Action to mitigate climate change by governments (Canada/NWT, USA) and universities (Arizona Univ., Simon Fraser Univ.) increasingly means planting more trees, incentivizing biomass energy. In related news: Canada’s permafrost is thawing—causing forest habitat shifts; and Canada’s largest conference on the bio-economy in coming to Prince George, BC.

In Business news: reputation concerns linger after CN Rail blockades; Alberta’s forest exports shrunk in 2019; and Lowe’s sells Ace Canada but not its wholesale lumber distribution. Meanwhile; Weyerhaeuser closed its Seattle headquarters over coronavirus concerns, as conferences world-wide are cancelled in virus-hit countries.

Finally, oakmoss, freckle pelt or horsehair—vote for Canada’s national lichen.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor