The trend in Canadian housing starts declined in February, as the lack of supply sent sales and prices higher. In related news: the US reports strong single-family permit gains in January; and record steel prices add to building-material woes. In other Business news: NRCan invests in earthquake-resistant schools (with mass timber); construction at Washington’s Darrington Wood Innovation Center is set to begin; and Australian timber faces protracted logjam with China.
In Forestry news: BC’s forest minister takes old-growth moratorium off the table, as concerns rise over delayed action; Mosaic works to retain public access on its private lands; Women in Forestry Summit calls for culture shift; the yin and yang of post-wildfire logging in Oregon; and Louisiana forestry is still tallying the cost of storm damage.
Finally, the secret life of trees: US researchers probe elevated methane emissions.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
BURNABY, BC — Interfor Corporation announced that it has completed the previously announced transaction to acquire WestRock Company’s sawmill located in Summerville, South Carolina. Interfor… has annual production capacity of approximately 3.2 billion board feet and offers a diverse line of lumber products to customers around the world.
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VANCOUVER, BC — Western Forest Products announced that it has completed the sale of certain non-core assets for $36 million. The sale includes certain properties, and their underlying rights, related to the Orca Quarry located near Port McNeill, British Columbia. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale to repay debt and to support its long-term strategic initiatives. …Western has a lumber capacity in excess of 1.1 billion board feet from eight sawmills and four remanufacturing facilities.
Vancouver, BC — Canada’s
The late Doug Horth left a mark in local forests and in his son Dale’s heart. The senior Horth died in 2019, after a lifetime in the bush. He was a full-time logger from 1961 to 2016 and a faller from 1969. On March 8, the family erected a rock monument to Doug on the Ray Peters Trail. “Many trails for mountain biking and the Ray Peters trails exist because of my dad,” Dale told The Chief. …”My dad loved his woodlot,” said Dale, “He loved watching his trees grow. They were his babies. My dad worked seven days a week. My dad just loved the forest… He really enjoyed all of the silviculture work.”
ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana — Louisiana forestry’s $1.5 billion in losses from hurricanes was double the amount of revenue the industry generates annually, according to an LSU AgCenter forestry expert. Speaking at the 2021 Virtual Forestry Forum, Michael Blazier said the damages would be more if lost revenue, infrastructure damage and lost production during the storms are considered. Blazier said Hurricane Laura that hit on Aug. 27 inflicted damage to 800,000 acres of timber in 22 parishes, with the worst in Vernon Parish. The resulting loss in saw timber, about 3 million board feet, could have supplied 25 sawmills for a year, he said. …Ricky Williams, state forester for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, described several federal programs that are available to help restore forests. He said the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the LSU AgCenter and the Louisiana Forestry Association also have resources to help.
Washington. D.C. – The American Tree Farm System (AFTS) is pleased to award Garron Hicks of Tupelo, Miss., and Assistant Forest Health Chief with the Mississippi Forestry Commission, with its 2021 National Leadership Award. The award recognizes the efforts of extraordinary volunteers for their efforts to catalyze on-the-ground conservation impact, provide educational opportunities to landowners, and support work towards his or her state committee’s forest goals. “Garron‘s passion for the American Tree Farm System is contagious,” said Tom Martin, president and CEO of the American Forest Foundation, the organization that oversees ATFS. …ATFS is an internationally-known recognition and certification program that empowers family and private forest owners to keep their forests healthy and sustainable through guidance, tools and a wide community of fellow landowners.
ONTARIO — A pilot project aiming to address a severe shortage of logging truck drivers through telemetric wizardry may lead to new jobs being created, not their elimination, the proponents say. When the $700,000 project by Marathon-based Nawiinginokiima Forest Management Corporation (NFMC) and Ottawa-based Provectus Robotics Solutions became known, some assumed truck drivers would no longer be required. But Provectus manager Jason Scheib said drivers will still be involved: an experienced trucker in a lead vehicle, with two drivers in two additional trucks following behind at safe distances. All three logging trucks are to be linked by electronic sensors. …“We believe this will be a valuable advancement to address the driver shortage in Northern Ontario, while making the transport of lumber to mills safer,” Scheib said. “There just aren’t individuals out there interested in becoming (logging) truck drivers”, NFMC general manager Carmelo Notarbartolo said.