The BC government agreed to defer old-growth logging in Fairy Creek for 2 years. In related news: ENGOs say deferral is not protection; First Nations are humbled by response—but want protesters to leave; while civic politicians head to the front lines to get arrested. Elsewhere: a downed Ontario helicopter fighting forest fires is under investigation; and other safety news from WorkSafeBC and WorkSafeNZ.
In Business news: tip-lines employed as job-site lumber thefts continue; the NAHB thinks Biden will act on the lumber crisis; high prices a boon for concrete construction in Atlantic Canada; lumber returns to Port Alberni’s deep sea port; timber values are stagnant despite lumber’s rise; and a post-mortem on Katerra’s sudden closure.
Finally, Naturally:wood and Truck LoggerBC Magazine go digital. Worth a look!
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
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Connect with us and discover the growing possibilities of this centuries-old building material from tall timber towers and expressive long-span structures to new biomass and wood fibre products from BC’s sustainably managed forests. naturally:wood is a go-to information source where you can learn about BC’s forests and forest products. Developed by Forestry Innovation Investment, naturally:wood is a comprehensive information resource promoting British Columbia as a global supplier of quality, environmentally-responsible forest products from sustainably-managed forests.
Canada’s top financial watchdog is questioning the feasibility of fulfilling the Liberals’ major campaign promise to plant two billion trees by 2030 in pursuit of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The federal government is doubling down on its commitment to share the costs of the program with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities and businesses, but without the participation of large provinces, that goal will be hard to achieve, according to Yves Giroux, the parliamentary budget officer. The tree-planting program was first called into question when the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) indicated the 10-year project will cost $5.94 billion, much higher than the federal government’s original estimate and commitment of $3.16 billion. … Giroux said the plan to cost-share is realistic, but not without challenges.
The B.C. cabinet has approved the request of three Vancouver Island Indigenous communities to defer old-growth logging on about 2,000 hectares of old-growth forest that has been a target of protests since last year. Cabinet made the change at its June 9 meeting, Premier John Horgan told reporters Wednesday at the B.C. legislature. It includes a portion of the Central Walbran Valley as well as the Fairy Creek watershed where protesters continue to defy a court order to protect legal logging activities by Surrey-based Teal Jones Group. Horgan said logging will not be halted in the region, where the affected Indigenous groups have second-growth harvesting, and he expects minimal effect on employment as a result of Wednesday’s decision. …The southwest Island-based Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht and Pacheedaht First Nations signed the Hišuk ma c̕awak Declaration on Friday, June 4, to take back power over their traditional territories.
Michelle Connolly, the member of Prince George-based environmental advocacy group Conservation North had hoped for something more concrete on how the provincial government plans to protect B.C.’s old growth. Instead, it issued a list of intentions for stewardship of B.C.’s forests with old growth “relegated” to an appendix … where a three-year timeline to develop a strategy was outlined. “This is very disappointing,” Connolly said. “They say they’re going to do it by 2023 but things need to happen now.” The document was issued nearly nine months after the authors of a review of the state of old growth in B.C. issued 14 recommendations to better protect what remains of the stands and urged the government to act within six months. …COFI CEO Susan Yurkovich called the intentions paper important saying it’s “time to recognize the challenges and opportunities we face along with the dynamic nature of forests and the forest industry.”
On June 7, 2021, and with the full support of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, the Pacheedaht First Nation, the Ditidaht First Nation, and the Huu-ay-aht First Nations declared that in accordance with our traditional laws and our constitutionally protected Aboriginal Title, Aboriginal Rights, and Treaty Rights, our governance and stewardship responsibilities in our ḥahahuułi (traditional territories) must be acknowledged and respected. We are humbled by the broad base of support we have received for the Hišuk ma c̕awak Declaration from across British Columbia and Canada. We sincerely thank all those people and organizations who are supporting our rights and our responsibilities to decide what is best for our lands, our waters, our resources, and the well-being of present and future generations. We welcome the decision by the Government of British Columbia to approve the request made by our three Nations to defer old-growth harvesting in the Central Walbran and Fairy Creek watersheds for a period of two years.
BC’s pre-eminent source for provincial forestry perspectives, information and updates is releasing a digital version to complement the popular print edition. With the new online version you can read Truck LoggerBC on your desktop or mobile device, anywhere, anytime. You can even listen to the stories! But, don’t worry, if you’re a fan of the print publication, it’s still available too. Click the read more to subscribe and receive your free quarterly issue right to your inbox. You don’t have to be a TLA member to read the magazine (however, if you’d like more information on membership we’d be happy to assist!). 
Covering a third of the planet’s land surface, forests are massive carbon sinks … Keeping forests intact has long been considered essential to maintaining a healthy planetary environment, but scientists are now beginning to understand just how critical they are in the fight against climate change. … In March, dozens of environmental advocacy groups, … submitted a letter … urging the Biden administration to protect the nation’s carbon-dense forests … For decades, US federal forest policy has served the interests of the forest products industry by permitting and even subsidising unsustainable logging. And that, in turn, is driving massive carbon emissions. Dogwood Alliance … has launched a public petition urging the Biden administration to “hold the forestry industry accountable for its climate, biodiversity, and community impacts” and “establish strong, ecologically sound, and environmentally just protections” for forests.
At its April 2021 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s 
THUNDER BAY — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has released details of three significant fires burning in the District of Thunder Bay. Two are located in the Nipigon area. The MNRF says Nipigon 7 had burned about 480 hectares of forest as of late Tuesday. It’s located 45 kilometres northeast of Nipigon and is not under control. …Nipigon 8 is burning 40 kilometres northeast of Nipigon, and has burned 150 hectares. …The third fire of concern is Thunder Bay 33, located in the Holinshead Lake area 140 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. It has burned 300 hectares. …There are currently 65 active fires across Northwestern Ontario, including 31 that are not under control. 
Forest managers in northeast Oregon are declaring an early start to the 2021 fire season. The announcement came Tuesday as firefighters were containing two wildfires ignited by lightning in the region. Joe Hessel, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s district forester for northeast Oregon, said conditions are atypical for this time of year. “We’ve been seeing fire conditions and behavior that is more indicative of mid to late July recently.” Hessel said. The fire season will began at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday for approximately 2 million acres of forest and range lands protected by the department. That means debris burning is prohibited, burn permits will not be issued for burn barrels or open burning, and logging and other industrial operations must have water supplies ready to extinguish any fires.