A Canadian Wood Council fire test concludes mass timber performs well in office space scenarios. In related news: California adopts tall wood code provisions; and New York, Colorado and SFI celebrate wood innovation grants. Meanwhile, in Business news: a new report quantifies forestry’s role in Alberta’s economy; Ontario’s forest minister faces environmental charges; Hampton Lumber to start hiring in BC; Kruger celebrates 100 years at BC mill; and Teal Jones features family duo at Virginia plant.
In Forestry/Climate news: BC scientists fear heat dome’s impact on ecosystems; Genome BC uses remote sensing to assess heat’s impact on trees; Nova Scotia ENGO pans biomass-generated electricity; EU’s roundwood-to-pellet restrictions called misguided; and New Zealand introduces carbon credits for native forests.
Finally, Hollywood should get the facts and show respect to Indigenous peoples.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
Edmonton, Alberta – A new economic report released by the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) shows that Alberta’s forest sector contributes to and facilitates significant economic activity and employment opportunities in every region of the province. The report estimates that, in 2020, Alberta’s forestry sector contributed and facilitated approximately $13.6 billion in economic output, $2.7 billion in labour income, and more than 31,500 jobs in Alberta. The study, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), assessed the economic impact of the forestry industry in the eight economic regions of Alberta. It provides a region-by-region overview of the sector’s footprint as it relates to the number of jobs, economic activity, distribution of jobs, and how the sector contributes to the economies and wellbeing of communities across Alberta. “Forestry has supported many Alberta communities for multiple generations contributing $988 million in tax revenue to support our health care system, critical infrastructure, and other services,” said Jason Krips, President and CEO, AFPA.
The cost of building or renovating your home could drop by up to 50 per cent this summer. The average price of lumber in Canada rose by roughly 300 per cent between 2020 and 2021. …At the wholesale level, prices peaked in early March but began to slide through early June, and experts say the ‘lumber bubble’ is now set to burst sometime this summer. …“Retail prices should drop. Absolutely,” says Paul Jannke, FEA Principal. “It does take about three to four months for wholesale prices to feed through to retail pricing. …From a retail perspective, it could be August.” Jannke says wholesale prices have declined by 60 per cent since their peak in March, but notes retailers may not offer the same discount due to their slim margins. But he estimates that price drops of 30, 40 to 50 per cent are all possible.
California has caught up with the tall wood movement. In July 2021, California adopted the tall wood provisions in the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), with California Building Code amendments. California’s adoption of the provisions enables mass timber structures of up to 18 storeys and an increase in allowable square footage. “We anticipate an increase in tall wood projects in California as a way to address housing needs with more sustainable construction,” says Bill Parsons, COO of WoodWorks. …Neighboring Oregon and Washington have already adopted the tall wood provisions in their respective building codes. …In 2020, the California Government Operations Agency held a mass timber building competition. The state awarded a total of $500,000 to four projects that demonstrate mass timber’s potential to help address multiple challenges while creating new rural economic opportunities. 
…Wolves respond to changing environments in the north by adapting to available prey. Boreal wolves hunt large ungulates: moose, deer and caribou. But the western Canadian boreal forest is changing rapidly, looking nothing like it has in the past and like nowhere else on Earth. Wolves use roads, trails and petroleum-exploration “seismic” lines to hunt more efficiently. The combination of wolves and environmental changes brought about by resource extraction cause woodland caribou declines. Governments have made the tough call to kill wolves to save caribou… While wolf culls do have some positive effects for caribou, culls remain mired in some mystery: very little research exists on their side-effects for surviving wolves, or the animals they live with. 
Help us shape the future of responsible forest management to ensure Forests For All Forever. The FSC General Assembly is where hundreds of participants from Indigenous Peoples, environmentalists, businesses, and others in FSCmembership come together to discuss a responsible future for the world’s forests and the people and animals who rely on them. The 9th FSC General Assembly will take place as a hybrid event from 9 to 14 October 2022. 
VANCOUVER — A year after the heat dome event that killed billions of plants and animals in British Columbia, scientists say ecosystems are recovering, but could be transformed forever if such events become more frequent. Cold-water marine species could be replaced by warm-water organisms, triggering cascading effects through the environment, said Christopher Harley, a zoology professor at the University of BC. …How fast an area’s ecosystem recovers depends on environmental aspects like soil moisture, but hinges on fire management practices and climate change response, Hodges said. …“We need to figure out how we put fire back on the landscape in an amount and intensity that restores habitat for wildlife and people.” Wildland fires are a natural part of the forest ecosystem and important for maintaining the health and diversity of the forest, Natural Resources Canada says.
Some European Union policymakers are calling for a restriction on the use of roundwood as feedstock for wood pellet production. FutureMetrics LLC on June 25 published a 
Nanaimo, BC — Mosaic Forest Management is recognizing forestry contractors who have contributed to the company’s focus on safety, environmental performance, Indigenous relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and quality over the past year.