Steelworkers applaud Ottawa’s new Buy Canadian procurement rules, which kicked in Tuesday. In other Business news: a BC Supreme Court judge signed off on wildly successful auction of Northern Pulp’s timberlands; BC assesses options for future of the Crofton pulp mill site; and US lumber mills highlight challenges along the Maine-Quebec border. Meanwhile: a new report says market realities do not support US self-sufficiency in lumber; Canadian forestry exports to the US hit new low; and US job growth slowed in November.
In other news: BC looks to wildfire fighting drones to deal with forest management and emergencies; the Nature Conservancy of Canada announced the largest private land conservation area in southeast BC; Trump’s Wildland Fire Service transformation creates unease; and the EU Deforestation Rule creates hurdles despite implementation delay. Meanwhile: fire tests confirm that not all fire-retardant wood treatments are reliable; and Japanese researchers created a new plant-based plastic that decomposes without forming microplastics.
Finally, the 2025 Catherine Lalonde Memorial Scholarships award winners are strong examples of academic excellence in wood innovation.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News Editor
CORVALLIS, Ore. – If mistletoe’s status as a nutrient-stealing freeloader has been cooling your holiday ardor, new research led by an Oregon State University scientist may help relight the fire. A survey of urban forests in seven western Oregon cities found no observable connection between mistletoe infestation and negative health outcomes for the trees it was parasitizing. So worry not: Your yuletide kissing tradition probably does not involve a tree killer. And as you’re setting concern aside, you might want to head outside. “This is the best time of year to look for mistletoe because there are no leaves on the trees,” said College of Forestry professor emeritus Dave Shaw, an OSU Extension Service forest health specialist. “Also, chances are it will be found in an oak tree – most other trees don’t get infested. So if you are looking for a kiss, keep an eye out for oaks.”
This infographic, released December 12, 2025, provides an overview of the lumber industry, showcasing key metrics and trends related to production, exports and price change. It highlights significant data points, illustrating the state of the market and offering insights into the current landscape of lumber in Canada.
The province has retained an external consultant with expertise in the pulp and paper sector to assess options for the Crofton mill site, B.C.’s Forest Minister Ravi Parmar told North Cowichan’s council during a meeting on Dec. 10. Parmar also discussed the possibility of a new owner acquiring the property to resume pulp and paper production, or repurposing the property for another industrial use, the municipality said in a statement. “Given the significant implications for our community, we have requested that North Cowichan be actively involved at all stages of this work and in any discussions or decisions related to the future of the site,” North Cowichan said. North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas said they are continuing to work with the provincial and federal governments to secure transition funding and support for the mill workers.
Forest Minister Ravi Parmar says proposed new zoning regulations in Nanaimo for heavy industries could have “extreme” consequences for a local pulp and power producer. …A motion by Nanaimo Coun. Paul Manly at a Nov. 17 meeting targets emission-intensive industries such as garbage and waste incineration facilities and chemical, petroleum and LNG plants. …“This is not anti-Harmac,” Manly said in an interview on Friday. …In a letter to Nanaimo’s mayor and council this week, Parmar said the motion sends the wrong signal at a time when the B.C. forest manufacturing industry is in a downward spiral. “This move could result in lost investment, confidence and assuredness in the local forest sector,” said Parmar, noting Harmac Pacific is a key driver of the local forest sector and a major employer in Nanaimo’s economy. “We need to be supporting our forestry operators, not punishing them. This motion is closer to the latter.”
Join industry, government, First Nations, and community leaders at the 2026 COFI Convention as we focus on rebuilding competitiveness and shaping a more resilient future for BC’s forest sector. British Columbia’s forest sector is at a crossroads — facing tough challenges, but also leading the way in solutions that matter most to our province: housing, wildfire resilience, reconciliation, and building a resilient provincial economy. At the 2026 COFI Convention, themed Forestry is a Solution, leaders from industry, government, First Nations, local government will come together to advance competitiveness and chart a strong, sustainable future for BC’s forest sector. Discounted hotel rates are nearly sold out, book now to secure conference pricing and guarantee your stay. April 8 – 10, 2026 | JW Marriott Parq in Vancouver
Gold River, BC — This has not been a good year for forestry as the industry continues to feel the pain from escalating tariffs, mill closures and job losses. But in Nootka Sound a First Nation is looking to a future where trees have a higher value staying in the ground. …the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation is looking at an entirely different economic approach to managing its territorial forests and waters in Nootka Sound. The First Nation’s Salmon Parks project aims to have 66,595 hectares, comprising approximately 20 per cent of its land territory, under a protected designation by 2030. The initiative strictly limits industrial activity within the Salmon Parks – particularly old growth logging – with hopes of eventually allowing nature to heal itself to the point that salmon runs rebound from the headwaters to the ocean. …As the project seeks an economic future, the Salmon Parks initiative is looking at the economic value of keeping trees standing by selling carbon credits. 
The University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship will host an online Professional Master’s Panel Discussion and Information Session on January 15, 2026 (10:00–11:00 am PST) via Zoom. The session is designed for prospective graduate students and professionals seeking to deepen technical expertise, strengthen leadership capabilities, and expand industry networks within forestry and environmental management fields. Representatives from four accelerated professional master’s programs will present and answer questions: the Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management, emphasizing geospatial technologies for natural resource planning; the Master of International Forestry, combining experiential learning with applied coursework; the Master of Sustainable Forest Management, focusing on professional land management; and the Master of Urban Forestry Leadership, an interdisciplinary program targeting urban forestry strategy and climate adaptation. Participants will engage directly with program directors, coordinators, and advising staff to assess fit and clarify admissions, curriculum, and career outcomes.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — 
WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two major bills for Washington state Tribes, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act, and the Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act. Both bills initiate the first step to return land back to the Tribes by transferring ownership from the federal government to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the benefit of the Tribes. [The bills were introduced into] legislation in April 2025. The bills now go to the Senate for consideration. “Today, we took an important step in upholding our treaty obligations by passing legislation to transfer land into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the Quinault Indian Nation,” said Rep. Randall. “I urge my colleagues in the Senate to quickly pass these two bills to ensure we meet our trust responsibilities to restore Tribal lands.”
A federal judge on Thursday vacated the U.S. Forest Service’s approval of a massive logging project [to harvest] about 16,500 acres of pine trees in the Custer Gallatin National Forest in southern Montana, just north of Yellowstone National Park. Senior U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula, Montana, agreed with a collective of environmental advocates that the U.S. Forest Service failed to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act by relying on a condition-based management approach, which doesn’t identify the location of the 56.8 miles of temporary roads for the project and, as such, doesn’t adequately consider their impact on “secure habitat” for grizzly bears. Condition-based management defers specific decisions on how to proceed until the Forest Service has conducted field reviews. Here, it means the Forest Service has preliminarily identified areas as suitable for logging without identifying the precise location and size of the area to be cleared…
Two meetings next week between U.S. Forest Service leadership and timber industry representatives in Southeast Alaska are raising concerns among tribal and other officials about the possibility a years-long revision of the management plan for the Tongass National Forest will be halted by the Trump administration. At least one additional meeting is now planned next week because of those concerns, scheduled next Friday in Juneau between Forest Service leaders and members of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, according to officials. A request to halt work on the revised plan is being made by the Alaska Forest Association, which states less than 10% of old-growth trees allotted to the timber industry in a 2016 revision of the plan have actually been authorized for harvest. The allocation of 430 million board feet (mmbf) was intended to support a 15-year industry transition to harvesting new-growth trees, according to AFA.
At its November 2025 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and the Prevention Manual. The amendments relate to