Canada’s Chrystia Freeland’s unexpected Valentine’s Day meeting with US trade czar Lighthizer was “just a bilateral check-in”. Readers will recall that “there was no love lost” the last time the two met. Elsewhere: Trump’s team drops a hint that NAFTA-end not imminent; and “it’s time for Canada to reveal its Plan B“. Apparently it has one.

In Forestry news: a hybrid mountain pine beetle is “poised to wreak havoc” in Jasper National Park; the BC auditor general says climate adaptation is needed; a “high amplitude mountain wave” of wind knocked over 100 gigantic trees in Olympic National Park; Science Magazine says vast bioenergy plantations could stave off climate change; and Borneo has lost 100,000 orangutans due to hunting and deforestation.

In other news: Unifor has selected Resolute as its target as labour negotiations for eastern pulp and paper get ready to commence.

Finally, a BC forester pitches his “tablet friendly” cruisers’ vest to the Dragons’ Den.

— Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor