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The Tree Frog Forestry News
June 19, 2026
Category: Today's Takeaway
Hello early bird! We just want you to know that the news team is busy adding stories to this page. Be sure to check back at 9:00 am (PST) for the full line up of articles.
Stop Panicking about CUSMA. Canada’s Trade Future Isn’t as Dire as It Looks
By Carmine Starnino and Pascal Chan
The Walrus Magazine
June 18, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
A disturbing effect of the Trump era is how the most routine bureaucratic exercises become freighted with existential panic. …Despite having negotiated it himself, Donald Trump has attacked the CUSMA deal relentlessly. …The drumbeat of reporting over the coming sit-down with US officials might have you believing we are headed for gladiatorial combat, and not besuited teams working out the fine print of customs classifications and supply chain logistics. In this world, Pascal Chan, who helps lead the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, has emerged as a kind of trade whisperer. …Pascal Chan: There’s concern that if we don’t get to a renewal right now, everything falls apart. That’s not the case. We just go then into an annual review cycle every year. Sure, if we can hit a renewal now, that’s great. It extends the duration of the agreement. But the practical effect of a failed renewal is more uncertainty, not instant collapse.
Cascades invests $15M to increase tissue paper production in Quebec
Cascades Inc.
June 18, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
KINGSEY FALLS, Quebec — Cascades announced the installation of a state-of-the-art tissue converting line at its Granby, Quebec facility. This equipment will increase the site’s production capacity while enhancing product quality. The installation of the new equipment, a $15 M investment, will take place over a period of 9 months. This builds on a $14 M investment made in recent years, for a total investment of $29 M. …The installation of this equipment will help secure the 239 well-paying jobs at the plant, thereby directly contributing to the economic vitality of the Haute‑Yamaska region. …”The installation of this new modern line is fully in line with our long-term growth strategy,” said Hugues Simon, President and CEO.
Nova Scotia government, Pictou Landing First Nation consider alternative site for Boat Harbour sludge
By Michael Gorman
CBC News
June 18, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
Fred Tilley
The Nova Scotia government and Pictou Landing First Nation are in talks about an alternative site to store contaminated sludge removed from Boat Harbour as part of the cleanup process of the former tidal estuary that for decades was used as the treatment site for a nearby pulp mill. Fred Tilley, the minister responsible is providing few details about the location in question. …The cleanup of Boat Harbour since the closure of the Northern Pulp mill in 2020 has been delayed for years due to a variety of factors, including what to do with the sludge after it’s removed. Although the province has federal approval to expand an existing on-site hazardous waste containment facility, that approval included a condition that they explore alternative sites with the First Nation. …Chief Tamara Young said it would be preferable for the sludge to be stored at the site of the former mill at Abercrombie Point.
Boise Cascade Named One of America’s Best Large Employers
By Boise Cascade Company
Business Wire
June 18, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States
Boise Cascade was named one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2026 by Forbes. This recognition highlights the company’s strong workplace culture built by their dedicated team of 7,500 associates across North America. Forbes, in partnership with Statista, selects their annual list of America’s Best Employers based on an independent survey of more than 217,000 US employees at companies with at least 1,000 team members. Over 3.5 million employer evaluations are considered. The final score is based on two types of evaluations: personal (those given by employees themselves) and public (those given by friends and family members of employees, or members of the public who work in the same industry), with a much higher weighting for personal evaluations. [Other forest products companies named include Georgia Pacific. View the complete list of 2026 award recipients here.
Fibre Excellence: Toulouse Commercial Court postpones hearing to July 6 to solidify takeover plan with a new investor
PaperFIRST
June 17, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: International
FRANCE — The Toulouse Commercial Court has decided to postpone the hearing scheduled today June 17 to July 6. …The discussions during the hearing highlighted the strong interest of a new, renowned French investor. The commitment of this investor, ready to support industrial sovereignty, makes it possible to consider consolidating the current takeover plan led by Fibre Excellence’s management, or the potential submission of a new offer. This extension until July 6 will notably allow for continued discussions on fulfilling the conditions precedent to the management’s offer. Supported from the outset by the Occitanie and Sud Regions, as well as by committed investors, the objective remains to pave the way for the expected guarantees in order to consolidate the fundamentals of combined pulp and power production and ensure the long-term sustainability of the business. …Fibre Excellence welcomes the mobilization of French investors ready to commit to France’s industrial sovereignty.
Lumber climbed past $630 per thousand board feet, the highest level since October, amid higher effective US import costs on Canadian softwood and tighter expected supply. Prices rose despite a small reduction in preliminary antidumping and countervailing duties, because the combined tariff burden remains high at about 35.9% including the existing Section 232 levy, set to take effect in August. The market is also being driven by uncertainty ahead of final duty decisions, prompting buyers to accelerate purchases and lift near-term demand. At the same time, US domestic production is still constrained, while housing-related consumption remains structurally large, with softwood lumber and engineered wood products heavily used in new construction. Each new home requires roughly 15,000 board feet of lumber plus extensive engineered wood products, keeping baseline consumption elevated even in a softer housing cycle. [END]
Harvard Housing Study Shows Affordability Hitting Demand for Home Purchases
The National Association of Home Builders
June 18, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States
While supply concerns are still weighing on housing affordability, a combination of soaring prices and economic uncertainty is dragging on housing demand, according to the annual State of Nation’s Housing report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS). The study noted that the economy added just 116,000 jobs in 2025, the lowest number of new jobs added in a non-recession year since 2002. …But housing supply issues are still a major concern in the market. …The report also details how federal, state and local officials are quickly moving to address housing supply. …Growing numbers of state and local governments are loosening local zoning and land-use regulations to increase the availability of buildable land. …In a positive development for the industry, the report notes that remodeling activity is surging. Over the last 10 years, owner home improvement spending grew by 153%, far outpacing growth in spending on new multifamily (84%) and single-family development (90%).
U.S. Imports Of Hardwood & Decorative Plywood Fall
By Keith Christman, President
Decorative Hardwoods Association
June 18, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States
We appear to be seeing the impacts of the preliminary antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of hardwood plywood from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. After spikes in recent years, there are significant declines in imports from these countries. However, we may also be starting to see the signs of transshipment through other Asian countries, including Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand. …The most recent data shows that U.S. imports of hardwood and decorative plywood are down by more than 36% in volume and 23% in value for the first four months of this year. Imports from Indonesia, Vietnam, and China declined by nearly 70%, 61%, and 66%, respectively. During the same period, imports from Malaysia and Cambodia surged by 175% and 650%.
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the US Rose in May
The Conference Board
June 18, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the US increased slightly by 0.1% in May 2026 to 99.3 (2016=100), following a 0.2% increase in April. After these two consecutive increases, the LEI is down just 0.3% over the six months between November 2025 and May 2026, a much smaller rate of decline than its 1.3% contraction over the previous six months (May to November 2025). “The Leading Index for the US increased slightly in May, fueled entirely by positive contributions from financial components, especially stock prices and the interest rate spread,” said Justyna Zabinska-La Monica, Senior Manager, Business Cycle Indicators, at The Conference Board. “On the non-financial side of the LEI, only ISM® New Orders Index showed some strength, with consumer expectations remaining a major drag. Despite two consecutive monthly increases, the LEI’s six- and twelve-month growth rates were still negative, suggesting slower economic expansion ahead.”
Exhibit floor at Mass Timber+ 2026 is almost sold out!
Mass Timber+
June 19, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, United States
Mass Timber+ is bringing together top architects, engineers, contractors, owners, developers, and manufacturers from the integrated offsite construction industry for the purpose of creating a beneficial platform for education, innovation, networking, and policy discussions. This is your chance to put your company in front of North America’s most influential architects, developers, contractors, as well as mass timber producers, driving the future of modular and mass timber construction.
Why exhibit: Two days standing directly in front of architects, engineers, developers and contractors — as well as the producers and innovators defining where the industry goes next.
Mass Timber+ 2026 is on the East Coast – and so is the action! The East Coast is booming! Woodworks says 51% of current projects in design are on the East Coast, compared to just 22% on the West Coast. We have 60+ exhibitors and innovators: click here to see who’s already signed up. Email us today at lkelly@getfea.com to secure a booth before they sell out.
Mass Timber as a Catalyst for Biophilic, Sustainable Campus Design
By Henry Weinberg and Laura Rushfeldt
School Construction News
June 18, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States
Humans have an innate desire to connect with nature, yet we spend nearly 90 percent of our lives indoors. In academic settings, where students learn, live and socialize, this disconnect can have real consequences for focus, mental health and well-being. Mass timber construction offers a powerful way to bring the warmth, texture and psychological benefits of nature indoors, while also advancing sustainability goals and, in many cases, matching or outperforming traditional steel construction on cost. A growing body of research shows that biophilic design, the integration of natural elements, particularly wood, into the built environment can improve cognitive performance, creativity and mood while reducing stress and fatigue. Spaces that incorporate visible wood elements are consistently perceived as warmer and more welcoming, fostering social interaction and a stronger sense of belonging. For higher education institutions focused on student wellness and community-building, these qualities are increasingly viewed as essential.
Mass timber industry would see a boost under this bipartisan US House bill
Michigan Farm News
June 18, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East
A bipartisan bill in the US House is calling for additional incentives to use of mass timber building materials in federal contracting. Introduced by House Ag Committee Chair Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR), the Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act, the bill would give timber and other forest products companies the ability to compete for construction, renovation, or acquisition of public buildings, and for military construction. The bill creates a two-tier contracting preference for mass timber and other innovative wood projects. The first-tier preference applies to mass timber that is made within the US. …The optional second tier applies to mass timber products that are sourced from restoration practices, fire mitigation projects and forest owners. Additionally, the bill contains a reporting requirement for a whole building lifecycle assessment, which will help provide additional evidence of the environmental benefits of the use of timber and forest products in buildings.
Did you know that BC has nearly 600 native bee species? This is among the highest diversity in Canada. The Southern Interior alone has around 400 species. The forest provides both forage opportunities and nesting habitat for bees. Many bee species live in trees, specifically cracks, bark sloughs and small crevices. So snags! We knew they were good for something. Over the decomposition of a standing tree it provides different types of standing habitat. As the tree rots, the bark begins to slough. Sloughing Bark on a snag is an important old forest attribute. While we can’t maintain everything in a block, keeping snags provides habitat for a variety of bees and other insects.
The latest ‘sustained yield’ scam will devastate Montana’s national forests
By George Ochenski
The Daily Montanan
June 19, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States
Way back in 1995 Bob Brown, the Republican president of the Montana Senate, called me into his office. He had co-sponsored a bill with a pro-logging Missoula Democrat to establish a “sustained yield” level of logging on Montana’s state trust lands – and he was worried it wasn’t working out the way he hoped. Bob was right to be worried then and Montanans are right to be worried now because Trump’s Forest Service Chief and former timber industry lobbyist Tom Schultz, has just unleashed the “sustained yield” scam on Montana’s National Forests. …My advice to Bob was to let the bill die because he didn’t have the votes to remove the amendments the timber industry lobbyists stuck on the bill. But he didn’t take that advice. …Two years later, Tom Schultz went to work for Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, earning the sobriquet “Chainsaw Tom” for his pro-logging zeal.
Before the Flame: How Washington state is reshaping its forests to survive the next wildfire
By Bridget Chavez
King 5 News
June 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West
RONALD, Wash. — The sound of wildfire prevention isn’t a fire engine siren. It’s chainsaws, wood chippers and heavy machinery chewing through brush. Across Kittitas County, crews are removing smaller trees, trimming limbs and clearing brush in an effort to reshape forests before the next wildfire season arrives. But the work underway here is also challenging one of the most deeply held ideas many people have about forests: That more trees always means a healthier forest. “Green is good,” said Katie Zander, the North Service Forestry coordinator for the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Southeast Region. “But out here historically we did not have this dense of forest stands.” According to Zander, eastern Washington forests evolved with regular low-intensity fires that naturally cleared out brush and smaller trees. But decades of aggressive wildfire suppression changed that pattern.
When heat waves hit the Western United States, the risk of wildfires quickly rises. The prolonged heat dries out vegetation, but that’s only part of the cause – heat waves also play other roles in spreading wildfires. In a new study, our team of fire and climate scientists looked at two decades of wildfire activity in the West, from 2001 to 2024, and for the first time quantified the effect of heat waves on those fires. We expected a big impact, but the numbers still surprised us: While heat waves, which we defined as three or more consecutive days with temperatures in the top tenth of hottest days, accounted for only 12% to 15% of warm-season days, we found that 42% of all the area burned by fires had occurred during or right after a heat wave. Moreover, the amount of the area that burned each day was more than 50% larger during heat waves than during the cooler days right before the heat wave began in many parts of the West. In some regions, the difference was much larger – up to 300%.
Idaho National Forests Receive Collaborative Restoration Funding
By Mike Williamson
The US Department of Agriculture
June 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West
The US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is funding two landscapes within the Boise and Payette national forests for inclusion in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP). The congressionally funded program provides long-term support for partnership-driven projects that improve watershed health, reduce wildfire risk and strengthen local economies. The West Central Idaho Initiative covers 2.3 million acres of public and private lands stretching from Boise to New Meadows, Idaho. The initiative focuses on reducing wildfire risk to communities through logging, thinning and prescribed fire. The area was chosen for a 10-year funding commitment based on its strong history of collaboration. …The Weiser-Little Salmon Headwaters landscape continues CFLRP involvement dating back to 2012. In the first 10 years of funding, projects there treated nearly 170,000 acres of hazardous vegetation, resulting in the equivalent of about 36,000 logging trucks of timber sold.
Pulp and paper giant APRIL adds major deforesters as suppliers after revising sustainability policy
By Hans Nicholas Jong
Mongabay
June 18, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: International
JAKARTA — Pulp and paper giant APRIL made recent changes that are concerning to environmental groups. These changes include suspending and reviewing its flagship sustainability policy, lowering its deforestation commitments, and sourcing wood from two companies responsible for some of Indonesia’s largest recent forest losses. The company, part of the Singapore-headquartered Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) group, the world’s largest manufacturer of viscose rayon, said the changes are needed to align its policies with international standards and secure fiber supplies following the loss of several long-term suppliers. Environmental groups, however, said the move weakens a key safeguard that APRIL has long cited as evidence of its no-deforestation commitments. The controversy centers on APRIL’s decision to add Indonesian concessions PT Industrial Forest Plantation (IFP) and PT Mayawana Persada (Mayawana) askey wood suppliers, integral to manufacturing viscose.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on June 1 signed a bill that aims to boost development of the state’s wood pellet manufacturing industry. The bill was unanimously approved by both the Louisiana House and Senate in May. The bill, HB 670, was introduced in late February by state Rep. Charles Owen and amended twice as it moved through House committees. The new law aims to benefit the state’s wood pellet manufacturing industry by streamlining permitting, developing a skilled workforce and facilitating the efficient transportation and export of wood pellets. To support the wood pellet industry, then newly signed law allows Louisiana Economic Development, a cabinet-level agency focused on business growth, to support the recruitment, retention, and expansion of wood pellet manufacturing facilities in this state within existing statutory authority and subject to the availability of funds.
Glassy water contributed to fatal north Island seaplane crash: Transportation Safety Board
By Darron Kloster
Victoria Times Colonist
June 19, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is urging seaplane pilots to be aware of risks when landing on calm and glassy water, after a crash two years ago that claimed the life of a passenger. The Cessna seaplane carrying three people was landing at a logging camp at Warner Bay, northeast of Port Hardy, when it flipped over on Oct. 2, 2024… One of the passengers was able to escape the submerged cabin and help the pilot to surface, but the second passenger was trapped by a safety belt and drowned, the report said. The investigation found that the landing happened in “glass-water” conditions, with a mirror-like water surface devoid of any disturbance, which can make it hard for pilots to judge a plane’s speed and position. …Vince Crooks of Port Hardy-based Wilderness Seaplanes said witnesses saw … one float “dug fairly deep … the wing caught and it more cartwheeled.” He said the pilot … has about 30 years of experience with float planes all over the world.
Your June safety checklist: Heat stress, electrical safety awareness, and more
WorkSafeBC
June 19, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West
As summer temperatures rise across British Columbia, WorkSafeBC is urging employers to take proactive steps to protect workers from heat stress. Simple measures such as providing shade, cool-down areas, drinking water, and adjusting work schedules can significantly reduce the risk of heat-related illness. WorkSafeBC has also updated its Preventing Heat Stress at Work guide and released a new incident investigation video examining an explosion caused by a key fob left in a service vehicle. WorkSafeBC is drawing attention to another serious hazard: contact with power lines. New data shows that 74% of power-line-related injuries involve non-electrical workers, particularly those in construction, painting, and heavy equipment operations. Additional updates include consultations on proposed safety rule changes for shotcrete work, upcoming 2027 assessment rate information sessions, and a free June 24 webinar on road safety for small businesses. New incident investigation report summaries are available to help employers and workers understand the factors that contribute to workplace incidents so similar incidents can be prevented from happening in the future.
From workplace inspections to emerging equipment hazards and practical ways to strengthen safety culture, the latest issue of WorkSafe Magazine is packed with insights to help employers and workers create safer workplaces.
Rotating telehandlers: Understanding and reducing the risks: Use of this mobile equipment is growing fast in B.C. Our occupational safety officer talks about the steps employers, operators, and other groups can take to reduce risks.
Demystifying workplace inspections: Our cover story spotlights how employers and WorkSafeBC work together to identify hazards early, support compliance, and enable a more proactive approach to safety.
Building safety together: When joint health and safety committees move beyond compliance, they can spot risks earlier and drive real change. See how B.C. workplaces are making it happen.
WorkSafe New Zealand helps hundreds of wood manufacturers lift their safety game
WorkSafe New Zealand
June 18, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
WorkSafe New Zealand has provided practical safety guidance to hundreds of wood manufacturing businesses, as part of a significant proactive focus on one of the country’s most dangerous sectors. WorkSafe’s health and safety inspectors visited 657 businesses between January and March – from toy makers to joiners and wood processors – sharing education and guidance material with 83% of them. “Many businesses were committed to improving safety and welcomed the chance to talk through their health and safety practices,” says WorkSafe’s project lead Savio Valladares. “These visits are about helping businesses get it right, not catching them out.” However, the assessments also revealed persistent safety gaps. About half the businesses visited were required to make prompt changes to help prevent harm. The most common issues were inadequate machine guarding, missing or out-of-date hazardous substances inventories, and workers exposed to wood dust without effective controls such as ventilation and protective equipment.
A Florida Forest Service firefighter was hospitalized as crews continued to battle a massive brush fire in western Miami-Dade County on Thursday, a day after around 200 residents were evacuated due to the blaze. Officials said the firefighter was injured while battling the Quarry 2 blaze and was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. The fire that sparked Sunday continued to grow Thursday, reaching around 17,200 acres, though it was about 75% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service. The Florida Forest Service responded on Sunday after the fire originated from a thunderstorm and lightning strike, officials said. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said their crews responded to the Quarry 2 Fire in the area of Northwest 137th Avenue and Northwest 25th Street on Monday. A second fire, the Well Fire, has burned 1,310 acres and was 50% contained at last update on Tuesday.
Hello early bird! We just want you to know that the news team is busy adding stories to this page. Be sure to check back at 9:00 am (PST) for the full line up of articles.
A disturbing effect of the Trump era is how the most routine bureaucratic exercises become freighted with existential panic. …Despite having negotiated it himself, Donald Trump has attacked the CUSMA deal relentlessly. …The drumbeat of reporting over the coming sit-down with US officials might have you believing we are headed for gladiatorial combat, and not besuited teams working out the fine print of customs classifications and supply chain logistics. In this world, Pascal Chan, who helps lead the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, has emerged as a kind of trade whisperer. …Pascal Chan: There’s concern that if we don’t get to a renewal right now, everything falls apart. That’s not the case. We just go then into an annual review cycle every year. Sure, if we can hit a renewal now, that’s great. It extends the duration of the agreement. But the practical effect of a failed renewal is more uncertainty, not instant collapse. 
Lumber climbed past $630 per thousand board feet, the highest level since October, amid higher effective US import costs on Canadian softwood and tighter expected supply. Prices rose despite a small reduction in preliminary antidumping and countervailing duties, because the combined tariff burden remains high at about 35.9% including the existing Section 232 levy, set to take effect in August. The market is also being driven by uncertainty ahead of final duty decisions, prompting buyers to accelerate purchases and lift near-term demand. At the same time, US domestic production is still constrained, while housing-related consumption remains structurally large, with softwood lumber and engineered wood products heavily used in new construction. Each new home requires roughly 15,000 board feet of lumber plus extensive engineered wood products, keeping baseline consumption elevated even in a softer housing cycle. [END]
While supply concerns are still weighing on housing affordability, a combination of soaring prices and economic uncertainty is dragging on housing demand, according to the annual 
Mass Timber+
Humans have an innate desire to connect with nature, yet we spend nearly 90 percent of our lives indoors. In academic settings, where students learn, live and socialize, this disconnect can have real consequences for focus, mental health and well-being. Mass timber construction offers a powerful way to bring the warmth, texture and psychological benefits of nature indoors, while also advancing sustainability goals and, in many cases, matching or outperforming traditional steel construction on cost. A growing body of research shows that biophilic design, the integration of natural elements, particularly wood, into the built environment can improve cognitive performance, creativity and mood while reducing stress and fatigue. Spaces that incorporate visible wood elements are consistently perceived as warmer and more welcoming, fostering social interaction and a stronger sense of belonging. For higher education institutions focused on student wellness and community-building, these qualities are increasingly viewed as essential. 
A bipartisan bill in the US House is calling for additional incentives to use of mass timber building materials in federal contracting. Introduced by House Ag Committee Chair Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR), the 
Did you know that BC has nearly 600 native bee species? This is among the highest diversity in Canada. The Southern Interior alone has around 400 species. The forest provides both forage opportunities and nesting habitat for bees. Many bee species live in trees, specifically cracks, bark sloughs and small crevices. So snags! We knew they were good for something. Over the decomposition of a standing tree it provides different types of standing habitat. As the tree rots, the bark begins to slough. Sloughing Bark on a snag is an important old forest attribute. While we can’t maintain everything in a block, keeping snags provides habitat for a variety of bees and other insects.
Way back in 1995 Bob Brown, the Republican president of the Montana Senate, called me into his office. He had co-sponsored a bill with a pro-logging Missoula Democrat to establish a “sustained yield” level of logging on Montana’s state trust lands – and he was worried it wasn’t working out the way he hoped. Bob was right to be worried then and Montanans are right to be worried now because Trump’s Forest Service Chief and former timber industry lobbyist Tom Schultz, has just unleashed the “sustained yield” scam on Montana’s National Forests. …My advice to Bob was to let the bill die because he didn’t have the votes to remove the amendments the timber industry lobbyists stuck on the bill. But he didn’t take that advice. …Two years later, Tom Schultz went to work for Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, earning the sobriquet “Chainsaw Tom” for his pro-logging zeal.
RONALD, Wash. — The sound of wildfire prevention isn’t a fire engine siren. It’s chainsaws, wood chippers and heavy machinery chewing through brush. Across Kittitas County, crews are removing smaller trees, trimming limbs and clearing brush in an effort to reshape forests before the next wildfire season arrives. But the work underway here is also challenging one of the most deeply held ideas many people have about forests: That more trees always means a healthier forest. “Green is good,” said Katie Zander, the North Service Forestry coordinator for the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Southeast Region. “But out here historically we did not have this dense of forest stands.” According to Zander, eastern Washington forests evolved with regular low-intensity fires that naturally cleared out brush and smaller trees. But decades of aggressive wildfire suppression changed that pattern.
As summer temperatures rise across British Columbia, WorkSafeBC is urging employers to take proactive steps to protect workers from heat stress. Simple measures such as providing shade, cool-down areas, drinking water, and adjusting work schedules can significantly reduce the risk of heat-related illness. WorkSafeBC has also updated its Preventing Heat Stress at Work guide and released a new incident investigation video examining an explosion caused by a key fob left in a service vehicle. WorkSafeBC is drawing attention to another serious hazard: contact with power lines. New data shows that 74% of power-line-related injuries involve non-electrical workers, particularly those in construction, painting, and heavy equipment operations. Additional updates include consultations on proposed safety rule changes for shotcrete work, upcoming 2027 assessment rate information sessions, and a free June 24 webinar on road safety for small businesses. New incident investigation report summaries are available to help employers and workers understand the factors that contribute to workplace incidents so similar incidents can be prevented from happening in the future. 
