Category Archives: Forestry

Forestry

Insurers push Ottawa to federalize wildfire response as disaster costs surge

Western Standard
March 21, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

Canada’s insurance industry is urging Ottawa to take direct control of wildfire management, warning that rising disaster costs and what critics describe as a reactive federal response demand a centralized national agency. Blacklock’s Reporter says in submissions to the House of Commons environment committee, the Insurance Bureau of Canada called on Parliament to create a federal emergency management body similar to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, arguing current systems are no longer adequate. “The trend is clear,” the Bureau wrote. “Canada has already entered an era of record-breaking natural disasters with no signs of slowing.” The proposal would mark a major shift from the current model, where provinces and territories lead wildfire response efforts through mutual aid agreements coordinated by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, established in 1982.

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Certifications Endorse Our Responsible Forest Management and Fiber Sourcing Practices

By Colleen Marble
Domtar Corporation
March 19, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

At Domtar, environmental stewardship begins with responsible fiber procurement. This includes responsible forest management, careful tracking of wood fiber sources and a long‑running endorsement of third‑party certification. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) are independent, globally recognized certification frameworks. They provide our customers with the assurance that we adhere to rigorous responsible forest management and chain of custody standards. Today, Domtar is the world’s largest holder of FSC and SFI Forest Management certificates, a testament to our commitment to responsible forest management, with nature, wildlife and local communities at the heart of our approach. …“Our stakeholders and partners across all sectors are rightfully focused on environmental impact,” says Luc Thériault, Wood Products CEO & President Canada. “Our environmental performance must be exemplary, which is why this pillar is fundamental to our 2030 strategy.”

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Canada releases the National Freshwater Science Agenda to guide priorities over the next 10 years

By Environment and Climate Change Canada
Cision Newswire
March 19, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

GATINEAU, QC — Today, during Canada Water Week, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, is announcing the release of the National Freshwater Science Agenda, which aims to better align freshwater science and research efforts across Canada. The Science Agenda is the result of over two years of engagement efforts led by Environment and Climate Change Canada with input from more than 800 science experts, Knowledge Holders, experts, and science users across governments and sectors, Indigenous organizations, and Canada’s freshwater science community. It is grounded in Western science and Indigenous Knowledge and reflects the diverse scientific needs and perspectives that are relevant to partners and stakeholders across the country. It outlines interconnected themes including bridging, braiding, and weaving Indigenous science and Knowledge; water availability; land‑use stressors and water pollution; ecosystem resilience and biodiversity; socio‑ecological considerations; and economic research.

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Forests Canada Creating National Working Group to Improve Post-Wildfire Forest Recovery

Forests Canada
March 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

TORONTO – National charity Forests Canada supported the planting of more than four million trees across Canada in 2025, with over two million being planted to restore forests ravaged by storms, invasive species, and wildfires. Canada’s forest landscapes are experiencing unprecedented impacts from wildfire, creating urgent and complex challenges for post-fire recovery, regeneration, and long-term forest resilience. To support coordinated national action, knowledge exchange, and the development of best practices for forest resilience, Forests Canada is establishing a National Working Group on Post-Fire Forest Recovery Practices. …”With this new National Working Group, we will be able to gain new insights from a diverse group of participants so that we can all work together to help create lasting and positive outcomes for Canada’s forests,” says Val Deziel, restoration ecologist and Director of Restoration Ecology and Research, Forests Canada.

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Log bundles end up on Parksville Qualicum Beach beaches after rough weather conditions

Parksville Qualicum Beach News
March 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Several log bundles ended up on beaches in the Parksville and Nanoose Bay area after rough weather caused a log boom to break open at Mosaic Forest Management’s Northwest Bay waterfront facility last weekend. … “Shifting high winds pushed the logs into shallow water before crews could safely reach them,” Mosaic told the PQB News. “We responded as soon as we were alerted early Sunday morning, recovering 10 of the 19 bundles.” Mosaic says salvage crews are standing by to recover the remaining nine bundles, but the current weather system has hampered access to the shallow beach areas where they came ashore.

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Wildfire money in Saskatchewan budget isn’t enough: Candle Lake fire chief

By Gillian Massie
News Talk 650 CKOM
March 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

SaskLakes_Facebook

A fire chief who helped battle last year’s devastating wildfires says he doesn’t feel the funding in the Saskatchewan budget is enough to prepare communities for the upcoming fire season. Jim Arnold, chief of the Candle Lake fire department, helped defend the resort village from the flames as it was placed under a state of emergency last year. He said he’s expecting more of the same this summer. “I think this year is going to be another year that we’re going to have some forest fires, because we’ve got drought in the northern forest,” he said. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency will get $140 million in this year’s budget, an increase of $20 million over the year before. Finance Minister Jim Reiter defended the funding, saying the provincial government will respond if the flames becoming overwhelming this year.

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Merritt is gearing up for wildfire season, mayor says

By David Nadalini and Emma Crawford
City News Everywhere
March 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

©BCWildfireService

Another year, another wildfire season, and some B.C. communities are looking to get a head start before any major blazes. Merritt Mayor Mike Goetz says preparations in his community never really stop. “We are one of the very few communities that have a full-time Emergency Management Coordinator,” he said. “We also have a full-time EOC [Emergency Operations Centre] that is always ready to go, and we have a full-time training session for our ESS [Emergency Support Services] members.” The city communicates regularly with the local fire department, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), BC Forestry, and the River Forecasting Centre, Goetz says. He says they have been working to streamline operations at their local airport to make sure fire resources are able to make their way to the area.

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New $21M wildfire equipment depot opens in Prince George ahead of 2026 wildfire season

By Dave Branco
CKPG News Prince George
March 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Ravi Parmar

PRINCE GEORGE – British Columbia’s wildfire service is getting a major boost ahead of the 2026 fire season. A new, larger equipment depot in Prince George is now operational, and officials say it could make a critical difference when the next big fire breaks out in the north. The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) has received $21 million in capital funding for this new depot. The facility, located on the Old Cariboo Highway, near the Prince George Airport, gives crews in northern B.C. a much bigger home base to work from. …The depot is stocked with trucks, pumps, hoses, structure-protection units and camp infrastructure, all pre-positioned so crews can move gear faster when fires ignite. It’s not just equipment. This year, the wildfire service hit a record of roughly 24-hundred applications for seasonal firefighter positions. That’s the second straight year for record applications to the BCWS.

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Vancouver Island First Nations gain control of three Clayoquot Sound forestry areas

By Brenna Owen
Canadian Press in the Victoria Times Colonist
March 19, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

©TourismTofino

Tyson Atleo, a hereditary leader of the Ahousaht First Nation, says the creation of three new forestry areas to be managed by his community and two others on the west coast of Vancouver Island marks the realization of a long-standing promise. Atleo recalls assuring the community more than 15 years ago that “we would find a pathway forward to regaining control over some of our forest resources.” The vision is to manage the forests of Clayoquot Sound, a globally recognized biosphere that includes Tofino, B.C., in a way that reflects the nation’s interest in ecological integrity and balance it with access to economic opportunity, he said. The total combined area of the three new tree farm licenses is about 52,000 hectares, with Ahousaht set to manage about 33,000 hectares, Atleo said. The areas were previously part of a single, larger licence with harvesting rights belonging to forest company MaMook Natural Resources. 

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Invasive Grasses May Be Turning B.C.’s Burn Scars Into the Next Wildfire

By the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship
The University of British Columbia
March 19, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

A UBC FES study with St’át’imc Nation communities finds invasive grasses are the sleeper threat on B.C.’s post-fire landscape—and the window to stop them is narrow. After a wildfire, the flames may fade, but the danger does not. A new study by UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship researchers reveals that burned landscapes remain vulnerable for years, with large areas still bare and at risk of invasion by fast-growing, fire-prone grasses. The research, one of the largest vegetation trajectory studies in the world, monitored landscapes two years after major wildfires in interior B.C. While some native plants returned, recovery was slower and more fragile than expected. One of the most pressing concerns is invasive grasses, which germinate early in spring, dry out during the hottest months, and act as dry runways that spread flames at highway speed—a dynamic that contributed to the 2023 Lahaina fire in Maui and is increasingly likely in B.C.’s Interior.

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Sooke resident urges support from community to protect old growth forests

Victoria News
March 19, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Daria Mykhailovych, a Sooke resident, has been raising awareness across Greater Victoria about a petition calling on the provincial government to strengthen protections for British Columbia’s remaining old-growth forests in hopes of encouraging more people to support it. …Originally from Ukraine, she said landscapes like those on Vancouver Island are rare elsewhere in the world. …The petition was launched in fall 2025 by two B.C. forest ecologists, Dr. Suzanne Simard, a professor at University of British Columbia, and independent ecologist Dr. Rachel Holt. Originally, the petition was started with a goal of getting 10,000 signatures. As of March, 16, the petition has received support from about 4,070 people. …“Our concern is that we’ve been cutting these forests at an unsustainable rate,” Simard said. “We wanted to raise awareness and encourage people to question whether the path we’re on is good for the people of British Columbia and for the forests themselves.”

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A New Look for Community Forestry in Logan Lake

Logan Lake Community Forest
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Logan Lake, B.C. – The Logan Lake Community Forest (LLCF) has unveiled a refreshed brand, website, and film that highlight its commitment to the stewardship of local forests, through indigenous collaboration, supporting what makes the communities of the Logan Lake area strong: the people, the land, and our future. …[The] redesigned website that provides clear information about forest management activities, current projects, and the local benefits of community forestry in the Logan Lake area. … The film, launched in collaboration with the BC Community Forest Association provides a look at the planning and treatment activities of the LLCF specific to wildfire risk reduction, and the enhancement of trails and wildlife habitat, and is part of a broader provincial-wide storytelling initiative showcasing community forests across British Columbia.

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One minute for the future of BC forestry

Forestry is a Solution
March 19, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

BC’s forest sector is at a crossroads. While the industry faces significant challenges, we know that when given the right conditions to thrive, forestry is a solution for the biggest issues facing our province today:

  • A Solution for Housing: Providing the renewable, low-carbon wood products needed to build affordable homes and infrastructure.
  • A Solution for Wildfire Risk: Reducing fuel loads that drive catastrophic wildfires through active forest management.
  • A Solution for Communities: Supporting family-sustaining jobs and resilient local economies across the province.

Your Voice Matters — The Forestry is a Solution website gives you a direct line to Victoria. Add your name to the petition and send an automated letter to your local MLA, urging them to take practical steps to stabilize and strengthen our sector. Help Us Reach 5,000 Signatures — More than 1,300 British Columbians have already stepped up. We are working to reach 5,000 signatures by April to ensure the voice of the forest sector cannot be ignored.

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BC Timber Sales wants to create 500 hectares for logging east of Penticton

By Brennan Phillips
The Penticton Western News
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

BC Timber Sales is bringing forward an application to establish 17 new cut blocks on Crown land east of Okanagan Falls and Penticton. The application is being brought to the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen on March 19 for support, as the proposed cut blocks are located within the boundaries of the Okanagan Falls electoral area. The 17 cut blocks total 494.7 hectares, and the proposal would also see road construction and road deactivation. The rehabilitation process for the roads would include tree replanting. The land is in an RDOS-designated resource area, and a staff report says the proposed cutblocks fall within watercourse development permit areas and “important ecosystem areas.” The advisory planning committee for Okanagan Falls gave its support to the application at its March 9 meeting, while requesting that any approval be subject to a full environmental assessment.

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siwɬkʷ Water and Climate Forum to take place in Kelowna

By Yashvika Grover
Penticton Western News
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Okanagan Nation Alliance is hosting a two-day water and climate forum in honour of World Water Day on March 23 and 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort. In partnership with Okanagan Similkameen Watershed Collaborative Leadership Table (CLT), the alliance is bringing together Indigenous leaders, local government representatives, researchers, scientists, regional and international water experts and community partners to advocate for climate-resilient governance and collaborative watershed stewardship. ​The forum will teach participants about the importance of watersheds and how to build resilience amid rising risks from wildfires, drought and ecosystem stress.​ …“Our forests are burning, our waters are drying, and the time to act is now — the siwɬkʷ Water and Climate Forum is a call to protect our watersheds and ensure that there is cold, clean flowing water for all living things – now and for future generations,” reads the release.

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Tla’amin set to reclaim forest stewardship with $80M logging licence deal: ‘A generational opportunity’

By Abby Francis
IndigiNews
March 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Steven Hofer & hegus John Hackett

Tla’amin Nation is set to take back control over a large piece of its territory, after signing a deal to take over Western Forest Products’ licence to log more than 1,540 square kilometres of forest in their homelands. The nation agreed to buy Western’s tree-farm license for the massive parcel … for $80 million on Feb. 19. The license for the Stillwater Forest Operation covers a vast majority of forest in the qathet (Powell River) area, where Tla’amin is located. The lands themselves are not being returned to Tla’amin; tree-farm licenses are granted by the “B.C.” government to allow companies to harvest on “Crown” lands, typically over 25-year terms. But Tla’amin Hegus (Chief) John Hackett said the ability to steward his people’s land is a major step forward. “This acquisition brings another 43 per cent of Tla’amin territory back under our stewardship and control,” Hackett said in a statement.

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Sicamous endorses Forestry is a Solution to help root the industry

By Heather Black
The Salmon Arm Observer
March 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) was barking up the right tree with the District of Sicamous, with council officially endorsing its Forestry is a Solution initiative. The request came to the March 11 council meeting, explaining the program that launched on Jan. 20 is a province-wide initiative led by a coalition of community leaders, workers and industry advocates to support forestry in light of new challenges. COFI president and CEO Kim Haakstad said in a letter, “the sector currently faces significant headwinds from global competition, challenging operating conditions, and damaging U.S. trade actions. We believe that by working together, we can show the provincial government that forestry provides the solutions for B.C.’s most urgent challenges.” …The initiative’s goal is to get 5,000 signatures to show support of having government action on those points, with Sicamous council unanimously onboard.

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Osoyoos Indian Band’s Siya Forestry works with Interfor on forest management

By Sarah Crookall
Castanet
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Osoyoos Indian Band’s Siya Forestry is working with logging and manufacturing company Interfor on collaborative forestry management. “The partnership reflects a shared commitment to long-term stewardship and responsible planning, ensuring forestry activities align with community values,” reads a Siya Forestry release. The two teams are working to review potential harvest areas, assess wildlife and riparian areas, and identify culturally important areas before they are developed. The approach aims to focus on the forest as a whole system, going beyond legal requirements. Timber values are considered but so is wildlife habitat, visual quality, traditional use areas, and long-term forest health. …Vern Louie, OIB forest operations lead said “Forestry is a living thing; it needs to be treated that way.” …“There’s been a lot of changes over the years,” said Ron Palmer, Interfor Indigenous engagement representative. “So, it’s important that we are in alignment with their values.”

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When the Forest Breathes by Suzanne Simard review – the Indiana Jones of trees returns

By Mythili Rao
The Guardian
March 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

…One part Indiana Jones, one part Mister Rogers, she is a Canadian national treasure and global environmental icon. …Simard’s new book, When the Forest Breathes, finds her back among the trees, furthering her research while also considering her legacy. …In this book it’s apparent Simard is a kind of mother tree, too – a giant, deeply rooted figure with a critical role to play in connecting and supporting the next generation of forest ecologists. …“Science is not enough,” she has concluded. Hence the search for other avenues for advancing conservation and restoration work: among them, books like this one, which allow her to step outside the linguistic constraints of peer-reviewed research and provide an “interpretation” of her findings and the philosophy behind it. There is poetry in this work deep in the forest, and she doesn’t shy away from it.

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Inside B.C.’s Perilous Forestry Industry

By Jadine Ngan
Macleans Magazine
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

A tree felled in B.C.’s coastal rainforest, is towed by tugboat to lumber mills along waterways like the Fraser River. It’s difficult work. In the cold months, gales tear through inlets and the river ices over; tides and storms can yank logs out of formation all year round. For decades, beachcombers salvaged escaped logs and sold them back into use. But fuel and boat costs are rising, and beachcombers’ ranks are thinning. Reave Dennison is sometimes a tugboat worker, sometimes a beachcomber and sometimes even an arborist, doing maintenance work on trees. …Over the last 10 years, he’s assembled a collection of photographs that document the beauty he sees while toiling in the field. …As part of this year’s Capture Photography Festival in Vancouver, Dennison’s images will be displayed at the Pale Fire art gallery from March 19 to May 9. The exhibit, called Tree Work, folds three of his projects into one. 

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Forestry is a solution; just not the way BC forest industry suggests

By Eli Pivnick and Janet Parkins
Castanet
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

At the Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the Council of Forest Industries announced its new platform entitled “Forestry is a Solution”. It is asking British Columbians to voice their support for forestry workers by pushing the BC government to speed permitting and access to timber but the main problem is that much of the timber needed does not exist because of decades of over-cutting. That is why more than 100 mills in BC have shut down since 2005. What COFI is really asking for is more access to protected areas, fire- and insect-damaged forests and the very modest and dwindling areas of remaining, unprotected old growth forests. …What is needed now are some major changes in how forests are monitored and trees allocated, with a lot less cutting and no cutting in primary forests whether old growth or fire or insect-damaged forests. …But what is allocated for cutting must make ecological sense.

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Kira Hoffman Named a 2026 National Geographic 33 Honoree

UBC Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Kira Hoffman

The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship congratulates Dr. Kira Hoffman, a 2026 National Geographic 33 Honoree, for her groundbreaking work as a fire ecologist studying wildfire behavior, Indigenous-led fire stewardship, and resilience in northwest British Columbia. National Geographic 33 is a program inspired by the 33 founders of the National Geographic Society in 1888. It recognizes 33 individuals from around the world who are driving positive change through science, conservation, innovation, and storytelling, highlighting modern-day trailblazers whose work inspires solutions to global challenges. Dr. Kira Hoffman is a fire ecologist studying wildfire behavior and Indigenous-led fire stewardship. Through her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of British Columbia and the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, she examines historic fire activity and wildfire resilience in northwest British Columbia.

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Prescribed Fire and Partnerships Help Restore Wildlife Habitat Throughout B.C.

The Forest Enhancement Society of B.C.
March 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

British Columbia — As the Forest Enhancement Society of BC marks its 10th anniversary, the Society is reflecting on the investments made and the meaningful impacts achieved, many in partnership with other organizations. …“As we reflect on ten years of FESBC investments, it is clear that sustained funding and strong partnerships are an essential part of how we restore ecosystems and improve wildlife habitat across our province,” said Jason Fisher, Executive Director of FESBC. “Moving forward, we need to look at how all forest management activities, from thinning to fuel management, can be planned and carried out in ways that support and improve wildlife habitat over the long term. Continuing this work will ensure these benefits extend to future generations, setting the table for more healthy and resilient forests.”

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West Kootenay wildfire prevention projects receive $1.4M in funding

By Betsy Kline
Arrow Lakes News
March 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Columbia Basin organizations and residents are benefiting from $3 million in wildfire reduction funding through a partnership between the Province of British Columbia and Columbia Basin Trust, according to a March 17 funding announcement. The projects are guided by FireSmart principles and aim to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen local resilience. The practical projects range from managing wildfire fuels to educating residents. Actions include hiring FireSmart coordinators, preparing fuel-treatment plans, carrying out on-the-ground fuel management and providing FireSmart training. The program is tailored to the Columbia Basin and is part of B.C.’s Community Resiliency Investment Program. The Ministry of Forests, BC Wildfire Service and Columbia Basin Trust are partners in delivering this support.

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Province preparing for 2026 wildfire season as Environment Canada predicts hot year ahead

CBC News
March 16, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

©BCWildfireFacebook

Thousands of people have applied to be wildland firefighters in B.C., as the province prepares for whatever kind of wildfire season may lie ahead. Environment Canada expects 2026 to be one of the hottest years on record. Meanwhile, B.C.’s River Forecast Centre says low snowpack in some regions could increase the potential for drought this spring and summer. Last year, 1,370 wildfires burned more than 8,863 square kilometres of land in B.C., well above the province’s 10-year average, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service. It was a hot, dry season, particularly at the end of August and beginning of September, which extended fire season into the fall. After several tough wildfire seasons in recent years, the province says it is preparing. …The province says about 2,400 people have applied for seasonal firefighter positions, and it’s given special urban wildfire training to more than 1,700 fire departments, First Nations and contractors.

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Nova Scotia better positioned for wildfire season with lots of snow and new resources

By Evan Taylor
Surge 105.1
March 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

©NovaScotiaGovnt

Nova Scotia is heading into wildfire season with improved moisture levels compared to last fall — but officials say the weeks ahead remain a critical period for fire risk. Scott Tingley, manager of Forest Protection with the Department of Natural Resources, says winter snow and rain helped offset dry conditions that developed late last year. “The snow and rain were certainly welcome over the winter — we needed it,” Tingley said. “We went through the fall in a significant rainfall deficit.” However, he says that benefit begins to fade as temperatures rise and snow cover disappears. “As that snow starts to disappear, the risk does start to increase,” he said. “One of our biggest risk periods is this time of year before things green up.” That “spring risk period” typically lasts until late May or early June, when vegetation begins to green up and moisture levels improve.

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Canadian working group plans to look at ways to improve recovery of forests after wildfires

CBC News
March 23, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

A national organization is seeking people with experience in Canada’s forestry sector as they put together a working group that will examine ways to improve forest recovery following wildfires. Jessica Kaknevicius is the CEO of Forests Canada. She said last year the group reached out to tree planting organizations, to ask them how they are changing their planting practices after forest fires. “We got a lot of insight in terms of this kind of gap of knowledge with how should we be planting differently?” “That’s everywhere from looking at species selection, to looking at how densely are we planting, health and safety of planters, where are we planting, all those things,” she said. “From that dialogue last year, what really came about was the need to bring together a national working group to share best practices, identify gaps, to get better trees in the ground, and really focus on survivability.”

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Amid Trump logging push, will Oregon enter new timber era?

By Zack Urness
The Statesman Journal
March 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

In Oregon… fights over how much to cut defined the 1980s and ’90s. Steep declines in timber harvest, meant to save Oregon’s last ancient forests, ripped an urban-rural divide that still festers. Today, Oregon still produces the most softwood lumber in the US. But the state’s timber harvest has hovered near historic lows, at least seven mills have closed since 2024 and logging on federal lands has been limited. President Trump’s administration wants to change that. …The moves have been met with cautious optimism in Oregon’s timber industry. …Environmental and outdoors groups, meanwhile, are gearing up to fight. …Battles between timber and environmental groups are quieter now than during the pitched height of the Forest Wars, but they never went away. A lot else has changed, however. Wildfires have become the state’s biggest issue, there have been historic agreements between the two sides and there’s a new industry, mass timber.

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Is Fix Our Forest Act a fix or a free pass for loggers?

By Greta Solsaa
VTDigger
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Vermonters are weighing the impacts of a federal bill — the Fix Our Forest Act — that would dramatically change environmental review processes and bring a big shift in the government’s approach to forest management. Proponents of the bill, including foresters and loggers, say that this bill will streamline projects in fire-prone areas and protect forests from wildfire and disasters. Critics of the proposal, including some environmental lawyers and conservationists, say it could defang key environmental oversight laws. …The bill comes after President Donald Trump sent shockwaves through the environmentalist community in Vermont by declaring wildfires a national emergency and issuing executive orders directing a 25% increase in timber production on public lands. The Fix Our Forest Act passed the U.S. House, and goes before the U.S. Senate for a vote. …A key feature of the bill would more than triple the acreage cap for projects receiving so-called categorical exclusions, from up to 3,000 acres to 10,000 acres. 

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California announces 300 wildfire projects fast-tracked in 300 days

By Gavin Newsom
Government of California
March 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

SACRAMENTO – Following Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation on wildfire-prone forests last March, state agencies have coordinated to cut red tape and fast-track critical wildfire safety projects across the state, all while maintaining vital environmental safeguards. Over 300 projects across nearly 57,000 acres have been approved in the state in just 300 days. Through this streamlined process, projects are now being approved in as little as 30 days, saving a year or more of review and red tape for more complicated projects. Following a Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force’s Sierra Nevada Regional meeting on March 19, the Task Force shared an update on California’s progress to streamline permitting for wildfire projects, which has enabled a diversity of agencies, tribes, and organizations to move faster than ever before to deliver real results.

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How to weigh in on BLM’s plans to quadruple logging in Oregon’s forests

By April Ehrlich
Oregon Public Broadcasting
March 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

You have until Monday to provide input on the Trump administration’s plan to dramatically increase logging in western Oregon forests. Last month, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced its plans to quadruple the amount of logging that could happen in the forests it manages. Specifically, the agency aims to revise management plans for areas designated as O&C Lands, named after the Oregon and California Railroad company that once owned them. BLM is eyeing 2.5 million acres of forests spanning 17 counties across Oregon. They include mature and old-growth forests treasured by recreationists, hunters, conservationists and tourism businesses who now worry about Oregon’s remaining old trees that are on the chopping block. Timber industry representatives welcomed the news, celebrating a potential return to 20th-century logging levels that once supported rural economies.

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Lawsuit claims Forest Service project will harm whitebark pine near Yellowstone

By Darrell Ehrlick
The Daily Montanan
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

Three organizations and an individual are suing the Gardiner District of the Custer Gallatin National Forest — for a plan they say hurts the already-endangered whitebark pine tree while ignoring lynx and grizzly habitat, and relying on unproven studies. The groups say the federal government is ignoring its rules and seems to be disregarding its own maps of protected lynx area in an effort to preserve the rare whitebark pine trees, despite admitting in its own documents that the efforts to preserve the trees could actually harm them. The lawsuit … centers on logging north of Yellowstone National Park. A technique, called “daylight thinning,” which involves removing trees near a whitebark pine, is not backed by scientific research according to the court documents, and the organizations point out that the Forest Service admits that in the process of thinning, it could actually wind up killing some of the whitebark pine trees. 

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Further proof is coming: Idaho can’t afford a federal lands grab

By Bryan Clark
Idaho Statesman
March 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

This week, we have yet another reminder that Idaho can’t possibly afford to take over or manage federal lands. A forthcoming study, which will be published Friday, provides the most recent reliable estimates of exactly how much Idaho would lose if it were to take over federal lands. The study, which was commissioned by Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Idaho Business for the Outdoors, the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association, and the Idaho Wildlife Federation, was performed by Peterson and Associates, which has long been a go-to source for economic analysis of this type in Idaho. While the full results won’t be released until Friday, the top-line figures are stark. Idaho would lose $837.7 million directly, in the form of spending by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies, as well as Payment in Lieu of Taxes and Secure Rural Schools payments. That’s nearly 16% of Idaho’s general fund budget.

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Federal law doesn’t mandate minimum amounts of logging in Alaska’s Tongass rainforest, judge says

By James Brooks
News From The States
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

A federal judge in Alaska has rejected a lawsuit that sought to reinstate a management plan that would allow heavier logging in the world’s largest temperate old-growth rainforest. The result leaves an Obama-era management plan in place, but it could be short-lived: The administration of President Donald Trump is already at work on a new plan that could allow more logging in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. …The three groups sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture — the parent organization of the U.S. Forest Service — last year, alleging in part that the federal Tongass Timber Reform Act of 1990 required the Forest Service to offer enough timber sales to meet market demand. Gleason ruled otherwise, finding that TTRA does not impose “a mandatory duty” on the Forest Service to ensure that market demand is met by Tongass timber sales.

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Mild winter helps Oregon forestry crews plant over two million seedlings ahead of schedule

KVAL 13 Oregon
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

A mild winter and spring-like weather has helped the Oregon Department of Forestry stay ahead of schedule on replanting state forest timber harvest areas this year, with about two million seedlings already planted. “This has been a great planting season with no shutdowns due to weather,” said John Walter, ODF’s state forests silviculturist. “All our districts are done or will be this month. The only exception being Klamath Lake—they typically plant into May and have about 60,000 to get in.” Douglas fir remains the dominant species in most Western Oregon forests, but ODF said it builds diversity into its reforestation plans to promote resilience and provide additional types of timber products. “This year we planted about 74 percent Doug(las) Fir, 17 percent Hemlock, two percent each of Western Red Cedar and Noble Fir, one percent each of Grand Fir and Sitka Spruce with the remaining three percent Pondarosa Pine,” Walter said.

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Harvesting Burned Trees May Seem a No-Brainer. But It Poses Big Risks

By Ben Parfitt
The Tyee
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, US West

From the moment he became BC’s forests minister, Ravi Parmar has been under pressure to increase logging rates in the province. One way he has decided to do that is by expediting the logging of forests burned in recent wildfires. He issued the Fort Nelson First Nation a new licence to log 100,000 cubic metres of trees in burned forests in BC’s remote northeast corner. …A number of industry associations, including the Council of Forest Industries, asked him to set “definitive, aggressive timelines for completion” of plans to accelerate logging in burned forests. …But increasing “wildfire salvage” of forests, Parmar is travelling down the same road that has seen BC’s logging rates plummet by more than half since the heyday of the 1980s. …Accelerated logging of burned trees may help bend the curve, but history shows that it is short-lived and comes at the cost of degraded ecosystems and even sharper declines ahead.

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‘Hybrid organ’: how a union of trees and fungi could revolutionise forest management

By Ben Martynoga
The Guardian
March 20, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

At a commercial tree nursery near Evans, western Louisiana, pine seedlings are sprayed with a liquid extract teeming with hundreds of species of wild soil fungi. Brad Ouseman, the nursery manager, is confident he will see results from this fungal inoculation, which is intended to improve yields and reduce the need for artificial fertilisers. Colin Averill, the founder of Funga, the startup company that supplied the spray, likens the treatment to a faecal microbiome transplant for young pine trees. Funga treats young pine trees with wild microbes derived from the soils of thriving pine forests. “We’re taking the whole soil community,” Averill says. “As a result, we get all the complexity and all the interactions that come with it.” The goal: trees that grow fast, drawing down more carbon dioxide, with less reliance on artificial fertilisers. …“Our next big target is Douglas fir in the Pacific north-west,” says Averill.

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Pests and storms in changing forests bring new problems for Maine woodlot owners

By Elizabeth Walztoni
The Bangor Daily News in Digest Wire
March 17, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Years after logging at his Mariaville woodlot, Bob Seymour expected to see new hardwood trees growing in the understory. In fact, he took it as a given after decades in the Maine woods that natural regrowth would crop up. Instead, almost all of the young trees in some sections are eastern white pines he had planted. He believes that’s largely because deer populations are growing and eating more hardwood saplings, which means fewer trees and less diversity in the future. …It’s one of the most concerning changes that Seymour, a retired UMaine silviculture professor, has seen in almost five decades of experience researching forest management. …Such challenges to understanding and managing the Maine woods have grown in recent years amid climate change, which has brought destructive new pests, fast-moving diseases, invasive plants that take over, and warmer winters that change growing, harvesting and wildlife conditions.

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Sustainable Forest Supply Chain Collaborative launches

By Max Esterhuizen
Virginia Tech News
March 16, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

BLACKSBURG, Virginia — The College of Natural Resources and Environment has launched the Sustainable Forest Supply Chain Collaborative, a new interdisciplinary effort designed to strengthen one of the commonwealth’s most important natural resource systems, from working forests to the wood products used every day. The goal of the collaborative is to bring together faculty, students, industry partners, landowners, and communities to connect research, teaching, and Virginia Cooperative Extension in support of a forest supply chain that is sustainable, resilient, and prepared to meet the needs of future generations. …Scott Barrett, director of the Sustainable Forest Supply Chain Collaborative said “By working across disciplines and with partners on the ground, we can help ensure this supply chain remains strong, viable, and sustainable for the long term.” …Affiliated faculty represent multiple departments across the college, including the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation and Department of Sustainable Biomaterials.

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A ‘shocking’ carbon discovery in Sweden’s forests

By Josie Garthwaite
Stanford School of Sustainability
March 19, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International

The boreal forest belt stretching across Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, and Canada ranks among Earth’s largest carbon repositories. A first-of-its-kind study in Sweden finds wood harvesting and forest management are depleting carbon storage in these northern woodlands more than previously understood. Researchers found undisturbed primary forests store 83% more carbon per acre than the managed forests that are replacing them, with soil accounting for most of the difference. The world’s northern forests act as massive carbon vaults, locking away greenhouse gases in spruce, pines, and needle-covered soils. But industrial logging is quickly eroding their ability to mitigate climate change, according to a major new study led by scientists at Lund University and Stanford University. The biggest losses are happening in soils beneath the forest floor. …Major questions remain, including how much specific forest management practices may contribute to carbon storage capacity. Drainage ditches, plowing.

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