Undeterred by a storm of criticism, Trump doubles down on his announced tariffs on steel and aluminum by tying exemptions for Canada and Mexico to concessions on NAFTA. Even the Wall Street Journal was critical, noting wryly:” the [steel] tariffs will whack that menace to world peace known as Canada”. The housing market says tariffs will “drive up home prices“; and “couldn’t have come at a worst time“.

In Wildfire news; despite the snow Alberta’s wildfire season has already begun; the 2018 season will come early in the US west; Montana wants to end fire borrowing; US drones can reduce firefighting costs; the US Forest Service is dealing with charges of sexual harassment; and researchers say small trees are a greater risk to cities because they “throw embers further and more efficiently“.

Finally: Sandy Springs continues to resist wood-framed buildings; the future of housing in New Zealand is “prefabs and tiny homes“; and wildlife ecologist Anthony Sebastian [FSC’s International Board Chair] says “in order to save trees, you need to use paper“. 

–Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor