Oregon narrowly approved a habitat plan that protects endangered species by limiting logging. In related news: unions call for action to save BC’s forest sector; mill closures have South Carolina loggers facing collapse; Vermont loggers look for relief due to wet weather; and Godfrey Forest Products is building an OSB plant in Jay, Maine. In Forest Product news: UK softwood imports are up; Clemson University breaks ground on a mass timber structure; and the Paris Olympics’ architectural icon is a wood showcase.
In Forestry/Wildfire news: lessons from a new study on Canada’s 2023 wildfire season; Ontario firefighters question their preparedness; wildfire smoke workshops teach Albertans about health impacts; Calgary is preparing for an early wildfire season; Maine looks to employ more controlled burns; and Arizona will reduce fire risk with thinned buffer zones.
Finally, bioplastics—a sustainable solution or distraction from plastic crisis?
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
UK — Timber imports rallied in 2023 to finish just 2% down on the previous 12 months, according to the 
WASHINGTON — A mere 9% of plastic is recycled in the United States each year. Plastic waste in our country grows unabated because the U.S. operates a patchwork of largely ineffective recycling systems that don’t create enough incentives for consumers and businesses to reduce their plastic footprint. …Lawmakers should shift the financial responsibility of collecting, recycling and reusing plastic packaging materials from consumers and municipalities to the producers of plastic products by establishing a national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy. Under an EPR framework, companies would cover the costs of recycling their materials and face penalties for using packaging that’s difficult to recycle or for not including recycled materials in their packaging. As a result, recycled materials would become more readily available and economical over time. EPR policies have already been adopted in multiple states, including Colorado and California. …Members of Congress should take these practical steps now.
…bioplastics are proliferating across the food industry … electronics, clothing, building supplies and more. Bioplastics are defined as plastic materials that are either partly or wholly derived from renewable biomass like plants or are biodegradable or are both. The industry is projected to grow from $8.7 billion in 2023 to $31 billion by 2030 – a growth rate faster than the traditional plastics industry. Though bioplastics comprise just 1% of the plastics market, some tout them as plastics’ more sustainable future. … “Bioplastics are driving the evolution of plastics,” the European Bioplastics Association claims, citing “carbon neutrality” and biodegradability (in some cases) as bioplastics’ advantages over their conventional counterparts. But bioplastics haven’t fully lived up to the hype of faster decomposition rates, safer materials and smaller carbon footprints. Still, experts say the material could be among a suite of solutions if end-of-life management and chemical safety were factored into their design, alongside stronger greenwashing regulations.
The Mission Municipal Forest has logged its best year yet. In 2023, the City of Mission’s forestry department reached a record-breaking $7.5 million in net profit from timber sales. Forestry director Chris Gruenwald presented a quarterly report to council on March 4 that also recapped 2023 as a whole. The funds will be transferred to the Forest Legacy Reserve, which can be used by council to invest in future capital projects. Previous forestry profits have resulted in contributions towards the Boswyck Seniors Centre, a portable mill at Mission Secondary School and a CT Scanner for Mission Memorial Hospital. “While forestry returns fluctuate year over year, our forest has proven a consistent source of revenue for the City over the last 66 years,” Mission Mayor Paul Horn said. “Our forebears demonstrated remarkable foresight when they acquired the Tree Farm Licence so our council’s aim will be to invest those resources in a way that similarly serves our future.”
Persistent wet weather across the region have made working in the woods tough for Vermont loggers, who are looking for financial help from the state. Dana Doran, executive director of Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, said Thursday that the timber industry is looking to the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency and Forestry for two things right now. One is about $1 million for flood relief for logging contractors through the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program, the other is ongoing funding to build structures they need to work in wet conditions without damaging the land and groundwater. According to Doran, some funds that went to Vermont farmers following the summer floods of 2023 didn’t go to loggers. Though the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers logging to be agriculture, farmer relief funds are often tied to a specific location, making logging contractors who move around often unable to tap them.
Wildfire season started early this year in Alberta and along with that comes the dread of smoke-filled skies. The Calgary Region Airshed Zone (CRAZ) is hosting its first workshop on the health impacts of wildfire smoke on Monday in Canmore. The workshop will include staff from Parks Canada explaining the prescribed burns in Banff National Park and an expert from the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control talking about the health impacts of the smoke. Bloor said there will be practical information on using microsensors for air quality and how to build your indoor air filter. The town of Canmore is expected to highlight their emergency response plan for extreme heat and wildfire smoke that went into effect in 2023. Banff has come up with ideas to deal with the impacts of wildfire smoke like increasing access to cool and clean air spaces and adding more air monitors.