Western Forest Products celebrated the completion of the first continuous dry kiln on the Coast of BC. In related news: Paradigm Building Solutions will expand in Barriere, BC; Allegheny Wood Products closed suddenly in West Virginia; Domtar curtails paper production in Ashdown, Arkansas; and Enviva faces forbearance agreement deadline. Meanwhile: US new home sales are up in January; Southern Pine exports rose in 2023; and a Q&A with Wood Preservation Canada’s Natalie Tarini.

In Forestry/Climate news: Canadians are positive on idea of a national forest fire fighting force; a Yale symposium on the smoke problem coming from Canada’s forests; a California utility will pay $80M to settle a wildfire claim; and Washington’s wildfires are said to be driven more by fuel load than climate. Elsewhere: New Zealand may be too forest focused with its net-zero plans; and the EU backs new plan to protect its habitat and species.

Finally, ENGOs say Biden’s new Russian sanctions should also include timber exports.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor