2026, driving up operating costs across many industries and hiking prices for consumer goods. With narrow margins and significant volumes of feedstock to transport, biomass-to-energy facilities and wood pellet producers face a challenging financial equation. In August 2026, average U.S. diesel prices stood at $5.37 per gallon, according to AAA’s fuel price tracker. Supply chain disruptions due to conflict in the Middle East jumped significantly in 2026. U.S. Energy Information Association data has tracked this trend as diesel prices climbed from an average of $3.52 per gallon in January to $4.91 in March. Since then, prices spiked to $5.60 on average in May, rising to a crushing $6.31 national average by mid-September—an all-time record in the United States.
New housing starts in England rose sharply in the second quarter of 2026. This came even as the number of homes granted planning permission continued to decline, according to figures published Thursday by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Builders started work on 35,910 new dwellings between April and June. That was a seasonally adjusted 6% increase on the first quarter and 20% higher than the same period last year, the department’s “Housing Supply: Indicators of New Supply” release showed. Completions, however, fell to 35,800, down 3% quarter-on-quarter, though still 1% above a year earlier. Over the same period, permission was granted for 212,000 homes in the year to June 30. That was a 12% drop from the 242,000 approved a year earlier, according to provisional figures MHCLG compiled with contractor Glenigan. …MHCLG estimates 196,900 net additional homes were delivered in England in 2025-26. That was a 6% fall from the previous year. 
As architects and interior designers balance sustainability goals with the growing demand for human-centred spaces, biophilic design offers an opportunity to support both people and the planet. Research continues to demonstrate the measurable benefits of biophilic design with wood, including improvements in wellbeing, occupant satisfaction and overall user experience. Explore this toolkit of resources and discover how to create healthier, more inspiring spaces.
Work to increase the use of timber in construction in Ireland has entered the “next phase” with the first meeting of a group tasked with delivering on this government ambition taking place. …The group is responsible for delivering the seven priority recommendations from a report by the Timber in Construction Steering Group. 
MONTRÉAL — Domtar is proud to announce a $25,000 contribution to Indspire’s Building Brighter Futures: Bursaries and Scholarships program. Helping to remove financial barriers, the program supports First Nations, Inuit and Métis students across Canada to pursue and complete post-secondary education. “Education creates opportunity and strengthens communities,” said Luc Thériault, Domtar’s President – Canada and CEO, Pulp and Wood Products. “We’re proud to partner with Indspire to help Indigenous students achieve their educational goals and create pathways to rewarding careers.” …Domtar’s contribution will be matched by the Government of Canada, doubling the impact of the donation and bringing the total value of support for Indigenous students to $50,000. …Indspire is a national Indigenous charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. …Domtar has previously supported Indigenous students through Indspire’s Building Brighter Futures program, including students pursuing forestry and forestry-related studies.
Okanagan backcountry patrols are still turning up campfires burning without anyone around, weeks after campfire restrictions were eased across the region. Kane Blake, founder of the Okanagan Forest Task Force, says volunteers have discovered multiple campfires over the past several weeks that were left burning with no one present to monitor them. …Under B.C.’s Wildfire Regulation, a Category 1 campfire must be watched and patrolled while it is burning. The person responsible must maintain a fuel break around the fire and have either at least one firefighting hand tool or eight litres of water available. Leaving a fire unattended can also result in enforcement under the Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation. B.C.’s current listed fines include $1,150 for lighting, fuelling or using a fire against regulations. For the Okanagan Forest Task Force, Blake says the goal is also to educate younger generations about safely enjoying the backcountry.
Mission’s forestry department reported a net loss of $234,506 in the second quarter of 2026, but is expected to be profitable by the end of the year. According to the department’s quarterly report from the September 21 council agenda, market uncertainty led to lower volumes harvested during the quarter. The department reported a net profit of $301,844 in the second quarter of last year and projected a net profit of $733,511 for Q2 of 2026. However, the department released just 39 per cent of its budgeted volume to date because market uncertainty. “Continued challenges exist in the timber market. In addition to tariffs from the United States, fuel prices have increased substantially in 2026, which has impacted shipping costs,” the report reads. The report highlights trade friction with the United States as “one big challenge” moving forward, but also notes reasons for optimism for the remainder of 2026 and beyond.
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The decisions made in a forest today will shape it for generations. Making those decisions well requires shared knowledge, strong relationships and an understanding of the priorities of the communities connected to the land. …In the Williams Lake region, the National Forest Week vision is being put into practice through a partnership between West Fraser and the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (SXFN). Together, West Fraser and SXFN are demonstrating how collaboration can advance local forest stewardship through shared learning, skills development and a commitment to responsible land management. “Good forest management starts with understanding the ecosystem and managing for resiliency over generations,” said Chad Swanson, West Fraser’s Chief Forester for British Columbia. “Working collaboratively with Indigenous Nations in the areas where we operate allows us to incorporate important knowledge and perspectives about the land and combine them with forestry science. Together, these insights help us make informed decisions that support healthy, resilient forests.”
The University of British Columbia and the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance (LFFA) have signed a memorandum of collaboration to strengthen their partnership on fisheries conservation and research, resource management, and environmental stewardship in S’ólh Téméxw. The traditional and shared territory of the Stó:lō people spans the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser Canyon region of B.C. The agreement formalizes a long-standing research relationship between the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (FES), the Faculty of Science, the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) and the LFFA, a First Nations-led organization that advances the collective fisheries interests of 24 Lower Fraser First Nations. The partnership provides a framework for collaboration on a number of areas including strengthening work on long-term fisheries conservation including the health and sustainability of fisheries, aquatic resources and their habitats, with particular attention to the management of Fraser River fish. 
Officially known as “inventoried roadless areas,” roadless areas are protected under a federal rule enacted 25 years ago that generally prohibits logging and road-building. In Montana they cover about one-third of the state’s 17 million acres of public land administered by the U.S. Forest Service. …The original intent of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, in part, was to curb the spread of roads and development into the agency’s wildest landscapes. It was also a recognition that the Forest Service’s sprawling road network — today comprising 368,000 miles — was already beyond its capacity to maintain. …President Donald Trump’s administration announced last summer it would move to rescind that roadless rule, effectively returning those lands to the land-use designations established by each individual national forest. Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service, released a 
PORTLAND — Sustainable Northwest (
Vermont utility regulators are temporarily softening environmental rules at Vermont’s two wood-burning power plants to help stabilize the logging industry. State officials say the $2.3 billion wood products industry is in a perilous situation after one of the region’s largest paper mills announced in July it will no longer purchase local wood scraps to make its paper. The rule change, announced earlier this month, will allow McNeil Generating Station in Burlington and Ryegate Power Station in the Northeast Kingdom to buy wood that had been destined for that paper mill, even if it comes from timber harvests that have not been inspected by fish and wildlife officials for impacts to wetlands and habitat for endangered species. The Finch Paper Mill in Glens Falls, New York, used to buy some 2,000 tons of “pulpwood” scraps from Vermont loggers and mills each week before its July announcement.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has completed aerial seeding via helicopter to disperse jack pine, white pine, tamarack and black spruce seeds on 
In an interview with The Ethical Corporation, Inter-IKEA Group’s global head of forestry Mikhail Tarasov pointed to biodiversity loss as one of the biggest threats to the world’s forests. Competition for forest resources and accelerating climate change, which is driving wildfires and the spread of pests and disease, add to the challenge for IKEA. The company, which processed 14.7 million cubic metres of round wood for its products last year, is one of the world’s largest consumers of timber, most of it sourced from Europe. That figure, however, represents a 30% reduction in its consumption since 2019, in part by recycling and reusing wood in its products. IKEA is working to promote better forest management so that decisions on the harvesting of trees take account of local conditions, and combine management with protection and regeneration. The different IKEA entities own over 500,000 hectares of forest. Tarasov’s group is piloting “climate smart” forestry on 16,000 hectares in Latvia.
Taking the stage at Climate Week in New York City, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his authorization to move forward with linking Washington into its carbon market that’s shared with Quebec, Canada, the next-to-last step in California’s process to complete the merger. On the same day, Washington state officials completed the rulemaking process to allow the linkage. California and Quebec will still need to complete regulatory changes, the final step, before merging can occur. In June, the three jurisdictions signed a linkage agreement to fully join operations in 2027. Washington hopes that joining the older and well-established carbon market will stabilize prices for businesses, which have swung wildly in recent years on the state’s 5-year-old market. …For more than a decade, California’s carbon market has sought to cut climate pollution by setting a cap on greenhouse gas emissions and requiring major polluters to buy allowances to cover their share of emissions. In 2014, its market linked with Quebec. 
During the Wood Pellet Association of Canada 2026 Conference in Victoria, B.C., the Emerging Competition & Market Dynamics panel discussion focused on the global wood pellet market and how it is entering a period of rapid change and intensifying competition. …the panel was comprised of Hannah Adler, Argus Media; William Strauss, FutureMetrics; Manolis Karampinis, Bioenergy Europe; and Didzis Palejs, Latvian Biomass Association. The panel addressed the potential for long-term oversupply in the wood pellet market caused by the expected reduction in demand from the Drax Group’s power station in the U.K. …While the wood pellet sector is expected to go through a few rough years, Strauss believes the future for the sector remains bright. …While Japan remains a key customer of wood pellets for Canada, Adler said that demand has slowed down with the phasing out of the Feed-in-Tariff and Feed-in-Premium schemes.
The wildfires that have raged across Oregon and Washington this year burned millions of acres. But beyond the immediate destruction, the fires have destroyed something less visible: tens of millions of dollars in California carbon credits, paid for by businesses and consumers under the state’s climate mandates. The fires have scorched tens of thousands of acres enrolled in forest-carbon projects under California’s cap-and-trade program. The system allows companies to meet part of the state’s climate rules by purchasing credits from forest owners… sometimes outside of the state. The destruction is the latest evidence that California’s forest-offset program is ineffective at best, counterproductive at worst. …California has tried to account for wildfire risks by establishing a “buffer pool,” to which each project is required to contribute as a kind of insurance policy. When a fire destroys a forest-carbon project, credits from the pool are canceled to cover the loss. But this approach has proven inadequate. 
The global fiber industry is navigating a challenging market environment, shaped by changing demand, competitive pressures and the need to continually adapt. How can producers strengthen their competitive position — and where will future growth come from? At CELCO 2026, Christian Skilich, Chief Pulp & Chief Technology Officer at Lenzing Group, will share Lenzing’s perspective on the evolution of the fiber market, the importance of innovation in maintaining competitiveness, and the company’s strategy for future growth. In his presentation on Competitiveness, Innovation & the Future of Fiber, Christian will examine the close relationship between competitiveness and innovation, offering attendees a practical look at how one of the industry’s major producers is positioning itself for the next phase of the market. He will explore how the fiber market has developed in recent years, why innovation is critical in responding to today’s challenging market environment and Lenzing’s new strategy and its priorities for the years ahead. 
Aden Pellet Enerji, a subsidiary of Pasifik Holding, has completed an export shipment of 3,375 tonnes of Green Planet branded wood pellets from its production facility in Giresun’s Espiye district, dispatched via 125 containers through Giresun Port to buyers across the European Union and the United Kingdom, with Italy and Slovenia identified as primary destinations. The shipment forms part of an ongoing export programme rather than a standalone transaction, with Pasifik Holding indicating that Aden Pellet’s international commercial operations continue on an established basis. This positions the company within Turkey’s growing wood pellet export sector, which has increasingly targeted European biomass markets as demand for solid biofuel continues to be shaped by EU renewable energy directives and member states’ efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for heating and power generation.
From training young and new workers to managing roadside risks and small business safety, the fall issue of WorkSafe Magazine shares practical guidance to help employers and workers create safer, healthier workplaces. Alongside feature stories, you’ll find information on small business, volunteer fire departments, upcoming conferences.