Daily News for December 23, 2020

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Today’s Takeaway

Strong demand insulates BC forestry from pandemic

December 23, 2020
Category: Today's Takeaway

Forestry has been a bright spot for BC’s economy during the pandemic, according to this deputy chief economist. In other Business news: limited downtime at Canfor Houston this Xmas; US home sales fall after 5-months of gains; Maine loggers applaud Covid relief bill; China adds to its Australian timber ban; and the concrete industry sees mass timber eroding its market share. Meanwhile, tired of Zoom (you say), what about the Global Buyers Mission?

In other news: 2020 may just have been Canada’s most important year for nature conservation; Ontario approves the Temagami forest management plan; and the US can’t stop wildfires but they can start fighting them before they burn.

Finally, an early Christmas greeting to all our readers. Today’s Tree Frog News is the last of 2020, barring any breaking news over the holiday. We look forward to seeing you in 2021!

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

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Special Feature

I’m tired of Zoom (you say). But what about the Global Buyers Mission?

By Kelly McCloskey
Tree Frog Forestry News
December 23, 2020
Category: Special Feature
Region: Canada, United States, International

The Global Buyers Mission (GBM), the largest and most important wood show for international buyers and Canadian sellers of value-added wood products—according to a survey of those attending the annual Whistler affair—is set to kick-off January 25–29 in virtual format. A temporary solution to the current travel and other covid-related restrictions, tradeshow event companies, vendors and buyers alike have been pursuing their marketing and sales objectives via online tradeshows, webinars and events since mid-March. So is it working? Are people planning to participate in the virtual GBM? And what’s their outlook for the event?

To find out, we reached out to three high-profile, regular GBM participants. These participants includes Murakami Lumber—one of Japan’s oldest and largest importers of lumber and value-added wood products; Daizen Joinery—a high end custom log home and timber frame manufacturer in Kamloops, BC; and Fraserwood Industries—an innovative provider of heavy timber products and timber fabrication services based in Squamish, BC. Here’s what they had to say…

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Business & Politics

Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation of Canada Names Executive Director and Seed Orchard Coordinator

The Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation of Canada
December 23, 2020
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West, United States

Barb Gass and Kiah Allen

KIMBERLEY, BC – The Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation of Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Barb Gass as Executive Director and Kiah Allen as Seed Orchard Coordinator. These two appointments help escalate the recovery of endangered whitebark and limber pine ecosystems. Whitebark and limber pine are keystone species that are of serious conservation concern. …Based in Vancouver, Barb has worked with whitebark and limber pine for the past seven years. She initiated a collaborative restoration planting in the Castle Wilderness and contributed to an international limber pine provenance trial. …Kiah is a Registered Biologist in Training with a background in ecosystem restoration and an interest in the conservation of subalpine and Northern forest ecosystems. …The Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation of Canada…has strong links to its parent organization, the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation based out of Missoula, Montana.

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Limited downtime at Canfor this Christmas period

BC Local News
December 23, 2020
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

HOUSTON, BC — Things are much different at Canfor’s mill here and at the company’s facilities elsewhere at the end of this year compared to the same time period of the past several years. Burgeoning lumber markets mean a limited downtime of this Christmas holiday period compared to a closure that amounted to seven days, not including statutory holidays, in 2019 and the same closure amount the year before. This year the mill will be closed Dec. 24, Dec. 25, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Contractors will also have limited downtime this Christmas season. …But a shift in how people live and work in the current pandemic has now resulted in more demand for lumber, company CEO Don Kayne commented. …Canfor is, however, continuing with a permanent closure of its Isle Pierre mill east of Vanderhoof, citing an uneconomic log supply brought on by the pine beetle infestation.

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Strong demand insulates B.C. forestry from pandemic

By Bryan Yu, Economist, Central 1 Credit Union
Business in Vancouver
December 23, 2020
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Bryan Yu

Forestry has been a bright spot for B.C.’s economy during the pandemic after being hammered in 2019 when low prices, trade frictions and supply constraints resulted in mill curtailment and permanent closures in the province. Further deterioration was expected, with the onset of COVID-19 pandemic leading producers to further cut capacity, but demand surprised on the upside amid firm U.S. and Canadian housing starts and strong renovation demand. …Year-over-year sales in September were up 46% year-over-year, although year-to-date sales through three quarters were still 1.3% lower than 2019 due to a declining trend into 2020. Forestry prices rose 64% year over year in September to a record nominal high, leading producers to ramp up production. Underlying lumber production has also contributed but not to the extent of prices. …That said, overall production is still down 13% through nine months. Compared with 2018 trends, levels are down about 20%.

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Macon native named Georgia Forestry Commission Director

By Justin Brinson
WGXA News
December 22, 2020
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

Timothy Lowrimore

MACON, Georgia — Gov. Brian Kemp has appointed Macon native and Georgia Forestry veteran Timothy Lowrimore to serve as state forester and director of the Georgia Forestry Commission. Lowrimore will assume his new duties on January 16, 2021, after being sworn in on December 21st. Lowrimore is a registered forester with the Georgia Board of Foresters who has more than 20 years of forestry and professional experience. Most recently, he served as public affairs manager for Interfor, one of the largest lumber producers in the world. …He is the current chairman of the Georgia Paper and Forest Products Association and was treasurer for two years. He is a Society of American Foresters Fellow who served on its National Policy Committee for four years, a Georgia Forestry Association member, and was Chairman of the Georgia Forestry Foundation in 2016.

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Maine Loggers Applaud $200 Million For Industry In Relief Bill

By Fred Bever
Maine Public Radio
December 22, 2020
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

Maine loggers are cheering the inclusion of $200 million for the industry in the new COVID-19 relief package Congress passed Monday night.  Dana Doran, president of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, estimates that the state’s harvest has dropped by as much as 40% this year, putting an estimated 900 loggers and truckers out of work.  The aid package, he says, should help the industry stay afloat until spring, when it’s hoped that pulp and paper markets damaged by the pandemic will open back up.  “It’s historic. Loggers have never been recognized. And now we feel like there’s some parity between loggers and farmers or fishermen. And loggers are the farmers of the forest; they should be treated just the same as other farmers who are out there,” Doran says.

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China adds Tasmania to its Australian timber ban

By Saheil Roy Choudhury
CNBC News
December 22, 2020
Category: Business & Politics
Region: International

SINGAPORE — China is Australia’s largest trading partner and a top export destination. Australia is one of the few developed nations on Earth that exports more into China than it imports from China. ..The relationship between the two countries has deteriorated since Australia supported a call for an international inquiry into China’s handling of the coronavirus. …China has taken several measures this year that impede Australian imports. …China has banned timber imports from the Australian states of Queensland, Victoria, and more recently, South Australia and Tasmania. “The Chinese customs has since January detected many cases of live pests in timber imported from Australia, such as longicorn and buprestid beetles. These live pests, if allowed into China, will gravely endanger China’s forestry production and ecological security,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said following reports of the ban on Queensland log exports.

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Finance & Economics

Existing Home Sales Fall After Five Months of Gains

By Fan-Yu Kuo
NAHB – Eye on Housing
December 22, 2020
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

After reaching almost 15-year high last month, existing home sales, as reported by the National Association of Realtors, declined for the first time in six months amid inventory shortage and surging prices. Total existing home sales, including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, fell 2.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.69 million in November. On a year-over-year basis, sales were still 25.8% higher than a year ago. …At the current sales rate, the November unsold inventory represents an all-time low 2.3-month supply, down from 2.5-month in October and 3.7-month a year ago. This low level supply of resale homes is good news for home construction. …However, the imbalance between housing supply and demand could hamper future sales by driving up home prices and restraining affordability.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

The AVRO MASK. The world’s first fully recyclable, compostable, face mask

By Avro Mask
Cision Newswire
December 22, 2020
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada East

TORONTO – Introducing the AVRO MASK. The world’s first fully recyclable, compostable, face mask. Made in Canada, this non-medical, single-use facemask is fabricated from North American sourced materials; 100% Cellulose filter material and 100% cotton lace, which, when disposed of, will not add to the global plastic waste burden. The origami facet fold adds to the fit, comfort, and structure. The structure of the mask keeps it from collapsing in on your mouth and nose. …The AVRO MASK is a Canadian-made, recyclable, compostable, single-use face mask, composed of North American made materials. …The product is composed of two pieces: a 100% cellulose mask body and the 100% cotton lace (selected as the strap because elastics are plastic). …AVRO MASK is a Canadian owned and operated company, based in Ontario, that has stepped up to fill the urgent demand for local, fully recyclable, compostable, high-quality non-medical face masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Five tips for unlocking hidden profits in your concrete business

Kevin Cail – CarbonCure Technologies
Concrete Products
December 21, 2020
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada East

Kevin Cail

By all accounts, concrete is a good business these days. Construction and building materials industries are largely considered essential. …But even without the impact of Covid-19 on life and business, the concrete industry faces unique challenges: …Competition from other building materials is eroding market share… Mass Timber Construction (MTC) is getting a lot of hype with designers and regulators and taking market share from concrete producers. There’s a perception that wood is a more sustainable building material even while some studies find that as little as 15 percent of the carbon stored in a harvested tree is sequestered in the final wood product. The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association has launched the Build with Strength campaign highlighting how concrete is more resilient to natural disasters; lasts longer; is local (most concrete is used close to where it is produced); and, can continuously sequester carbon throughout the lifetime of the structure. 

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Support for advanced timber manufacturing facility in Heyfield

By Liam Durkin
Gippsland Times
December 23, 2020
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

Vince Hurley & Darren Chester

AN innovative advanced manufacturing facility will be built at Australian Sustainable Hardwoods, Heyfield. The new facility will establish a manufacturing line for huge section mass plantation pine columns and beams not currently produced in Australia. ASH will contribute $1.7 million to the $3.4 million project, with the federal government providing the remaining $1.7 million. ASH managing director Vince Hurley said the funding would allow the business to diversify its manufacturing feedstock and markets. “Predominately ASH manufactures MASSLAM 45 from native timber, this investment means we will begin to manufacture plantation radiata pine product MASSLAM 33,” he said. “This project enables beams up to 1300 millimetres wide by 900mm deep to be efficiently produced complying with structural and fire requirements in ASH’s target markets.

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Forestry

New conservancy plan aims to create research greenbelt in heart of Quadra Island

By Rochelle Baker
The National Observer
December 23, 2020
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

A new research conservancy proposal aims to save an enormous section of Quadra Island’s emerald heart and multiple pristine lakes from logging now and into the future. Open Bay Society, a non-profit wilderness conservancy and research centrebased on Quadra, is negotiating with Mosaic Forest Management to buy timber harvesting rights for 7,000 acres of forest at the centre of the island to protect biodiversity and enhance research, said the society’s co-founder, Aaron O’Connor. The aim of the Quadra Island Research Conservancy is to develop research and restoration in the area while respecting the We Wai Kai Nation’s social, cultural and ceremonial uses of the land falling within their traditional territory, O’Connor said. The initiative would also safeguard non-motorized recreational use of the land… he said.

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2020 may just have been Canada’s most important year for nature conservation

By Dan Kraus – Nature Conservancy of Canada
The Nelson Daily
December 22, 2020
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Dan Kraus

A year ago, there was much anticipation in the conservation community that 2020 would perhaps be the most important year ever for nature. Canada’s Nature Fund promised to accelerate the conservation of our wild spaces and species. …And then everything changed. Urgent and immediate crises have a way of laying bare the true values and character of individuals and societies. …There is growing recognition and funding for nature-based solutions to stabilize our climate, reduce the impacts of climate change and support our economy and well-being. …Canada and 30+other countries have pledged to protect 30 per cent of their lands and oceans by 2030. …there also continues to be promising stories of wildlife recovery. Evidence of hope that shows we can pull wildlife back from the brink of extinction. …Planting trees and restoring forests allows us to slow down climate change and speed up biodiversity conservation. Here in Canada, the federal government has committed to planting 2 billion trees… 

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Temagami forest management corp. gets approved

By Jamie Mountain
Yahoo! News
December 22, 2020
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

John Yakabuski

The Temagami Local Forest Management Corporation has received the green light to forge ahead. City of Temiskaming Shores Mayor Carman Kidd told council at their regular meeting on December 15 that he had received a letter from Forestry Minister John Yakabuski that the corporation had been approved, which he said “had been a struggle” for the last seven years. …The Temagami Advisory Team sent the proposal to the MNRF which was looking to establish Ontario’s second local forest management corporation to manage the Temagami Forest Unit and to market and sell Crown forest resources from the unit. …“This has got the four Indigenous communities onside as well, they’ve been quite involved in this whole process, as well as the three to four major industry partners, EACOM, Georgia-Pacific and Goulard Lumber and some of our local smaller mills – South Wabi Sawmill.

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Temagami forest management corp. gets approved

By Jamie Mountain
The Toronto Star
December 22, 2020
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

The Temagami Local Forest Management Corporation has received the green light to forge ahead.  City of Temiskaming Shores Mayor Carman Kidd told council at their regular meeting on December 15 that he had received a letter that morning from Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) Minister John Yakabuski that the corporation had been approved, which he said “had been a struggle” for the last seven years.  “We’ve had ups and downs over the last seven years. We didn’t even know, as of about October, if it was going to fall apart or not,” Kidd said at council.  “This (proposal) has gone through and everyone has signed letters of support, from all different groups, and the ministry has now signed off.”  …Local forest management corporations bring together municipal and Indigenous communities and industry to steward the sustainable harvesting and management of local forests. 

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We need to fight forest fires when they aren’t burning

By Martin Heinrich, Senator & Louis Bacon, CEO, Moore Capital Management
The Hill
December 22, 2020
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

This has been the worst year in recorded history for wildfires in the United States, and the vast majority of over 9.5 million acres burned so far has occurred in the American West.  …Increasing temperatures and prolonged droughts mean we can expect more intense wildfires in the future, which means we urgently need a Marshall-like plan for our forests that involves public land agencies, private landowners and our nation’s young people.  This plan starts with educating the public on the beneficial and necessary role fire plays in forest and ecosystem health, and continues with changing our policies on prescribed burning.  …At the same time, we need to build a forest health workforce to truly get ahead of the threat of catastrophic fire to homes, businesses, and sensitive wildlife habitat. W

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The Biden administration can’t stop wildfires. But it can make them less destructive.

By Sarah Kaplan
The Washington Post
December 22, 2020
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

…A century of poor forest management and unchecked climate change have pushed the West into a “new world of fire,” said Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment. Traditional methods of firefighting falter in the face of such huge, unpredictable blazes. Instead, fire experts and environmental groups are hopeful that president-elect Joe Biden will adopt a more scientific approach to the issue, removing fuels from forests and shoring up community defenses to make wildfires less destructive, rather than simply trying to put them out.  …Biden’s $2 trillion plan to address climate change is “an essential enabling condition” to easing the effects of wildfire, said Patrick Gonzalez, a forest ecologist and climate change scientist at the University of California at Berkeley. 

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Financing of Oregon State University’s Elliott Forest plan still to be determined

By Jim Day
The Corvallis Gazette-Times
December 21, 2020
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

A $121 million question remains to be resolved before Oregon State University can assume responsibility for the management of the Elliott State Forest. The State Land Board has signed off on OSU’s plan to manage the 80,000-plus acre forest in Coos and Douglas counties, but there was no mention of financing issues during the board’s remote three-hour session on Dec. 8.  When the state first began discussing the future of the Elliott, the Legislature appropriated $100 million to help offset the lost revenue that timber sales used to provide to the state’s Common School Fund. That still leaves a $121 million hole to fill given the $221 million value placed on the Elliott by state officials in 2017.  State officials said that the “count the beans later” approach for the meeting was intentional, with the goal of the Dec. 8 meeting being the review of OSU’s management plan.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Saskatchewan increases carbon price for large emitters to $40 per tonne

Yahoo! News
December 23, 2020
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Saskatchewan government has raised the carbon price for large emitters to $40/tonne, an increase from $30/tonne. However, companies that are not compliant with emission standards won’t have to settle their bill until next year. The province says the money will be collected in October 2021 and will go into the Saskatchewan Technology Fund, which is one of three compliance funds under the province’s Prairie Resilience climate change plan. …The province says it is not calling this price on carbon emissions a “carbon tax” because it is just one way larger industries can choose to reduce their emissions. The other options include purchasing offset credits through a cap and trade, or meeting performance standard. …The province anticipates the offset program will result in a 10 per cent reduction in emissions.

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