Category Archives: Forestry

Forestry

Why Canada’s wildland firefighters aren’t officially considered firefighters

By Jess Winter
The Globe and Mail
June 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

For two decades, Harold Larson helped battle wildfires across BC, Alberta, the US, often working shoulder-to-shoulder with structural firefighters. But at every one of those fires where he and his crew risked their safety alongside their municipal colleagues, there was one perplexing difference: According to the federal government, Mr. Larson was not classified as a firefighter at all. …It’s a holdover from wildland firefighting’s early decades, when the job wasn’t to protect homes, towns and lives – it was to protect timber values as part of the country’s forestry industry. …Canada’s wildland firefighters are seeking to join their municipal counterparts, a cause most recently championed by Vancouver Island MP Gord Johns. …As fire seasons continue to worsen, Mr. Larson said this only underscores the need for Ottawa to recognize that both structural and wildland firefighters are equally important when it comes to keeping people and communities safe. [to access the full story a Globe & Mail subscription is required]

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Canada’s aerial wildfire-fighting plan is a start — but it is not yet a strategy

By John Gradek, faculty lecturer at McGill University
The Conversation Canada
June 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

The Canadian government recently announced that it will lease a fleet of 10 firefighting aircraft and other support assets to be deployed for the 2026 wildfire season. The plan will see these 10 leased aircraft being managed by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre deployed strategically across the country and made available to provinces as they face intense wildfires. …This announcement follows the government’s fall 2025 budget announcement of a $316.7-million investment in Canada’s aerial wildfire-fighting capacity — an announcement that acknowledged a growing national challenge. …Canada’s wildfire aviation system remains fundamentally decentralized. What Canada lacks is a clearly defined national aerial response framework. That framework should establish how federally-funded aircraft are deployed, how they are prioritized when multiple provinces face simultaneous fires, and how they integrate with the emerging detection technologies — including satellite monitoring and long-endurance drones — that can identify fires earlier than ever before.

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Project Learning Tree Canada announces renewed green jobs funding to support youth

Project Learning Tree Canada
June 5, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) announced renewed funding for its Green Jobs program, providing support to employers hiring youth aged 15-30 in Canada’s forest and conservation sector.  Through continued support from the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy and key partners, PLT Canada will deliver both short-term job placements and long-term internships, helping young people gain hands-on experience while building pathways into meaningful green careers. Short-Term Green Jobs, supported with funding from Parks Canada, are positions within the forest, parks, and conservation sector and can run for 4-16 weeks. Long-Term Internships, delivered with funding from Natural Resources Canada’s Science and Technology Internship Program, are positions in the natural resource sector and STEM fields and can run 16-48 weeks. This renewed funding is thanks to the Government of Canada’s recent announcement.

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Canadian Forest Fires Are Losing Their Climate Cooling Power

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
June 1, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, International

The natural cooling effect of snow in northern forests following forest fires is rapidly diminishing. As a result, a fragile climate equilibrium threatens to disappear, potentially leading to additional warming in one of the most climate-sensitive regions on Earth. This is the conclusion of new research by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. …After a forest fire, the landscape in northern regions often remains open and covered with snow for a long time. This snow reflects a great deal of sunlight and makes the Earth’s surface brighter—an effect known as snow albedo. For years, this compensated for part of the warming caused by CO2 emissions from forest fires. [The study found] that the cooling effect of snow has decreased by nearly 30 percent since the 1960s. Whereas in the past almost half of Canadian forest fires eventually reached natural climate equilibrium …this now applies to only about one in four or five fires.

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Forestry practices must be changed

Letter by Bruce Coates, president, Nature Cowichan
Cowichan Valley Citizen
June 6, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Honourable Ravi Parmar: Nature Cowichan is focused on education and conservation. We are one of about 70 naturalist groups in the province under the umbrella of BC Nature. …Our membership is a sample of the concerned citizens — concerned about the state of our forest industry. Last month, our local newspaper ran an open letter to you suggesting that you and your staff read Suzanne Simard’s latest book: When the Forest Breathes. Also last month, Creatively United ran an excellent webinar “Balancing Nature Needs with Fire Protection at Home and in Our Forests”. …I hope you are aware of THE NEW FORESTRY ACT PROJECT, and I hope you will take note that we want to see a change to what the word FORESTRY means. …On May 15, we read that $12.4 million dollars is coming to B.C. from the federal government… This is the opportunity to incorporate some ecology-based innovations into the forestry industry.

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Rain lowers wildfire risk in B.C. and brings ‘reprieve from the dryness’

By Jan Schuermann
City News Everywhere
June 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The rain this weekend … has certainly reduced the fire danger rating in B.C. The precipitation, even though it varied in different regions, was widespread throughout the province. According to Taylor Colman, fire information officer at the BC Wildfire Service, the rain lowered the fire rating from high and extreme to moderate in Chilcotin, the Peace Region, the South Thompson, and the Fraser Canyon. “The rain rehydrated those lighter forest fuels such as grasses, needles, brush, anything on the surface layer of the forest floor and then the duration and the amount was enough to penetrate into the deeper layers of the forest floor as well,” Colman explained. “… so that reduced the fire danger rating in those areas of concern.” …There are currently 16 active wildfires in B.C.

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The BC Community Forest Association Wraps Up its Sold-Out Conference in Vernon

The BC Community Forest Association
June 8, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Vernon, B.C. – The BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) hosted its Conference and Annual General Meeting in Vernon last week with a completely sold-out event. The three-day gathering brought together community forest leaders, First Nations partners, industry representatives, and supporters from across the province to connect and explore the challenges and opportunities of community forestry in the years ahead. …During the event, the Nakusp and Area Community Forest (NACFOR) was recognized for outstanding leadership in community forestry, receiving the 2026 Robin Hood Memorial Award for Excellence in Community Forestry. Additionally, the Forest Enhancement Society of BC presented its inaugural Community Forest Project of the Year Award to the Kaslo & District Community Forest Society for its Jimi Crack Corn wildfire risk reduction project. …This annual gathering also provided valuable opportunities for networking, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among community forests, government representatives, forestry professionals, researchers, and partner organizations.

Additional daily coverage is available on the BC Community Forest Assn Facebook page.

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Not the Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest: The Story Behind Community Forestry’s Highest Honour

Tree Frog Forestry News
June 8, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

When BC’s community forestry leaders gather each year, one of the sector’s highest honours is the Robin Hood Memorial Award for Excellence in Community Forestry. Established in 2016, the award recognizes the community forest that best exemplifies the values of British Columbia’s community forestry program—leadership, innovation, local economic opportunity, stewardship, and a passion for community forestry. The award is presented jointly by the BC Community Forest Association and the Ministry of Forests. Recipients receive provincial recognition and a $10,000 grant in support of their work.

The award is named after Robin Hood—not the legendary outlaw of Sherwood Forest, but a respected British Columbia forester, woodlot operator, and early champion of the community forestry movement. Hood was deeply involved in both the woodlot and community forest sectors and was widely admired for his belief in local stewardship, long-term thinking, and the connection between healthy forests and healthy communities. Colleagues remember him as a principled advocate, known for his integrity, humility, technical expertise, and quiet leadership.

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Hélène Marcoux inspires community forests conference with keynote address

By BC Community Forest Association
Facebook
June 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

On Day 2 of the 2026 BCCFA Conference and AGM we heard from Hélène Marcoux from the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest as our keynote speaker. Hélène’s engaging and energizing talk focused on strengthening public understanding of forestry. With inspiring ideas for engagement, her key theme was “lean into stories, be real, be vulnerable, and don’t use so many acronyms.” At the research forest, near Maple Ridge, they have many different programs and initiatives that education the public and bring people to the forest for tours, talks, and events. They have fostered incredible partnerships and opportunities for diversification. Thank you to Hélène for sharing your ideas and inspiring us to continue our work with impactful community engagement.

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Supporting wood-waste innovation in the Kootenays

Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth
Government of British Columbia
June 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

CRESTON, BC — A Kootenay-based project is receiving provincial funding to convert forestry waste into a soil supplement, benefiting agriculture and forestry sectors. …Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, said “By turning wood waste into valuable new products, this project is creating jobs, supporting local businesses and helping build a stronger future for the community.” …Through the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP), the Province is providing approximately $182,000 to Wildsight to support its Fire for Healthy Soils project in Creston. The funding supports a pilot project to convert wood waste into biochar, which is a stable, carbon-rich form of charcoal produced by heating organic waste in a low-oxygen environment. …The provincial investment will support Wildsight, the Creston Community Forest and the Regional District of Central Kootenay to collaboratively pilot a biochar business project using low-cost kiln technology.

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BC’s community forest leaders and supporters meet in Vernon

By BC Community Forest Association
Facebook
June 3, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Day 1 of the 2026 BCCFA Conference and AGM was a success! Hosted in Vernon, BC this year, the Monashee Community Forest were our welcoming hosts. Monashee CF is a partnership between the Village of Lumby and the Splatsin First Nation. Day 1 included a field tour on the Monashee CF above Lumby, BC, to showcase their Silvopasture work. Silvopasture is a forestry management practice that combines multiple values to achieve a few different objectives. The area that MCF showed us created grazing pasture for cattle, and integrated wildfire risk reduction for the community of Lumby. The treated area also supports good recreation opportunities. We heard from Kyle Runzer, Nick Barry, Frank Joe, Courtney Strassburger, and Nicole Williams from the Splatsin First Nation, Trish Balcaen from Coldstream Ranch, Rick Fairbairn (Area D RDNO Director), and Rob Dinwoodie, an agriculture consultant.

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How Kakisa, Northwest Territories, is making a fire break part of its plan to grow more food

By Sarah St-Pierre
CBC News
June 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

@Wiki

When a wildfire reached Kakisa in 2014, burning around the community on two sides and along its access road, it decimated many berry bushes that grew in the area. Now, the N.W.T.’s smallest community is using one of the fire breaks protecting it from future wildfires to bring back those berries — and closer to home. “If it’s going be always there, why not plant berries,” said Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation Chief Lloyd Chicot. “Rather than just taking all the trees down and leaving it there.” The berry patch is a pilot project involving the First Nation and a team of researchers from Wilfrid Laurier University who have been working with the community of just under 40 people for 13 years. Planted in 2024, some of the berry plants gave their first modest yield last summer. They complement some of the community’s other efforts to grow more food in a place where the closest grocery store is nearly 70 kilometres away. 

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Kelowna tops insurance company list of Canadian cities at risk from wildfires in 2026

By Cindy White
Castanet
June 3, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Kelowna has topped the list of Canadian cities most at risk from wildfires in 2026, according to a report from a Toronto-based online insurance company. Using data from Natural Resources Canada’s recently upgraded Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, MyChoice said Kelowna has a wildfire Risk Index score of 6.8/10. It was the only city to get a “very high” rating on the MyChoice Canada’s 2026 wildfire risk map. ​“While Prairie cities recorded more severe forecast fire weather conditions, Kelowna’s extremely high community exposure, driven by dense wildland-urban interface development, surrounding forest fuel, and historical wildfire activity, pushed it to the top overall,” said MyChoice in its annual wildfire study. ​To calculate the wildfire risk index, MYChoice gave equal weight to two factors: Forecast fire weather severity and community exposure.

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Planting 125 million more trees in B.C.

By Ministry of Forests
Government of British Columbia
June 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Province is investing $155 million toward reforestation programs to plant more than 125 million trees throughout BC. The funding, which also includes investments from the federal government, will deliver both large-scale reforestation and targeted projects that restore critical habitats, conserve biodiversity and support wildfire recovery. “Since 2017, we’ve invested in planting 400 million trees in B.C. Now, we’re adding 125 million more,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “As we head into the Council of Canadian Forest Ministers Conference, hosted right here at home, we’re showing how B.C. continues to lead not only in forestry, but in reforestation and restoration. The Province’s reforestation investments will support: more than $56 million for reforestation, more than $1 million for B.C.’s Riparian Recovery Project, and more than $99 million for large-scale reforestation through the BC Forest Investment Program. …B.C. has secured more than $200 million in federal funding for reforestation and habitat restoration initiatives in British Columbia…

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Resources to support client conversations about sourcing wood from British Columbia

naturally:wood
June 3, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Professionals in the built environment are increasingly being asked where their materials come from and how they’re sourced. To support these conversations, naturally:wood has two new resources focused on explaining forest management practices in British Columbia (B.C.).

From forest to form factsheet
Did you know just 0.3% of B.C.’s public forest land is harvested each year, while 63% of B.C.’s forests will never beharvested? And that 64% of B.C.’s forests are certified, accounting for 6.3% of the world’s certified forests? This overview uses data points like these to support conversations about sustainability, certifications and sourcing.

Video featuring the Chief Forester of B.C.
An authoritative perspective on how forest management decisions are made from the independent decision-maker responsible for long-term sustainable stewardship of Crown forest lands.

These resources are designed to equip architects, engineers and construction professionals with credible, evidence-based information they can confidently share with clients.

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Forest Grove hosting meeting on New Forest Act proposal

By Patrick Davies
The 100 Mile Free Press
June 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

…Searching online, South Cariboo resident and retired silviculturist Will van Osch came across the New Forest Act proposal, which has been developed by the Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society. The BFWSS is a non-profit society that advocates for economically sustainable forestry practices to help prevent environmental disasters caused by deforestation and climate change. …Van Osch said the New Forest Act, which has been developed by project lead Jennifer Houghton, an independent forestry analyst, spoke to him. The proposed act calls for B.C. to adopt a truly sustainable forestry model that will benefit future generations, while protecting local decision-making power. After reading her proposal, van Osch reached out to Houghton and invited her to come to the South Cariboo and give a presentation on her ideas. She agreed and is now set to host a meeting at the Forest Grove Community Hall on Monday, June 8, at 7 p.m.

Related coverage in the Keremeos Review, by Brennan Phillips: Citizen-led forestry plan presentation coming to Penticton

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Chipping instead of burning: Sun Peaks and Thompson Rivers University test low-carbon fuel management

Thompson Rivers University
June 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality is trying a new approach to reduce wildfire risk in the forests surrounding the community — and Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is right in the middle of it. Instead of piling leftover wood and brush from fuel-reduction treatments and burning it when conditions allow, crews are now chipping and mulching the debris and spreading it in a thin layer across the forest floor to decompose naturally. The pilot project, funded by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC since 2023, aims to … improve the long-term health of these high-elevation forests. “This project shows what can be done when municipalities, universities and the private sector get together to come up with innovative ideas to address current and future wildfire risks to communities,” says John Karakatsoulis, TRU Faculty of Science. …Forsite Consultants Ltd. (Barr GeoSpatial Solutions Company), has been working with Sun Peaks to find alternatives as the burning window shrinks every year. 

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Yukon government expanding all-season timber harvest opportunities

The Government of Yukon
June 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The Government of Yukon is taking steps to expand all-season timber harvesting opportunities across the territory and improve access for Yukon harvesters. The Department of Energy, Mines and Resources has reviewed existing timber harvest plans to identify areas where additional summer and all-season harvesting may be possible. There are currently summer harvesting opportunities available in most forest management districts. …The Government of Yukon is also working with the Yukon Wood Products Association to provide and subsidize pre-harvest migratory bird survey training for harvesters to support additional summer operations. …The Government of Yukon will continue working with First Nations, industry and the Yukon Wood Products Association to develop new timber harvesting projects and support existing operations throughout the territory.

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Forests Canada and Algonquin College students lead regreening effort in provincial park

By Bill Steer
Elliotlake Today
June 6, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

Funding for replanting harvested Crown forests in Ontario depends heavily on how much wood is cut, foresters say, creating challenges for renewal efforts during market downturns and reduced harvest levels. Back Roads Bill explores regreening efforts and issues surrounding it. …The forest sector has been a lifeline for communities across the country and an important pillar of Canada’s economy. In the face of unjust U.S. trade measures and climate goals, Canada’s forest industry is pivoting from traditional lumber toward a bioeconomy. It was on February 26 of this year that the federal government took decisive action with a massive $500-million transformation fund. This will support the forest sector, protect workers and their jobs, and give companies the stability they need to weather short-term shocks and retool for a stronger, more diversified future. …A couple of other things though. Our forests are well managed. And we need trees and therefore tree planting.

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Montreal weather: SOPFEU’s puppet master videos catching on like wildfire

The Montreal Gazette
June 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

Why is the human lady angry? Because she’s tired of repeating the same old fire-safety rules. Stop all that business with open fires in the forest, burning garbage and tossing lit cigarette butts, SOPFEU says — and it’s saying it with puppets. A new series of videos by Quebec’s wildfire prevention organization feature a campfire with googly eyes, a pigheaded smoker and young squirrels asking their dad why the human lady is angry: “Because she’s tired of repeating” the same old fire-safety rules. The tagline is, “Hey, if they don’t get it with puppets …” 

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Spruce budworm’s knocking at Nova Scotia’s door; threatening worse wildfires and rekindling debates over whether to spray

By Aaron Beswick
The Chronicle Herald
June 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

©NRCan

…spruce budworm outbreaks affect most of Nova Scotia’s softwood forests. And [after a massive outbreak in 1979] it’s back. Quebec’s boreal forest is being ravaged. New Brunswick is trying to hold the line at its northern border with a spray program. Newfoundland is being hit, too. Pheromone traps around the highlands have shown a sharp increase this spring … the population is expected to explode. The return raises questions that are getting very different answers from different corners of this province: Do we interfere in a natural process by aerial spraying? Can we live with the consequences if we don’t? And even if we try, will it work? The Department of Natural Resources is starting an aerial spray program of the insecticide BTK next week. Parks Canada has refused them permission to spray within Cape Breton Highlands National Park… The federal policy will create a massive host population that may impede the province’s efforts.

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Ontario budgets just $150M for wildfires despite burning through almost double last year

By Cloe Logan
National Observer
June 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

In 2025’s budget, Ontario allotted $135 million for its Emergency Forest Firefighting fund, which Firefighter Noah Freedman describes as money that “keeps the lights on.” The province ended up spending double that: $271 million, according to this year’s budget. But that same document penciled in just $150 million again for this year. The province did not respond to requests from Canada’s National Observer asking why the budget hasn’t been increased. Not allotting adequate funds translates to real impacts on the frontlines, said Freedman, who is also vice president of Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 703. He said last season was “riddled with logistical problems” due to a lack of available funding: not having crews and helicopters where they were needed, and scrambling to request more… “None of that is because of our leadership in our agency. It’s a result of not getting anywhere near the funding that we need to truly be decision-makers,” Freedman said.

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‘Qualified’ candidates on hand but not taking N.L. chief pilot role that oversees water bombers, says minister

By Alex Kennedy
CBC News
June 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

©Gvt NF

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Barry Petten said Monday that if pilots responsible for water bomber and air ambulance operations in Newfoundland and Labrador want their workplace situation to improve, they should tell him how to do it. “We’ve got a major [turnover] of chief water bomber pilots, and that’s a concern to me. So obviously, there’s a root cause to that,” Petten said. …Petten’s comments follow reports of the resignation of the province’s chief pilot in the Air Services branch. A letter, attributed collectively to Newfoundland and Labrador Water Bomber and Air Ambulance Pilots, highlighted issues in the sector to government last week. If a chief pilot isn’t found … Transport Canada could issue a suspension of Air Operator Certificate … which could ground water bombers without a solution. …Petten said an interim pilot could be in place as early as Wednesday — telling the House the department was “very close” to hiring a chief pilot.

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The US government is pillaging our national forests from within

By Greg Frazier, ex-Agriculture Dept’s chief of staff
The Hill
June 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claims “moving the Forest Service closer to the forests we manage is an essential action that will improve our core mission of managing our forests.” That is sophistry — a failed attempt to justify an ill-advised, destructive reorganization plan to remove Forest Service headquarters from Washington and radically cut its research infrastructure. Her fallacy implies that adjacent communities have a superior claim on national forests. …Government nihilists and dismantlers have for years peddled the “proximity begets policy expertise” canard, without evidence. …Meanwhile, Tom Schultz, the chief of the Forest Service, made clear his lingering allegiance to his former employer’s interests. Last month, he laid them out to House appropriators: “timber sales, critical minerals permitting, grazing allotment management.” That timber, he said, is “vital to the nation’s well-being.” In reality, only 6 percent of the total timber supply in the country comes from national forests.

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Washington state schools chief should leave forestry to the experts

By the Editorial Board
The Seattle Times
June 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Chris Reykdal

In his role on the state’s Natural Resources Board, the state’s schools chief Chris Reykdal has in recent years voted against some timber harvests with older trees. …Each month, they generally approve of the agency’s choices for logging, which follow board policy. Reykdal, though, has been protesting stands where trees near 100 years old are on the chopping block. The state’s elected superintendent of public instruction is neither a trained forester, ecologist, nor any kind of timber management expert. …Upward of 20 DNR staff are involved before the Board of Natural Resources sees the results of that work. …For that reason, Dan Brown, a fellow board member and dean of the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, called out Reykdal’s sale-by-sale approach as “reckless” at a January public meeting. …Leave science to the scientists, Commissioner Reykdal. [to access the full story a Seattle Times subscription is required]

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Environmental groups sue to stop 400 acres of logging in Washington’s Elwha Watershed

By Aspen Ford
The Washington State Standard
June 5, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

Three environmental groups are suing to block the logging of nearly 400 acres of state forestland in Washington’s Elwha Watershed. Filed Monday, the lawsuit against the state’s Department of Natural Resources argues the agency failed to adequately assess the environmental harm of two timber sales, known as “Parched” and “Tree Well.” Logging would pose a “direct threat” to Port Angeles’ drinking water, which is sourced solely from the Elwha River, the lawsuit contends. “There’s only about 800 acres of structurally complex forests left in the watershed. And nearly half of those are these two timber sales that we appealed,” said Elizabeth Dunne, an attorney with Earth Law Center… Under the Department of Natural Resources’ standards, only trees that predate 1850 are considered old growth and set aside for conservation. The oldest stands proposed for harvest in the Parched sale are around 140 years old, dating back only to the 1880s. 

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Fire Officials are on High Alert, Residents Encouraged to Be Prepared

Flagstaff Business News
June 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

Wildfire season is upon us in Northern Arizona. Although our fire-adapted ponderosa pine forest could experience a wildfire at any time, May and June are typically the driest and most fire-prone months for large, destructive wildfires, following spring’s gusting winds that strip moisture from grasses and downed logs.  National Weather Service (NWS) officials say this year, especially, we need to be particularly vigilant as winter’s snowpack was far below normal. Although last fall’s warm storms bumped up precipitation for the year with 0.93 inches above-normal rainfall, winter snowfall fell short. Just 26.9 inches of snow landed in Flagstaff for the 2025-’26 winter season, far below the 90-inch annual average. Thus, Flagstaff is entering summer with a snowpack deficit that ranked this winter season as the fourth-lowest snowfall in Flagstaff’s recorded weather history, dating to 1899.

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Controversial plan to kill owls is underway in WA. Here’s who’s leading the way

By Gavin Feek
The News Tribune
June 8, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

Barred owls …are now officially under attack themselves. Theoretically, they’ve been in danger since the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife released its barred owl management plan in 2024, announcing its intention to kill tens of thousands of barred owls per year for up to 30 years to protect the northern spotted owl and California spotted owl populations. The federal government and some environmentalist groups agree that protecting the endangered owl is necessary, but others argue it is inhumane and exists only to aid the timber industry. It’s been two years since the plan’s announcement, but only since November has a group in Washington officially begun killing barred owls… The Yakama Nation Tribe in South Central Washington has initiated barred owl management on reservation lands and is actively killing the once-protected species. They are the first and currently the only group in Washington to do so.

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Governor Newsom fast-tracks 400 wildfire prevention projects, expands prescribed fire, and unveils draft five-year action plan

Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
June 5, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

SACRAMENTO – Governor Newsom announced today unprecedented results in preventing catastrophic wildfires and protecting communities. Following his March 2025 emergency proclamation to mitigate catastrophic wildfire risks, state agencies fast-tracked more than 400 projects across nearly 100,000 acres. At the same time, the state has advanced prescribed and cultural burning through coordinated action, streamlined processes, and expanded partnerships. And the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force today released a draft five-year action plan to guide California’s next phase of work protecting communities and restoring landscapes. Following Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation on wildfire-prone forests and subsequent actions to accelerate wildfire resilience work, California fast-tracked more than 400 priority wildfire prevention projects, including over 220,000 activity acres of treatments across nearly 100,000 footprint acres. …Today, the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force released its draft Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Action Plan (2026-2031), a plan to accelerate action to confront California’s wildfire challenges.

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Governor Newsom announces expansion of the world’s largest civilian aerial firefighting fleet

Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
June 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

SACRAMENTO – Marking a significant advancement in California’s wildfire preparedness, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that the state’s fourth C-130 Hercules (C-130H) airtanker has entered active service. Alongside this deployment, the Governor celebrated the launch of California’s 11th Helitack base, which hosts the Sikorsky S70i Fire Hawk helicopter. Both resources will be stationed at the Ramona Airport in San Diego County, strategically integrating them into California’s world-leading aerial fleet. “The addition of this fourth C-130 Hercules airtanker to our world-class fleet, combined with the historic establishment of our 11th Helitack base, significantly enhances the rapid, aggressive response needed to save lives and protect our natural resources. California is making the investment into the key resources that help protect our communities from catastrophic wildfire.” In 2024, under Governor Newsom’s leadership, California made history as the first state in the nation to own, operate, and deploy its own fleet of C-130H Airtankers.

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From forest to front door: Understanding how wildfire spreads through communities

By Ty Burke
University of California, Berkeley
May 10, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

As California’s population boomed — from 10 million in 1950 to over 40 million today — the number of people living in fire-prone areas multiplied. …Despite the thousands of wildfires in California each year, we still don’t know that much about them — especially when it comes to how they spread in urban areas. The wildland-urban interface is the zone in which buildings and infrastructure border natural areas. Homes in this zone are at higher risk of burning, but quantifying that risk is challenging. Until recently, the mathematical models used to predict wildfire spread largely ignored these areas. Where a simulated wildfire reached a developed community, the models treated the land as unburnable. Which, of course, it’s not. …As wildfires push into urban areas, they behave in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. But Gollner is figuring out how to predict what urban wildfires will do next — by turning fire modeling into a complex, evolving problem.

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Exhibit Space Now On Sale for Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition, Returning to Savannah in 2027

The Southern Forest Products Association
June 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US East

Metairie, LA  – The Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA) today announced that exhibit space is now available for the Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition (EXPO), set for August 18–20, 2027, at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia. Equipment manufacturers, technology providers, and service companies serving the forest products industry can now reserve their place on the show floor. Hosted biennially by SFPA, EXPO is the longest-running tradeshow in the forest products industry, tracing its roots to the 1950 Logging and Sawmill Machinery Exposition in New Orleans. The 2027 event marks the show’s first appearance in Savannah, placing it in the heart of the Southern Pine lumber community while keeping the event accessible and cost-conscious for exhibitors and attendees alike. …Space is assigned using a priority points system for SFPA members and returning exhibiting companies. 

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Scientists are injecting elm trees with a killer fungus to save them

By Abagael Giles
Vermont Public
June 3, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US East

©Wiki

“American elm is a foundation tree species in floodplain forests,” says Leila Wilson, an ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service. “They are facing severe threats from non-native pests and pathogens…” Wilson knows these trees well. Each one comes from a seed she harvested from a tree whose flowers she isolated with little plastic bags, then hand-fertilized using pollen collected in the lab. … “We’re going to be infecting them with the Dutch elm disease fungus,” she says as she drills the first hole. …She and her colleagues will look for survivor trees by rating the lushness of their canopies. …The ones that survive will have their seeds harvested to be used to grow a nursery stock that can be planted as part of floodplain restoration projects around the region.

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What seedling census tell us about the future of Michigan’s forests

By Robin Smith
Michigan State University
June 3, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US East

The history of a forest might be measured by the trunks and branches looming overhead. But for some MSU researchers, a forest’s future lies in what’s growing under their feet. Every summer for nearly three decades, a team led by Ecology, Evolution and Behavior core faculty member Richard Kobe has made its way to Manistee National Forest in northwestern Lower Michigan to look for new trees that have sprouted. At less than a year old, the youngest seedlings growing in the understory aren’t much taller than their toes. But now, the team’s annual counts of 10 common tree species are starting to reveal clues to what the region’s forests might look like in the 20, 40 or 100 years to come. …In a new study published in Global Change Biology Communications, McNichol and Kobe compared years of seedling data collected at 12 sites spread across a 370-square-mile area in Michigan’s Manistee National Forest.

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U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff cosponsors bill to speed wildfire response in Georgia

By Kay Frazier
WALB News 10
June 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Jon Ossoff

US Sen. Jon Ossoff is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to establish faster wildfire response times on federal land in Georgia. Ossoff joined the Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act, which was introduced by Sens. Tim Sheehy and Andy Kim. The bill would create a 30-minute national standard response time for wildfires on federal land. The new standard is designed to improve response times on federal forest land across Georgia. “In recent years, the State of Georgia has seen unprecedented wildfire activity threatening lives and property. This bipartisan bill will ensure that firefighters and first responders are able to quickly respond to these emergencies and keep our communities safe.” In March, Ossoff helped secure funding for the city of Valdosta to purchase fully equipped vehicles for the Valdosta Fire Department and a burn building with an attached four-story training tower.

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Istanbul bans forest access, open fires to curb wildfire risk

The Daily Sabah
June 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International

TURKEY — The Istanbul Governor’s Office announced that access to forested areas across the city, as well as lighting fires for barbecues, gas stoves, hookahs and similar purposes, will be prohibited between June 8 and Oct. 15. In a statement the governor’s office said the increase in human and vehicle activity in forest areas during the summer months raises the risk of wildfires. To prevent risks that may arise intentionally or through negligence, authorities decided to implement a series of measures. The restrictions also prohibit the burning of stubble, trees, branches and all types of vegetation for purposes such as cleaning vineyards, gardens, olive groves and agricultural fields in villages and neighborhoods, including those located within, adjacent to or otherwise connected to forest areas. There are no restrictions on picnics, sports, walking or similar activities in designated picnic and recreation areas, groves, parks, nature parks and ecotourism sites within Istanbul.

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Ireland on fire

By Pádraic Fogarty
The Journal Ireland
June 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International

THE HOT DRY spell at the end of May was welcome sunshine after a particularly wet and miserable winter. However, the flip side of the nice weather is the near inevitability with which it is accompanied by large fires on the hills. A blaze engulfed the south Dublin Mountains as well as areas of Wicklow. National Parks and Wildlife Service described as “lit intentionally, destroying hundreds of hectares of habitat and all associated animals, insects and plants within it”. …Shocking and disruptive as these fires are, they are nothing new. According to the European Forest Fires Information System, 4,355 hectares of land in Ireland were burned in 31 fires in 2025. …In the last decade, some things have changed. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine now issues alerts in the run-up to dry spells with appeals for ‘vigilance’. …Climate change is a significant factor in this issue; 2025 was the second-warmest year on record in Ireland

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New Zealand’s new forestry rules promise consistency. Will they also increase environmental risk?

By Steve Urlich, Lincoln University, New Zealand
The Conversation
June 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International

One of the most important changes to New Zealand’s environmental regulations in recent years came into force this week. Yet outside policy circles, the forestry sector and a handful of councils, few people are likely to have noticed. The government’s freshly-amended National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry set bottom-line rules for activities ranging from afforestation and harvesting to slash management and erosion control. There is a clear need for such safeguards. Commercial forestry is one of New Zealand’s most valuable industries, generating billions of dollars in export earnings and supporting thousands of jobs. So, it needs a regulatory framework that provides certainty for long-term investment and operational decisions. But it can also have significant impacts on waterways, infrastructure, ecosystems and downstream communities if activities are not carefully managed, with recent years having provided some stark examples.

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World’s forests in a race against time, warns UN global forest report

By Sandra Cordon
Forests News – Center for International Forestry Research
June 5, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International

The world is losing its forests faster than it can save them, with severe consequences for the climate, biodiversity and over one billion people who depend on forests for their livelihoods, according to the United Nations’ latest Global Forest Goals Report 2026. Although many countries have expanded forest restoration efforts, strengthened governance frameworks, and improved monitoring systems, progress remains critically insufficient to halt deforestation, lift forest-dependent communities out of poverty, and meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.  “We know what to do. We need to act on the information and knowledge we have. But do we have the will to act?” said Éliane Ubalijoro, chief executive officer of Landscape Alliance, the new operating name of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR & ICRAF). That question runs through the report, which finds that existing tools, policies and institutions have yet to deliver change at the scale required.  

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New UK–EU sanitary and phytosanitary agreement: what it means for nurseries and forestry kit

Forestry Journal UK
June 3, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International

The UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has published detailed guidance setting out how a planned UK‑EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal will reshape forestry-related trade – and is urging businesses to start preparing now. In a wide‑ranging update, the department set out how the agreement would operate in practice, including the removal of most routine border checks and certification requirements for goods moving between Great Britain and the EU. But the guidance also makes clear the scale of regulatory change required, with the UK set to align dynamically with EU rules across a wide set of areas, including pesticides and plant imports. Among the most significant operational shifts set out for horticultural businesses (which includes forestry-related activities). …Further detail on transition periods and exceptions is expected later in 2026, with full implementation targeted for mid‑2027. Read the full government guidance here.

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