US WoodWorks announced its 2023 Wood Design Award winners at the Portand mass timber conference. In Business news: FPAC hopes Canada’s federal budget supports forestry workers; John Rustad seeks BC Conservative leadership; Russia approves International Paper’s mill sale; John Keppler rejoins Enviva as Chair; and Billerud North America appoints Kevin Kuznicki president. On the Market front: housing cools, reno-madness subsides, and Deloitte says a recession is coming.
In Forestry/Climate news: NASA extends life of 3D forest scanner; BC Sunshine Coast Regional District director wants cutblock options deferred; BC vets’ fire mitigation program; and the era of mega-forest fires has begun in Spain.
Finally, Canadian icon Tim Hortons makes the plastic to wood-fibre switch.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) is hoping to see a few key moves in Tuesday’s Budget: Endorsing of a Sector Specific Approach to Accelerate Industrial Decarbonization: Canada has many of the right pieces in place to lower GHG emissions and to enable economic growth, but the lack of policy coherence is holding Canada’s forest sector back. We hope to see the Government of Canada follow the lead of leading forested nations like Finland and Sweden by adopting deeper sector specific approaches to decarbonization to support the future of Canada’s forestry communities. Recognition of forest biomass in the Government of Canada’s Investment Tax Credits to support new markets for the use of stranded wood fibre and wood waste. This will support the growth of Canada’s forest bioeconomy and will assist in addressing growing concerns around wildland fire risks and associated carbon emissions.
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Explore value-added wood opportunities from Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Japan all in one seminar — Greg Henderson and special in-market speakers will present new wood product sales opportunities & market entry strategies for Japan as well as an overview on opportunities in Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Topics will include: Opportunities, buying patterns, & wood product segments that are growing in each market; Key importing requirements; and a short review of local cultures & sales techniques that help prepare for any meetings with buyers from that market. DETAILS: Thursday, March 30, 2023, 3:00PM – 5:00PM PST, cost: $59 per person, location: Zoom.
One in four Canadian tree species is at risk, reveals a recent report from Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, including many found in Guelph. The 
A team of volunteers from all over B.C. is dedicating their time to protect communities from wildfires. Dubbed Team Rubicon, the group is made up of vets and retired first responders. “We’re hoping that as we continue to build depth in this program, we’ll be able to offer our services to more communities and property owners as we continue down this pathway of mitigation,” says Jeff Becker, national training manager for Team Rubicon Canada. The “skilled civilian disaster technologists” offer their services at no cost to homeowners and are engaging with communities with a proactive response before the disaster strikes. …Their new fire mitigation program hopes to support communities at risk from wildfire. …“Really what we’re trying to do is reduce or remove the fuel sources, whether it be surface fuels, ladder fuels… pruning trees up to about two meters above the ground,” he says. 
