Premier John Horgan, speaking at the Truck Loggers convention, revealed plans to reform the forest industry by curtailing log exports (amongst other policy changes), with the goal of increasing domestic manufacturing and sector reinvestments. Below are a few of the interlocutors:

• Reforms will reverse systemic decline over the last two decades (BC Gov’t)
• Horgan pledges forestry revitalization, but it’s easier said than done (Vaughn Palmer)
• Log exports make it economically feasible to harvest second growth wood (David Elstone)
• Change to fair market rate test a fundamental shift in support of logging contractors (TLA)
• BC extends log export orders for northern regions due to lack of mill capacity (Tom Fletcher)

In other news: forestry stocks are on the rebound; the BC Forest Practices Board has good news for Skeena Sawmills and the Sunshine Coast Community Forest; and the US shutdown impacts wildfire preparations in Colorado and Oregon.

Finally, the Oregon Dept of Forestry has a new Deputy State Forester and the Canadian Wood Council is looking for a new President and CEO.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor