Donald Reid
Planting trees is a popular way to mitigate climate change, but in northern and Arctic regions, it may not be an effective solution. A recent study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, found that tree planting in northern boreal and Arctic regions is not only ineffective at mitigating climate change, but may actually cause net warming. “Tree planting, in the many areas of the tropics and lower latitudes is of course something that can help be part of the solution to mitigate climate change,” said Jeppe Kristensen, lead author of the paper from Aarhus University in Denmark. “However, you can’t necessarily place that in a different context and expect it to have the same effect.”
We are informed that Jackson Wijaya is becoming the beneficial owner of both Domtar, formerly known as Paper Excellence, and Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). Domtar is a company in good standing that has maintained FSC certification since 2008, covering over 7 million ha of forest area, as well as mills and processing plants. 
The scientific evidence behind glyphosate’s dangers is overwhelming—and infuriating. Glyphosate doesn’t stop at the plants it’s meant to kill. It contaminates everything in its path, infiltrating the food chain and leaving behind a legacy of harm… Even if Ontario banned glyphosate tomorrow, the chemical’s impact would linger for years. It persists in the soil, where it continues to harm microorganisms and plants. The forests we love may take decades to recover, and some ecosystems may never fully return to their original state. This isn’t just a fight for today; it’s a fight for the future. Quebec has already banned glyphosate in forestry. European countries like Austria and Germany are phasing it out. These regions recognize that short-term convenience isn’t worth long-term destruction. So why is Ontario still clinging to outdated, harmful practices?
The U.S. government is investing $265 million in 17 states to save private forests from development, while improving rural economies, mitigating wildfire threats and reconnecting wildlife. The U.S. Forest Service recently announced the grants in its latest batch funded by the Forest Legacy Program. The October awards were made through Inflation Reduction Act funds. These new grants will help protect some 335,000 acres of vital forest lands in 21 projects. …“Landowners face many pressures to convert forests to other uses and this investment is key to keeping the economic, social, and ecological benefits that these forests provide,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Oct. 29 in press statement about the recent round of grants. …The total allocation for 2024 will amount to nearly $420 million in grants to 47 projects to save 500,000 acres of forest land. Over the last three decades since the program began, the federal government has saved 3.1 million forest acres in 479 completed projects.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced a new policy for monitoring national forests and grasslands. The policy aligns monitoring, partnerships, and information-sharing efforts to help land managers monitor changes related to climate change and other stressors affecting National Forest System lands and make timely, informed, science-based decisions within staffing and budget constraints. This policy is an important step in implementing the agency’s 2012 planning rule, which requires the agency use monitoring to inform adaptive management. The Forest Service monitors national forests and grasslands to gauge progress toward forest restoration, the effects of disturbance and climate on forests — such as the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, drought and floods — and to help people understand how forests are changing through time.
KALISPELL, Mont. — The Flathead National Forest and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation are working together to reduce wildfire risk through the Jackknife Project. The project is made possible by the Good Neighbor Authority, which allows the two agencies to plan and coordinate forest management projects. A Eureka company, Stoken Logging will harvest about 800 trees per acre and will leave about 100 to 250 trees per acre as part of a timber sale. The project spans over 1,000 acres on Good Creek Road and the harvest will allow residual trees to have more access to light water and nutrients. The reduction in trees will reduce the ability of wildfires to reach the top of trees, known as a crown fires.
J.P. Morgan Asset Management announced that institutional investors advised by the firm’s wholly-owned timber investment manager, Campbell Global, have led the acquisition of 40,800 productive acres of high-quality, commercial timberland located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. The firm has named the property Tyee to acknowledge the Cascadia region’s indigenous Native American history. Campbell Global was acquired by J.P. Morgan Asset Management in 2021 and is recognized as a pioneer in timberland management, having managed more than five million acres worldwide for pension funds, foundations and other institutional investors since inception. Tyee will be continuously managed for both carbon capture and timber production to meet growing demand for sustainable building products and other uses. Some details of the property include 100% certified in accordance with Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards.
Bonn – The European Parliament, Council of the European Union (EU), and EU Commission have agreed to a