Category Archives: Today’s Takeaway

The BC government imposed an interim moratorium on resource development to give itself more time to come up with a plan to protect caribou populations—or as Vaughn Palmer calls it—a rescue plan for the rescue plan. Here’s what industry and some ENGOs have to say. Elsewhere: BC’s Forest Practice Board finds non-compliance in a Peace River woodlot and a stream near Kelowna.

In Business news: Ontario’s cabinet shuffle called good news for forestry; more on the closure of Canfor’s Vavenby mill from the employees, the District of Clearwater and mainstream media; how Canal Flats, BC is turning an old sawmill into a high-tech centre; and an early peak at the 2019 Global Buyers Mission.

It’s the Summer Solstice. So why the lag between the longest day and the warmest temp?

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Central BC sawmill workers ratified a five-year contract amidst closures and layoffs. In related news: Canoe Forest Products curtails its plywood plant one week; BC’s Finance Minister rules out financial relief for BC mills; Northern BC mayors create an emergency centre; and Trump and Trudeau to talk timber (aka softwood duties) today. Elsewhere, BC Business magazine features West Fraser’s Ted Seraphim and Prince George’s BID Group.

In Wood Product news: McDonalds incorporates CLT in new building design, tests new ‘green concept‘ by adding [wood] fibre to the menu. In other news: Oregon’s prescribed burns meets new smoke rules; California efforts to avoid another fire catastrophe; Oregon loggers protest cap-and-trade bill; and ENGO’s protest US Forest Service policy changes.

Finally, sad news. Dr. Bob Kennedy, UBC alumnus and former Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at UBC, passed away.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Softwood lumber—after inexplicably wallowing in the doldrums (Madison’s), cutbacks at Canadian sawmills (WSJ), send lumber prices surging (Seeking Alpha). In related news: the BC Liberals say “keep people working“; but the Prince George Citizen says “no need to take the them seriously“. Meanwhile companies in the news include: TimberWest, Garden River Truss, Norbord and Rayonier.

In Wildfire news: surviving another BC smoky summer; is California prepared?; surprising behaviour in beetle-attacked lodgepole forests in the US West; evacuations in Northern Alberta; and a wet spring means a late start for Idaho.

Finally, forest fire updates from BC (100 Mile House and Campbell River), Phoenix and Northern California. 

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

BC’s lumber industry takes another hit with the announcement that West Fraser will permanently close its Chasm mill and reduce shifts at 100 Mile House. In related news: 

• ‘Like a kick to the stomach’ (Clinton Mayor Susan Swan)
• West Fraser’s annual allowable cut reduced by 36 per cent (Diane Nicholls)
• Trouble in BC’s woods means trouble for the BC economy (Jock Finlayson)
• Closure of Canfor’s Vavenby sawmill deals blow to Domtar’s chip supply
• MLAs Clovechok and Davies say province must do something—anything.

In other news: Canadians and Americans say wood is the most environmentally friendly material; Ontario’s first wood fuel facility opens; ENGO’s target biomass energy in the US Southeast; and BC’s logging leftovers benefit wildlife habitat.

Finally, the tree said to inspire Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax has died.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Oregon is poised to adopt a cap-and-trade program and link its allowance auctions with California and Quebec via the Western Climate Initiative.

In Business news, coverage on BC’s forestry crisis includes: a letter by the BC Liberal leader; CBC on jobs losses over the past 30 years; the Peace River pulp and OSB mill closures; and the BC Forest Minister, a local newspaper editor and a First Nations chief on Canfor’s proposed tenure transfer. Meanwhile: Brexit has the UK timber industry craving certainty; Conifex drops a shift in Arkansas; and a labor update at Clearwater Paper in Lewiston.

Finally, engineered wood is cool but if you like bourbon—restore white oak trees.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Good news: lumber futures are on pace for their biggest weekly gain in decades as mill curtailments take hold. Bad news: Western Forest Products is axing a graveyard shift in Chamainus; Louisiana Pacific is closing its Fort St. John OSB mill; Canfor is reducing pulp production in Taylor, BC; Teal Jones is logging less on Vancouver Island; and ATCO says it’s day-to-day in Fruitvale, BC. Speaking up are: BC’s Minister Donaldson; Liberals Clovechok, Rustad and Davies; and columnists Mike Smyth and Rob Shaw.

In Forestry news: pine beetle troubles in BC; ash beetle treatments in New Brunswick; and biotech support for the American Chestnut. Elsewhere: more on the USFS logging rule changes; Oregon’s Forest Practices Act; and efforts to protect Canada’s Wood Buffalo National Park.

Finally; the true story of BC’s Hope-Princeton gallows. 

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

A BC First Nations group says the proposed Canfor/Interfor timber transfer is a “non-starter, unless and until the Simpcw have a meaningful role in forest management”. Other lumber views include: the aim of the layoffs (Tom Fletcher); no quick fix (Gordon Hoekstra); Bill 22’s driver (Keith Baldrey); the need for re-training (Derrick Penner); and the trickle-down community impact (Dylana Milobar).

In other news: Trump and Trudeau to talk NAFTA-2 and softwood next week; the pros, cons and critic’s of Trump’s proposed forest management changes; a forester’s view on BC’s salad die-off; loggers protest Oregon’s cap-and-trade bill; and REDD+’s role in tropical forests.

Finally, Alberta researchers transform pulp waste into oil-patch odour eater.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

The latest sawmill curtailments caused lumber futures prices to reverse, suggesting prices are likely to stop falling if not increase. In related news: BC braces for more closures; Norbord to indefinitely curtail its OSB plant in central BC; Steelworkers surprised by Canfor curtailments; Resolute to extend mill shutdown in Ontario; fear of higher lumber prices dent US home builder stocks; and global sawlog prices fall to the lowest level in two years.

In Forestry news: alarm bells are sounding on BC’s drought conditions; a Northern BC First Nations group pushes for a new conservation area; high DDT levels persist in New Brunswick’s lakes; and National Public Radio highlights concern over forest firefighter health in the Pacific Northwest.

Finally, AF&PA has a new CEO and the UK balcony fire draws a rare rebuke by timber groups.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Canfor Corp announced that it is curtailing all of its BC sawmills except one for 2-6 weeks. In other Business news: Random Lengths said despite curtailments lumber prices sagged last week; Keith Baldrey opines on BC NDP’s Bill 22; and the federal gov’t’s ban on single-use plastic may be good for Canada’s paper producers.

In Wood Product news: China designates wood frame construction as green, with a little help from the Canada Wood Group. Elsewhere: the pros and cons of timber buildings continues to be debated in the wake of the UK’s Grendfell fire. 

Finally, ’tis the season for fire readiness per: BC’s Forest Enhancement Society; Montana’s Fire Service; and Oregon/Washington’s Fire Coordination Center.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

As the amount of trees available for logging plummets, BC’s communities wonder whose sawmill will fold next? In related news: Steelworkers advice for the newly unemployed; Canada’s Whac-a-Mole trade strategy is in crisis; and Vietnam cracks down on relabeled Chinese timber products destined for the USA.

In Forestry news: Tom Fletcher on the Sierra Club’s orchestrated fundraising protest; Ben Parfitt on BC’s lack of protection for whitebark pine; Nova Scotia ENGO’s search for endangered birds to halt loggers; and New Brunswick’s decision to reduce herbicide spraying. Elsewhere: how the forest fire season is changing across Canada; researchers link Alberta wildfires to climate change; and why North America’s older forests are less vulnerable to increases in temperature and precipitation.

Finally, wood carvers turn invasive species into cutlery, eagles and more.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Western Forest Products is the latest to announce temporary production curtailments at three BC mills. In related news: the human and region-wide impacts of Canfor’s Vavenby closure; another take on BC’s timber-rights sale issue; and the politics behind the cancellation of BC’s recent trade mission to China.

In Forestry news: calling for an end to old-growth logging in BC—the Sierra Club protested at the offices of 17 BC politicians, securing media coverage that includes Victoria, Prince George, Nanaimo, Surrey and Campbell River. In response, the TLA’s David Elstone penned an op-ed saying that BC has the most sustainably managed forests in the world. Elsewhere: Ontario’s new Homes Act has species-at-risk implications; and more from FPAC on FSC’s new certification standard.

Finally,  the US Forest Service applauds the first mass timber sports arena in the country.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Some investors are betting that Canada’s beaten-up forestry stocks will see double-digit gains over the next 12 months. In other Business news: Kalesnikoff’s mass timber gamble; Tolko extends downtime at two BC mills; Stimson’s layoffs called a ‘rebuke to Oregon’; and Vaughn Palmer on the high-stakes test of BC’s new Forest Ministry powers.

In Wildfire news: Premier Hogan on BC’s preparations; the Globe and Mail on how to break the cycle; the US Forest Service on the risk of catastrophic wildfires; the Seattle Times on investing to avoid the haze; and the role of the ‘working forest‘ in New York state. Elsewhere; why wood is good; and what’s behind the rise of ‘ghost forests‘ in the US southeast.

Finally, Peter Bentley retires from Canfor. Here’s his ‘75-year Journey‘ (in 8 min).

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

With Canfor’s mill closure, forest companies will see the first test of BC’s requirement to approve tenure transfers (Tom Fletcher). Related stories include:

• Bill 22 will ensure the public’s interest is protected (Minister Donaldson)
• Kudo’s to the BC Government (Independent Wood Processors)
• Interfor’s investments make it a logical home (Derrick Penner)
• Industry warns Bill 22 may mean a decline in investments (Nelson Bennett)

In other Business news: add stumpage increase to BC’s mill worries; Alberta’s mills are back on the job post-fire; Weyerhaeuser & Kimberly Clark to pay for Washington state restoration work; Georgia Pacific to layoff 555 in Arkansas; GP gets out of the particleboard business; and Canada appeals WTO’s ‘zeroing ruling‘ on softwood tariffs.

Finally, Ottawa provides a lifeline for Ontario’s tree-planting program; and a new US study say wildfires release less carbon that thought.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Canfor is closing its Vavenby sawmill in BC and, assuming the gov’t approves, will sell its related forest tenure to Interfor. In related news: West Fraser is curtailing five BC mills for one week; Random Lengths says the expectation of idled mills generated stronger sales last week; Norbord resumes operations in Alberta post-fire; and Resolute has a fire-scare at its mill in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

In other news: the Atlantic has a feature story on opioids and timber poaching in BC, the deadline for BC’s caribou plan looms, as two mayors say more consultation is needed; FPAC responds to FSC’s new forestry standard; old growth protection is sought in BC’s interior; and Alberta gets a wake-up call on climate change, as a new wildfire quickly grows out of control.

Finally, the NY Times on why the US doesn’t build to withstand earthquakes.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

After record-breaking profits, forest companies are bracing for a crash as Canada’s lumber industry faces down trade disputes and climate change. In related news: Teal Jones halves its logging on Vancouver Island; and Stimson Lumber cuts jobs in Oregon. Elsewhere: John Brink to be named to the Order of BC; Frank Dottori to be honoured by Canadian Ecology Center; Forsite purchases Object Raku Technology; and EACOM and Ontario celebrate 100 years at the Timmins sawmill.

In Forestry/Climate news: FSC launches new forestry standard; how logging impacts BC’s watersheds; the Caribou deal is offensive to First Nations group; the Forest Practices Board says BC stewardship plans need work; Quebec battles a spruce budworm outbreak; and wildfires displace thousands in Alberta and the premier says ‘its complicated‘.

Finally, mass timber benefits and growth in Canada and Montana.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Bank of Montreal’s Mark Wilde says curtailments are not enough to fix weak lumber pricing. In related news: Bloomberg’s Amanda Lang interviews Eric Miller on US trade action and how Canada’s forest industry can fight back; Pence tells Trudeau that US will approve USMCA; and Aspen Planers is down to one shift in Merritt, BC.

In other news: Nova Scotia promises reduction in clear cutting; a tentative labour agreement ends the longshoremen lockout in Vancouver; Tolko suspends operations in Alberta due to Slave Lake evacuation alert; Columbia Forest Products modernizes in Hearst, Ontario; and IP sells its India paper business. 

Finally, the ‘apocalypse is back‘ in Alberta (i.e., wildfire smoke), while 10,000 are forced from their homes. 

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Tall Wood is on the Up-and-Up in Toronto as evidenced by Canada’s investment in a planned 10-storey timber building. In related news: Northern Ontario needs a wood pipeline strategy; Australian-made CLT is put to the test; and US fire testing goes high-tech with 360-degree video.

In Business news: lumber shippers are feeling the pain of a possible lockout at Vancouver’s port; the US-China trade war cut Astoria’s log exports; Tolko’s Louisiana mill is now open for business; and a timber Ponzi scheme snags United Parcel Service workers in Mississippi. In Forestry/Climate news: Alberta declares disaster, public emergency due to wildfires; the Boreal forest experiences two district wildfire seasons; and a California study says thinning and prescribed fire reduced tree loss across the Sierra Nevada.

Finally, Bigfoot replaces Smokey Bear, and why banning paper receipts is nonsense legislation. 

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Interfor plans to curtail production in its Southern Interior BC operations as Madison’s says lumber demand remains elusive. In other Business news: more on Tolko’s cuts; a dryer fire sets back Skeena’s pellet plant in Terrace; Stora Enso invests in CLT; and forestry employment is up in Idaho.

In Wood Product news: mass timber makes progress in BC’s mid-rise and high-rise market; as well as in Oregon and Australia; while researchers at the U of Maryland develop ‘air conditioning‘ wood. Meanwhile, a coalition of non-wood associations call US support for CLT unfair; while the concrete industry questions the safety of stick-built construction in Philadelphia.

In Wildfire news: Alberta’s wildfire smoke dominates the weather; as other reports say wildfires are here to stay, and continuing to grow. Meanwhile, Canada is seeking ‘space-based capability‘ to monitor them. 

Finally, BC looks for input on the management of its private land forests.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Innovative wood-based biochemical products will be produced at Resolute’s Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill, thanks in part to FPInnovations and Natural Resources Canada. In other Business news: US log exports to China and Canada post heavy decline.

In Forestry news: Canada’s longterm weather forecast is bad news for wildfires; BC seeks feedback on its Forest and Range Practices Act; a study say Caribou recovery will hurt BC’s Peace River economy; the BC Forest Practices Board is reviewing the impact of old-growth logging on bear dens; BC Timber Sales says the Elphinstone petition ‘lacks merit‘; forest-rich Finland will need to import biomass as it phases out coal; and Amazon deforestation is up 20% in past year.

Finally, Forest Talk Radio comes to North Bay, Ontario and BC tree planters get sex assault prevention training.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

“It’s outrageous to demand an end to old-growth logging without acknowledging the impact to people and communities”, says the TLA’s David Elstone. In related news: Eco-Business asks—which is better for the climate, tall and old trees or dense and young trees; the Tyee promotes the cataloguing of BC’s forest giants; and a National Geographic explainer on rainforests.

In Business news: Resolute’s Tennessee mill focuses on tissue and pulp; EACOM celebrates its centenary in Timmins Ontario; more fall-out from the US-China trade war; Trump kills a unique fire fighting program; and Russia plans to increase exports to North America.

Finally, to reduce wildfire risk, BC ups its budget and enlists the cattle industry; and Ontario sends help to Alberta as heavy smoke blankets the province.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Citing high logs costs and weak markets, Tolko announced downtime at its Williams Lake and Armstrong divisions. In related news: a BC Interior report predicts more lumber closures; a non-seasonally adjusted view on US housing starts; and the US-China trade war’s impact on hardwood producers.

In Climate news: managing for disturbance can stabilize forest carbon; the long-term potential of forest carbon credits; and the impact of invasive earthworms on carbon stored in the forest floor. In other news: BC clarifies logging regs on private land; the Northeast Territories delays its new Forest Act; high fire danger forecast in the US South; and breeders of rare frogs seek to undermine animal traffickers.

Finally, Smokey Bear gets a Smithsonian exhibit and ‘The Lumber Baron‘ hits the big screen.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

The Government of Canada announced support for Quebec based Group PG and Kruger for their innovative software and recycled paper investments [respectively]. In other Business news: the making of Skeena Bioenergy; a Florida legislator asks Trump to end his trade war with China; and Tree Canada has a new CEO.

In other news: Ontario’s Invasive Species Centre gets new funding; three BC Interior Universities collaborate on natural disaster research; Canada Games Pool replacement to feature a wood roof; BC’s clean energy sector surpasses forestry in GDP and job creation; the US Dept of Interior has backed off plans to shrink an Oregon monument; and wind remains on Alberta’s side in wildfire fight.

Finally, with the help of some wood chips, you can now compost your clan in Washington state.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

In a worst-case scenario, another 12 BC sawmills will close over the next decade, says industry analyst Jim Girvan. In other Business news: Home Depot blames the slump in lumber prices for its slow growth; Trump’s move on steel has the NAHB asking for tariff relief; and BC Central Interior Steelworkers prepare to vote on industry’s wage offer.

In Forest Fire news: BC deploys firefighters to Alberta; as the High Level evacuation is described as post-apocalyptic; Fort McMurray lessons loom large; and conditions are expected to get worse. In other news: Trump wants to slash wildfire payments to California; AF&PA’s Donna Harman leads way on gender diversity; plastic is the fifth-highest emitter of greenhouse gases; and how cardboard fares as an alternative.

Finally, an Ontario firefighter filed a Human Rights complaint because he wasn’t fed vegan food in BC.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Bill 22 is a catch-22 for BC forest companies, according to Business in Vancouver’s Nelson Bennett. Also from his pen: stock shock amongst BC’s publicly traded companies; and no timber shortage in Fort Nelson. In related news: Vaughn Palmer says industry feels blindsided by Forests Act changes; and BC maintains its focus on China despite Huawei conflict. Elsewhere: the US framing market took a step back last week; and Chinese tariffs are taking a toll on Alaska log exports and the Appalachian hardwood industry.

In Forestry/Climate news: the Federal environment minister warns BC over caribou recovery; eastern forests shaped by Native American burning more than climate change; U of Toronto Faculty of Forestry on life support; and how green is mass timber anyway?

Finally, given forecasts and evacuation alerts in BC and Alberta, the fire season has truly begun. In light of the above, we’ve once again opened up a separate news section for Forest Fires under Safety.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Weekend precautions are out as Western Canada is facing another potential record-breaking fire year, while status quo is forecast for the Atlantic provinces. In other Forestry news: the Mayor of Chetwynd speaks out on caribou coverage; industry pushes back on Maine’s proposal to prohibit aerial spraying of herbicides; the world’s first global map of tree symbioses; and how to make money off rainforests without cutting them down. 

In Business news: the first round of China tariffs already stifled US wood exports; West Fraser announces two-week curtailments in BC; a wood pellet processing plant is being considered at Neucel mill in Port Alice, BC; and the Black Press board isn’t impressed with Trudeau’s offer of lumber to rebuild Notre Dame. 

Finally, the Frogs will be celebrating Queen Victoria’s B-day in London, back in Canada on Tuesday after the long weekend.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Here comes the smoke: Health officials tell BC to prepare for new ‘5th season’. In related news: Fires have become a fact of life in Alberta, Federal fire officials update forecast for this year’s wildfire season; and wildfire prompts evacuation alerts near Osoyoos, BC.

In other news: optimism and criticism amid BC’s timber review; the pros and cons of logging in Alaska’s national forests; and UBC energy centre wins green building award.

Finally, case solved: it wasn’t Trudeau’s wood-pledge to France the Tree Frog Editors reported seeing yesterday at Notre Dame Cathedral, but rather, the construction of a huge wooden framework to secure the stone structure.

Kelly McCloskey, a Tree Frog in Paris

After visiting the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral, Prime Minister Trudeau offered Canadian lumber to help with the rebuild; and the Tree Frog news may have seen it arrive in person [!!]

In Business news: capacity reductions and curtailments help softwood lumber prices recover–albeit slowly–from recent lows; China’s tariffs a wake up call for US hardwood industry; Conifex quarterly results improve but stay in red; Atlantic Power acquires two biomass plants; two former provincial politicians were re-elected to Canfor’s board; and a Liberal MLA says NDP forestry bill based on ideology, not common sense.

Finally, Western red cedars die off as extended dry spells continue; and the canary in Canada’s Boreal forest is a woodpecker.

Kelly McCloskey, a Tree Frog in Paris

Looking at lumber prices, time is running out to prepare for the next downturn, says Seeking Alpha. In other Business news: Kruger begins construction of its tissue plant in Sherbrooke, Quebec; Southern Pine, OSB and softwood plywood to be included in new China tariff; and wood buildings could be the solution to BC’s housing crisis.
 
In Forestry/Climate news: BC Green MLAs Sonia Furstenau and Adam Olsen call for logging moratorium, say Vancouver Island’s old growth is under attack; logging bill would allow Maine loggers to bargain for fair compensation; and the level of carbon dioxide on Earth is highest it’s ever been since the existence of mankind.

Finally, Yellowstone’s Grizzlies are wandering farther from home, while Ontario uses sardines to assess the health of its bear population.

Kelly McCloskey, a Tree Frog in Paris

Tolko announces it will permanently close its Quest Wood sawmill in Quesnel, BC and drop a shift in Kelowna; the Forest Minister is saddened by the loss of jobs. In other Business news: Thessalon Lumber lays off 20 in Ontario; EACOM Timbers reaches agreement with Unifor; and New Zealand and China sign forestry cooperation arrangement.

Elsewhere: wildfire prompts evacuation order, state of emergency in central BC; ENGOs threaten legal action if BC spotted owls’ habitat not protected; a tale of two wildfire bills in Oregon, and Oregon becomes 1st state to restrict herbicide linked to tree deaths;

Finally, it’s time to celebrate the elaborate courtship of Maine’s American woodcock.

Kelly McCloskey, a  Tree Frog in Paris

The Forest Products Association of Canada held its annual Awards of Excellence ceremony in Vancouver yesterday, while—a stone’s throw away—Russ Taylor’s Global Softwood Conference pointed to better days (and markets) ahead. In other Business news: trade woes cloud BC’s economic outlook; Nova Scotia truckers call for Northern Pulp extension; Steelworkers say WorkSafeBC fines are inadequate; pulp prices are up in Q1, and the 131-year-old Luke paper mill in Maryland is closing. 

In Forestry/Climate news: soaring temperatures and a lack of rain adds to BC’s wildfire risk; floods beget a state of emergency in Ontario’s North Bay area; Oregon needs more wildfire prevention tools; Russian wildfires force evacuations; Scotland’s forests face a deadly tree disease; and fighting climate change with…er… Bamboo.

Finally, as noted in today’s ad, the Frogs are on a ‘work-cation’ next week so don’t be surprised if your Tree Frog News is simpled-down a bit and Peppered with Paris Pics 😉

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

US business is frustrated with Trump’s aggressive stance on China, fears trade negations may collapse. In related news: US hardwood producers remain optimistic despite negative turn; the International Trade Commission says US cabinetmakers are harmed by Chinese imports; and China’s construction sector continues to grow as economy slows, softwood inventories rise.

In other news: BC Liberals and NDP spar over forest policy; federal carbon tax panned in Ontario; inside California’s Megafire on PBS; US Forest Chief on the ‘crisis in the woods‘; AF&PA’s Donna Harman on charging for paper bags; the Narwhal on saving spotted owls; and the emergence of markets for Brazil’s eucalyptus.

Finally, genetically engineered trees could save our forests, but it won’t be easy.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

North American softwood lumber prices bounced moderately on news of US construction spending and especially construction employment. In other Business news: an explainer on US-China trade talks; the NAFTA tribunal arguments focus on which time period to consider; Nova Scotia truckers demonstrate their support for Northern Pulp; and grant announcements abound by the US Forest Service and the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

In Forestry/Climate news: Canada’s forests are no longer the CO2 vacuums they used to be; Alaska’s massive old-growth timber sale faces a lawsuit; California’s forest carbon offsets fall short of cap-and-trade goals; the debate over BC’s wolf kill program is fraught; and more on the UN biodiversity report and habitat loss.

Finally, substance abuse in the sawmill and [??] suspected substance abuse on the highway.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News

BC’s new vision for a troubled industry and particularly Bill 22 is ‘ill-advised‘ according to the BC Liberals, but Premier Horgan could ‘put it on hold and consult’, writes Vaughn Palmer. In other Business news: Western’s Don Demens is in DC to make the case for duty-exemptions for cedar; Canfor’s sawmills are back up and running; and Universal Forest Products grows through acquisitions.

In Forestry/Climate news: a partial climbdown on cuts to Ontario’s tree-planting program; and Patrick Moore—the sensible environmentalist—to lead a US based CO2 Coalition. Also, more details on the tragic plane crash of BC Wildfire Service contractors and condolences from Doug Donaldson, BC’s Minister of Forests.

Finally, while a climate advocate says Notre Dame should not be rebuilt, a Paris architect envisions its rebirth with CLT. Here is a gallery of images. [stay tuned for on-site updates as  the Tree Frog news team heads to Paris this Friday to investigate further. Seriously!]

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

A UN biodiversity report says nature is in more trouble now than at any other time in human history, the first to say so under agreement by 50 participating governments. In other Forestry/Climate news: Canada’s position as a climate do-gooder is undercut by wildfire emissions; Alberta’s wildfire season is here; while BC is cautious and the US warns of another busy wildfire season. 

In Business news: NAFTA panel to hear appeal of US ruling that American producers are injured by Canadian softwood shipments; BC’s forestry revitalization has industry concerned, looks a lot like the opposite; BC tops-up its compensation fund for forestry providers; Pinnacle restarts its Williams Lake plant after a fire; and Quebec’s Les Products Gilbert mill to be upgraded.

Finally, last week’s Hoo-Hoo event story sent you to the wrong image gallery. Here’s who was at the Hoo-Hoo in Vancouver.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Amid discouraging earnings, West Fraser’s Ted Seraphim puts BC’s proposed forest policy changes at the top of his concern list. In related news: first quarter earnings are down for Interfor, Norbord and Rayonier, but up for Mercer. Meanwhile: a decision on Northern Pulp’s effluent plant may be deferred until after the federal election; and a new bill seeks to exempt Maine loggers from federal antitrust laws.

In Forestry news: BC delays timber auction to assess legacy trees; and Nature Ontario’s top ten concerns on the province’s Endangered Species Act amendments. In US Wildfire news: forest fires are accelerating snowmelt; western forests have a fire debt problem; not all fire is bad fire; and how to fireproof your home.

Finally, chick here to check out the Who’s Who of Hoo-Hoo in Vancouver. 

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Lumber-price’s unseasonable slump continues while pulp & paper and other forest products fare better. The headlines include: sawmill profits fall as pine prices decline; temporary curtailments at Canfor, Interfor and Conifex; Tolko’s Williams Lake mill returns to operation; Q1 earnings are down at Western Forest Products, but up at Stella-Jones, Clearwater Paper and Domtar; and a deeper dive on the WTO’s softwood ruling on the use of “zeroing” in anti-dumping methodology.

In other news: Larry Pynn on the need for training for BC’s natural resource officers; Tree rings show the human effect on climate worldwide; EU forest cover increases but climate concerns persist; and industry says Australia’s billion tree planting program ‘can’t be done‘.

Finally, our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Dylan Montjoy, who died in a logging accident near Holberg BC over the weekend.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Two Sides is promoting a new book that claims to debunk common forestry and paper myths: Deforestation in Canada and Other Fake News. In other Forestry news: a preview of the IMAX film on BC’s threatened ancient rainforests; an update on BC’s Abbott/Chapman report; and more pushback on Ontario’s tree planting program cut.

In Business news: Wood Resources on sawmill margins in 2018, construction trends in 2019, Canfor Corp’s losses and Canfor Pulp’s income in Q1; and Södra’s CLT expansion plans. In Safety news; Worksafe BC investigates logger death on northern Vancouver Island and Tolko adds sobriety checks following boom boat drivers death. 

Finally, the five second rule does count as does the type surface you drop it on. Who knew?

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

Asset managers are raising more funds to invest in the forestry sector due to worries over climate change. In other Business news: Canadian lumber exports to Japan are down 25% in Q1; Resolute’s sales are also down in Q1; global wood pellets shipments are up 21% in 2018; a private forest landowners study shows Wisconsin industry on the upswing; and layoffs at Domtar’s Espanola plant are good news for some. 

In Forestry news: the downside of cutting Ontario’s Tree Program, and Forests Ontario’s response; and more on the public’s response to BC caribou recovery plans in Vanderhoof and Revelstoke. Elsewhere: the brick exterior industry is leveraging past wildfires to say brick is better; and paper towels vs hand dryers makes for a long read in the Guardian. 

Finally, how mill workers could become pot growers in Burns Lake.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

The BC Gov’t’s new inquiry into the 2012 mill explosions is focused on WorkSafeBC’s recommendations and its accountability. In other Business news: the US Commerce Dep’t is set to rule on whether New Brunswick’s property taxes are a softwood subsidy; and the Motley Fool says Canfor and West Fraser are recession-proof investments.

In Forestry/Climate news: BC’s forestry watchdog cites weaknesses in enforcement of logging laws; Ontario’s species at risk reforms is panned for its pay-to-slay provision; and a group of BC profs say time is short for species at risk. Offshore: Iran losses 12,000 ha forests annually; Brazil lost 1.3 million ha of forests in 2018; and Europe’s forests are being ravaged by bark beetles.

Finally, a fire broke out near AA Milne’s famed Hundred Acre Wood; BC’s Forest Discovery Centre is officially unveiled; and a BC breeder is about to hatch its first spotted owl.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor 

Weyerhaeuser and West Fraser report first quarter 2019 losses as earnings plunge, while Interfor announces downtime plans at each of its three BC interior mills. In other Business news: Ontario consults the forest sector on electricity prices; and however diminished, forestry remains an economic bedrock in Thunder Bay.

In Wood Product news: the role and future of concrete (Engineering.com); a flame-retardant for wood, made from wood (Finland); a first look at the renderings of the proposed up-to-40-storey timber tower (Vancouver); and two years after his death, architect Bing Thom’s last project opens at Simon Fraser University. Other stories of note: a summit on Canada’s biodiversity crisis; Ontario’s axed tree planting program; and police raids on illegal logging in Brazil.

Finally, good news—our readership is growing exponentially. Bad news—our server isn’t happy about the surge of readers when we publish! Apologies if you’re experiencing some delays but your patience is appreciated while we upgrade.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor