Panned by ENGOs, the new federal carbon offset program will target big industrial emitters. In related news: logging’s carbon footprint is said to be understated; two US scientists say we shouldn’t wait to protect old forests; and Caterpillar shareholders seek GHG transparency. On the Market front: lumber futures slide again; volatile markets hit Alberta industry; the paper industry struggles as printers face shortages; Catalyst transitions to food grade papers; and delivered wood costs rise in the Lake States.
In other news: digging into Canada’s 2 billion tree promise; US Forest Service Chief to testify on 2023 budget; Auburn University hosts CLT conference; and the battle over logging native forests heats up in Australia.
Finally, the Gorman Group branches out with new on-site vineyard!
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
As a result of the changes occurring in the paper industry, many printing and packaging companies are struggling to procure the paper they need, the grades they require, at the time they would like, and in a sufficient quantity necessary to fulfill customer orders. This is an abrupt turnabout for many companies that have… always been confident that the required paper substrates would be available on a just-in-time basis. …At least for the foreseeable future, those days of paper plenty are over. Printing and packaging company owners are spending considerable time every day just procuring needed paper stock. …Price increases have become routine, which must be passed on to customers who have and will consider other alternative (electronic) communication choices. 
UK – The underlying project value of residential starts has risen 13% in May, according to Glenigan. The construction market data firm said the value of housing starts in the three months to May was £2.58bn, up from £2.26bn in the overlapping period in the three months to April. However, the value of housing starts is 26% down on the £3.4bn for the same quarter last year and shows development activity in 2022 so far at a significantly lower level. Private housing starts increased 45% in the three months to May compared to the three months to April, but are still down 23% year-on year. Social housing starts fell 23% against the last quarter and are 32% down on the same period in 2021.
With building materials being a significant contributor to carbon emissions and sustainable solutions becoming more pressing, eco-friendly construction alternatives are more important than ever. While commonly used for framing homes, wood is now finding its way into the structure of arenas, skyscrapers, and multifamily buildings in the structurally robust form of mass timber. Recently, the International Building Code combined and updated the codes regarding heavy timber and mass timber, allowing for it to span greater distances in length and height due to new innovations. Beyond its structural ability, mass timber construction is most exciting because of its sustainable nature and potential negative carbon impact. …Mass timber can also make use of undesirable trees, helping to thin out crowded forests and make room for better forestry practices in the future.
On Earth Day 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order for actions to capitalize on the ability of forests… to combat climate change. We applaud this action, but the 
VERMONT — A new 
FORT COLLINS, Colo.–Red Rock is pleased to announce that it has received a Wood Innovations Grant from the U.S. Forest Service to fund its project to convert post-fire charred waste woody biomass to sustainable aviation fuel & renewable diesel fuel. “We founded Red Rock more than a decade ago to decarbonize transportation and help mitigate wildfire. Since that time, demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has grown exponentially and wildfires in the western U.S. and around the world have grown in frequency, size and intensity. We’re pleased to work with the U.S. Forest Service on this project to convert post-fire charred waste woody biomass present across the U.S. west into valuable SAF”, commented Red Rock’s Co-founder and CFO, Jeff Manternach. …Red Rock’s project with the U.S. Forest Service aims to utilize the increasingly abundant post-fire restoration material to produce low-carbon SAF and diesel fuel.
