Dropping fire retardant solutions from planes is a crucial strategy in wildfire fighting, but some experts are concerned about their impact on the environment, including aquatic ecosystems. Once dropped, these retardants leave a rust-coloured or pinkish liquid coating on roads, roofs, and vegetation. This technique, commonly used since the mid 20th century, helps fire crews contain blazes by depriving flames of oxygen, explains Jen Baron, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Wildfire Coexistence. Since 2009, the B.C. Wildfire Service has relied on Phos-Chek LC-95A, a widely used retardant from Perimeter Solutions… Its main ingredient, ammonium polyphosphate, is a common fertilizer. Additives, like iron oxide, give the retardant its signature red colour, helping crews to see where it has been dropped. …Uldis Silins, a professor of forest hydrology at the University of Alberta says studying retardants like Phos-Chek remains crucial, especially because their specific chemical composition is proprietary and therefore unknown.
A B.C. Supreme Court justice has ordered a group of people blocking a logging road in the Walbran Valley on southern Vancouver Island to stop. The decision to grant an injunction to Tsawak-qin Forestry Limited Partnership, a joint partnership between the Huu-ay-aht First Nations and Western Forest Products, alongside an enforcement order is expected to set the stage for the RCMP to remove people from the area. This fight over British Columbia’s old-growth forests comes four years after the start of the historic Fairy Creek protests, where more than 1,100 people were arrested. The Walbran Valley blockade began in late August and has prevented a logging company from working and accessing tools, equipment and vehicles on the other side of the blockade. Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones, who was at the forefront of the Fairy Creek protests, is one of the parties named in the court filing, and the only person to respond to the application. 
As summer winds down, I’m pleased to welcome you to this special edition of the Forest Practices Board’s newsletter. This season marks a significant milestone for us—our 30th anniversary. For three decades, the Board has worked diligently to provide independent oversight of forest and range practices in British Columbia, helping to ensure that our natural resources are managed sustainably and in the public interest. …This issue highlights some of the conversations, initiatives, audits, investigations and special reports the Board is involved in as we embark on this anniversary year.
The Cariboo Wood Innovation Training Hub (CWITH) is inviting people to bring their ideas and opinions to an upcoming workshop on contemplative forestry. The workshop will be facilitated by Jason Brown, an affiliate forest professional with Forest Professionals British Columbia, on Saturday, Sept. 20. Participants will explore the concept of contemplative forestry, an approach which meets two extreme views on forestry in the middle. …Stephanie Huska, project lead with CWITH, said the workshop is a way to open the door to conversations which historically have not been included in natural resource management discussions based on western worldviews. …A contemplative approach to forest management values manual work as a form of spiritual practice, allows forests to ‘speak’ for themselves, admits there are some aspects of life we don’t have the language for and sees forestry as a mutually beneficial, place-based vocation.
VANCOUVER — The B.C. Supreme Court is set to rule on an injunction to halt a blockade against old-growth logging in the Walbran Valley on Vancouver Island, but a lawyer for one of the blockaders says the law is evolving and in need of a “course correction.” The Pacheedaht First Nation has decried the blockade on its traditional territory near Port Renfrew, B.C., claiming it is undermining its authority and should disband. The First Nation said in a statement that forestry is a “cornerstone” of its economy, and is calling for the blockaders to “stand down and leave.” The statement came after Tsawak-qin Forestry Inc., a firm co-owned by the Huu-ay-aht First Nations and Western Forest Products Inc., filed a lawsuit last week in B.C. Supreme Court alleging that “a group of largely unknown individuals” began the blockade of a road on Aug. 25.
The existing Category 1 campfire prohibition for the Cariboo Fire Centre and Tsilhqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Declared Title area will be extended. It will go in effect at noon tomorrow (September 11) and will remain in effect until September 30 or until the order is rescinded. A Category 1 campfire is defined as any fire smaller than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide. The Cariboo Fire Centre said this prohibition applies to all areas in the Fire Centre that are outside of municipal boundaries. In addition, it also applies to these land types within municipal boundaries: Parks, conservancies and recreation areas; Recreation sites, recreation trails, interpretive forest sites and trail-based recreation areas; Ecological reserves; and Wildlife management areas and private managed forest land.
…Paul George, co-founder of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee …hit on popularizing the fight to protect old growth with a poster depicting a young woman gazing up the towering trunk of a massive, moss-covered Sitka spruce tree [in the] Carmanah Valley. The poster’s tag line — “Big Trees Not Big Stumps” — was a model of economy. …like five wasp stings to the hide of MacMillan Bloedel, the company that wanted to cut that tree and every other one like it down. Today we’d say it went viral. But not in the sense of a social media post that explodes with millions of views today only to be forgotten tomorrow … it would prove to have the lasting power of long COVID. …The poster came to mind [when a] small group of protesters planted themselves on a logging road leading into… the upper Walbran Valley, which borders the Carmanah on Vancouver Island’s southwest coast.
Zoom Presentation, September 16th, 7:00 pm. The BC Forest History Association is honoured to host Larry Pedersen as the first speaker for the 2025 Speaker Series. Larry Pedersen was BC Provincial Chief Forester from 1994 to 2004. A graduate from UBC with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry in 1975, he became a registered Professional Forester in 1977. During his career, he advanced through a number of positions in the Forest Service and he also worked in the private sector. In his presentation titled Reflections from British Columbia’s 14th Chief Forester, Larry will discuss some important historical events that helped shape forestry in the province, explain how he ended up in the job, discuss some of the challenges that he faced, and will tell some stories about things that were said and done during his tenure. The presentation is intended to highlight just a few of the many important events that have shaped forestry in the province. To register for this Zoom presentation use this 
As Nova Scotia grapples with one of its most severe wildfire seasons, a controversial decision by the provincial government has flown under the radar: the approval of aerial glyphosate spraying on 3,577 acres of drought-stricken, fire-prone forest. This move not only risks human health and ecosystems but also exacerbates the very wildfires it claims to mitigate. …Glyphosate-based herbicides are used in forestry to kill deciduous plants and shrubs that compete with commercial softwood species. However, this practice replaces diverse, resilient forests with flammable monocultures. By inhibiting plant growth and causing vegetation to wilt and die, glyphosate leaves behind dry, combustible biomass — effectively turning forests into tinderboxes. In a province already parched by drought and under travel bans due to fire risks, adding fuel to the fire is nothing short of reckless.
Michelle Conroy says she appreciates all the work the province’s firefighters have put into protecting Miramichi, as wildfires raged out of control. But the Progressive Conservative MLA for Miramichi East also wonders if their employer, the Department of Natural Resources, might have unintentionally made conditions in the forests worse by encouraging herbicide spraying so that New Brunswick’s powerful timber industry could have softwood plantations. …The idea that the ecosystem could had been thrown “out of balance,” was addressed by Deputy Minister Cade Libby. “Your comment is one we’ve heard quite a few times,” Libby said. “Yes, herbicides target broad-leafed plants. …But a working forest is a great way to mitigate forest fire risk.” The deputy minister said timber cutters use forestry roads that act as fire breaks and that they work on forests of various types and age classes that have less fuel load than virgin, old-growth forests do.
For Tom Schultz, the 21st chief of the U.S. Forest Service, repealing the Roadless Rule is not a matter of ideology but rather a matter of “common sense land management.” Leaving land alone and letting nature run its course is not management, Schultz explained, but a “false narrative.” “The idea that if I care about something, I walk away from it,” Schultz said. “I guess I don’t buy that.” The Roadless Rule… prevented the building of roads through nearly 60 million acres of Forest Service land, conserving a small percentage of the overall American landscape from further development. Today, after carve outs by several states, the total acreage is closer to 45 million. …Schultz spoke with Deseret News to explain why it’s important to repeal the provision, why the administration is working so “expeditiously” to do so and what the public might expect from the prospect. 
After years of wildland firefighters developing cancer, lung disease and other health issues while not being allowed to wear masks as they work, the US Forest Service will now allow these crews to wear masks. The policy turnaround comes as the Forest Service posted new guidance on Monday “acknowledging for the first time that masks can protect firefighters against harmful particles in wildfire smoke,” per 
The Trump administration is looking to finalize a repeal of a longstanding Roadless Rule with a public comment period that 
President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Agriculture has moved to rescind the “roadless rule” that protects portions of national forests from development — including 4.4 million acres in California — and members of the public can still submit comments about the change to the federal government. Every national forest in California would be affected. Commenters can weigh in through the online form on regulations.gov through Sept. 19; the docket is FS-2025-0001-0001. Since 2001, the roadless rule has protected designated areas from development and logging, limiting or barring the construction or reconstruction of roads. About 21% of California’s national forestlands are protected. Throughout the U.S., the 2001 rule covers 59 million acres. The administration has said the move to end the rule would open up these forests to more logging and has said that more roads would help with wildfire prevention. As NPR reported, the U.S. Forest Service has previously found that roads appeared to do nothing to mitigate wildfires.
LINCOLN COUNTY, Oregon — Travelers exploring private timber lands along the Oregon Coast may encounter locked gates or restricted access, but this is not due to a desire to keep citizens off the property, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said. The closures are a response to increasing incidents of littering, vehicle abandonment, theft of forest products, and criminal mischief. Common acts of vandalism include property destruction by 4x4s and ATVs in unauthorized areas and damage to road access gates, officials said. These actions not only destroy the natural beauty of the forests but also incur costs for cleanup and repairs, which are paid by private timber companies and taxpayers.
The increase in wildfires over the past few decades is changing the Colorado landscape in more ways than one. Not only do fires temporarily decimate the impacted areas but according to research out of Colorado State University, they are actually changing how, and if, forests regenerate post fire. “There are definitely some places where they’re coming back really well; it just takes a long time for trees to grow back,” said Camille Stevens-Rumann, CSU associate professor of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship. “But there are definitely other places that are not recovering and are not turning back into the forests that we expect them to be. …Reseeding efforts in these locations have shown mixed results, forcing researchers and forestry officials to look at alternative species. …“I think we do have to adapt and think about the fact that those forests are going to look differently.”
The European Commission has announced dates for virtual training sessions on the EUDR Information System, open to all interested parties. These sessions provide guidance on submitting due diligence statements under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). While these sessions are available to all, WPAC anticipates that most of our members will meet their EUDR obligations through the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) system, which we helped to develop. EUDR establishes robust requirements for traceability, due diligence, and risk mitigation. SBP has developed a voluntary EUDR module integrated into its Data Transfer System (DTS), helping Certificate Holders prepare now for compliance ahead of the December 2025 implementation deadline. …Learn more about 
Austria’s softwood sector may face a production decline of up to 10% if the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) takes effect in its current form at the end of the year. The regulation requires full traceability of wood products across the entire supply chain, which industry representatives say is unworkable according to Markus Schmölzer of the Austrian Sawmill Association. Although the sector expects a 2% production increase in 2025, the EUDR poses a direct threat to the entire wood value chain. A decline in softwood production would affect manufacturers of building components, furniture, panel boards, paper, and pellet products, especially during winter months. …The Austrian industry urges the EU to either suspend the regulation entirely or revise it through an “Omnibus” legislative package aimed at reducing bureaucracy. …While supporting the goal of halting global deforestation, the sector proposes targeted monitoring for high-risk regions and exemptions for low-risk countries such as Austria.
The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), one of the world’s most comprehensive legislations to curb tropical deforestation, will take effect at the end of December 2025. Since its adoption in 2023, debates over its implementation and effectiveness have been loud and persistent. Some claim the requirements are unclear or impossible to meet, especially for smallholders, while others fear the regulation will disrupt trade or place heavy burdens on businesses. …Despite the challenges, governments, companies and smallholders worldwide are showing that EUDR compliance is not only possible — it is already underway. Building on our previous analysis of why the EUDR is a necessary regulation to tackle deforestation linked to commodity supply chains, this article focuses on the practicality of compliance and highlights concrete steps being taken to prepare. …Guidance from EU national enforcement authorities, such as the Netherlands’ report, show that compliance with the EUDR is not rocket science. 
The UK’s largest and most advanced seed centre has opened in Cheshire. The store near Delamere Forest will process four tonnes of seeds every year, which Forestry England said was enough to grow millions of trees for decades to come. It added the centre was “a significant milestone in protecting the future resilience of our forests”. Forestry Minister Mary Creagh said the building was “nationally significant” because it was “part of our climate resilience”. Creagh added: “We are the largest wood importer in the world, and in a climate-constrained future we are going to have to grow more of our own.” The centre, funded through the Nature for Climate Fund and Forestry England, aims to provide seeds to grow climate-adapted trees. …Tristram Hilborn, chief operating officer of Forestry England, said: “What we need to consider for 100 a years’ time is the sort of trees that will thrive in that sort of climate.”