Category Archives: Forestry

Forestry

My Green Mentor

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative
June 12, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, United States

Applications are now open for the free binational SFI/PLT Canada Green Mentor program. Are you a Canadian or American student or young professional aged 18–30? Grow your network, build your skills, and take meaningful steps toward a green career by applying as a mentee. Mentees will have the opportunity to: Meet Sector Professionals: Connect with experts to navigate the job market and gain insights into green careers; Increase Your Employability: Build essential skills—like time management and goal-setting—that align with green careers; and Access Resources to Support Your Journey: Join SFI, PLT Canada, and sector professionals in a series of webinars designed to equip you for success. If you’ve taken part in the Green Mentor program, consider giving back by becoming a mentor. Share your experience, offer guidance, and support other students and young professionals as they grow their green career pathways.

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Demand for water bombers has ‘skyrocketed’ as Canada grapples with more intense wildfires

By Darren Major
CBC News
June 5, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

As Canada is again dealing with massive wildfires, the increasing severity of the natural disasters is having the knock-on effect of spiking the demand for water bomber planes — and it will be years before Canada gets its hands on a new one. Premiers gathered in Saskatchewan this week, one of the provinces currently gripped by wildfires. They were primarily meeting to discuss major infrastructure projects, but a number of premiers talked to reporters about dealing with the wildfire situation. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, whose province has also seen thousands flee wildfires in recent weeks, mentioned that his government is waiting for an order of water bombers — but he doesn’t expect them to be delivered any time soon. …John Gradek, an aviation management lecturer at McGill University, agreed [with Premier Ford] that it’s well past time for Canada to have a nationalized water bomber fleet.

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Trees may be able to help us predict volcanic eruptions

By Cheryl Santa Maria
The Weather Network
June 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, United States

Eruptions can’t be prevented, so scientists have focused on improving early detection technologies. New work being done by NASA and the Smithsonian Institution builds upon the existing knowledge that changes in tree leaves can signify a volcanic eruption. Magma releases carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and other gases as it ascends. Nearby trees absorb the carbon dioxide and become greener and more lush in response. According to the new research, these changes are detectable from space. The greener foliage can be read by NASA satellites like Landsat 8, as well as airborne instruments from the Airborne Validation Unified Experiment: Land to Ocean (AVUELO). There are roughly 1350 active volcanoes in the world, many of them in remote or hard-to-navigate terrain. Volcanic carbon dioxide is difficult to detect remotely. Scientists often have to travel to volcanoes to take direct measurements, which is a difficult and sometimes hazardous assignment.

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Data capturing hot spots and burned acres show Canada wildfire season off to wild start

By M. K. Wildeman
Victoria Times Colonist
June 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

While images of wildfires capture their ferocity, data can provide insight into how bad a fire season is. Such is the case with two graphics, powered by satellite data, that showcase a Canadian wildfire season off to a wild — and scary — start. Twice a day a NASA satellite sends images to the ground, giving a real-time view of where fires are burning. This is especially useful for remote areas where no sensors are stationed. As of Tuesday that satellite had picked up four times as many fire hot spots across Canada than is typical for early June. Based on data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, about 200 fires are actively burning in Canada and have consumed about 7,700 square miles (19,900 square kilometers) of terrain, most of it in the last week.

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312-acre land transfer in Cowichan to two First Nations complete

By Robert Barron
Ladysmith Chemainus Chronicle
June 11, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The transfer of a 312-hectare property neat Skutz Falls to the Lyackson First Nation and Cowichan Tribes has been completed. The land, valued at approximately $8.6 million, was privately owned by Mosiac Forest Management and recently bought by the province. The land transfer, called the Incremental Treaty Agreement, which is a legally binding pre-treaty agreement negotiated by the province and the First Nations, is considered a key reconciliation milestone between the two Quw’utsun Nation communities and the province. The agreement was celebrated in a signing ceremony, attended by B.C. Premier David Eby, on the property in May, 2024. …”The acquisition of this parcel of land could not have been made possible without the commitment of British Columbia, our kinship ties with Cowichan Tribes and willing seller Mosaic,” said Hereditary Chief Laxele’wuts’aat Chief Shana Thomas of Lyackson First Nation.

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State of Idaho lending fire crews to B.C., western Canada

By Steve Berard
Energetic City
June 11, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West, US West

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Teams of firefighters from Idaho are joining the BC Wildfire Service’s (BCWS) efforts to combat the growing number of wildfires across the province. The Idaho Department of Lands — a government agency that oversees forestry practices and provides fire protection on state land in Idaho — announced on June 2nd that it’s sending fire crews to Canada. The news comes during a particularly intense period of B.C.’s wildfire season… According to a social media post that includes the announcement, the state of Idaho and the province of B.C. are both members of a group of regional governments called the Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact. Members of the compact have agreed to pool together their firefighting resources in times of need.  Other members in Canada include Saskatchewan, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Meanwhile, other American members of the compact include Alaska, Oregon and Hawaii, the newest member.

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From Optimism to Action: What Two Forestry Events Revealed About the Industry’s Future

By Norm Adams, President, PivotLeader Inc.
The Prince George Daily News
June 11, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

At the 2025 Council of Forest Industries (COFI) Convention in Prince George, the message coming from the stage was clear and consistent: British Columbia’s forestry sector, though challenged, was on the cusp of transformation. Words like resilience, partnership, and innovation echoed across the sessions. COFI’s President and CEO, Kim Haakstad, struck a hopeful tone in her remarks: “The forest sector is facing unprecedented challenges—but with collaboration and innovation, there is a path forward.” …Seven weeks later, I attended the Canada North Resources Expo, in Prince George. The contrast couldn’t have been more striking. This show, which typically draws the biggest names in logging and roadbuilding equipment, felt subdued. Gone were the sprawling displays from Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo, John Deere, and XCMG. These are big players – their absence was impossible to miss. …At COFI, we heard big ideas. At the Resource Expo, we saw who’s showing up—and who isn’t.

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Gibsons aims to plant 2,200 trees by 2045 as part of urban forest plan

By Jordan Copp
The Sunshine Coast Reporter
June 10, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The Town of Gibsons has endorsed an ambitious urban forest plan to protect and expand tree canopy coverage across the municipality by 2045. The plan, developed by Diamond Head Consulting, was presented to council during the June 3 regular meeting, following community engagement and technical analysis. The urban forest plan establishes canopy cover targets of 31 per cent for urban areas and 39 per cent for greenfield development sites by 2045. Currently, Gibsons maintains 38 per cent overall canopy coverage, representing 160 hectares of tree canopy within the town’s 430-hectare(4.3km²) boundary. The plan notes that while greenfield areas will see reduced canopy due to expected development, strategic planting and protection measures can still achieve meaningful coverage.

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DR Systems Showcases Phoenix Connect at BC Community Forest Assn Conference: A Celebration of Community Forestry and Innovation

DR Systems Inc.
June 10, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Nanaimo, BC – DR Systems Inc. was proud to join the vibrant community of forestry leaders, land managers, and Indigenous partners at this year’s BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) Conference. Held in the heart of British Columbia, the event was a powerful celebration of local leadership, resilient communities, and collaborative forest stewardship. At our booth, the team connected with community forest representatives from across the province to showcase Phoenix Connect, our flagship SaaS platform designed for managing forest operations, spatial data, and regulatory reporting. With live demonstrations and one-on-one conversations, we heard firsthand how important it is to have software that’s as adaptable, user-focused, and community-minded as the people who use it. “The conversations we had reinforced why we do what we do – building tools that support sustainable forestry, strengthen partnerships, and make complex reporting more manageable,” said Heidi Walsh, Co-owner at DR Systems.

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Mission forestry turns profit to start 2025 with tariff, wildfire threat looming

By Dillon White
The Mission City Record
June 11, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Mission’s forestry department reported a net profit of $181,474 to begin 2025. Forestry director Chris Gruenwald presented the department’s quarterly report to council on June 2, with the department expected to remain profitable for the year. A net profit of $1,082,492 was forecasted for the quarter, per the report. “The results for the quarter were due to the lower volumes harvested compared to budget, as the department did not release the first timber sale of the year until late-January, as there was market uncertainty at the end of 2024/start of 2025,” the report reads. The department released a 24,000 m3 Hemlock/Cedar timber sale at the end of January, expected to generate $1.9 million in revenue. However,  Gruenwald notes that “uncertainty exists in the timber market these days” amid threats of new tariffs from the United States. Potential tariffs on softwood lumber increase the risk of market downturns, in addition to a previously expected increase in July.

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City of Powell River Council approves UBCM resolutions

By Paul Galinski
The Powell River Peak
June 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Ron Woznow

City of Powell River councillors have adopted a resolution for the Union of British Columbia Municipalities’ (UBCM) convention in September regarding forest harvesting. Councillor Cindy Elliott and mayor Ron Woznow put this resolution together. Woznow said it was an issue that came from meetings at a previous UBCM convention with the Truck Loggers Association. “Very simply put, the City of Powell River has probably lost about $7 million in revenues,” said Woznow. “That is the estimate of the reduction in revenue that Western Forest Products and other companies have experienced. …“The thing about the forest industry is that it actually creates wealth, as opposed to simply distributing wealth.” …The resolution states that UBCM call upon the provincial government and the minister of forests to take immediate steps to create regulatory certainty for planning and permitting the harvest of the full existing licensed annual allowable cut. The motion passed unanimously.

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New partnership will help detect, monitor wildfires in B.C.

By The Ministry of Forests
Government of British Columbia
June 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Ravi Parmar

A camera network that gives first responders information to support wildfire response, emergency management and public awareness is being expanded through a partnership between the Province and the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus (UBCO). “With this technology, we’re making strides in protecting communities from wildfires by predicting them before they happen. And better predicting them means keeping more families safe,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “I’m proud to work with UBCO and use its research to protect our communities from the threat of wildfire.” After a successful trial in 2024, the Province is investing $200,000 to expand the camera network throughout British Columbia. Early detection of wildfire plays a crucial role in reducing risks, lowering suppression costs and protecting communities. Using 5G technology, the cameras detect smoke from wildfires and provide real-time data to support evacuation planning, resource deployment and wildfire behaviour predictions.

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This wildfire season is going to be intense. Here’s what to expect

By Lou Bosshart
The University of British Columbia
June 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Canada’s wildfire season has had an early and intense start, with states of emergency declared in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and forecasts warning of severe conditions across central and eastern Canada. Wildfire smoke is already crossing borders, affecting millions. In this Q&A, wildfire experts Dr. Lori Daniels and Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais, co-directors of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, explain what’s driving early activity and how communities can prepare. Air quality expert Dr. Christopher Carlsten weighs in on health precautions. …”Many still believe wildfire “can’t happen here” but our climate and forests have changed. Spring starts earlier, forests dry out faster and they stay flammable longer. And because northern latitudes are warming faster than the global average, Canada is being impacted by extreme fires. Since 2017, over 7.3 million hectares have burned in B.C., more than twice the size of Vancouver Island”, said Lori Daniels.

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Okanagan Indian Band, Tolko Industries still cleaning up after White Rock Lake wildfire

By Darren Handschuh
Castanet
June 7, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Okanagan Indian Band is continuing efforts to clean up after the 2021 White Rock Lake wildfire. The OKIB is currently working with Tolko Industries on salvage harvesting operations in the Bradley Creek area, which was heavily impacted by the fire. The White Rock Lake fire destroyed thousands of hectares of land and numerous structures as it raged through the region. According to the OKIB June online newsletter, the “salvage work focuses on removing dead standing (fire-killed) timber to support ecological recovery and reduce wildfire risks, while protecting Syilx values and environmental standards.” …This salvage harvesting is part of OKIB’s long-term recovery plan for fire-affected areas. Removing fire-killed trees and replanting the area will help stabilize soils and reduce erosion, support water quality and wildlife habitat recovery and contribute to a healthier, more resilient forest ecosystem.

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B.C. First Nations return to traditional practices to reduce wildfire risk

By Ben Miljure
CTV News
June 5, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

As wildfire seasons seem to grow longer and more intense year after year, many B.C. First Nations are looking to the past for solutions to make their communities more fire resilient. In the northwest corner of the province, the Cheslatta First Nation has come under threat multiple times in recent years. “Almost half of Cheslatta’s territory has been burnt since 2010,” said Cheslatta forestry manager Logan Wilson. …Many First Nations utilizing cultural burns are working in collaboration with researchers at UBC’s Faculty of Forestry, who received a USD$780,000 grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to study Indigenous practices of wildfire management and forest restoration. …The BCWS said it participated in 48 prescribed burns in 2024, altering more than 3,400 hectares of land, an area more than eight times the size of Vancouver’s Stanley Park. Twenty-three of those burns were conducted in collaboration with First Nations.

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Stopping wildfires with trees: How thousands of aspen seedlings could help protect Whitehorse

By Andrew Hynes
CBC News
June 8, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Crystal To… is part of a small crew of tree planters who are slowly filling the Whitehorse South fuel break with aspen. It’s her first time doing the job. …The goal of the fuel break is to protect the capital city from wildfires by creating a natural barrier, removing all the highly flammable conifers in an 800-hectare area and replacing them with more fire-resistant aspens. The Yukon government began work on the fuel break in 2020, near the Mary Lake subdivision. It’s one of the first such projects in Canada, and the goal is to have it finished by 2032. The aspens are being planted by the thousands every summer. This year, 232,000 seedlings will be planted.

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B.C. cedes much of Nuchatlitz provincial park to Nuchatlaht First Nation

By Justine Hunter
Globe and Mail
June 6, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The B.C. government has quietly ceded control of a large portion of a provincial park off the west coast of Vancouver Island, in response to a precedent-setting court ruling on an Indigenous land claim. Public access to parts of Nuchatlitz Park is no longer assured, after the B.C. Supreme Court declared last year that the Nuchatlaht, a First Nation with 180 members, has proved Aboriginal title to 1,140 hectares of land on the north end of Nootka Island. …The lawyer for the Nuchatlaht says it is the first time parkland has been included in a title ruling from the courts. …The title lands include 320 hectares of old-growth forest in Nuchatlitz Park. …Tamara Davidson, B.C.’s Minister of Environment and Parks, declined to comment on the Nuchatlaht case. …Jack Woodward, the lawyer who represented the Nuchatlaht, said that the courts have set a precedent establishing that Aboriginal title can supersede park protections on Crown land. [A Globe and Mail subscription is required for full story access]

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West Fraser donates 1,200 trees to 108 Mile Ranch Greenbelt Commission

By Patrick Davies
Coast Mountain News
June 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Following fire mitigation efforts in and around the 108 Mile Ranch, a new generation of trees have been planted to restore the land. West Fraser 100 Mile donated 1,200 trees that were planted by treeplanters from Zanzibar Holdings Ltd. on behalf of the 108 Mile Ranch Greenbelt Commission. Greenbelt commissioner Chris Betuzzi said it’s all part of the commission’s work to secure the 108 Mile Ranch against future fire seasons and avoid a repeat of the 2017 Gustafsen fire, which burned parts of Walker Valley. As a registered forest technologist, he said helping manage the forest is a responsibility close to his heart. In May of 2024, Betuzzi said they carried out fire mitigation efforts in three areas along the Greenbelt, including Donsleequa Road, Qua Place and Gloinnzum Drive to reduce forest fuel in the event of a wildfire. Betuzzi said they had Tsi Del Del Enterprises Ltd come up to process the slash piles and fibre.

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Cree Nation Government Affirms Paix Des Braves Prevails over Bill 97

By Nadia Saganash, Director of Quebec and Indigenous Relations
Cree Nation Government in Nation Talk
June 10, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

Nemaska, Eeyou Istchee – The Cree Nation Government confirms that the Adapted Forestry Regime, as established under Chapter 3 of the Agreement. Concerning New Relationship between le Gouvernement du Québec and the Crees of Québec (Paix des Braves) and the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) takes legal precedence over the provisions introduced in Bill 97 – An Act mainly to modernize the forestry regime and the governance of forests in Québec. This precedence is explicitly affirmed in the bill itself under section 8.2, which states: “The provisions of Chapter 3 of the Agreement Concerning a New Relationship between le Gouvernement du Québec and the Crees of Québec, entered into on 7 February 2002 and approved by Order in Council 289-2002 dated 20 March 2002 (French only), as well as any amendment to that chapter approved by the Government, prevail over the provisions of this Act […].”

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Newfoundland and Labrador Government Monitoring Detections of Japanese Beetle

By Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
June 6, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture is working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and industry stakeholders to respond to increased detections of Japanese beetle in the St. John’s area. Japanese beetle, an invasive species in Canada, is regulated under the Plant Protection Act by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Pest Surveillance Program. The agency has detected isolated and sporadic occurrences of Japanese beetle in Newfoundland and Labrador since 2014. In 2024, Japanese beetles were detected in the environment in St. John’s, indicating potential overwintering since there is no evidence linking the detections to imported plant material, as in previous occurrences. …Japanese beetles can spread quickly, especially via wind, or through transportation of soil and plants. If not controlled, this insect poses a serious threat to agriculture, horticulture, landscaping and forestry industries…

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Why Quebec’s forestry reform is facing backlash from Indigenous groups, conservationists

By Cassandra Yanez-Leyton
CBC News
June 6, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

Quebec’s sweeping reform of how forests are managed is causing concerns among Indigenous leaders, conservation groups and unions, who warn the changes prioritize logging over long-term health of the ecosystem. Bill 97, tabled this spring by Minister of Natural Resources and Forests Maïté Blanchette Vézina, proposes to divide the forest into three zones: one that prioritizes conservation, one focused on timber production and a third zone for multiple uses. At least 30 per cent of Quebec’s forests will fall into that second category, Blanchette Vézina said. Speaking at the legislative hearing on Bill 97, Lac-Simon Anishnabe Nation Chief Lucien Wabanonik says he wants to see it scrapped and rewritten from scratch in collaboration with First Nations people. “They call it triade in French, meaning 30 per cent of the territory will be specifically used by the industry in exclusion of other users,” he said. “It’s very negative on our rights as First Nations.”

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Senator Murray Presses US Forest Service Chief on Wildfire Preparedness Amid Mass Layoffs & Funding Freezes at Hearing on Forest Service Budget

US Senator Patty Murray
June 11, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Patty Murray

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Tom Schultz, at a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Forest Service. During her questioning, Senator Murray highlighted the critical importance of Forest Service workers, and how the firing of these employees puts wildfire preparedness in jeopardy. Senator Murray also questioned how it is remotely realistic for the Forest Service to meet the demands of President Trump’s Executive Order aiming to increase timber output from federal lands by 25 percent while the Trump administration is right now cutting budgets, delaying funding, freezing hiring, and reducing staff across the agency. 

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Forest chief says losing 5,000 employees won’t impact fire season response. Many federal firefighters disagree

By Eric Katz
Government Executive
June 11, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Tom Schultz

The head of the lead federal agency tasked with fighting wildfires said it is ready for this summer’s fire season despite shedding thousands of employees in recent months, projecting a confidence level not shared by much of his workforce. US Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz acknowledged his agency has shed 4,200 through an extended paid leave program and another 600 with early retirements, though he said efforts to bring some of those employees back to work and shift others around to fill “critical positions” will ensure its readiness. USFS has all the staff it requires for fire season, Schultz told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, even as he conceded some workforce issues still require resolutions. The Forest Service has 11,000 firefighters on board, Schultz said, just below the 11,900 the agency employed last fire season. It and its federal partners have 37 incident management teams, shy of the 42 teams it had in 2024.

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Federal Budgets Reveal Plans to Consolidate Wildland Firefighting Forces

By Robert Chaney
Mountain Journal
June 11, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

©US Forest Service

Federal budget documents confirm the Trump administration’s intention to strip U.S. Forest Service wildfire duties and transferring them to a centralized wildland fire service housed in the Department of Interior. Interior’s Budget In Brief report was released June 2. It includes a six-page document describing the mission of a new U.S. Wildland Fire Service. And it requests $6.55 billion for operations and a reserve fund in Fiscal Year 2026. Congress would have to pass new laws in addition to approving President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2026 budget for the change to take place. That means it won’t affect wildland firefighting this summer, which has already tallied 29,694 incidents burning 1.2 million acres. The proposal also has some government watchdogs speculating it could lead to the wholesale absorption of the Forest Service, which is part of the Department of Agriculture, into Interior and its Bureau of Land Management.

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US Forest Service chief asks wildfire employees who took voluntary resignation to ‘come back’

By Ryan Spencer
Summit Daily News
June 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Tom Schultz

Just months after the Trump Administration gave federal employees the option to voluntarily resign, the U.S. Forest Service is asking those who resigned to return to work for the wildfire season. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said in a video posted to the Department of Agriculture website on Thursday that employees who took the Trump Administration’s deferred resignation offer should be encouraged to “come back” for the wildfire season. …Nationwide, more than 4,000 Forest Service employees accepted the federal government’s resignation offer, according to POLITICO. The Trump Administration also fired an estimated 3,400 Forest Service employees in February. …The Forest Service did not return a request for comment Monday that included questions about how many employees who accepted the deferred resignation option were “red card” holders qualified to work on wildfires. …Even before the layoffs and voluntary resignations, Colorado mountain towns had concerns that Forest Service staffing was lacking.

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Department of Justice finds Trump can abolish areas protected as national monuments

By Jake Spring
The Washington Post
June 10, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

©Wikipedia David Lamfrom

Trump administration officials have concluded that President Donald Trump has the authority to entirely abolish protected areas set aside as national monuments by past presidents, according to a legal opinion released Tuesday by the Department of Justice. The May 27 document, which reverses a legal opinion issued in 1938, could be laying the groundwork for Trump to abolish or dramatically shrink national monuments, which confer federal protections to millions of acres of federal land, much of it in the American West. Such a move would take the administration into untested legal territory. “It signals that the president is prepared to do something dramatic and sort of at a scale that we’ve never seen before with respect to national monuments, which encompass many of our most cherished public lands,” said Justin Pidot, a professor at the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law and a former Biden administration official. [A Washington Post subscription is required to access the full story]

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Trump team talks of fighting fires and cleaning forest floors

By Michael Doyle
E&E News
June 10, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

Trump administration officials on Tuesday warned of an ominous-looking fire season ahead as they repeated the case for unifying federal wildland firefighting agencies and thinning overgrown forests. Convening with the president in the White House Oval Office, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins alternated lavishing praise on President Donald Trump with a fire-fighting call to arms and an insistence that their respective departments will be ready. “This is going to be an above-normal fire season,” Rollins said, standing near Trump, who was sitting behind the oak Resolute Desk. “This means that there is a higher likelihood of large and intense wildfires than is typically expected for this time of year for the next few months.” There were 64,897 wildfires reported in 2024, compared to 56,580 reported in 2023, according to the Boise, Idaho-based National Interagency Fire Center. The wildfires consumed 8.9 million acres in 2024 compared to 2.6 million acres in 2023. [to access the full story an E&E News subscription is required]

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Nebraska’s Craig Allen chairs international panel outlining forest resilience strategies

By Geitner Simmons
Nebraska Today
June 10, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, International

Craig Allen

NEBRASKA — An international panel chaired by Husker scientist Craig Allen is pointing to the crucial benefits forests provide and calling on countries to adopt well-informed resilience strategies. Forests face major challenges, locally and globally, from urban sprawl, conversion to agriculture, and climate stresses, raising concerns for communities, as well as for the planet’s climate. “Once a particular forest has been fundamentally changed, it is impossible to restore it to that same state again,” said Allen, a School of Natural Resources professor with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Landscapes. …The forest research organization released the report June 5, describing it as “the first of its kind to comprehensively explore how forests contribute to social and economic resilience in the face of disturbance and change, and how societies can, in turn, support and steward resilient forest systems.”

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Deferred Resignation Program participants: Guidance for supporting wildfire response

By the Forest Service
The US Department of Agriculture
June 6, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

In support of USDA’s top priority of wildfire preparedness and response, Forest Service employees in the Deferred Resignation Program who have incident qualification cards (also called red cards) now have the opportunity to support fire response. Employees interested in this opportunity must follow established guidance to reactivate access to report time worked on fire assignments and submit travel documents. The Washington Office is reactivating Forest Service DRP participants who have red cards in the Incident Resource Ordering Capability system so they can self-status their availability for fire assignments. These DRP employees will be available in the ordering system the same as any other resource and must be self-sufficient.

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In Washington’s forests, Trump’s timber mandate looks shaky

By Nathan Vanderklippe
The Globe and Mail
June 8, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

It was not long ago that the small town of Darrington, Washington drew its life from the towering stands of Douglas fir, cedar and hemlock on federal lands. …Efforts to protect the spotted owl severely restricted timber sales on federal land. “We’ve struggled since the owl wars to find an economy,” says Dan Rankin, who grew up in a local logging family and has for the past 14 years been the mayor of Darrington. So Mr. Rankin had reason for hope when Donald Trump re-entered the White House with promises to start cutting trees again. …But more than four months into Mr. Trump’s turbulent second mandate, an alternative outcome is already looming: that the dramatic actions his administration has taken since its return to office could result in fewer federal trees being cut. …Mr. Rankin’s worries are rooted in what he has seen happening at the U.S. Forest Service office. [to access the full story a Globe & Mail subscription is required]

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Feds ask court to dismiss timber industry lawsuit that aims to increase Tongass old-growth logging

By Alix Soliman
KTOO
June 6, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

The largest timber companies operating in Southeast Alaska want the Tongass National Forest to sell them more old-growth timber, and they’re suing the federal government to get it. … The Alaska Forest Association along with two of their members, Viking Lumber and Alcan Timber, filed the lawsuit in March, alleging that the U.S. Department of Agriculture failed to fulfill a promise to supply the companies with enough timber to meet market demand. But the government filed a motion to dismiss the case, writing that it didn’t make such a promise. …Frank Garrison is an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation representing the timber industry. He said the industry has faced a 30-year decline, and that Viking and Alcan are struggling. …The Forest Service has not met its annual target for timber sales in Alaska since 2014, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report published last year.

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Trump’s executive order sparks concern among Pacific Northwest loggers

King 5 News
June 6, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: US West

SEATTLE — The US Forest Service has been tasked by President Trump to create a plan that will increase timber production in federal forests, and Pacific Northwest industry leaders are waiting to see how that plan will be implemented in a region rich in logging history. Many leaders are worried that this new order will disrupt the decades of work put into policies locally. …Logging has historically been a staple industry in the northwest that has simultaneously been an ongoing conversation between the need to harvest for building and economy, and also protecting the environment within these forests. …Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said the constant balancing act between the economy and the environment continues. “As our state has grown, as many of our forest lands have been developed, it’s more important that we manage these forests now, not just as economic resources, but as valuable assets that contribute to our quality of life,” said Upthegrove. 

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Pacific Northwest startup promising to replant forests faces allegations of deception in whistleblower lawsuit

By Justin Higginbottom
Oregon Public Broadcasting
June 8, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Seattle-based Mast Reforestation had a novel idea to help save the planet: sell voluntary carbon credits and use that money to replant forests destroyed by wildfire. …Mast positioned itself as a rising star in the carbon credit market, claiming to be the only “vertically-integrated reforestation carbon credit developer in the industry.”…Now, the company is facing allegations that it deceived potential partners to secure its reforestation projects. The way Mast structures its credits is central to the controversy. Mast sells carbon credits to businesses that want to voluntarily offset emissions. …But Mast’s model hinges on future climate benefits. Instead of waiting for trees to grow and capture carbon, Mast sells its credits based on projections of reductions. …In a wrongful termination lawsuit filed in Siskiyou County, Mast’s former senior director of business development Arnoud de Villegas, claims the company misled potential partners.

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Why California’s Forestry Workforce is Critical to the Future of our Forests

By Elizabeth Berger
College News
June 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Forestry professionals are at the frontlines of California’s battle against the wildfire emergency in the West. Our forestlands play a vital role in sequestering carbon, maintaining biodiversity, and providing critical ecosystem services like clean air and water. However, they are increasingly threatened by wildfires, drought, insects and disease—all of which are exacerbated by a changing climate. To combat these threats, we need a robust and well-trained forestry workforce with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage our forests sustainably. The forestry workforce is critical in wildfire prevention and mitigation. With California experiencing record-breaking wildfire seasons in recent years, there has never been a more urgent need for skilled forestry professionals to confront this emergency. Beyond fire prevention, forestry professionals manage forest health and help create landscapes that are resilient to changing conditions.

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Sawmill school: New Idaho program prepares students for careers in logging, forestry

By Lauren Paterson
Boise State Radio
June 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Reagan Brown sliced a board from a cut log using a brand new bright orange sawmill as a crowd of students, teachers and lumber industry workers looked on. He was part of a day-long event Orofino Junior Senior High School put on to show off its new trade programs, including the sawmill. Aiden Olive, a senior, was helping Reagan. “ This is completely new, we got this about a month ago, we put it together ourselves,” he said. The school is in a river valley surrounded by hills covered in evergreen trees – the kind of forest that has been logged for more than a hundred years. It’s a $2.5 billion industry in Idaho, but it’s looking for workers. “ I wasn’t really certain about going into forestry at first, but after getting this mill and running it and seeing how it works, I really actually think that could be some possibility of going into forestry,” Olive said.

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Colorado counties, towns step up to fund Forest Service workers amid federal budget cuts

By Jason Blevins
The Colorado Sun
June 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

As the Forest Service contracts with slashed staff and funding, local communities are stepping up with funding for backcountry trail crews, visitor education campaigns and management of campsites and trailheads.  “These folks need help. We know how important it is to have a physical human presence out there,” said Dave Ochs, the head of the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, which is administering $62,500 in local funding to support three seasonal Forest Service employees around Crested Butte. “Let’s help our partners. They are in need and we care very much for our backyard.” This is a scene unfolding across Colorado’s public lands as communities labor to fill gaps left by the sudden retraction of the federal government under the Trump Administration.

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Targhee growth may kill over 450 whitebark pine

By Christina MacIntosh
Jackson Hole News & Guide
June 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

The proposed development and expansion of Grand Targhee Resort may require the removal of about 456 whitebark pine trees. At the level of detail in the environmental impact statement released last month, it’s unclear whether some projects can be amended to save trees within the project area. It’s also unclear how many of the trees within the project area are mature, cone-bearing trees necessary for the species’ reproduction. Caribou-Targhee National Forest officials, who are reviewing Targhee’s expansion plans, said the 456-tree estimate is likely high. In past projects, Teton Basin District Ranger Jay Pence said, “Grand Targhee and the Forest Service [have] routinely been able to shift some of the disturbances to avoid whitebark pine stands.”.. Whitebark were listed as “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2023. But its Endangered Species Act protections do not prohibit them from being hewn.

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Woodland Trust report calls for action to save woodland wildlife

By Zac Sherratt
BBC News
June 10, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: International

Urgent action must be taken to avoid a loss of wildlife due to the “plummeting” condition of the UK’s woodlands, according to a new report. The report, published by the Woodland Trust on Tuesday, found that the quality of woodland is on the decline, despite a slight increase in tree cover. Woodland covers 24% of Surrey, making it the most wooded county in England. Abigail Bunker, director of conservation and external affairs at the trust, said: “We are calling on the government and others to invest in the management of our woodlands.” She said investing in woodland management would mean wildlife could experience the benefits “of these precious ecosystems”. Woodlands are becoming less effective as habitats for wildlife because they lack complexity, such as having enough trees of differing ages, states and sizes.

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The forest industry’s conundrum: The case of the Swedish forestry industry

Deloitte
June 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: International

SWEDEN — To combat the growing risks from unsustainable business practices, governments and regulators worldwide require corporates to bring greater transparency and reporting to their sustainability impact. When comes to reporting, however, arguably, not all industries are the same. Forests are key to addressing both climate change and biodiversity loss, two of the most urgent challenges for the global community. …If reporting (and other) regulations are to encourage forestry organizations, and their stakeholders, to make more sustainable choices, more needs to be done to increase understanding of the specific sustainability impacts of the industry. Three key areas should be addressed: reporting models, underlying data, and success cases. …An evolving regulatory environment with potential broad implications for forest companies combined with a fragmented reporting landscape diminishes the useability of information for stakeholders as a steering tool. 

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New president and vice president at chartered foresters

By Elizabeth Birt
Institute of Chartered Foresters
June 6, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: International

Andrew Sowerby & Gary Kerr

Edinburgh — A new president and vice president have been appointed at the Institute of Chartered Foresters. Andrew Sowerby, a fellow of the institute, has taken on the role of president, succeeding Geraint Richards. Dr Gary Kerr has been appointed vice president. Mr Sowerby, who recently joined Bronwin & Abbey Ltd as a director, said: “It’s a real honour to be elected as president of the Institute of Chartered Foresters. “The institute for me is more than an organisation, it’s a home, and has been a constant across my career spanning the public, private and third sectors. “I’m very much stepping into this role embracing the diversity and experience that defines our profession.” The appointment follows the institute’s annual general meeting on June 4.

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