Three BC First Nations call for a 2-year old-growth logging deferral in Fairy Creek while they develop their own forest management plan. In response: Teal Jones and Western Forest Products say they will adhere to the First Nations’ request, protesters say it doesn’t go far enough; and Vaughn Palmer describes the news as welcome political cover. In other Forestry news: Ontario is investing in forest industry training; and Oregon’s hazard tree removal program secures 3rd party endorsement.
In other news: Canfor announces plan to build a new sawmill in DeRidder, Louisiana; Neste Oyj plans to make diesel from forest waste in Quebec; forest pests in Pennsylvania and Maine; and Canada Wood Group updates from China and Japan.
Finally, the inside story on green steel – highly recyclable but energy intensive.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News
Vancouver, BC — Canfor Corporation announced it will invest approximately $160 million USD to build a new, state-of-the-art sawmill near DeRidder, Louisiana. The Company is receiving significant state and local incentives in support of the project. The facility will have an annual production capacity of 250 million board feet and will directly employ about 130 people plus create significant additional indirect jobs. …Startup is expected to commence late in the third quarter of 2022. …“We are excited to grow our operating footprint with the greenfield project in Louisiana, which will increase our production capacity and allow us to meet the growing demands of our customers,” said Don Kayne, CEO, Canfor. …Governor John Bel Edwards, State of Louisiana… “We welcome plans for this foreign direct investment in Louisiana by this industry leader.”..Given the decision, Canfor will not be proceeding with the greenfield project in Washington, Georgia that was previously announced on February 22, 2018.
Victoria residents can track the health, species and history of every tree on their boulevard – along with 33,000 other trees. City of Victoria-owned trees are logged on a little-known online database where people can zoom in on different Victoria neighbourhoods to examine what’s growing. For the city, it’s a means of keeping track of their tree inventory, knowing which trees are new and need more care, and which are old and may pose a future risk. It also allows city staff to talk about a specific tree or trees in real time if someone calls in with a complaint or question. …For residents, 
Western Forest Products respects the rights and title of First Nations, including their right to economically benefit from the lands within their traditional territories. We welcome and support the announcement today from the Huu-ay-aht, Pacheedaht and Ditidaht First Nations on their decision making authority, integrated resource management planning process and focus on sustainable forest management. We look forward to continuing to expand our working relationships with First Nations through progressive and leading partnerships, such as with our TFL 44 LP shared ownership model with the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, and to the collective implementation of the Hišuk ma c̕awak Integrated Resource Management Plans once concluded.
…Wildfires are rising up the agenda in Washington DC. Lots of bills have been introduced, some of them very promising. But predictably, lawmakers can’t agree on the causes of today’s megafires, let alone the solutions. Is it climate change? Is it forest mismanagement? We’ve argued framing this issue as an “either/or” choice does a disservice, when the real question is, “what do we do now?”. …U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen also told congressional budget writers her agency needs to more than double the pace for forest management activities to address severe wildfires. “We have to do a paradigm shift, quite frankly,” Christiansen told the Subcommittee on Interior and Environment. “We have to treat more acres and up our game.” Upping our game means addressing the regulatory barriers, obstruction and litigation that is failing our public forest lands and communities. Will lawmakers listen, and act?
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The invasive emerald ash borer threatens the entire ash tree population in North America and has already changed forested landscapes and caused tens of billions of dollars in lost revenue to the ash sawtimber industry since it arrived in the United States in the 1990s. Despite the devastating impact the beetle has had on forests in the eastern and midwestern parts of the U.S., climate change will have a much larger and widespread impact on these landscapes through the end of the century, according to researchers. “We really wanted to focus on isolating the impact of the emerald ash borer on biodiversity, forest composition, biomass and other factors,” said Stacey Olson, program coordinator and legal assistant at Resources Legacy Fund. …The team’s research demonstrates the importance of focusing more resources on climate change mitigation rather than on a very specific, targeted threat like the emerald ash borer.
