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The Tree Frog Forestry News
September 25, 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.
BC Supreme Court Approves Sale of Teal-Jones Group Operations to Gillfor Manufacturing
Gilfor Manufacturing, Ernst & Young and the Teal-Jones Group
September 24, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
On September 18, 2026, the BC Supreme Court approved the sale of the Teal-Jones Group to Gillfor Manufacturing. …The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. Without this transaction, the Teal-Jones Surrey, Sumas, and TFL 46 operations were headed for liquidation. By completing this acquisition, Gillfor is ensuring the preservation of vital forestry jobs that would otherwise have been lost, protecting the livelihoods of millworkers, tradespeople, and support staff, and sustaining economic activity in the communities these mills have supported for decades. Gillfor, the Monitor, and Teal-Jones all regard this outcome as the best available result of the CCAA sale process for employees, creditors, service providers, suppliers, customers, and the broader BC forestry sector. This transaction brings together several complementary businesses that will each be strengthened by the combination. Gillfor specializes in the manufacturing and marketing of Western Red Cedar. …Teal-Jones brings world-class sawmilling operations in Surrey, BC.
Timber Trade Journal Softwood Market Update: Traders wary of Q4 price war
By Jerry Wilson
Timber Trade Journal
September 25, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: International
UK — Demand in softwood markets remains patchy at best, and an overall weakness in the market predominates leading merchants to adopt an ultra-cautious approach. Now that the Scandinavian mills are back in production after the summer holidays, their attention is focused on which markets will be able to absorb their productions. With UK demand on the back foot, importers and are concerned that the Swedes may try to squeeze unwanted volumes into the UK with price inducements. If this happens, and an excess of softwood arrives, it can only result in another self-destructing price war. …To mitigate the effects of low demand, some sawmilling groups are reducing production. …Sawmillers Holmen have announced reduced output for their Linghem mill in Sweden, Stora-Enso is discussing permanent closure of the Veitsiluoto unit in Finland, and there has been an overall drop in production among German softwood producers. …Further afield, curtailments are spreading across the US and Canada.
Michael Green Helped Launch the Mass Timber Revolution
Metropolis Magazine
September 24, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West
Michael Green
“We have an ethic that the Earth grows our food, and we need to move to an ethic in this century that the Earth should grow our homes.” When architect Michael Green delivered those words at a 2012 TED Talk, making the case for building wooden skyscrapers, it seeded an idea in the minds of architects all over North America. Since then, the mass timber revolution—with Green at its vanguard—has helped transform the construction industry, sparked new design trends, reshaped how we think about forestry and forest-based economies, and most exciting of all, opened up new possibilities for how we build and why we do it. Green’s firm, Michael Green Architecture, …has completed some of the world’s most significant timber buildings and earned more than 50 international awards for design excellence. This year, METROPOLIS is proud to recognize Michael Green with our inaugural Planet Positive Visionary Award
BC Wood Seminar: HR Compliance Essentials for Small Businesses: Mitigating Risk
BC Wood Specialties Group
September 24, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 | 11:30am – 1:00pm PST | Zoom | Employment standards, workplace policies, and recordkeeping requirements can feel overwhelming, especially for small businesses without a dedicated HR team. This workshop will help you build a stronger compliance foundation, identify common risk areas, and implement straightforward tools to support your business as requirements evolve. Join us to reduce HR risk, avoid costly compliance missteps, and build practical policies and documentation that protect your small business. $22 per person (you do not need to be a BC Wood member to participate). Serena Morphy, CPHR, SHRM, is a people & culture strategist with over 17 years of experience building high-performing, emotionally intelligent organizations. As founder of AwakenHR, she brings the perspective of a senior HR leader who has operated at national and global scale, alongside the conviction that flourishing workplaces require an ever-long commitment to cultivating culture.
Mass timber contruction’s future success rests on more than carbon reduction
By John Bleasby
Daily Commercial News
September 24, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States
Many factors point to Mass Timber Construction (MTC) as having a promising future. For several years, claims of wood’s environmental superiority over steel and concrete have dominated discussions. However, MTC has more to offer than claims of significantly lower embodied carbon through carbon sequestration. Across a variety of projects, MTC can also demonstrate its positive visual impact and versatility. In fact, Advocacy group ThinkWood reports at the 2026 AIA Architecture Awards, six of the 10 recognized projects featured wood construction and mass timber. In the Education Facility Design Awards category, all eight winners featured mass timber, “a strong indication that the material is becoming part of the contemporary education design vernacular.” …The continued popularity of MTC may, in fact, hinge on more than its well-publicized carbon reduction claims. In fact, the core environmental benefits of MTC construction are debated by organizations such as the World Resource Institute .
Timberlab gives salvaged glulam a new role in mass timber interiors
By Dakota Smith
The Woodworking Network
September 24, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: US West
PORTLAND, Ore. — Exposed steel can create a visual break in buildings designed around the warmth and appearance of mass timber. Timberlab is addressing that challenge with a finish panel made from salvaged glulam. Resolve GLT is designed to wrap structural steel columns, beams and stair assemblies, giving non-timber elements a finish that visually integrates with surrounding mass timber. The panels are made from salvaged glulam, allowing reclaimed and nonstructural material to be used again in the built environment. The product is intended for both new hybrid mass timber construction and renovations or tenant improvements where existing structural steel remains in place. Rather than modifying or replacing the underlying steel, Resolve GLT provides a finish layer that can create a more continuous wood appearance throughout an interior.
Wildfire Resilience over Risk: Informing Decisions by Seeking Evidence and Respecting Knowledge – Webinar
By Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship
The University of British Columbia
September 24, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada
October 1, 2026 | 10 am (PST) via Zoom: Coast to coast to coast, Canada is facing bigger, more extreme, and more complex wildfires that are increasingly difficult to manage. Join this free webinar for a conversation with Wesley Bell (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)) and colleagues about their recent widespread literature review to investigate the past and current state of forest, wildfire, and land use management in Canada and the lessons that could help reduce wildfire risk, improve conditions for communities, parks, and conserved areas, and uplift culture and Indigenous knowledge. Since 2019, the Collective for Parks, Conservation, Innovation and Leadership (CPCIL) has hosted free monthly webinars … To date, more than 65 webinars have reached over 6,000 attendees from 400+ organizations. In 2026, CPCIL Research Associate Dr. Don Carruthers Den Hoed joined UBC’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship to help strengthen collaboration with conservation groups and Indigenous partners.
University of Calgary research suggests inbreeding’s impact on caribou in Western Canada
By Damien Wood
CTV News
September 23, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West
Inbreeding is high among many of Western Canada’s caribou populations, Charlotte Bourbon says. And the University of Calgary veterinary medicine PhD candidate says this has the potential to cause dire problems down the road. Bourbon looked at caribou DNA and genetic diversity for a study now published in the journal Evolutionary Application. She did the research under Jocelyn Poissant and Marco Musiani. She said the work started with a reach-out from the Government of British Columbia. “They were looking for more input and information about the DNA of the caribou,” she said. “Something that was missing in the story was inbreeding. “They had no idea about the inbreeding patterns across caribou in B.C.” Bourbon looked at 45 of B.C.’s 54 caribou populations. She found more than 28 had high amounts of inbreeding. “My research showed they might not have enough genetic diversity to survive in the long term,” she said.
UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship Undergraduate Programs Earn Society of American Foresters Accreditation
By Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship
University of British Columbia
September 15, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Three programs at the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (FES) at The University of British Columbia have earned accreditation from the Society of American Foresters (SAF), strengthening pathways for students seeking professional forestry careers in Canada and the United States. UBC offers the only undergraduate forestry programs in Canada with SAF accreditation – the leading professional organization for forestry professionals in the United States. Two majors of the Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources degree – Forest Operations and Forest Management – along with the Bachelor of Urban Forestry, join a select group of programs to be recognized by SAF. This gives graduates a significant advantage if they’re considering a forestry career on either side of the Canada-U.S. border. The programs have been certified to the Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board (CFAB) standards for decades, giving them the superpower of being the only ones in the world with dual American and Canadian approval.
West Fraser, Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation advance forest stewardship together
By West Fraser
The Williams Lake Tribune
September 24, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
The decisions made in a forest today will shape it for generations. Making those decisions well requires shared knowledge, strong relationships and an understanding of the priorities of the communities connected to the land. …In the Williams Lake region, the National Forest Week vision is being put into practice through a partnership between West Fraser and the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (SXFN). Together, West Fraser and SXFN are demonstrating how collaboration can advance local forest stewardship through shared learning, skills development and a commitment to responsible land management. “Good forest management starts with understanding the ecosystem and managing for resiliency over generations,” said Chad Swanson, West Fraser’s Chief Forester for British Columbia. “Working collaboratively with Indigenous Nations in the areas where we operate allows us to incorporate important knowledge and perspectives about the land and combine them with forestry science. Together, these insights help us make informed decisions that support healthy, resilient forests.”
Commissioner Upthegrove: It’s Time to Give Conservation a Financial Value, Not Just an Ecological One
By Dave Upthegrove, Commissioner of Public Lands
State of Washington
September 24, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: US West
Today Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove announced an updated vision for conservation and the management of forests on state lands, outlining a plan to shore up budgets for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) forestry programs. The Commissioner discussed his August 2025 Commissioner’s Order to manage 77,000 acres of structurally complex forests using methods other than traditional logging techniques. He announced that he’s learned that it will not be possible to get to 77,000 acres and that the Commissioner’s Order has been updated to reflect his new management direction. That new direction includes roughly 55,000 acres of structurally complex forests that will be exempt from Agency harvest plans through at least 2030. During this time DNR will work to secure the authority and develop innovative tools needed to continue managing those acres without variable retention harvests.
From training young and new workers to managing roadside risks and small business safety, the fall issue of WorkSafe Magazine shares practical guidance to help employers and workers create safer, healthier workplaces. Alongside feature stories, you’ll find information on small business, volunteer fire departments, upcoming conferences.
Feature stories include:
Helping workers use small tools safely: Our cover story looks at how hands-on training during the Surrey Langley SkyTrain project helps young and new workers recognize hazards and use tools safely.
Towing safety beyond the shoulder: Every roadside call brings different risks. Learn how planning, training, and effective traffic control help protect tow operators before and during a job.
Building respectful workplaces in tourism and hospitality: Learn how go2HR’s free, updated Safer Spaces program helps employers, supervisors, and workers prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment.
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.
UK — Demand in softwood markets remains patchy at best, and an overall weakness in the market predominates leading merchants to adopt an ultra-cautious approach. Now that the Scandinavian mills are back in production after the summer holidays, their attention is focused on which markets will be able to absorb their productions. With UK demand on the back foot, importers and are concerned that the Swedes may try to squeeze unwanted volumes into the UK with price inducements. If this happens, and an excess of softwood arrives, it can only result in another self-destructing price war. …To mitigate the effects of low demand, some sawmilling groups are reducing production. …Sawmillers Holmen have announced reduced output for their Linghem mill in Sweden, Stora-Enso is discussing permanent closure of the Veitsiluoto unit in Finland, and there has been an overall drop in production among German softwood producers. …Further afield, curtailments are spreading across the US and Canada.
The decisions made in a forest today will shape it for generations. Making those decisions well requires shared knowledge, strong relationships and an understanding of the priorities of the communities connected to the land. …In the Williams Lake region, the National Forest Week vision is being put into practice through a partnership between West Fraser and the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (SXFN). Together, West Fraser and SXFN are demonstrating how collaboration can advance local forest stewardship through shared learning, skills development and a commitment to responsible land management. “Good forest management starts with understanding the ecosystem and managing for resiliency over generations,” said Chad Swanson, West Fraser’s Chief Forester for British Columbia. “Working collaboratively with Indigenous Nations in the areas where we operate allows us to incorporate important knowledge and perspectives about the land and combine them with forestry science. Together, these insights help us make informed decisions that support healthy, resilient forests.”
From training young and new workers to managing roadside risks and small business safety, the fall issue of WorkSafe Magazine shares practical guidance to help employers and workers create safer, healthier workplaces. Alongside feature stories, you’ll find information on small business, volunteer fire departments, upcoming conferences.