Daily Archives: April 23, 2019

Today’s Takeaway

Vancouver architect unveils plan for world’s largest wood tower

April 23, 2019
Category: Today's Takeaway

Architect Peter Busby proposes to build the world’s largest and greenest wood tower—a 35- or 40-storey mass timber structure—in Vancouver. In related news: FPInnovations announces world-renowned speakers for Woodrise 2019; and Project Learning Tree launches its Green Ride (all 8750 km of it) for Green Jobs. 

In Forestry/Climate news: Vicky Husband calls for citizen action on plans to log near BC’s Juan de Fuca park; Ontario proposes changes to its Endangered Species Act; 80% of US parents want climate change taught in the class room; a Perdue Univ. prof says large-scale carbon sequestration would send food prices soaring; and the Arbor Day Foundation announces its forest stewardship winners.

Finally, just in case you were busy looking for Easter eggs, you can check out yesterday, last week or last year’s headlines, as we archive them all. Here’s our coverage on FPAC’s Women and Gender Diversity in the forest sector panel.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

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Froggy Foibles

Forest to Tap: how forest management helps make great beer

Dovetail Partners
April 23, 2019
Category: Froggy Foibles
Region: United States, US East

Forest to Tap (F2T) is a project to share the knowledge that forests and good forest management contribute greatly to the clean waters of Minnesota, and thus great beer. The Forest Friendly Brewery Project is a non-profit based project, planned and supported by a diverse group of natural resource interests, whose common denominator is the knowledge that good forest management – including planting, harvesting, and stewardship – results in clean and healthy water for wildlife, communities, businesses – and ultimately for beer! …The ‘avenue’ to that education is through partnering with craft breweries, (the end users of water), to spread the message.

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Business & Politics

FPAC Champions Women and Gender Diversity in the Workplace

By Kelly McCloskey and Sandy McKellar
Tree Frog Forestry News
April 17, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Gender equality and diversity for women in Canada’s forest sector was the theme of a breakfast panel at the Vancouver Club yesterday. Set in the subtle glitz of the ballroom, guests filled their plates, joining colleagues and friends for a unique event sponsored by the Forest Products Association of Canada’s (FPAC). The panel presentation—part of FPAC’s recently launched #TakeYourPlace Campaign—was part of a Canada-wide effort by the federal government and the Canadian Institute of Forestry to promote opportunities for women in Forestry. Moderated by Michelle Ward, Director of Corporate Communications at Canfor, the panel included MP Dr. Hedy Fry, Vancouver City Councillor Lisa Dominato, and Sustainable Forestry Initiative President and CEO Kathy Abusow. These accomplished professionals spoke of their experiences as a woman in the workplace, and—given what they know now—shared what they would recommend if they could give some advice to their “younger-selves”. 

Click the Read More below for a full story of the presentations…

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New players enter forestry sector near Miramichi

By Robert Jones
CBC News
April 23, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

A purchase of 265 New Brunswick timberland properties in the Miramichi area involving German investors, a firm that partly owns the Toronto Maple Leafs and a flamboyant international land dealer has introduced new players into the province’s forest economy. It’s generating curiosity but no immediate concern. …A CBC review of property and corporate records connected to the sale shows there were two transactions in December for a combined $12.3 million to buy more than 15,000 hectares of mostly forest in central New Brunswick. Properties were sold by Fornebu Lumber Company Inc. Fornebu operates a major sawmill outside Bathurst that was not part of the sale. The company also retained control of three large Crown land licences that gives it access to 900,000 hectares of provincially owned forest that feed its Bathurst mill.

 

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U.S. home sales tumble as supply constraints linger

By Lucia Mutikani
Reuters
April 22, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States

WASHINGTON – U.S. home sales fell more than expected in March as rising demand stoked by declining mortgage rates and slowing house price inflation continued to be frustrated by a lack of properties, especially in the lower-priced segment of the market. The report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) on Monday could temper expectations of a strong spring selling season that had been bolstered by a recent surge in applications for loans to buy homes. The housing market continues to buck the broader economy, which has shown signs of gaining momentum after stumbling at the turn of the year. “Given mortgage rates have dropped and home prices aren’t appreciating as quickly, there is more opportunity for home shoppers, who are gearing up for the spring season,” said Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union in Vienna, Virginia. 

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

World-renowned speakers on the roster – Woodrise 2019

FPInnovations
April 23, 2019
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada

The program for the Woodrise 2019 conference, to be held in Quebec City is now complete… The conference will address such topics as new policies around the world, the emergency of wood construction projects internationally, and how wood construction contributes to the bio-economy and the carbon market. World-renowned engineer Richard Woschitz … will kick off the first keynote. Woschitz is the principal contractor for Vienna’s 84-metre HoHo Tower—now the world’s tallest wood structure high-rise—whose 24 floors are home to apartments as well as hotel, business and service areas. Mario Rando, Senior Engineer with Degree of Freedom in Sweden…will be presenting the AMATA Urban Forest project slated for construction in São Paulo, Brazil. The closing address will consider how the use of wood impacts quality of life and comfort in cities built with this material and will be given by architect Marie-France Stendahl, Head of Business Development, Canada, for the Swedish firm White Malmö.

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Vancouver architect unveils plan for world’s largest wood tower

By Kerry Gold
The Globe and Mail
April 23, 2019
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

Peter Busby, the architect best known for a long and storied career of sustainable design [and] developer Bruce Langereis … discuss their vision to build the world’s largest wood tower. They propose a 35- or 40-storey, mixed-use tower that would be a major feat – and not just a feat of wood technology, or convincing consumers to move beyond their appetite for concrete construction. If it passes the lengthy rezoning process, it would dwarf the neighbouring buildings of Burrard Slopes, between Kitsilano to the west and South Granville to the east. Mr. Langereis is usually excited about his projects, but this collaboration with Mr. Busby to build the world’s tallest wood tower and North America’s greenest has him talking about revolutionizing his own industry, which has been complicit in contributing to climate change. Mr. Busby is managing director at Perkins + Will …They plan… a rigorously high passive house envelope of about a foot-thick to reduce energy consumption. The building will mostly be made out of cross-laminated timbers (CLT) and dowel laminated timbers (DLT), manufactured in B.C. and culled from damaged trees. …Their building would be a testament to the potential of wood construction, which fits nicely with Premier John Horgan’s recent announcement to support the emerging engineered wood industry. …There is a belief that concrete construction is superior, which is still a public relations battle for wood construction. “It’s a risk I am prepared to take,” says Mr. Langereis. [A digital subscription to the Globe and Mail is required to access this full story]

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Forestry

Project Learning Tree Canada Green Ride for Green Jobs Launches May 13

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

Project Learning Tree (PLT) Canada’s Zac Wagman, Manager of Green Jobs, is embarking on a cross-country adventure this summer, a journey that has been affectionately dubbed “The Green Ride.” Zac will be cycling across Canada on a wooden bike, meeting with youth and employers along the way who are participating in the PLT Canada Green Jobs program. Zac will be cycling over 8,750 km in four months, visiting 50 Green Jobs employers, in 30 different communities, across nine provinces. Throughout this trip, Zac and PLT Canada will be profiling over 25 youth, sharing their experiences over social media in an effort to raise awareness of the PLT Canada Green Jobs program and opportunities for youth this summer. PLT Canada is an initiative of SFI. Zac sets off on his adventure from Victoria, on May 13 and will end his ride on September 24 in St. John’s. Follow PLT Canada on Twitter (@PLT_Canada), Facebook (@PLTCanada) and #MyGreenJob for updates! 

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Logging near park would be tragedy

Letter by Vicky Husband
Victoria Times Colonist
April 23, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Vicky Husband

Re: “Eco-activists urge halt to logging plans near Juan de Fuca park,” April 19. If these rare and endangered forests are logged, threatening the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, an incredible asset for tourism and recreation and a protected area for wildlife and biodiversity, it would be a tragedy for us all. These public forests belong to us. The Ministry of Forests has never had adequate numbers or inventory of what still remains of our ancient, big-tree forests on Vancouver Island. I have spearheaded the mapping of Vancouver Island’s ancient forests since 1990, when I was working for the Sierra Club, and I am still helping to produce up-to-date maps for all organizations. …This logging proposal must be stopped, now. Citizen action on this is critical. 

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Old growth forests are more than lumber

By the Editorial Board
BC Local News
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

To put it in perspective, some of the trees that will be felled when the B.C. government moves to consign more of our old growth forest to the chainsaws of lumber companies are very old. …But that connection to the past is only one of the reasons that communities like Port Renfrew have moved to embrace those forests. They’ve also seen the forests as the foundation of a thriving tourist industry. Communities like Port Renfrew know that, while the logging industry has an immediate impact on a local economy, that value is transient, at best. Instead, while the trees stand, people from around the world will come to places like Port Renfrew to walk the forest paths and allow their souls to rise above the shortsighted rapacity of the rest of the modern world.

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Premier John Horgan marks Earth Day with call for collective action

Canadian Press in Vancouver Sun
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

George Heyman and John Horgan

VICTORIA — Premier John Horgan is marking Earth Day by reaffirming his government’s commitment to rise to the challenge of climate change. In a joint statement with Environment Minister George Heyman, Horgan says his government is taking action through emission-reduction targets “that are amongst the strongest in the world.” He and Heyman say unprecedented wildfires and floods make the impacts of climate change “all too clear” in B.C. Their statement says the province’s CleanBC plan aims to build a strong, sustainable, low-carbon economy while creating jobs and economic opportunities. The strategy is also aimed at making cleaner options more convenient, available and affordable.

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Forester’s video animation helps explain Nelson’s wildfire risks

By Bill Metcalfe
Nelson Star
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

John Cathro

A local forest consultant has created a video to help the public understand the complexities of wildfire mitigation around Nelson. A daunting list of entities each has some authority over the land visible from the city: city hall, the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK), one large private forest landowner, multiple smaller private landowners, several timber companies, BC Parks, and the province of B.C. They all have to co-operate in the complex project of reducing wildfire risk. John Cathro’s video, made in partnership with visual artist Andrew Fry, shows the breakdown in an easy-to-understand 120 second visual. “Charts and graphs tend to make people’s eyes glaze over,” Cathro says. “Many people don’t understand maps, and long- winded descriptions can be too time consuming. So I thought we need to bring in different media to tell the story.”

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Implementing Recommendations of Ontario’s 10-year Review of the Endangered Species Act & Launching $4.5M Species at Risk Stewardship Program

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Government of Ontario
April 18, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

Rod Phillips

Following the [Ontario] government’s 10-year review consultations this past winter of the province’s Endangered Species Act, the province is improving outcomes for species at risk by implementing recommendations received to modernize and improve the effectiveness of the act and improve outcomes for species at risk. …Rod Phillips, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks… “Our goal is to find the best way to protect Ontario’s species at risk by ensuring populations are transparently assessed by an independent scientific committee of experts.” …The proposed changes… include: enhancing government oversight and enforcement powers to ensure compliance; improving transparent notification of new species’ listings; appropriate consultation with academics, communities, organizations and Indigenous peoples; and creating new tools to streamline processes, reduce duplication and ensure costs incurred by clients are directed towards actions that will improve outcomes for the species or its habitat.

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The State of the Forest

By Sonja Oswalt
US Department of Agriculture
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

The United States forest products industry accounts for approximately four percent of the nation’s total manufacturing GDP, producing over $200 billion in products every year. To keep tabs on the condition and status of America’s forest resources over time, the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Program compiles the official estimates for all public and private forest lands in the country. This long-term trend information is used to inform economic, policy, and management decisions at a range of scales. Earth Day is the perfect time to announce an updated census of the nation’s forests and woodlands. As a supporting document to the upcoming 2020 Resources Plan Act (RPA) Assessment mandated by Congress every 10 years, the Forest Resources of the United States report guides public and private investment dollars through forest health programs, recreation, tourism industries, and harvesting operations.

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Falling timber harvests hurt Coos County

Letter by Jacob Steensen
The Oregonian
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

With the closure of Georgia Pacific’s mill in Coos Bay, many Coos County residents and employees are asking, “Why?” The reasons for the closure provided by Georgia Pacific leaders leave out some fundamental information that people should know.  …In 1993 in Coos and Douglas counties, the Bureau of Land Management harvested 165 million board feet, the Forest Service harvested 97 million board feet and the state of Oregon (primarily from Elliott State Forest) harvested 36 million board feet, totaling 298 million board feet. In 2017, those three agencies harvested just 80 million board feet of timber, with nothing coming from Elliott State Forest. The reduction of 218 million board feet — a 73 percent drop — represents about 54,500 truckloads.

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New Study Documents Wildlife Adapting to Bark Beetle Outbreaks

Pagosa Daily Post
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Spruce beetle and mountain pine beetle outbreaks may have changed the way you recreate, but have you thought about how wildlife are responding? That’s precisely the question research scientists from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service attempted to answer in a recently published paper in the journal Ecosphere: Mammalian responses to changed forest conditions resulting from bark beetle outbreaks in the southern Rocky Mountains. As Colorado’s private and public forests recover from insect and disease outbreaks and other disturbances, humans and wildlife are adjusting to significant environmental changes. “It’s such a far-reaching event, both in terms of the amount of the state impacted and how far into the future this impact will ripple,” said author Jake Ivan, a Senior Scientist in the Mammals Research Section of Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

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The Arbor Day Foundation announces 2019 Arbor Day award winners

Nebraska City News-Press
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

The Arbor Day Foundation has announced the recipients of the 2019 Arbor Day awards. Individuals and organizations are being recognized for their outstanding contribution to tree planting, conservation and stewardship. The winners will be presented their award at a reception in their honor in their local community throughout the month of May. Since 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized the inspiring and life-changing work of leading environmental stewards and tree planters through the annual Arbor Day Awards. …The City of Charlotte, North Carolina, is being honored with The Champion of Trees award for its Tree Canopy Preservation Program. …Verizon of New York, New York, is the 2019 recipient of the Friend of the Forest award, which recognizes a corporation and its leaders for their commitment to using trees and forests to achieve corporate sustainability goals and targets.

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Logged native forests mostly end up in landfill, not in buildings and furniture

By Chris Taylor & David Lindenmayer
The Conversation AU
April 22, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: International

Victoria has some of the most carbon-dense native forests in the world. Advocates for logging these forests often argue that wood products in buildings and furniture become long-term storage for carbon. However, these claims are misleading. Most native trees cut down in Victoria become woodchips, pulp and pallets, which have short lifespans before going to landfill. In landfill, the wood breaks down and releases carbon back into the atmosphere. On the other hand, our evolving carbon market means Australia’s native forests are extremely valuable as long-term carbon stores. It’s time to recognise logging for short-lived wood products is a poor use of native forests. …VicForests claims logging is the only market for the large area of native forest allocated to it. In other words, its forests are exclusively valued as timber asset, in the same way a wheat crop would be exclusively valued for wheat grain production. 

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Coming soon to a city near you: science tour highlights regional impacts of our changing climate

Environment and Climate Change Canada
Cision Newswire
April 22, 2019
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada

OTTAWA – Canada is warming at an alarming rate — twice as fast as the average rate globally. As we plan for the future, Canadians need a clear picture of how this warming is affecting our economy, our communities and the places we love. That’s why a group of Canada’s top climate scientists recently examined the latest research on what climate change means for Canada in the Canada’s Changing Climate Report. For Earth Day 2019, Environment and Climate Change Canada is announcing that the report authors will host a series of events across the country to talk with Canadians about how climate change will impact them and their communities. Tour dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Large-scale forest carbon sequestration could cause food prices to skyrocket

By Brian Walheimer, Perdue University
Phys.org
April 23, 2019
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, International

…One of the cheapest and most efficient ways to capture and store carbon is through increasing forested lands. …That solution would come at a price, however, according to a Purdue University study led by Wally Tyner, the James and Lois Ackerman Chair in Purdue’s Department of Agricultural Economics. Meeting half the Paris Agreement’s goal for atmospheric carbon reduction would send food prices soaring, especially in developing economies. …”Significant forest carbon sequestration leads to reductions in food supply at the same time we’re expecting population increases. This is a simple supply and demand problem.” …”Forest carbon sequestration is not the silver bullet. On a small scale, it’s an efficient way to capture carbon. But if you try to take it too far, forest land competes with cropland, and then the poor would see huge increases in food prices,” Tyner said.

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Most Teachers Don’t Teach Climate Change; 4 In 5 Parents Wish They Did

By Anya Kamenetz
Oregon Public Broadcasting
April 22, 2019
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States

More than 80% of parents in the U.S. support the teaching of climate change. And that support crosses political divides, according to the results of an exclusive new NPR/Ipsos poll: Whether they have children or not, two-thirds of Republicans and 9 in 10 Democrats agree that the subject needs to be taught in school. A separate poll of teachers found that they are even more supportive, in theory — 86% agree that climate change should be taught. These polls are among the first to gauge public and teacher opinion on how climate change should be taught to … children. …But there are other factors at work, too, in the decision of whether to cover climate change. For example, almost a third of all teachers say … they worry about parent complaints. …Some teachers we heard from mentioned the divisiveness of the issue and the difficulty in dealing with students whose parents are deniers of climate change.

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