On the heels of legislation requiring building codes to accept mass timber, Washington State is pursuing a Bill requiring all public buildings 12-storeys or less to use CLT. In related news: Oregon’s International Mass Timber Conference kicks off in Portland; Think Wood speaks to the research behind the innovation; but Oregonwild protests – calling it “greenwashing clearcut logging“.

Companies in the news include: West Fraser’s stock surges 56% [G&M subscribers only]; Tolko’s Lakeview sawmill will take longer to resurrect; Tolko plans to build an energy plant in Alberta; and Fortress moves up the value chain with xylitol (a sweetener used in gum). Elsewhere, AF&PA speaks in favour of NAFTA.

In Forestry news: Alberta suspends its caribou conservation plan due to costs; a new pheromone discovery may predict mountain pine outbreaks; the Australian forestry wars are back; and Asia Pulp & Paper is now growing… mangos!

–Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor