Although progress was reported by all parties in the Montreal round of NAFTA talks, US Trade Representative Lighthizer called Canada’s [separate] WTO complaint a “massive attack on the US system of international trade”. Not to be outdone, Canada’s Chrystia Freeland fired back, offering to drop the litigation on one condition: that the US “negotiate a softwood lumber deal.”

In other trade news, Trump’s tough talk on trade at Davos has investors rattled; US Democratic leader Schumer wants the trade decision on Canadian newsprint reversed; and the Motley Fool is recommending three Canadian companies (including Canfor) in the face of NAFTA risks.

Elsewhere: Police set up a tip line to find out who started BC’s largest forest fire in 2017; the TLA elected Mike Richardson as their new president, EACOM’s chief forester (Jennifer Tallman) is a trailblazer for women in forestry; and SFPA’s Erin Graham promotes “building to a higher standard” in the wake of recent catastrophic flooding.

Finally, Car and Driver Magazine says “carbon fibre from trees has the potential to wean carbon-fibre production off oil entirely”.

— Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor