If a moose falls in the forest, does anybody know? Based on a major five-year provincial study underway in the central Interior, biologists not only know but fly out on helicopters as soon as possible to determine cause of death. There are 175 moose fitted with radio-collars in five study areas, ranging from near Fort…
When you hear the word “boom” in the West, you usually think of the energy industry, but in the last 15 years, a timber boom has taken over. Thanks to the mountain pine beetle, a tiny ravenous bug that’s now chomped its way through over 40 million acres of forest in the U.S., forest managers…
A timber company has reached an 11th-hour, out-of-court settlement with a cattle rancher who claims that salvage logging of beetle-killed forests seriously altered the hydrology of his Chilcotin farmland. Randy Saugstad said Thursday that he considers the settlement with Tolko Industries a victory that should pressure the B.C. government to take closer control over logging…
Softwood lumber exports were 5-8% higher in Canada, Russia and the Nordic countries in 2014, but lumber prices fell toward year’s end on a strengthening U.S. dollar and weaker wood markets in Europe and Asia. Global trade of softwood lumber has continued to trend upward ever since the global financial crises in 2008. In 2014,…
In addition retired MNR forester Ron Waito’s comments on the decline of moose populations here in the Northwest (Moose Decline Follows That of Forest Industry — CJ, April 21), I would like to add a little more detail on the management of our forests over the last four decades. I am a retired MNR resource…
Ontario is investing in forest roads which connect industry to Ontario’s natural resources, supporting local communities by growing the economy and creating jobs in the forestry, mining and tourism sectors. As part of the largest infrastructure investment in Ontario’s history, the province is committing $60 million to the program in 2015-16. Ontario is also making…
Port Metro Vancouver is reviewing its options after a Federal Court judge found its new licensing system that sharply reduced the number of permitted container truckers was imposed unfairly. The new licence system cut up to 600 trucks from the system in January, resulting in layoffs to drivers, and spawning a lawsuit that challenged the…
The Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry claims the forestry sector is “healthier” than it was in recent years. Bill Mauro said the Liberal government will be committing $60 million to forest access roads as well as making the forestry sector eligible for the Jobs and Prosperity Fund, which sits at $2.7 billion. This…
Canada’s lumber producers say they expect the softwood lumber agreement with the United States will be allowed to expire in October. As the clock ticks away to the deadline, West Fraser Timber noted in its first-quarter earnings report that the likelihood of an extension or replacement agreement becomes increasingly remote. Industry analysts agree, with one…
Canada raised its softwood lumber exports by 5% last year to roughly 40.2m m³. The decisive factor for the increase was higher exports to the USA, Canada’s main market. These were 11% higher than the 2013 level at around 28.5m m³. The provisional figures from Statistics Canada of Ottawa show that in contrast the exports…