The resignation of Chrystia Freeland adds to Canada’s political and economic uncertainty (as US tariffs loom). In related news: housing takes centre stage in Canada’s Fall Statement; and FPAC bemoans the lack of investment tax credits. In other Business news: COFI’s Linda Coady says BC needs action on existing NDP commitments; Weyerhaeuser is sued over pension plan transfer; BC’s Sunder Timber acquires Great Western Lumber; and ResourceWise’s five predictions for 2025.
In Forestry News: the US will combat demand-driven illegal deforestation; a new poll says Canadians back forestry protections; BC commits to reforestation despite declining harvest; Bruce Blackwell on BC’s Stanley Park forest management project; herbicides can change wildfire behaviour; shrubs can help recovery after fire; and the known unknowns of the climate crisis.
Finally, don’t miss tonight’s talk by Don Pigott on the “seedy business” of BC’s seed supply.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
The BC Forest History Association is thrilled to welcome Don Pigott as our December Speaker Series guest! Don will share his expertise on the evolution of cone collection in British Columbia over the past century. With 50 years of experience, he’ll also highlight some of the seed-related projects that have shaped his career and the field of forestry. No forester is too young, old, inexperienced, or seasoned to learn something from Don!
About the Speaker: Don Pigott’s career spans decades of groundbreaking work in forestry and silviculture. During his 13 years at MacMillan Bloedel, he managed seed supply for reforestation, established seed orchards, and oversaw operational tree improvement programs. In 1982, Don founded Yellow Point Propagation Ltd., a private silviculture company providing comprehensive services, including cone and seed processing, and consulting for forestry projects across North America and Europe. For the past 16 years, Yellow Point Propagation has focused on gene conservation for whitebark pine, limber pine, alpine larch, and numerous other species, further cementing Don’s legacy as a pioneer in forestry innovation. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an expert with unparalleled insights into forestry’s past, present, and future.
Vancouver, BC – Canfor Corporation announced that it has acquired 7% of outstanding shares of VIDA AB effective today. The shares were acquired from certain minority shareholders utilizing their option privileges under the February 2019 agreement in which Canfor purchased 70% of VIDA AB, Sweden’s largest privately owned sawmill company. After concluding this transaction, Canfor owns 77% of VIDA AB. [END]
LEESBURG, VA. – The American Wood Council (AWC), International Code Council and WoodWorks have joined together to release an updated version of the free app to calculate maximum allowable heights and areas for buildings of various occupancy classifications and types of construction. The 
A material that’s been around since people built shelters – wood – is increasingly being proposed for low- and mid-rise buildings. Companies behind these “mass timber” projects say that wood is a lower-carbon alternative to steel or concrete and brings other benefits, such as faster construction time and lower cost than concrete and steel. Advocates say the wood materials, made of compressed layers of wood with glue, offer good fire safety as well. As an economist who studies forestry and natural resources, I took an interest in this building trend when I heard that a local bar on campus was going to be replaced by a 13-story building made out of wood. I see any increase in the use of wood in buildings as positive for reducing the substantial carbon footprint of buildings. But it is critical to consider where wood is sourced and whether forests are managed sustainably.
Through a partnership with FSC Canada, FSC US, FSC International and the 
Nelson forestry advocate, Joe Karthein is pushing for greater protection of ancient forests in the Selkirk Mountains, calling for more designated protected areas. Founder of the Save What’s Left Conservation Society, he is leading a campaign and petition to implement legislation to improve the province’s forest management model. One initiative focuses on transferring land known as Duncan Lake Ancient Cedars, north of Kaslo, into a provincial park system. “We are lobbying to have a grove of ancient trees located north of Kaslo permanently protected by moving 531 hectares from the Forest Service and into the parks system,” he said. Adding that conserving land from resource extraction is essential for preserving biodiversity. “An ecosystem won’t thrive completely surrounded by incessant industrial activity,” said Karthein. His petition notes that while the oldest forests in the area are not currently threatened by logging, nearby areas are at risk and need protection. 
Squamish-based FireSwarm Solutions Inc., a startup that develops autonomous drone technology for wildfire management, announced it has $500,000 in funding from the BC Centre for Innovation & Clean Energy (CICE). CICE is an independent not-for-profit corporation that funds “clean energy innovators.” Other past projects it has invested in include the electrification of snow plows and funding for a company that aims to make lithium battery manufacturing cleaner, among others. In the spring, CICE put out a call to companies developing “ground-breaking solutions to better manage and mitigate the growing threat of wildfire.” They awarded $3 million to six of the 74 companies that applied for the 2024 Wildfire Tech Call for Innovation, including FireSwarm Solutions. CICE claims this is Canada’s first-ever funding opportunity for wildfire technologies. The $500,000 will speed FireSwarm’s deployment of long-endurance, heavy-lift autonomous drone swarms to detect, map, and suppress wildfires.
KALISPELL, Mont. — The Flathead National Forest and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation are working together to reduce wildfire risk through the Jackknife Project. The project is made possible by the Good Neighbor Authority, which allows the two agencies to plan and coordinate forest management projects. A Eureka company, Stoken Logging will harvest about 800 trees per acre and will leave about 100 to 250 trees per acre as part of a timber sale. The project spans over 1,000 acres on Good Creek Road and the harvest will allow residual trees to have more access to light water and nutrients. The reduction in trees will reduce the ability of wildfires to reach the top of trees, known as a crown fires.
Scrap wood fibre in the Rainy River district could get a new life, thanks to a partnership working towards a green fuel production facility. Ten First Nations in the Rainy River District near Fort Frances have joined forces to create ground-breaking Wanagekong-Biiwega’iganan Clean Energy Corporation (WBCEC). In partnership with Highbury Energy Inc., a Vancouver-based clean energy innovator, the initiative aims to transform wood waste—including bark, sawdust, and logging debris—into low-carbon transportation fuels. …The corporation is currently engaging with industry stakeholders such as Boundary Waters Forest Management Corporation, West Fraser OSB, Manitou Forest Products, Nickel Lake Lumber, and Resolute Forest Products (Sapawe Sawmill) to secure local wood waste as feedstock for a proposed biorefinery in Fort Frances. …This initiative aligns with similar projects Highbury Energy is involved in, including one in British Columbia to replace natural gas with a clean renewable fuel gas in a pulp mill lime-kiln.
Renewables are currently expected to account for 23% of U.S. electricity generation this year, increasing to 25% in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released Dec. 10. Renewables accounted for 22% of U.S. electricity generation last year. Biomass is currently expected to account for 2.18% of U.S. renewable electricity generation this year, falling to 2% next year. Biomass accounted for 2.44% of renewable electricity generation in 2023. According to the EIA, biomass is expected to be used to generate 20.6 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity in 2024, increasing to 21.1 billion kWh in 2025. Biomass generation was at 21.4 billion kWh in 2023.
At its May 2024 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments pertaining to Emergency Planning in Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. These amendments will come into effect on February 3, 2025. Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation sets out the requirements for emergency planning relating to hazardous substances. On February 3, 2025, amendments to these requirements will come into effect, to provide additional clarity and to further reduce risk to workers and other people posed by emergencies involving hazardous substances. This resource provides an overview of the changes to help affected employers prepare for the new requirements. OHS Guidelines are also being developed to provide additional support for employers; these guidelines will be available on February 3.
OTTAWA, ON – In 2023, Nova Scotia experienced one of its worst wildfire seasons, leading to extensive damage to residences, small businesses, farms, municipalities, and provincial sites, and the evacuation of more than 16,000 people. Just over a month later, the province experienced extreme rainfall that led to the worst flooding the province has experienced in 50 years. This follows the significant damage to public and private infrastructure and prolonged power outages caused by storm Dorian across the province in 2019. The Government of Canada, announced payments of almost $67 million to Nova Scotia through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program, to assist with response and recovery costs associated with the wildfires in 2023, the extreme rainfall and flooding in summer 2023, and storm Dorian in 2019.