A fairly wet spring has meant fewer wildfires than normal on the Prairies. Saskatchewan has had about 65 wildfires, well below the province’s five-year average of about 120 by this time. Alberta is reporting about 220 wildfires, compared to more than 500 by this time last year. “This spring, we’ve received a lot more rain,…
A racketeering lawsuit launched by multinational forestry giant Resolute Forest Products against Greenpeace should be heard in California, an American court has ruled. Amid a ramped-up public relations offensive by both sides, a district court in Augusta, Ga., found that Montreal-based Resolute had failed to show why the $300-million lawsuit should be held in the…
As the consequences of climate change strike across the United States, ecologists have a guiding principle about how they think plants will respond. Cold-adapted plants will survive if they move “up”—that is, as they move further north (away from the tropics) and higher in elevation (away from the warm ground). A new survey of how…
One building stands out in the old logging town of Prince George, Canada. Encased in a sleek glass facade, the structure towers above most of its neighbours, beckoning from afar with the warm amber glow of Douglas fir. Constructed almost entirely from timber in 2014, the 8-storey, 30-metre building is among the tallest modern wooden…
“There were court challenges in these other disputes. We have won them all.” — Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr on April 25. — Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr has been offering reassuring words as the country prepares to defend its softwood lumber industry yet again from duties imposed by the United States. The latest round…
Forestry has been a passion and a career for Martin Watts for 25 years, but, since attempting to point out problems with B.C.’s process for setting logging rates, his forestry consulting business has nosedived and Watts is claiming in a civil suit that he was blacklisted by the provincial government. “My business doesn’t really exist…
A group of Quebec mayors made its case in Washington, D.C. today for a quick end to the dispute over softwood lumber, which has hurt the industry in the province. Communities across the province depend on the industry, said Drummondville Mayor Alexandre Cusson, who led a trade mission to the U.S. capital. “We’re looking for…
Recent activity at West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. has revealed that British Columbian billionaire Jim Pattison owns a significant minority stake in the company, prompting speculations of a merger with rival Canfor Corp., according to an analyst. Pattison owns 10 per cent of West Fraser, North America’s No. 1 lumber producer, said Paul Quinn, a…
Pressure from big-name U.S. wood retailers will be Alberta’s key ally in resolving the softwood lumber dispute, says the man hired to plead the province’s case. Former U.S. ambassador Gary Doer was in Edmonton Tuesday to meet with government officials. Canada is on the side of justice when it comes to lumber legal rulings, Doer…
The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) welcomes the new transportation legislation tabled by Transport Minister Marc Garneau today. CEO Derek Nighbor says the government understands that a more competitive and efficient transportation system is critical for Canada’s forestry dependant communities. The legislation tabled by Minister Garneau today would promote transparency, system efficiency, and strong…