Daily News for March 05, 2024

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Today’s Takeaway

Canada’s accelerator fund to trigger 750,000 housing starts

The Tree Frog Forestry News
March 5, 2024
Category: Today's Takeaway

Canada says its housing accelerator fund will result in 750,000 new homes in the next decade. In related news: Mercer launched a mass timber erection division; Artificial Intelligence is coming to the construction sector; and forest investors must assess what to do with their trees.  Meanwhile: US LBM acquires Homestead Building Systems; and Do it Best and United Hardware plan to merge.

In Forestry/Climate news: BC seeks input on expanding the Great Bear Rainforest’s conservation area; BC’s fire prevention budget called inadequate given trends; a new Tongass forest plan will focus on climate change and tourism; ENGOs sue to block a California post-fire salvage logging project; and FSC says two of its New Zealand based certification bodies are required to improve.

Finally, David Elstone opines on the upside of British Columbia’s Land Act mess.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

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Opinion / EdiTOADial

BC’s Land Act mess creates opportunity to figure out tough questions on DRIPA (Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act)

By David Elstone, Managing Director
The Spar Tree Group
March 1, 2024
Category: Opinion / EdiTOADial
Region: Canada, Canada West

David Elstone

By now most have heard that the proposed amendment to the Land Act was cancelled, at least until after the October provincial
election. …”For me, the proposed amendment to the Land Act itself was not the problem, rather it was what it represented – yet another proposed policy change without the operational details to understand what it meant. The constant flow of changing policy to meet aspirational intentions has been crushing the BC forest sector. …Unfortunately, the opposition rallied against this amendment by stoking fear the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act would give a veto to First Nations on 95% of the province, despite the move towards shared decision-making not intended to be a blanket change. …Did anyone pause to think what the alternative to DRIPA could be? I would surmise it would likely mean even greater uncertainty for the forest industry!

With the amendment cancelled for now, it’s time to start figuring out answers to some of the tough questions on DRIPA, such as what happens when an impasse occurs? That’s the challenge with shared decision- making – one cannot really call it “shared” when one side always gets its way. Ironically, if the BC government can override opposition, which is actually a veto – something that First Nations have existed under for the last 150 years. …Obviously, there is much work to be done based on the recent polling that found seven-in-ten feel that the then pubic consultation was moving too quickly and that 94% of British Columbians see the proposed amendment as “a major transformation of the rules governing public land use…” The sooner we can collectively figure out operational level shared decision-making, in terms that the public can grasp, the sooner some of the current challenges facing the forest industry will likely find some relief.”

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Business & Politics

United Hardware and Do it Best announce intent to merge

Do it Best
March 4, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

FORT WAYNE, Indiana and MAPLE GROVE, Minnesota — In a historic move that reshapes the landscape of the home improvement industry, United Hardware and Do it Best announce that they intend to merge. This strategic merger creates one of the industry’s leading cooperatives, aimed at delivering unparalleled support to our member-owners. The intent to merge, which received unanimous approval from the boards of directors of both companies, brings together two industry leaders with a shared commitment to exceptional service, quality products, and a comprehensive range of programs designed to support the growth and success of the independent entrepreneur. …The merger is expected to deliver significant benefits to member-owners, employees, and customers through enhanced scale, efficiency, and innovation. United Hardware shareholders will vote to make the merger official in the coming weeks.

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US LBM acquires Building Component Manufacturer Homestead Building Systems

By US LBM
PR Newswire
March 4, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

ORANGE, Virginia — US LBM, a distributor of specialty building materials in the United States, has acquired Homestead Building Systems, a turnkey structural building component manufacturer and distributor in the Mid-Atlantic region. Founded in 1996, Homestead Building Systems operates a 29-acre manufacturing facility in Orange, Virginia and distribution center in Bristow, Va. Homestead Building Systems serves framing and building contractors for single-family and townhome projects throughout the Washington D.C., Richmond and Charlottesville metropolitan areas. With this acquisition, US LBM now operates two truss manufacturing facilities in Virginia; the company also operates five locations under the Barrons banner in the Washington D.C. metro area.

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Finance & Economics

Canada says its housing deals with cities will build 750,000 homes in the next decade

Canadian Press in the Ottawa Citizen
March 4, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada

Sean Fraser

OTTAWA — The Liberal government has finalized all of its deals with municipalities under the housing accelerator fund, a program it says has triggered Canada’s biggest-ever movement to increase residential density. Housing Minister Sean Fraser announced Monday the federal government has signed 179 housing deals via the $4-billion housing accelerator fund. The program has “led to the largest up-zoning movement in Canadian history,” a government news release said. Ottawa says the competitive process for funding resulted in 544 applications, but only one-third of them were successful. The agreements, which run until 2026-27, are expected to help fast-track 107,000 permits within the next three years and build more than 750,000 homes over the next ten years. …Experts often point out Canada’s housing shortage is caused in part by excessive red tape, slow permitting processes and high development fees at the municipal level.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Mercer Mass Timber Launches Mass Timber Installation Services

By Mercer Mass Timber
Caledonian Record
March 4, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

SPOKANE VALLEY, WA — Mercer Mass Timber, a low-carbon advanced manufacturer of timber building materials and a subsidiary of Mercer International Inc., today announced the launch of its mass timber erection division; Mercer Mass Timber Construction Services. Mercer Mass Timber Construction Services offers both comprehensive on-site installation for fully integrated construction and project consultancy for clients seeking expert guidance and strategic support. This expansion marks a significant step forward for Mercer Mass Timber, enabling customers to achieve greater project efficiency and faster completion times. …Mercer Mass Timber’s Construction Services integrates engineering, manufacturing, and construction teams under one roof for unparalleled control over the entire construction process. This holistic approach fosters collaboration, ensuring safe, rapid, and risk-managed installation for mass timber projects.

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AI Is Redefining Construction and Professionals Need to Lead the Change

By ZIGURAT Institute of Technology
Arch Daily
March 4, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

“We’re on the verge of one of the biggest revolutions that we’re going to face in the industry,” warns German Otto Bodenbender, Design Technology Manager at BIG Barcelona and Professor of ZIGURAT Institute of Technology. First, it was the CAD revolution, with the introduction of computers; then it was the turn of BIM methodology, with new processes and workflows; and now, when many professionals haven’t yet gotten used to all those changes, we have AI. This is not just affecting how we do things, but is revolutionizing the entire lifespan of construction processes, introducing new computational capacities in every single aspect of architecture, construction, and engineering. …For architects, AI opens a realm of possibilities in the design phase. …Builders, too, witness AI’s prowess in the construction phase, where predictive analytics aid in precise project scheduling and resource allocation, minimizing delays and cost overruns. 

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Forestry

Chief Forester, Quinton Hayward on BC Forest Professionals conference

By Quinton Hayward, Paper Excellence
Paper Excellence Canada
March 4, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Quinton Hayward

This year’s theme of “Everything is Connected” was present throughout the conference.  There was meaningful presentations around reintroducing fire as a landscape level management tool, creating more value from the harvested volume, recruitment and retention of professions into the industry, and collaborative planning with Indigenous groups on Forest Landscape Plans. There were also discussions on ecosystems integrity and technology to help evaluate ecosystem integrity, wildfire urban interface and continuing to build resiliency to wildfires and the path ahead for Indigenous relations. There was a strong focus on Indigenous joint-planning management and decision making. It is very clear in the presentations and from the nation members present at the conference, that nothing will happen on the ground in forestry without First Nations being involved. This is consistent with the government’s direction and should not be a surprise or anything new to those working with natural resources.  

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Coastal forestry plan gives Nations greater say over land use

By Grant Warkentin
My Coast Now
March 4, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

A new plan in the works for the Sunshine Coast aims to balance tourism, forestry, and traditional Indigenous interests in the woods. Representatives from the Ministry of Forests spoke to the Strathcona Regional District last week to give an overview of the Sunshine Coast Forest Landscape Plan, which covers mainland territory from north of Campbell River to south of Nanaimo. Bob Craven says it’s been a challenging process, with the interests of five First Nations, coastal communities and logging companies to consider. “In Bute Inlet, for example, there’s ecotourism that’s very important, and so is harvesting,” he said. …He points out the five First Nations taking part in the plan are also forestry licence-holders, and want economic opportunities along with protecting forests for future generations.

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Public asked for input on proposed Great Bear Rainforest conservation area

By Ministry of Forests
Government of British Columbia
March 4, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

People in British Columbia are invited to share feedback on a proposal to add a new Special Forest Management Area (SFMA) supporting regenerative forestry and conservation in the Great Bear Rainforest. The proposed area consists of 7,865 hectares of forested land that would transition from commercial harvesting to being prioritized for conservation and regenerative forestry. The SFMA designation is specific to the Great Bear Rainforest and restricts commercial forestry operations. If approved, this area will be the ninth SFMA within the Great Bear Rainforest. Public comment will be accepted until April 5, 2024, and will allow the Province and Kwiakah First Nation to consider public input into decisions and implementation. It will also provide insight into how the land is being used by the public. The Province is working with Kwiakah First Nation, which seeks an active role in the long-term management of the area. 

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Environmental groups sue to block Sequoia National Forest wildfire cleanup

By Daniel Gligich
The San Joaquin Valley Sun
March 4, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Environmental groups are trying to block the Sequoia National Forest’s plan to remove thousands of trees in response to two devastating wildfires in 2020 and 2021. Last month the Sierra Club, Earth Island Institute and Sequoia ForestKeeper filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service over the plan. …In 2020 the Castle Fire burned 171,000 acres, including over 9,500 acres of giant sequoia groves – one-third of all sequoia grove area across the Sierra Nevada. …In response to the fires, the U.S. Forest Service authorized the Castle Fire Ecological Restoration Project and the Windy Fire Restoration to restore the forests. …The plans include removing over 13,000 acres of forest within Giant Sequoia National Monument. …On Feb. 22 the three environmental groups filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, saying the two plans constitute logging.

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New Tongass forest plan will focus on climate change, tourism boom in Southeast

By Anna Canny
KTOO
March 4, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

It’s been nearly three decades since the U.S. Forest Service released their first management plan for the Tongass National Forest. During a presentation at the Juneau Economic Development Council’s Innovation Summit last week, Southeast Alaska’s Deputy Forester Chad VanOrmer said it’s time for an update. The development of a new Tongass forest plan will inform the agency’s management decisions for the next 15 to 20 years. …The existing management plan was developed in 1997. …In many ways, it fails to keep up with the modern-day opportunities and challenges in the Tongass. …Now the tourism boom has arrived in full force, with 1.7 million cruise ship visitors last year. …VanOrmer said climate resilience planning will be a priority in the new plan. …To make a plan that works for the present day, the agency wants to strengthen relationships with community organizers and tribal governments.

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B.C.’s fire prevention budget will quickly go up in flames

By Ian Urquhart
The National Observer
March 5, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, US West

For a generation now, governments have played a dangerous, costly game with wildfire in British Columbia. Government must do many things to win this game. It must prevent wildfire outbreaks, put fires out and help communities recover from the aftermath. …Wildfires are now more frequent, intense and costly. But how we manage wildfire also shapes this new reality. …B.C.’s February budget set aside $233 million for wildfire management. No B.C. government has ever made a larger initial commitment to fighting wildfires. …But will it be enough? Over the last 10 years, the average annual wildfire-fighting bill has been $498 million, more than twice the amount laid out in the government budget. Contrary to this commitment, the premier warned he’s expecting this fire season to be even worse than the $1.1-billion 2023 season.  …In addition to developing more efficient and effective partnerships to respond to wildfires, we must finally recognize and substantially fund prevention and mitigation measures.

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Hundreds of trees to be removed in Portland to help protect others

By Adam Bartow
MWTW
March 4, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

PORTLAND, Maine — The city of Portland is taking steps to remove roughly two-thirds of all Ash trees in the city to protect and preserve the rest of the ash trees. The removal is all part of ongoing efforts to combat the emerald ash borer, an invasive tree pest. The insects were first discovered in the city in 2019 and the city forestry team has been working with the state to deal with the infestation. The city has inventoried more than 600 ash street trees and they are working to save as many as possible through the use of treatments and organic bio-controls, but officials say many will succumb to the pest and need to be removed and replaced over the next three to five years. …This spring, a second group of trees will be selected for stem-injected insecticide treatments.

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Bushfire control ‘massive priority’ for timber giant after fire burns Victoria’s Mount Lonarch plantation

By Else Kennedy
ABC News, Australia
March 5, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: International

An out-of-control fire that burnt through hundreds of hectares of timber plantation west of Ballarat last month has rendered a large volume of pine destined for mills “unsalvageable”. Hancock Victorian Plantation Holdings (HVP Plantations) lost 1,000 hectares of pine trees when bushland at Mount Lonarch went up in smoke in fires that began on February 22. HVP Plantations corporate fire manager Richard Mailer said a large amount of pine, which was destined for mills in Victoria, as well as export, would be wasted. …Mr Mailer said the Mount Lonarch fire had been the company’s biggest loss since the Black Summer fires of 2019-20 burnt through 6,000ha of the company’s estate.
He said once the losses were added together, they impacted their plans. …Australia’s national plantation estate shrank 15 per cent between 2009 and 2022, from 2.02 million to 1.72 million hectares, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences.

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Nature Wood Group Limited Announces Strong 2024 Guidance Driven by EU Regulations

By Nature Wood Group Limited
Yahoo Finance
March 5, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: International

MACAU — Nature Wood Group Limited, one of global leaders in vertically-integrated forestry and FSC business operations, is pleased to announce its guidance for the fiscal year 2024. The company expects to achieve a significant increase in revenue, reaching $45 million, compared to the recently preannounced revenue of $25.4 million for 2023. The rebound in sales is primarily driven by new regulations in the European Union, which mandates a higher percentage of wood to be used in building homes and requires the wood to be sustainably sourced. As a company with a strong focus on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified operations, Nature Wood is well-positioned to capitalize on these regulatory changes and meet the growing demand for sustainable wood products.

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Dozens of koalas allegedly killed or injured during plantation logging on Kangaroo Island

By Daniel Clarke and Adam Morton
The Guardian
March 4, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: International

Dozens of koalas have been killed or injured and left for dead during logging of blue gum plantations in South Australia, according to former employees of the harvesting company and a conservation organisation that tried to save the marsupials. Ex-employees of the company managing the plantation estate Australian Agribusiness Group said they tried to save at least 40 injured koalas and saw about 20 that had been killed as plantations on Kangaroo Island were cleared for agricultural use. They described injuries including broken skulls, jaws, arms and hips. Guardian Australia has seen photos of seriously injured and dead koalas taken at the site. Australian Agribusiness Group said it adhered to environmental land management practices, had welfare practices in place and any concerns would be investigated.

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Audits on forestry practices will improve, industry says

Radio New Zealand
March 5, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: International

…International attention is continuing to hone in on forestry practices on the East Coast – with promises audits around harvest practices will improve….Following massive amounts of slash devastating East Coast farms and infrastructure after storms in 2017, 2018 and 2023, the FSC has been interested in how its certification system was run on its behalf in New Zealand. Late last year, an independent assessor from overseas auditors Audit Services International (ASI) visited Gisborne to check on the forests on behalf of FSC and speak to people in the area, after locals and green groups complained. ASI investigated the auditing practices of Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) and Preferred by Nature. The result was a damning report which found serious shortcomings in SGS and Preferred by Nature procedures on the East Coast. …

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Forest Investors Debate What to Do With All Their Trees: Timber or Carbon Credits?

By Yusuf Khan
The Wall Street Journal
March 4, 2024
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, International

Investment managers who have bought up forestland are going tree by tree to figure out whether they should be felled for timber or kept up for carbon-credit generation. Growing demand for credits means investing in forests isn’t just about producing timber, but it can take a lot of legwork to determine what role each tree should play in a portfolio, as well as ensure it is delivering its promised environmental benefit if left standing. …Manulife, which has 5.4 million acres of forest in its investment portfolio, calculates the value of each tree to inform its harvest strategy. Every tree in a forest has to be evaluated based on species growth rates and product value. If the carbon credit value is high enough, it stays up even if for just a few more years. If not, it’s cut down for timber. …Kernohan said that until recently, forest land wasn’t valuable enough to be considered. [to access the full story a WSJ subscription is required]

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Forest Fires

Texas Panhandle wildfires have burned nearly 1.3 million acres in a week – and it’s not over yet

By Li Cohen
CBS News
March 4, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

The Texas Panhandle wildfires killed at least two people and burned nearly 1.3 million acres in their first week — and the situation isn’t over. There are five active wildfires across the region, according to Texas A&M Forest Service. The largest of those is the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Hutchinson County, which alone has burned nearly 1.1 million acres and is the largest wildfire ever recorded in the state. That fire was just 15% contained as of Sunday afternoon. …Weather conditions across the state have made battling the blazes difficult. For days, the area has seen favorable fire weather – warmer temperatures, dry air and strong winds – but the National Weather Service said Monday morning a cold front is set to pass through, bringing cooler temperatures that will help minimize wildfire impact.

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Long-term forecast predicts increased forest fire activity in Oregon and Washington’s dampest areas

By Brian Bull
KLCC Public Radio
March 4, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

Alex Dye

Hotter and more intense fires are likely coming to the Pacific Northwest’s cooler and wetter forests. That’s from new research led by an Oregon State University scientist. Comprehensive wildfire simulations for over a 23-million acre stretch of forest show that for a 30-year period beginning in 2035, Oregon’s western Cascades and Washington’s north Cascades – as well as the Puget Lowlands and Olympic Mountains – could see at least twice as much fire activity as seen in the last 30 years. “It’s time to start thinking about things that could counteract those climate effects,” said Alex Dye. He’s a research associate with OSU’s College of Forestry, and the lead author on the study published in the latest edition of JGR Biogeosciences. …Dye said that it can be challenging to assess fire probability in an environment where there isn’t much empirical information about the fire history to build models.

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