Daily Archives: June 21, 2019

Today’s Takeaway

Caribou rescue plan needs a rescue of its own: Palmer

June 21, 2019
Category: Today's Takeaway

The BC government imposed an interim moratorium on resource development to give itself more time to come up with a plan to protect caribou populations—or as Vaughn Palmer calls it—a rescue plan for the rescue plan. Here’s what industry and some ENGOs have to say. Elsewhere: BC’s Forest Practice Board finds non-compliance in a Peace River woodlot and a stream near Kelowna.

In Business news: Ontario’s cabinet shuffle called good news for forestry; more on the closure of Canfor’s Vavenby mill from the employees, the District of Clearwater and mainstream media; how Canal Flats, BC is turning an old sawmill into a high-tech centre; and an early peak at the 2019 Global Buyers Mission.

It’s the Summer Solstice. So why the lag between the longest day and the warmest temp?

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor

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Froggy Foibles

Everything You Need to Know About the Summer Solstice

The Farmer’s Almanac
June 21, 2019
Category: Froggy Foibles

First day of summer solstice, an event when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. In 2019, it arrives today, Friday June 21, at 8:54 Pacific Standard Time. The word “solstice” comes from Latin solstitium—from sol (Sun) and stitium (still or stopped), reflecting the fact that on the solstice, the Sun appears to stop “moving” in the sky as it reaches its northern- or southernmost point (declination) for the year, as seen from Earth. So why the lag between the longest day of the year and the highest average daily temperature of the year? According to the Farmer’s Almanac, it’s because the Earth’s thermal mass is still gathering heat from the longer days and warming gradually. The warmest day of winter doesn’t occur for another month and a half. 

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Business & Politics

Tariffs, USMCA and lumber: Trade policy heats up

By Kevin McKenney
The LBM Journal
June 20, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Kevin McKenney

There has been a lot of activity over the past few months on trade and tariff issues with Congress and business groups weighing in more actively as 2019 rolls on. The Trump Administration made these issues central to their agenda, specifically the approval of the U.S.-Mexico- Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the series of tariffs both on steel and aluminum and on Chinese products, commonly referred to as “Section 301” tariffs. While these get a lot of attention, the softwood lumber dispute remains an out- standing issue that NLBMDA is working to resolve. …The Trump Administration views the supply of Canadian softwood as “dumping” and views countervailing and antidumping duties to be an appropriate remedy. …NLBMDA has been consistently working with both the Commerce Department and the Canadian government on how to reach a long-term solution.

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Old sawmill turned high-tech centre could be the key to reviving B.C.’s small towns

By Jenny Peng
The Toronto Star
June 21, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER—The scenic village of Canal Flats at the base of the Canadian Rockies is undergoing a “brave experiment.” It’s been a year since the remote town of 800 people in southeastern B.C. began transitioning from a forestry-dependent economy to tech and trades with the launch of the Columbia Lake Technology Center. The innovation hub, which aims to attract technology and manufacturing businesses, is located inside the skeleton of a century-old mill — once the town’s main employer. …One of the centre’s tenant companies… Bid Group, which manufacturers equipment like steel conveyors for forestry companies. The leaders of Columbia Lake say the centre proves that it’s not only possible to run a tech company in a rural area but it’s actively beneficial. 

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Simpcw First Nation’s opposition to Canfor asset transfer backed by District of Clearwater

By Dylana Milobar
CFJC Today
June 20, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

CLEARWATER, B.C. — Following the closure of its Vavenby Mill, Canfor plans to sell its forest rights to Interfor. However, that plan has been met with some opposition from the Clearwater community. Standing by the Simpcw First Nation’s push for a larger forest management role, Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell says he’d like to see the tenure stay within the area. “And our goal would be to either double or more expand our community forest, which has been incredibly beneficial to Clearwater,” he explained. “Pretty much any good news story in Clearwater has community forests behind it as a major grant funder.” Blackwell says the District would like to see smaller scale wood operations start up in Clearwater.

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Homalco and Interfor Celebrate Partnership on National Indigenous Peoples Day 2019

By Trevor Joyce
Interfor Corporation
June 20, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

XWÉMALHKWU (HOMALCO) FIRST NATION and INTERFOR CORPORATION  have signed a five-year relationship agreement that builds on the meaningful, mutually beneficial, and long-term relationship they have built over the last 10 years. On June 21, 2019, Interfor will be honoured to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day with Homalco First Nation and acknowledge their relationship and business partnership with the community. Through this partnership, Interfor and Homalco First Nation have agreed to work together to jointly plan forestry projects within the Homalco traditional territory. Homalco is involved in Interfor’splanning and operations, and there are open lines of communication to ensure meaningful engagement and joint decision-making. As part of the agreement, Homalco and Interfor have a unique business-to-business arrangement exchanging logs harvested in Homalco traditional territory for lumber the Nation will use for wood- frame construction projects in their community, including housing.

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Laid-off Vavenby mill workers exploring job prospects — including Trans Mountain pipeline

By Dylana Milobar
CFJC Today
June 20, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

CLEARWATER, B.C. — With 178 positions impacted by a mill closure in Vavenby, Canfor hosted a job fair in Clearwater yesterday for its employees. The event was all part of an effort to guide worker’s paths to new job opportunities. Many Canfor employees, like Gavin Alward, have been with the same company, in the same commmunity, for decades. Alward explains, “it is kind of nice they’re (Canfor) having an opportunity where employers are coming out and saying they will hire some of the locals.” …Robert Bowie is a logger who works with various mills in the area, including Canfor, and says he’d like to see government intervention. “I think our provincial government could do sizably better than they are right now.” Bowie says, “and province-wide I might add, not just here in Clearwater. You look at Quesnel, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake. The whole middle of the province has been hit.”

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CHARBONNEAU: Closure of the Vavenby mill was so predictable

By James Peters
CFJC Today
June 20, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Bob Simpson

WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED the collapse of B.C. forestry industry 15 years ago? Bob Simpson, that’s who. Back then the NDP MLA for Cariboo North was derided by the BC Liberals in the B.C. legislature and dubbed “Chicken Little”. …Now, the sky is falling. As the wildfire season approaches, it’s the ashes of what was once marketable timber. …The writing was on the wall when the pine beetle turned 50 per cent of B.C.’s commercial lodgepole pine a rusty red a decade ago. Lumber mills worked overtime to harvest the trees before they became worthless. What remains now lies on the forest floor, ready to burn. …Like the cod in the Atlantic, B.C. forests seemed eternal. Our forests have not only been marketed as a provincial brand, they are part of our identity – an image that now needs a makeover.

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Port Hawkesbury Paper fire under control

The Chronicle Herald
June 21, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

POINT TUPPER, N.S. — An industrial fire that broke out Thursday evening at Port Hawkesbury Paper is still burning this morning but has been brought under control. The fire was reported some time after 7 p.m. last night at the mill in Point Tupper. Firefighters from Port Hawkesbury, Louisdale, West Bay Road and Antigonish joined an emergency response team from the mill in battling the blaze. …The fire itself is ongoing but it is a little more under control. It is just the mill employees dealing with it now.” …Two firefighters were injured during the incident. …Their injuries are not thought to be serious. …With the mill continuing to operate and accept wood fibre deliveries on Friday morning the entire system was able to keep operating.

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Brunswick News agrees not to publish more articles on leaked carbon tax document

By Jacques Poitras
CBC News
June 20, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

The province’s biggest newspaper company has agreed to not publish any more stories based on a confidential, leaked cabinet document it obtained about the Higgs government’s industrial carbon tax. …The company also agreed to “make all reasonable efforts to cause to be destroyed and/or deleted” all print or electronic copies of the leaked document. …Brunswick News published an initial story with details of the document on June 12, one day before Environment Minister Jeff Carr announced the carbon price at a news conference. …Carr said in an affidavit the document contains “proprietary commercial information of many different private-sector companies operating within the Province.” The industrial carbon tax, if accepted by Ottawa, would apply to the Irving Oil refinery and several large forestry mills in the province, including some owned by J.D. Irving.

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Premier Ford’s New Cabinet Poised to Unleash the Potential of Ontario’s Forestry Sector

Ontario Forest Industries Association
June 20, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

The Ontario Forest Industries Association (OFIA) congratulates and welcomes Premier Ford’s new cabinet, following today’s announcement at Queen’s Park. Ontario’s forest sector is looking forward to continuing to work with the Ford government, including the Honourable John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) and newly appointed Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), the Honourable Jeff Yurek. Since the announcement of a Provincial Forestry Strategy at OFIA’s Forestry Advocacy Day in Queen’s Park last September, the Ford government has committed to unleashing the potential of Ontario’s forest sector. Former Minister of MNRF, Jeff Yurek, announced the beginning of consultations on a Provincial Forestry Strategy that would help the province lay out the strategy for promoting economic growth within the forest sector. Since this announcement, current Minister of MNRF, the Honourable John Yakabuski, has delivered on this commitment by hosting seven roundtable sessions across the province.

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Rising from the ashes of the Carr Fire: This Redding lumber company is now open again

By David Benda
The Redding Record Searchlight
June 20, 2019
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

…The most destructive and deadliest wildfire in Shasta County history nearly destroyed Weyerhaeuser’s distribution center west of Redding, leveling seven buildings and turning most of its inventory to ash. Product that didn’t burn couldn’t be salvaged to sell. The lumber giant finally was able to reopen its Redding plant on a limited basis last fall, and just recently finished rebuilding the parts of the yard that were destroyed. Weyerhaeuser celebrated its grand re-opening Wednesday afternoon at its site, with Redding Chamber of Commerce officials present. “I thought with Weyerhaeuser, we just really felt connected with that business because what they had gone through with the Carr Fire,” chamber President Jake Mangas said. 

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Post Frame at a Crossroads: Is This the 11th Hour for the Industry?

By Sharon Thatcher
Construction Magazine Network
June 20, 2019
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

For several years, there has been a foreboding trend in the post-frame industry: the disappearance of post-frame engineers. At once a strong coalition of devoted proponents who worked diligently on both personal and professional time to promote the industry through research, education and builder support, they are now ‘graying out’ at an alarming rate. It was bound to happen, but what many people did not see, was that most of these post-frame professionals were not being replaced. There has literally been no one left behind to continue the post-frame engineering journey. This trend is no more apparent than at the university level where wood construction is not being taught to prospective engineers. 

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MASSLAM gets prominence on Arup’s timber buildings document

By Australian Sustainable Hardwoods
Architecture and Design Australia
June 21, 2019
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

The use of MASSLAM, a range of massive glue-laminated timber members from Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) at the Macquarie University Incubator Building has been featured prominently on the document published by Arup about timber in construction. Arup’s ‘Rethinking Timber Buildings’ document covers seven perspectives on the use of timber in building design and construction including: Managing carbon through timber; Timber densification strategies; Wood and wellbeing; Prefabricated timber; Sustainable sourcing; Knowing the material (e.g. fire, acoustics, durability); and, Innovating with wood. Arup’s document, which features the MASSLAM project on the front and back cover, details the many benefits of using timber in the modern built environment.

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Forestry

B.C. government delays endangered caribou plan as herds dwindle

By Sarah Cox
The Narwhal
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Roland Wilson

As the B.C. government announced on Thursday that consultations on a draft agreement to protect Peace region caribou have been extended for up to two years, a prominent Canadian scientist said a report that accompanied the announcement showed “extreme bias.” …Scientist Justina Ray called Lekstrom’s report a “significant step backwards” both for caribou conservation and Indigenous-led conservation. “The word sterilize is an extraordinary word choice in the opening paragraphs of such an important document and such an expression of extreme bias,” Ray, senior scientist and president of Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, told The Narwhal. …Roland Willson, chief of West Moberly First Nations, told The Narwhal his understanding was that Lekstrom had been brought in to be “Horgan’s spokesperson” in the northeast. …Candace Batycki, B.C. program director for the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, said there is nothing new in Lekstrom’s report to protect caribou. “It’s a very political report, designed to try and gain more for industry,” she said.

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‘They are very ravenous’: How you can help stop the spread of Japanese beetle

By Jon Hernandez
CBC News
June 21, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

A thumbnail-sized insect known to tear through crops and gardens is the target of a federal eradication campaign — and there are ways you can help stop the spread. While they might be small, Japanese beetles are known to leave behind a trail of damage. The invasive pest was found in Vancouver’s False Creek neighbourhood in 2017, and the affected area has been growing steadily since. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has set up a containment zone around the affected areas of the city, which includes False Creek, downtown, and all of Stanley Park. …The province said the beetle could spell trouble for B.C.’s agricultural sector, sports fields, and golf courses. …”They are very ravenous and they can eat a very large amount of plant material in a very short amount of time,” said Doheny.

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Group wants to turn remote swath of stunning coastal wilderness into B.C. park

By Rafferty Baker
CBC News
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

It’s a spectacular 800-hectare piece of unspoiled wilderness nestled in the remote Princess Louisa Inlet on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, and it’s for sale. The B.C. Parks Foundation, a relatively new independent charity that works with B.C. Parks to improve the provincial park system, is trying to raise a total of $3 million to buy the land before a deadline at the end of August when the seller will consider other offers. They have already raised $2 million. If the foundation is successful, it hopes to bundle the land with an existing provincial park, private land set aside for conservation and Crown land to create an enormous new 9,000-hectare park surrounding the entire inlet. … Andrew Day, CEO of the B.C. Parks Foundation said the foundation is concerned about what could happen to the land if it isn’t set aside as a park. The property’s online listing mentions the land’s “large timber component.”

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Forest mismanagement hurting economy

By Dave Fuller MBA, certified professional business coach
Prince George Citizen
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Recent sawmill closures in British Columbia have brought to light the need for renewed focus on the mismanagement of B.C. forests over the past decades, which is having a significant effect on the B.C. and Canadian economies. …The tenure system, where large companies have been given the access and management of large regions of forest in exchange for jobs, is a system that is fraught with problems. Like a third world country, we have essentially given our trees away for a pittance. Not only that, these companies have grown their mills over the years to consume more and more of our forests in exchange for fewer and fewer jobs while we turned a blind eye. Shame on us. Now these companies are selling their tenure, taking their money, shutting down their mills in Canada and buying up others in the U.S. or in Europe. …We need changes to the distribution of timber rights that allow smaller companies to have access to timber.

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Road Deactivation and Impacts to Fish Habitat near Kelowna: Forest Practices Board

BC Forest Practices Board
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

In November 2017, the Forest Practices Board received a complaint from a member of the public alleging that culverts at stream crossings on a section of forest road were removed and the channels filled with dirt, causing harm to fish and damage to fish habitat. The complaint also alleges that, despite reporting the situation to government’s compliance and enforcement program several days later, the issue was not investigated until he called back four months later to enquire about whether any action had been taken. The Board found that damage to fish habitat had occurred and that natural surface drainage patterns were not maintained. The Board also found that government’s enforcement was not appropriate. Although government did investigate the situation, it did not fully consider several important factors, such as the presence of fish and subsequent damage to fish habitat.

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B.C. imposes interim moratorium on resource development to protect caribou

By Nelson Bennett
Victoria Times Colonist
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER — The British Columbia government announced an interim moratorium on resource development in parts of the south Peace region on Thursday, giving itself more time to sign a long-term strategy to protect dwindling caribou populations. The government said it will close consultation gaps to find harmony within local communities that have been divided over the issue, while one of the area’s First Nations called the move a stall tactic. …The moratorium is one of 14 recommendations in a report by Lekstrom on caribou recovery released Thursday. …The government also unveiled a framework for a “bilateral conservation agreement,” with the federal government, First Nations, local governments and industry …The news was met with skepticism by Chief Roland Willson of the West Moberly First Nation. Willson said he was expecting a strategy… not a two-year grace period for the government to act.

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Botched caribou plan leaves divisions that can’t be easily healed

By Vaughn Palmer
Vancouver Sun
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Vaughn Palmer

VICTORIA — Premier John Horgan’s caribou rescue plan for the Northeast remained in need of a rescue of its own Thursday, after the release of a damning report from his personal liaison, Blair Lekstrom. “As worthy as the goal of caribou recovery is to all of us, the method that has led us to this point was, simply put, a mistake,” wrote Lekstrom. “There has been a feeling of broken trust and I hope to be able to present a path forward that helps us build trust.” …Horgan recruited Lekstrom … after admitting (“my bad”) the New Democrats had botched the public handling of the plan. The premier hoped Lekstrom could get the plan back on track in relatively short order. …But [Lekstrom] was unable to report that harmony had been restored in the Peace country. Instead the relationship between the non-Aboriginal community and First Nations remains troubled. …Lekstrom’s report detailed his own difficulties trying to bridge the gap.

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B.C. imposes interim ban on resource development to protect caribou

CBC News
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The British Columbia government plans to sign a caribou protection strategy while it imposes an interim moratorium on new resource development in areas of the South Peace region where the animals are struggling for survival. Premier John Horgan says a report on caribou recovery recommends the pause to allow for consultation with communities, industries and First Nations. “Everyone in the Peace region agrees that we need to recover our caribou herds and protect local jobs,” said Horgan. …Forests Minister Doug Donaldson said the government is protecting caribou herds and limiting the potential economic impact. …Both Lekstrom and Horgan said they regret that the issue of temporary protections for the caribou had inflamed passions and led to racist comments. “Regrettably, this issue has divided communities and provoked sentiments that have no place in British Columbia,” said Horgan. “The only way we will make progress is by working together.”

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Syilx Stewardship Project Collaborates to Reduce Wildfire Risk in Peachland

By Aleece Laird
Forest Enhancement Society of BC
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Peachland, B.C. — The Syilx Territory and the Thompson-Okanagan Region have historically been maintained by fire events, but active fire suppression tactics have led to vegetation ingrowth and extreme fuel loading throughout Syilx Territory… Combined with climate change, fire suppression has led to longer, more intense, and more destructive wildfire seasons and a less resilient forest ecosystem. A collaborative project has local First Nations, industry, the Provincial government, and the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. (FESBC) working together to develop solutions to benefit and protect all citizens, wildlife habitat, ecosystem functioning, and cultural values of the land. …Cailyn Glasser, Biologist for Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) said, “this project is the product of collaboration between local First Nations Penticton Indian Band and ONA, Gorman Brothers Ltd., the Provincial government, and FESBC. Our objectives were to reduce wildfire risk, increase forest stand values, protect ecological values, and enhance cultural resource values.”

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Board to audit BCTS operations near Quesnel

BC Forest Practices Board
June 17, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the activities of the BC Timber Sales (BCTS) program and timber sale licence holders in the Quesnel Natural Resource District portion of the Cariboo-Chilcotin Business Area during the week of June 24, 2019. Auditors will examine whether harvesting, roads, bridges, silviculture, fire protection activities and associated planning carried out from June 1, 2018, to June 28, 2019, met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act. The audit area is located in the Quesnel Natural Resource District, in the northern part of the Cariboo Region. The district lies in the Fraser Basin and the Interior Plateau between the Coast Mountains on the west and the Cariboo Mountains on the east. It includes the communities of Quesnel, Wells and Barkerville, and the villages of Nazko and Kluskus.

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COFI Issues Media Statement Responding to Province’s Announcement on Caribou Plan

By Mina Laudan
Council of Forest Industries
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Vancouver – BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) President & CEO Susan Yurkovich issued a statement today in response to the provincial government’s announcement of an interim moratorium to protect caribou and the release of Blair Lekstrom’s report, The Path Forward to Recover the Caribou Plan in Northern British Columbia. “We would like to thank Blair Lekstrom for his thoughtful report and the Premier for taking the time to extend the consultation and permit communities, industry and stakeholders to be engaged and provide their input. “We remain fully committed to working with government, First Nations, and community leaders in advancing caribou recovery and protecting forest industry jobs. Importantly, we support Blair Lekstrom’s recommendation that a comprehensive socio-economic analysis with impacted areas of the Partnership Agreement be completed prior to the agreement being finalized.

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Government implements interim moratorium to protect caribou

By Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
Government of British Columbia
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Government is implementing an interim moratorium on new resource development in parts of northeastern British Columbia, while providing more time to protect jobs and support workers as it engages with affected communities and industries on long-term caribou protection strategies. Government has also released the Lekstrom report on caribou recovery and unveiled a broader plan to continue work with the Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations to protect the region’s caribou herds. The Lekstrom report on caribou recovery makes 14 recommendations, including calling for the interim moratorium. Government also announced its intention to sign the Southern Mountain Caribou Bilateral Conservation Agreement (Section 11). The agreement establishes a framework for co-operation between Canada and B.C. to work collaboratively with Indigenous nations, local governments, industry and communities to develop caribou management plans for southern mountain caribou.

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Audit of woodlot finds non-compliance

BC Forest Practices Board
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

VICTORIA – An audit of forestry activities on a woodlot in the Peace Natural Resource District has found a significant non-compliance with the Woodlot Licence Planning and Practices Regulation, according to a report. The audit found the licensee misclassified a stream and as a result harvested in the riparian reserve zones for six cutblocks. Under section 36 of the WLPPR, a woodlot licence holder must not cut, modify or remove trees in these zones, except in limited circumstances. “Due to the number of occurances and the significance of riparian reserve areas in the maintenance of stream health, this is a significant non-compliance,” said Kevin Kriese, chair of the Forest Practices Board. “However, the licensee did meet all other requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and Wildfire Act.”

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Trump Administration Abandons Plans To Close Forest Service Job Corps Centers

By Jeff Maples
Oregon Public Broadcasting
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

Sonny Perdue

The Trump Administration has backed off on its attempt to close two U.S. Forest Service job training centers in Oregon in Washington as well as seven others nationally, officials confirmed Thursday. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue informed members of Congress Wednesday that the nine Jobs Corps Civilian Conservation Centers would stay open and under Forest Service control – as would 16 others that the administration had wanted to transfer to private contractors. The Timber Lake Jobs Corps center in Estacada and the Fort Simcoe center near Yakima, Washington were among those facing closure. Oregon also has the Angell center in Yachats and the Wolf Creek center in Glide. There are also centers in the Eastern Washington communities of Moses Lake and Curlew.

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Study: Beetle outbreak improves community support for forest management

By Deepan Dutta
June 20, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

The Mountain Pine Beetle outbreak from 1996 to 2014 affected 3.4 million acres of forestland across Colorado, turning forests all over central and northern Colorado into veritable tree graveyards in the years since. At the plague’s peak in 2007, half the trees in Summit County turned a rusty, muddy red that blazed dimly across the hills and valleys. Given a lack of research as to how the visual impact of insect infestations affect the human psyche, researchers sought to understand how people perceive risk of fire, economic and other impacts as the forest colors change. That’s why in 2007, researchers conducted a study in nine mountain communities that formed Ground Zero of the state’s beetle outbreak — Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Silverthorne, Granby, Kremmling, Steamboat Springs, Vail and Walden — to see how the visual impact of the devastation influenced community perceptions of fire risk and forest management.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. Announces Transition of Chief Operating Officer, Leroy Reitsma to Lead U.S. Development Projects

By Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc.
Cision Newswire
June 20, 2019
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER – Pinnacle Renewable Energy announced today that effective July 2, 2019, the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Leroy Reitsma, will be transitioning from his current role to focus solely on Pinnacle’s U.S. development projects, while continuing to actively support the Pinnacle team during the transition. Mr. Reitsma has advised the company that he remains a committed shareholder and will continue his role as an effective and important member of Pinnacle’s board of directors.  Mr. Reitsma joined Pinnacle in 2007 and was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer in 2011. Mr. Reitsma will transition from the role of Chief Operating Officer to allow for more time with family. In recognition of his accomplishments and increasing responsibilities in the organization, effective July 2, 2019, Scott Bax, current Senior Vice President, Operations, will succeed Mr. Reitsma in the role of Chief Operating Officer, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Rob McCurdy.

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