The Canadian government has launched its legal challenge on softwood duties one day after the US finalized its anti-dumping and countervailing duty rates (with slight reductions). Meanwhile, Les Leyne writes about the threat of paper duties on BC’s coastal mills; Don Burnell says online Christmas sales were good news for Washington’s packaging and papermakers; and Russ Taylor forecasts higher lumber prices due to a shortage of North American softwood capacity.

In Forestry news: Nova Scotia environmentalists say clearcutting is destroying bird nests; forest officials in Oregon have authorized some harvesting to reduce the risk of wildfires; and DNA sequencing may have found a solution to the fatal white nose syndrome in bats.

In Product news: timber high-rises are an architectural trend in Australia and Germany, and Ontario is responding with code guidance for using mass timber, while the Mixed Concrete Association is stuck on fear-mongering about fire.

Finally, is tree water really organic?

— Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor