After Fiona, climate experts urge Canada to fix flagship adaptation strategy, including gaps in homeowner insurance. In related news: a new report says adapting to climate change faster will save Canada billions; Stella-Jones helps Nova Scotia restore power; and Canada’s Pension Plan Board flexes its investment muscle. In other Business news: LP Dawson Creek responds to hog fuel fire; and AURELIUS acquires three of Sappi’s EU paper mills.
In other news: Alberta renews its forest management agreement with Tolko, Nobord and La Crete Sawmills; ENGOs urge SFI to retain ban on genetically engineered trees; and an international working group is pioneering a globally applicable carbon credit methodology for mass timber construction.
Finally, when it comes to choosing Industrial Matting, material does matter.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
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Canadians will see lower incomes and a choice between higher taxes or fewer government services if there isn’t more effort to adapt to the changing climate, a 
Stella Jones, a Truro, Nova Scotia, company is playing a key role in restoring power after post-tropical storm Fiona knocked it out for hundreds of thousands Nova Scotia Power customers. Nova Scotia Power is in the process of replacing hundreds of poles damaged in the storm. Stella Jones is the only company in the province that pressure-treats the wood used in utility poles. Most of the poles are made from yellow pine brought in from the southern U.S. The company treats other types of lumber, but right now the focus is exclusively on replacing poles damaged by Fiona. Nova Scotia Power buys 7,500 poles a year, but around 1,000 poles have left the plant per day since the storm hit. [END]
When it comes to choosing Industrial Matting, material does matter. After all, there’s a lot riding on your choice – both figuratively and literally. …Since Access Matting is often used to protect environmentally sensitive areas, it only makes sense that the preferred material would be natural. That’s why wood is such an important material. From forest to finished product, wood is the most environmentally friendly material there is. …Performance-wise Douglas Fir and Pacific HemFir boast virtually the same characteristics. They’re, strong, durable and rot-resistant. In terms of availability and sizing options, however, Pacific HemFir is wood that works! “HemFir is readily available in longer lengths, which means you need less mats for a uniformly distributed point load,” says Doug Carl, who is president of crane mat manufacturer Industrial Timber Products. “It makes a great mat. It drills well and it’s not heavy, which can significantly cut down on freight costs.”
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources is preparing a new program that would allow Alaska sawmills to sell lumber for local construction without having that wood graded for quality by an Outside inspector. The program was announced by Alaska State Forester Helge Eng on Sept. 13 at Southeast Conference, a gathering of Southeast Alaska political and business leaders. Eng said the program, which may take two years to implement, would encourage the growth of Alaska’s lumber industry by making it easier to use locally produced lumber. Many residential building codes require lumber be graded for strength and quality by a national organization before being used in construction. …The Department of Natural Resources is requesting public input on the proposal. It expects that it will take at least one year, and likely longer, to develop regulations for the program.
A report exposes the “growing threat” of genetically engineered tree development around the world, with researchers urging a leading forest product certification body to maintain its ban on genetic modification. “The global release of genetically engineered trees is close,” states the report, by the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network and the Campaign to STOP GE Trees. …The report documents where the risk of GE tree use on plantations or release into the wild is most immediate. It comes ahead of the Forest Stewardship Council’s general assembly from October 9-14 in Bali, Indonesia. …[where] members will vote on two motions that, if approved, would help preserve their prohibition on genetic modification. However, “if FSC decides to embrace genetic engineering, it will free the Brazilian pulp and paper company Suzano to begin planting its eucalyptus trees that are genetically engineered to tolerate glyphosate herbicides,” warned Lizzie Díaz of the World Rainforest Movement.
Representatives of Gitanyow First Nation, including Hereditary Chiefs, and the B.C. government are celebrating 10 years of a landmark land-use plan that has reduced land-based conflicts and guided sustainable development in Gitanyow’s territory. In 2012, under the Gitanyow Huwilp Recognition and Reconciliation Agreement, Gitanyow and the Province agreed to the Gitanyow Lax’yip Land Use Plan, which lays out the Nation’s vision for lands in their territory, including appropriate uses. The visionary plan led to a collaborative process between Gitanyow, neighbouring Nations, B.C. and stakeholders that put the plan into effect through the landscape-level Nass South and the Cranberry Sustainable Resource Management Plans. …“Skeena Sawmills endorsed the Gitanyow Lax’yip Land Use Plan in 2012, and it guides our forest management activities in Gitanyow Territory, including forest planning, road construction, timber harvesting and silviculture in Gitanyow Territory,” said Greg DeMille, vice-president of operations for Skeena Sawmills Ltd. and Skeena Bionergy. 
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), which invests on behalf of the country’s CPP pension scheme, used its influence as a major institutional investor to push 35 companies to make “material“ commitments and improvements to climate-related disclosures and practices in the past year, according to its latest report on sustainability investing made public Wednesday. …CPPIB, which invests in public and private companies including direct investments, voted in favour of climate-related shareholder proposals that sought deeper disclosures on topics such as operational emissions management, asset portfolio resilience and public policy, the report said. Richard Manley, managing director, said the approach with public companies in the portfolio is to articulate clearly how the Canadian pension believes sustainability-related factors should be integrated to inform strategy and enhance returns or reduce risks in the business.