North American softwood lumber prices bounced moderately on news of US construction spending and especially construction employment. In other Business news: an explainer on US-China trade talks; the NAFTA tribunal arguments focus on which time period to consider; Nova Scotia truckers demonstrate their support for Northern Pulp; and grant announcements abound by the US Forest Service and the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

In Forestry/Climate news: Canada’s forests are no longer the CO2 vacuums they used to be; Alaska’s massive old-growth timber sale faces a lawsuit; California’s forest carbon offsets fall short of cap-and-trade goals; the debate over BC’s wolf kill program is fraught; and more on the UN biodiversity report and habitat loss.

Finally, substance abuse in the sawmill and [??] suspected substance abuse on the highway.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News