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The Tree Frog Forestry News
July 15, 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.
Wood sawdust may not seem like a typical food source, but it actually has some surprising nutritional benefits. While it is not directly edible in its raw form, it can be processed and transformed into food products that are rich in protein, fiber, and minerals. …Overall, the utilization of wood sawdust in cooking showcases the endless creativity and ingenuity of chefs and highlights the potential of often-overlooked food sources. With ongoing culinary innovations, it will be fascinating to see how wood sawdust continues to shape the future of gastronomy. …While the idea of consuming sawdust may seem peculiar at first, it serves specific purposes in enhancing texture, moisture retention, and flavor profiles. Let’s explore some common food items that incorporate small amounts of edible wood sawdust.
BC Minister’s statement about the closure of Canfor’s Northwood Pulp Mill
By Ministry of Forests
Government of British Columbia
July 14, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
Ravi Parmar
Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests said “news that the Canfor Northwood pulp facility will be closing is heartbreaking. …I have reached out to Unifor Local 603, the City of Prince George and other community partners to offer my support. Staff in the ministries of Forests; Jobs and Economic Growth; and Social Development and Poverty Reduction, will be deploying support to affected workers. We will be leaning on our federal government partners to help support the transition the forestry sector is facing in the Prince George region. “BC’s forestry sector is facing immense challenges. …None of that softens the news, but it shows why we must keep pushing to stabilize and transform BC’s forestry sector.
In a related statement by Kim Haakstad, CEO of the BC Council of Forest Industries: “Forestry supports nearly 100,000 good jobs, generates billions in economic activity, and underpins reconciliation and rural stability. Every day without long-term predictable and economic access to wood means more families, workers, and communities are put at risk.We call on the provincial and federal governments to urgently implement the recommendations of the Forest Sector Transformation Task Force, with a specific focus on improving access to wood and utilization of sawmill residuals.”
Canfor announces permanent closure of Northwood Pulp Mill
CKPG Today
July 14, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Canfor has announced it will permanently close its Northwood pulp mill in Prince George, a decision that will directly affect 300 employees and mark another significant blow to the city’s forestry sector. The company cited ongoing financial losses, a global oversupply of pulp, and continuing challenges securing fibre needed to operate the mill sustainably. The closure will reduce Canfor’s annual production of Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft pulp by 300,000 tonnes. The Northwood facility is expected to undergo an orderly wind-down process before shutting down permanently in late 2026. Canfor CEO Susan Yurkovich said the decision was a difficult one but necessary given current market conditions. …The global pulp industry continues to face major challenges as significant new production capacity has come online around the world. …The company also pointed to long-standing fibre supply issues in BC. …Those conditions have led to a prolonged period of unsustainable losses for its pulp division.
Kruger has revealed the details of its planned $700 million investment in Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited, and it’s a big plan that involves a change in the way the mill makes paper and how it generates energy. Darren Pelley, Kruger’s vice-president of special projects, provided an overview of the project, which has been dubbed Project Tuckamore, during a luncheon meeting of the Greater Corner Brook Board of Trade at the Glynmill Inn in Corner Brook on Tuesday, July 14. Project Tuckamore is “a generational change,” and one that involves a major revitalization and investment in operations, Pelley said. “We are investing in the long-term future. Kruger is committed to the long-term operation of the mill here in Corner Brook but also all their operations for Deer Lake and the region,” said Pelley. “This project is something that is an investment in our community and is an investment for the long-term.”
Mercer is restructuring its Torgau, Germany wood products facility, affecting 350
Mercer International Inc.
July 14, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: International
GERMANY — Mercer Torgau announced strategic actions at its Torgau facility in Germany including an expected overall workforce reduction of approximately 350 positions. …Mercer Torgau has been impacted by ongoing uncertainty in the global economy as well as heightened raw material and energy costs. …These strategic actions involve initiatives to streamline Mercer Torgau’s organization and processes, along with adjustments to its product portfolio. Among other things, Mercer Torgau’s production capacity and workforce structure will be realigned with market conditions. An initial reduction of approximately 100 contractor positions is expected in July 2026, and Mercer Torgau expects an overall workforce reduction of approximately 350 positions. Strategic actions have commenced and are expected to be completed in stages, completing in or about the second quarter of 2027. …Mercer Torgau manufacturing focuses on lumber for construction and packaging, pallets, planed wood products, wood pellets and briquettes.
Bank of Canada maintains the policy rate at 2.25 per cent
The Bank of Canada
July 15, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada
The Bank of Canada today held its target for the overnight rate at 2.25%, with the Bank Rate at 2.5% and the deposit rate at 2.20%. Canada’s economy is showing signs of improvement. Growth is picking up and inflation is projected to ease gradually from its recent spike. There are still important risks and uncertainties related to the war in the Middle East and US trade policy. Since the April Monetary Policy Report, global economic prospects have been dented by higher oil prices stemming from the Middle East conflict. At the same time, the build-out of artificial intelligence (AI) is supporting economic activity in a growing number of countries. Oil prices are still lower than their peak in April but the situation in the Middle East remains volatile. The path for global inflation is highly dependent on how the conflict unfolds. The US economy is growing at about 2½%, mostly because of strong consumption and booming AI investment.
Canadian Real Estate Association downgrades housing market forecast again as June home sales edge up
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA)
CBC News
July 15, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) revised its home sales forecast for 2026 downward, while new data shows the number of homes sold in June ticked up slightly from the month before. High oil prices fuelled inflation and spurred the possibility that the Bank of Canada would raise interest rates, sending bond yields up and causing fixed mortgage rates to jump earlier this year. These factors have eased somewhat since then, but the association says they still weighed on the housing market in recent months — as did a quicker-than-expected drop in Canada’s population. “Taken together, the national sales forecast for 2026 was revised slightly lower, reflecting the weak first half of the year, and slightly delayed start to the long-awaited recovery” in the housing market, the association said. CREA had previously predicted a small increase in the number of homes sold in 2026, but it now expects a 1.4% decline compared to 2025.
US Single-Family Permitting Continued to Weaken Through May
By Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington
NAHB Eye on Housing
July 15, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: United States
State-level permitting activity continued to reflect a divided housing market through the first five months of 2026. Elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges continued to weigh on single-family construction across much of the country, while multifamily permitting remained comparatively stronger, supported by gains in several regions despite continued weakness in parts of the South. Over the first five months of the year, the number of single-family permits issued nationwide reached 380,130. Compared with the same period in 2025, this represents a 6.1 percent decline compared with the May 2025 total of 404,977. In contrast, multifamily permitting activity remained stronger, with 208,192 permits issued nationwide, marking a 6.5 percent increase from the same period last year.
Inflation slowed to 3.5% in June from a three-year high last month, driven by a mid-June ceasefire agreement that stabilized oil markets and lowered energy prices. The decline in energy prices offset increases in shelter and food, resulting in a monthly decrease in inflation for the first time since April 2020. However, the relief could be short-lived as the ceasefire collapsed in early July has pushed oil prices up by 12% and renewed inflation concerns. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 3.5% in June from a year ago, following a 4.2% increase last month, according to the BLS latest report. …The housing shelter index, which makes up a large portion of “core” CPI, rose 3.3% over the year, following a 3.4% increase last month. Meanwhile, the component index for food rose by 3.0%, and the energy component index increased by 15.7%.
The Inside Wood technical handbook provides guidance critical to wood interiors, and combines insights from over 40 contributors who have incorporated exposed wood surfaces into their building designs. Use this handbook to leverage the unique characteristics of wood, and methods to protect, maintain and repair it for long-term performance. Developed by architecture firm ZGF for Forestry Innovation Investment, it combines insights from 40+ contributors who have successfully incorporated exposed wood surfaces into their building designs. This practical, visual publication presents themes that are critical to successful wood interiors, including design decisions that leverage the unique material characteristics of wood and methods to protect, maintain and repair it for long-term performance. Learn about key design considerations and experience innovative, strategic and elegant wood solutions that are transforming B.C. buildings.
Old-growth forests are home to a range of trees including older—but not always bigger—trees. Characteristics of old-growth forests vary according to their location, structure and ecosystem characteristics. What counts as old growth depends on where the forest is located. In the coastal and interior wet belt regions of British Columbia (B.C.), trees are considered old growth if they are more than 250 years old. The threshold for interior forests is 140 years, due to harsher, dry conditions. Hear directly from B.C.’s Chief Forester, Shane Berg, as he explains how forests in British Columbia are managed and what that means for wood sourcing. This video provides a clear overview of forest governance, sustainable harvesting practices and the role of science-based decision-making—helping project teams better understand the systems behind responsibly sourced B.C. wood.
By Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
Government of British Columbia
July 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Randene Neill
Government is urging people in B.C. to conserve water over the coming weeks as forecasts suggest much of the province will experience elevated drought conditions that may increase water-scarcity risks. “Protecting B.C.’s water resources is a shared responsibility, and the actions we take today will help communities, farmers and businesses manage increasing drought pressures,” said Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “We are working closely with First Nations, local governments, industry and the agricultural sector to support water conservation and long-term water security.” …People are encouraged to reduce water use wherever possible to help protect local watersheds and reduce the risk of water scarcity. Voluntary reductions in water use, along with favourable weather and rainfall, can play a critical role in maintaining stream flows and reducing pressure on watersheds and aquatic ecosystems.
Threat of lightning could change Northern B.C. fire season
By Nick Dube
CKPG News
July 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
BCWildfireService
PRINCE GEORGE – Although Northern British Columbia has avoided the widespread wildfire activity seen in recent years, provincial officials are warning that the next several days could mark a turning point as lightning, wind and dry conditions increase the risk of new fire starts across the province. The warning comes as crews continue battling the Brunswick Wildfire Complex near Boston Bar, where evacuation orders and alerts remain in effect and hundreds of residents have been forced from their homes. Speaking during a provincial wildfire and drought update, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Kelly Greene said the fires near Boston Bar continue to have significant impacts on local residents. …As of the latest update, there were 23 active wildfires burning across British Columbia. Five new fires had been discovered in the previous 24 hours while eight others had been declared out.
Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources completes fleet renewal with four Airbus H125 helicopters
Airbus Helicopters
July 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East
SHUBENACADIE, Nova Scotia — Airbus Helicopters has delivered the final of four H125 aircraft to the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (NSDNR), successfully concluding the province’s fleet renewal programme. Ordered in 2024, the new aircraft replace a previous fleet that entered service in 2016. The modernised fleet will support critical provincial missions, including wildfire response, search and rescue, aerial surveillance, and emergency and personnel transportation in remote areas. …To meet NSDNR’s specific operational needs, the helicopters feature Canadian-designed supplemental type certificates and specialised mission equipment. This includes high-visibility doors, cargo pods, longline capability, cargo mirrors, an enlarged floor window, a cable cutter, a litter kit, and an optimized utility panel.
Bureau of Land Management Launches Western Oregon Hiring Push to Support Timber Production
KYKN News
July 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West
EUGENE, Oregon — The Bureau of Land Management is launching a major hiring initiative aimed at increasing staffing for forestry work and other critical priorities across western Oregon, including efforts to expand domestic timber production. The agency plans to hire approximately 130 forestry technicians, survey technicians and equipment operators. BLM officials said the hiring effort will use direct-hire authorities designed to speed up the federal employment process. Special emphasis will be placed on recruiting people who already live in the communities where the positions are located. The agency plans to use its new Field Unit Local hiring authority to help connect qualified local applicants with available jobs. The BLM will hold an informational job fair Friday, July 17 in Eugene. …The BLM seeks to increase staffing associated with forest management, timber production, land surveying and equipment operations on public lands in western Oregon.
A Southern Oregon collaboration is trying to bring back a disappearing landscape — one oak tree at a time
By Roman Battaglia
Oregon Public Broadcasting
July 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West
…An estimated 10% of the Pacific Northwest’s historical oak habitat remains. Environmental groups are working to restore what is left, hoping to reduce wildfire risk while bringing back habitat for wildlife. The wide-open oak savannas have largely disappeared since European settlement. Dense stands of fir trees have crowded out many oaks, leaving them hidden beneath the canopy, nearly invisible. …restoration ecologist Rob Strahan is part of the Klamath Siskiyou Oak Network, a collaboration working to conserve oak habitat in Southern Oregon and Northern California. Since forming in 2011, the network has restored about 6,000 acres. …Jaime Stephens with the Klamath Bird Observatory said oak habitat tends to overlap with where people like to live, which is why it’s degraded so much. …In 2020, the partners identified the areas where oak habitat restoration would have the most impact. The current project aims to bring back another 4,000 acres of historic oak habitat.
4 Oregon species considered for Endangered Species Act protection
By Riley Ellis
Statesman Journal
July 14, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will consider adding four Oregon species to the list of endangered and threatened wildlife. A petition from the Center for Biological Diversity was accepted July 13 by the USFWS for the West Coast fox, Goose Lake lamprey, Goose Lake sucker and Goose Lake tui chub. …Commonly known as the Cascade red fox or Sierra Nevada red fox, West Coast foxes are “threatened by climate change, habitat destruction and fragmentation due to logging, development, and vehicle collisions, and other factors,” the Center for Biological Diversity said. …According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the three fish species are endangered “because of drought conditions worsened by water withdrawals for livestock grazing and agriculture, as well as climate change.”
An Island-based helicopter company says two men died in a helicopter crash Tuesday morning in an area between Knight Inlet and Bute Inlet. One person survived the crash of the Hughes 500 helicopter, which went down about 6:15 a.m. while in the Loughborough Inlet area for forestry operations. West Coast Helicopters, whose main base is in Port McNeill, said in a social-media post that one of the two men who died was Riley Browne, who started his flying career with West Coast in 2021, and was “one of the pillars of the company.” Also killed was Bobby Nowak of Campbell River-based Crowhurst Forest Management Group, who the company called “a great guy.” …A Cormorant helicopter and a Kingfisher aircraft were deployed from 19 Wing Comox. Search-and-rescue crews located the helicopter and recovered three people, then transferred them to local health services, the centre said.
Western Vancouver Island communities push for alternate road amid wildfire threats
By Emily Fagan
CBC News
July 13, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West
Twice in the last three years, communities on western Vancouver Island found themselves cut off by a wildfire that closed their lone road to the rest of the island. It has prompted rising safety concerns, and now, work by local First Nations and regional leaders to create a proposal for a second route to connect communities including Port Alberni and Tofino. Ditidaht First Nation Chief Counsellor Judi Thomas said an alternative public, paved road is vital for members of her community to access groceries, medical appointments, economic development and emergency services, and to serve as an evacuation route. “For the Ditidaht people, it’s beyond a necessity — it’s part of the need for public safety, it’s part of reconciliation, and it’s really a community resilience issue,” she said. “No community should have to wonder whether an emergency responder can reach them in time or not.”
Toronto ranked among worst air quality in the world as smoke, extreme heat warnings continue
CBC News
July 14, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada East
Environment Canada’s poor air quality warning in Toronto due to wildfire smoke could stick around until the end of the week, said a meteorologist. In a yellow-level air quality warning, the federal weather agency says smoke from forest fires in northwestern Ontario is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility. The smoke is affecting much of southern Ontario. The poor air quality began Tuesday night and may last through to Thursday, the weather agency says. The warning comes as the city remains under a yellow heat warning. Toronto ranked first in a list of the world’s most polluted cities as of Wednesday morning, according to a global ranking by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company. “The air quality values have spiked quite high due to the particulate matter from that forest fire smoke,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Owsiak.
U.S. Chemical Safety Board Issues Investigation Update on Hydrogen Sulfide Release at the Woodland Pulp Mill in Baileyville, Maine
US Chemical Safety Board
July 14, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released an update on the agency’s ongoing investigation into the January 27, 2026, fatal release of highly toxic hydrogen sulfide. The incident resulted in the deaths of two young employees. …Ten additional employees were also exposed to the toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. CSB Chairperson Steve Owens said, “The two young employees who died were not provided with personal hydrogen sulfide monitors that would have alerted them to the presence of the toxic gas, and there were no hydrogen sulfide detectors installed in the building where the release occurred. The company also did not keep track of who was in the building and where they were during this horrible event. …”Woodland Pulp was aware of the hazards associated with hydrogen sulfide gas forming in the acid sewer piping, but despite this knowledge, the company did not have adequate systems in place.”
B.C. crews fight to prevent Brunswick wildfire from moving east toward Merritt
Canadian Press in City News
July 14, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West
Wildland firefighters in British Columbia are planning to conduct “heavy helicopter bucketing” today to prevent an out-of-control blaze near Boston Bar from moving east toward Merritt across an area inaccessible to groundcrews. The efforts to combat the Brunswick complex of wildfires come as another blaze further north in the Thompson Nicola Regional District has prompted fresh evacuation alerts for at least two properties north of Lillooet, B.C. The French Bar Creek wildfire is measured at 12 square kilometres in size, and the BC Wildfire Service says the blaze is presenting challenges to crews due to terrain, water availability and limited access to the site. …The wildfire service adds that the efforts to prevent the blaze from moving east coincide with crews assessing the need for structure protection along the Highway 8 corridor linking Merritt, B.C., to Spences Bridge.
Wildfires prompt multiple evacuations in northwestern Ontario amid extreme heat
By Sarah Law
CBC News
July 14, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada East
Evacuation orders have been issued for multiple communities in northwestern Ontario due to threats from nearby wildfires, as the region contends with heat warnings and smoky skies. Residents of Armstrong and Whitesand First Nation were ordered to evacuate late Monday night, Ontario Provincial Police North West Region said in a Facebook post shortly before 10:30 p.m. ET. Just after 12:15 a.m. ET Tuesday, Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation and communities were also ordered to evacuate, and Collins First Nation and Cushing Lake were added to the list at 5:30 a.m. ET. …There were 128 confirmed wildfires in the northwest as of Monday night, with smoke from active fires in Canada and the United States visible in many parts of the region, according to Ontario’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services. …Air quality alerts are in effect [for multiple areas] and highway 11 and 599 have closures. …A multi-day heat event is expected to continue Tuesday in much of the northwest, including Thunder Bay.
At least 17 forest fires force evacuations in Minnesota as smoke spreads
By Alexandra Fine and Ivan Pereira
ABC News
July 14, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: US East
Firefighters and first responders are racing to get visitors and nearby residents to safety as at least 17 wildfires rage through a Minnesota forest. The U.S. Forest Service issued an emergency closure Tuesday morning for parts of Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in the Superior National Forest in northeast Minnesota near the Canadian border. There were three active fires in BWCAW, and 17 blazes altogether in the Superior National Forest as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Forest Service. The fires have burned through at least 33,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Forest Service. The fires have spread due to the dry conditions and record high heat in the area, with temperatures soaring above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the forecast. Heavy smoke was visible for miles throughout the forest and wilderness area, which is popular among summer campers, according to officials.
Fontainebleau forest fire near Paris ‘contained’ but not extinguished
France 24
July 14, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International
After a 48-hour battle, more than 800 deployed firefighters managed to contain two wildfires that swept through more than 2,000 hectares of the Fontainebleau forest, the local prefect said Tuesday evening. Four individuals remain in police custody in connection with the blazes, including a volunteer firefighter. “Contained means they are confined within their perimeter,” explained Prefect Pierre Ory, noting that firefighters will still need to remain on the scene for days, if not weeks. French firefighters aided by water bombers on Tuesday battled wildfires that ravaged a hugely popular forest outside Paris as another scorching heatwave keeps the capital in its grip. The fires that erupted Sunday scorched some 2,050 hectares (5,000 acres) – an area roughly three times the size of Gibraltar, firefighters said 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.
GERMANY — Mercer Torgau announced strategic actions at its Torgau facility in Germany including an expected overall workforce reduction of approximately 350 positions. …Mercer Torgau has been impacted by ongoing uncertainty in the global economy as well as heightened raw material and energy costs. …These strategic actions involve initiatives to streamline Mercer Torgau’s organization and processes, along with adjustments to its product portfolio. Among other things, Mercer Torgau’s production capacity and workforce structure will be realigned with market conditions. An initial reduction of approximately 100 contractor positions is expected in July 2026, and Mercer Torgau expects an overall workforce reduction of approximately 350 positions. Strategic actions have commenced and are expected to be completed in stages, completing in or about the second quarter of 2027. …Mercer Torgau manufacturing focuses on lumber for construction and packaging, pallets, planed wood products, wood pellets and briquettes.
State-level permitting activity continued to reflect a divided housing market through the first five months of 2026. Elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges continued to weigh on single-family construction across much of the country, while multifamily permitting remained comparatively stronger, supported by gains in several regions despite continued weakness in parts of the South. Over the first five months of the year, the number of single-family permits issued nationwide reached 380,130. Compared with the same period in 2025, this represents a 6.1 percent decline compared with the May 2025 total of 404,977. In contrast, multifamily permitting activity remained stronger, with 208,192 permits issued nationwide, marking a 6.5 percent increase from the same period last year.
