TORONTO — As forests across Canada – and around the world – face growing pressures from increasing wildfires, biodiversity loss, and extreme weather events, national charity Forests Canada has been working to ensure the long-term health and resiliency of Canada’s forests today, and for future generations. In a recent report titled The State of the World’s Forests 2026 published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Forests Canada’s work in Ontario’s Greenbelt was cited as an example of restoration success. Among the global examples featured in The State of the World’s Forests 2026, Forests Canada’s case study titled Keeping the Green in the Ontario Greenbelt (page 202), authored by Forests Canada GIS Analyst Aidan O’Brien, outlines the power of collective action across the landscape over the course of over 15 years.
The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — the first major overhaul of housing legislation in more than 30 years — is good news. But the policy, which aims to accelerate housing production across the country, also sets in motion surging demand for one of the oldest and most consequential building materials on Earth: wood. …As cities grapple with the need to increase housing production and decarbonize the built environment, they must take seriously the ecological impact of these material demands. …Since the 1990s, many North American timber operations have received certifications from forestry-standard groups, signaling to eco-conscious developers, architects, and investors that their wood products were responsibly produced. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) cover the majority of operations in North America. …But SFI policies around clearing primary forests are vague, while the FSC Mix label allows a product to include a majority of wood from non-certified logging operations. 
Edmonton, Alberta – The Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF-IFC) is pleased to announce the 2026 National Award recipients. Recipients have earned distinction through demonstration of exceptional achievements in the field of forestry. The Awards were presented at the Annual National Awards Ceremony and Banquet on September 28 in Edmonton, Alberta. The Institute would like to extend our congratulations to all the award recipients for 2026!
The Mark Carney government has been open-handed this year when it comes to funding major projects in BC that it deems to be in the national interest. The government promised $3.9 billion for the North Coast Transmission Line… It invested $500 million to expand the Red Chris gold and copper mine and pledged financial support for the $10-billion Roberts Bank port expansion. …A Canadian scientist and a University of BC professor say the federal government’s funds and perks are subsidizing the destruction of nature, contravening Canada’s global biodiversity commitments “Biodiversity again loses out,” Justina Ray, president and senior scientist for Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, said. Ray and Jessica Dempsey, a University of BC professor who studies the political economy of biodiversity loss, both said Prime Minister Mark Carney’s investment summit in Toronto last week underscores that the government’s priority is to facilitate resource extraction, despite the toll on nature.
The community of Smithers has been relatively untouched by wildfires… However, drought has significantly impacted the area and the threat of wildfire has become ever present… Our local community wildfire suppression group, the Woodmere Emergency Services Society … visited a recent BC Timber Sales block that was harvested and sold to Hampton Lumber in Burns Lake. …In the spring of 2026 we had a field visit with Hampton to look at the slash/fuel left behind on this block. While Hampton had no legal obligation to do any further clean up, we were impressed that the company recognized the issue and agreed to clean up the block. …at the end of September 2026, we saw that Hampton has gone above and beyond our expectations and has done an exceptional job at their own expense. …Companies like Hampton are what give forestry a good name in British Columbia.
Forest soils store an estimated 40% of the world’s terrestrial carbon, but estimates suggest that around 15–30% of that soil carbon is lost when a forest is harvested. Tracking such losses can be tricky: wildfires, insects, disease and past forest management can all affect forest soil carbon stores, and tree type, climate and harvesting method can all affect how much carbon is lost. The BC Long-Term Soil Productivity (BC-LTSP) study is a long-term forest experiment that researchers used to examine how organic matter removal and soil compaction have affected soil carbon over the past 20 years, how soil carbon and the forest floor recover after heavy harvesting, and how latitude and climate affect soil carbon. The research is published in the 
As we move into fall, this is a time share the important role community forests play across BC. September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a time to reflect on our shared history, to listen and learn, and to recognize that reconciliation is ongoing work. Across BC, community forests are contributing to that work by building relationships with First Nations …and learning from the knowledge and values that First Nations bring to caring for the land. …With a provincial election underway, the BCCFA will be working throughout the campaign to bring our priorities forward and help candidates understand what community forests are delivering for BC and what is needed to strengthen the community forest program. In this edition of our newsletter, you’ll find information on:
Mission’s forestry department reported a net loss of $234,506 in the second quarter of 2026, but is expected to be profitable by the end of the year. According to the department’s quarterly report from the September 21 council agenda, market uncertainty led to lower volumes harvested during the quarter. The department reported a net profit of $301,844 in the second quarter of last year and projected a net profit of $733,511 for Q2 of 2026. However, the department released just 39 per cent of its budgeted volume to date because market uncertainty. “Continued challenges exist in the timber market. In addition to tariffs from the United States, fuel prices have increased substantially in 2026, which has impacted shipping costs,” the report reads. The report highlights trade friction with the United States as “one big challenge” moving forward, but also notes reasons for optimism for the remainder of 2026 and beyond.
Okanagan backcountry patrols are still turning up campfires burning without anyone around, weeks after campfire restrictions were eased across the region. Kane Blake, founder of the Okanagan Forest Task Force, says volunteers have discovered multiple campfires over the past several weeks that were left burning with no one present to monitor them. …Under B.C.’s Wildfire Regulation, a Category 1 campfire must be watched and patrolled while it is burning. The person responsible must maintain a fuel break around the fire and have either at least one firefighting hand tool or eight litres of water available. Leaving a fire unattended can also result in enforcement under the Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation. B.C.’s current listed fines include $1,150 for lighting, fuelling or using a fire against regulations. For the Okanagan Forest Task Force, Blake says the goal is also to educate younger generations about safely enjoying the backcountry.
The decisions made in a forest today will shape it for generations. Making those decisions well requires shared knowledge, strong relationships and an understanding of the priorities of the communities connected to the land. …In the Williams Lake region, the National Forest Week vision is being put into practice through a partnership between West Fraser and the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (SXFN). Together, West Fraser and SXFN are demonstrating how collaboration can advance local forest stewardship through shared learning, skills development and a commitment to responsible land management. “Good forest management starts with understanding the ecosystem and managing for resiliency over generations,” said Chad Swanson, West Fraser’s Chief Forester for British Columbia. “Working collaboratively with Indigenous Nations in the areas where we operate allows us to incorporate important knowledge and perspectives about the land and combine them with forestry science. Together, these insights help us make informed decisions that support healthy, resilient forests.”
NEW BRUNSWICK — Ken Thomas has been harvesting lumber from forests in Stanley for over 32 years. …But these days, he’s consumed with the thought of what to do next, when he pulls these 20-foot logs out of the forest and looks for a buyer, now that his longtime purchaser is pulling out of the game — at least temporarily. Earlier this month, the AV Nackawic mill announced it will temporarily shut down at the end of October. The mill owner, AV Group, had already stopped purchasing wood in August. …If the Nackawic mill closes permanently, there will be about 257,000 hectares of Crown land licensed to AV Group that will be up for grabs. …In the meantime, while the province decides the next steps for the licence, Herron has allowed the mixed hardwood cut and grown for the Nackawic mill to be exempt from regulations keeping it in the province.
The roadless rule has flaws. Repealing it entirely could create new ones. …Would more roads help or hurt places such as Mill City? A Trump administration proposal would repeal what’s called the “roadless rule,” which prohibits road building and many types of forest management on 45 million acres of national forest. The regulation could be repealed as soon as next year. Supporters of the administration’s plan argue that these areas should be actively managed to reduce wildfire risks, while many conservationists worry that new roads would hurt forests that are home to many vulnerable wildlife species. The forests also provide drinking water and other environmental benefits. Public comment is open through Oct. 6. …However you feel about the rule, the Forest Service currently lacks the capacity to maintain roads and conduct wildfire mitigation and forest restoration projects at the scale needed. [to access the full story a Washington Post subscription is required]
A California group said in an Instagram post that it had located the largest redwood tree on Earth following a two-year search. While celebrating the remarkable tree, the post also provides a reminder that awe-inspiring forests are not guaranteed to last, especially as old-growth habitat continues to disappear. In its post, Sacramento Food Forest described an old-growth coastal redwood as having a “base width of 116 feet,” and said it is “over 1,500 years old and 310 feet tall.” It also claimed the tree is wider at the base than “the largest tree in the world, a giant sequoia named General Sherman.” While these precise claims aren’t fully verified, the post included a video showing the tree’s remarkable size. Sacramento Food Forest said larger redwoods once occupied a 2 million-acre coastal band before widespread logging drastically shrank that area.
For harvesting to be profitable on the scale necessary, we need a competitive market for logs, and our forest products industry was decimated with the earlier cessation of harvesting on federal lands. Today, 25% of our lumber supply, worth about $19.7 billion, is imported from Canada. While we ignored our federal forests, the Canadians have been exhausting their easier pickings. With only difficult sites left, they are cutting back, with more cutbacks planned in the future. In the last decade, lumber production there has decreased by 55%. This is an opportunity that we need to capitalize on. By reestablishing a modest forest products industry, we could create a market for the material we need to thin and harvest. Were we to replace the Canadian lumber with domestically produced lumber, the downstream financial stimulus could add an additional $39.4 billion to our GDP. …Let’s consider some of the possible end products for the thinned and harvested timber.
Officially known as “inventoried roadless areas,” roadless areas are protected under a federal rule enacted 25 years ago that generally prohibits logging and road-building. In Montana they cover about one-third of the state’s 17 million acres of public land administered by the U.S. Forest Service. …The original intent of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, in part, was to curb the spread of roads and development into the agency’s wildest landscapes. It was also a recognition that the Forest Service’s sprawling road network — today comprising 368,000 miles — was already beyond its capacity to maintain. …President Donald Trump’s administration announced last summer it would move to rescind that roadless rule, effectively returning those lands to the land-use designations established by each individual national forest. Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service, released a 
Tropical Storm Isaias has formed in the Gulf and is expected to approach the U.S. northern Gulf Coast on Friday after becoming a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. Isaias would be the Atlantic Basin’s first hurricane of the season and is its ninth named storm. El Niño continues to bring a more active season in the Pacific. The storm formed with less than two months remaining in the 2026 hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30. Tropical Storm Isaias, which grew from Tropical Depression Nine on Wednesday,” is expected to pass to the north of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday before approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast the following day, according to forecasters. It is expected to rapidly strengthen. …The hurricane center warned of “an increasing risk of dangerous wind and storm surge impacts” along parts of the northern Gulf Coast and urged people living in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and northern Florida.
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas— The timber industry has been vital in Arkansas, contributing more than $7 billion to the state’s GDP. But today, that industry is struggling. …It all has to do with gas prices. …Jeremy Erwin, a 3rd-generation logger running Erwin Resources Services in Fordyce, says “a typical company probably burns a million dollars a year in fuel, and this year, it’s going to hit 2 (million dollars).” …”Our rates probably went up 14-15% on the logging side. …These lifelong loggers are urging Arkansas policy-makers to do something to help stop the bleeding. And as of last week, some relief could be ahead. On September 29th, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee-Sanders signed an executive order that would allow loggers and farmers to use dyed diesel fuel on public highways. This fuel is tax-free and could offer some much-needed assistance.
AUGUSTA, Maine — A new Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Maine Forest Service (MFS) report underscores the effectiveness of environmentally friendly practices during timber harvesting. Released Oct. 1, the “
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NORTH CAROLINA — A few weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the draft environmental impact statement for its plan to open the remaining pristine roadless areas of our national forests to mining, logging and road building. Pushed by anti-public lands corporate and industry interests, this raid on the lands that belong to all Americans raises the alarm about the ability to pass an irreplaceable resource down to future generations. …The release of the draft environmental impact statement opened a 30-day public comment period with a now-past deadline of midnight Sept. 21 – less than half the traditional 60- to 90-day comment period traditionally provided for proposed actions of this magnitude. Conservation organizations and others are formally requesting an extension, but past behavior shows the current administration is not interested in what you or I think. That’s why it is vital to raise your voice in support of the Roadless Rule before Oct. 6.
Alterations made to Australia’s forests during British colonial rule have amplified the effects of climate change and rendered the country more prone to bushfires, a new study suggests. The research provides evidence for the value of cultural burning by Indigenous communities, scientists from the University of Melbourne say. “Climate records show seasons of comparably dangerous fire weather such as those seen during Ash Wednesday and Black Saturday reoccurred in the region repeatedly before colonisation, yet the open landscape maintained by cultural burning protected the land from catastrophic fire,” Michael-Shawn Fletcher, an author of the new study, said. “When colonisation ended that care, the forest expanded and thickened across the region, loading with fuel.” The study, published in the journal Nature, reconstructed the last 1,000 years of vegetation, fire and erosion in the Croajingolong National Park, East Gippsland, one of the most fire-prone forests in the southeast.
In an interview with The Ethical Corporation, Inter-IKEA Group’s global head of forestry Mikhail Tarasov pointed to biodiversity loss as one of the biggest threats to the world’s forests. Competition for forest resources and accelerating climate change, which is driving wildfires and the spread of pests and disease, add to the challenge for IKEA. The company, which processed 14.7 million cubic metres of round wood for its products last year, is one of the world’s largest consumers of timber, most of it sourced from Europe. That figure, however, represents a 30% reduction in its consumption since 2019, in part by recycling and reusing wood in its products. IKEA is working to promote better forest management so that decisions on the harvesting of trees take account of local conditions, and combine management with protection and regeneration. The different IKEA entities own over 500,000 hectares of forest. Tarasov’s group is piloting “climate smart” forestry on 16,000 hectares in Latvia.