New Brunswick Court of Appeal ruling on private forest land highlights worries about aboriginal reconciliation in BC. In other Business news: North Cowichan’s Mayor and (separately), the BC Coastal Forest Policy Coalition share concerns over the Crofton pulp mill closure; Northern Pulp pensions are made whole by woodlands sale; and Terrace Bay pulp mill’s owner is urged to turn on the heat. Meanwhile: Canada is open to restart US trade talks, but the next engagement is likely the CUSMA review; and Canada needs to plan for the worst, as Trump may end-run the US Supreme Court.
In Forestry news: Trump’s timber production goals are falling short; wildlife proponents say the US Forest Service should be scrapped; a seed company helps the US reforest for changing climate; Maine loggers are feeling the tariff pinch; and Priya Rajarapu is America’s Christmas Tree Grower’s Doctor. Meanwhile: UBC scientist Sally Aitken on trees, genomics and climate; and a different kind of forestry takes root in BC’s Nootka Sound.
Finally, US Endowment highlights the first dam project to use a nanocellulose enhanced concrete.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News Editor
CORVALLIS, Ore. – If mistletoe’s status as a nutrient-stealing freeloader has been cooling your holiday ardor, new research led by an Oregon State University scientist may help relight the fire. A survey of urban forests in seven western Oregon cities found no observable connection between mistletoe infestation and negative health outcomes for the trees it was parasitizing. So worry not: Your yuletide kissing tradition probably does not involve a tree killer. And as you’re setting concern aside, you might want to head outside. “This is the best time of year to look for mistletoe because there are no leaves on the trees,” said College of Forestry professor emeritus Dave Shaw, an OSU Extension Service forest health specialist. “Also, chances are it will be found in an oak tree – most other trees don’t get infested. So if you are looking for a kiss, keep an eye out for oaks.”
This infographic, released December 12, 2025, provides an overview of the lumber industry, showcasing key metrics and trends related to production, exports and price change. It highlights significant data points, illustrating the state of the market and offering insights into the current landscape of lumber in Canada.
Canada-US Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the door is open for American officials to restart trade talks with Canada. …”Canada believed it was making progress with the Americans — and talks would eventually move to automobiles and softwood lumber — but Trump “decided to suspend those negotiations. That’s regrettable.” …Canadian, American and Mexican officials are gearing up to review CUSMA, which offers Canada crucial protection from many of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. …On Thursday, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. Kristen Hillman downplayed signals from the Trump administration about breaking down the trilateral pact and said she hasn’t “heard any indication from the US side that they want to change that foundation.” …All three countries must indicate by July 1 of next year whether they want to extend the agreement, renegotiate its terms or let it expire. LeBlanc said in private the conversations are “much more reassuring” about CUSMA.
Hopes for relief on the tariffs front are likely on hold until the new year now that the US Supreme Court has adjourned for the holiday season before ruling on the matter of President Trump’s illogical and, likely, illegal trade tariffs. Their decision could come in January, which is a long wait for affected economies around the world. …It took just 35 days for lower courts to decide Trump’s use of the act for tariffs was invalid, which he appealed. …Rampant speculation is outlined by Daniel Schramm In the Missouri Independent: “
Gold River, BC — This has not been a good year for forestry as the industry continues to feel the pain from escalating tariffs, mill closures and job losses. But in Nootka Sound a First Nation is looking to a future where trees have a higher value staying in the ground. …the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation is looking at an entirely different economic approach to managing its territorial forests and waters in Nootka Sound. The First Nation’s Salmon Parks project aims to have 66,595 hectares, comprising approximately 20 per cent of its land territory, under a protected designation by 2030. The initiative strictly limits industrial activity within the Salmon Parks – particularly old growth logging – with hopes of eventually allowing nature to heal itself to the point that salmon runs rebound from the headwaters to the ocean. …As the project seeks an economic future, the Salmon Parks initiative is looking at the economic value of keeping trees standing by selling carbon credits. 
President Trump swept into office with a promise to ramp up the timber business on national forests. So far, they’re just treading water. The Forest Service reported relatively flat timber harvests and sales for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. …According to the agency’s cut-and-sold reports, national forests cut 2.52 billion board feet of timber for the fiscal year, down slightly from the 2.66 billion board feet cut during the last full fiscal year of the Biden administration. Sales volume totalled 2.95 billion board feet, a slight increase from the prior year but a drop from 3.08 billion board feet the year before that. The suppressed returns reflect some of the challenges in meeting Trumps’s directive to use national forests to reduce the nation’s reliance on wood imports. Those include wildfires, market conditions… and the Forest Service’s ability to set up and run timber sales after the administration whittled the workforce. [to access the full story, an E&E News subscription is required]
Climate change is contributing to drier conditions in the Pacific Northwest, causing wildfires to become more intense and destructive. A growing reforestation industry has emerged in their wake. The company Silvaseed is a key player in the region. Based southeast of Olympia in Roy, Washington, Silvaseed collects, cleans, catalogues and preserves seeds. It also raises millions of seedlings every year in its greenhouses and fields. Customers include private timber companies, public land managers and tribal nations. …Inside a warehouse built in the 1940s, Silvaseed general manager Kea Woodruff starts a tour of the facilities by flipping a switch to fire up a huge, old kiln. …Woodruff said most species’ cones need the kiln to reach about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. …At every step of the way, as the seed gets refined and purified, the bags are meticulously labeled and tracked.