Alarm bells have been ringing in the wake of a recent rash of fatalities either directly or indirectly related to forestry activities. There have been five forestry related deaths this year and two fatalities associated with forestry activity. July 24th, a manual tree faller was struck by a tree and fatally injured in the Port…
A large parcel of the Acadian forest that at one time covered the entire province is now being conserved for future Islanders to enjoy. It’s also preserving the legacy of a well-known family that lived in the area. The Island Nature Trust held a celebration for the donation of the 80-acre parcel of hardwood forest,…
Conifex Timber Inc. has completed its purchase of a private Delaware company holding exclusive rights to a sawmill and 186 acres of land near El Dorado, AR. The rights to the Arkansas property was acquired for $21 million. The deal, announced Aug. 6, comprised $12.36 million in cash and $8.64 million in vendor mortgage. Conifex…
The largest fire in state history swept through the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range with explosive force last summer. The Carlton Complex Fire burned more than 250,000 acres, devouring everything in its path at the hypersonic pace of 3.8 acres per second. Until then, the top slot in the state’s fire rankings belonged to the Tripod Fire, which…
The Cariboo Fire Centre in Williams Lake will have a brand-new firefighting facility. The B.C. Government is providing $5.88 million in funding to construct the new facility at the Williams Lake Airport for the use of BC Wildfire Service staff and crews. The one-storey, 2,045 square metre main building, along with three upgraded outbuildings, will…
A weekend with slightly cooler temperatures and a bit of rain did make a difference to crews battling fires burning on the coast of the province. Fire Information Officer Ryan Turcot says the rain helped crews contain the Wood Lake Fire near Harrison Hot Springs. “The forecasts are calling for rain along the coast over…
With an exchange of gifts at the new Campbell River Band office Friday, Wei Wai Kum Chief Robert Pollard and Steve Thompson, Minister of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, signed a woodland licence agreement designed to enhance employment and economic opportunities in the region. The 25-year First Nations woodland licence allows the Wei Wai…
The U.S. Department of Commerce will decide by October whether to maintain or lift a 20 per cent countervailing duty imposed last week on paper imports from the controversial mill in Point Tupper and three other Canadian mills. Officials are investigating whether the Nova Scotia government has subsidized the paper mill to the detriment of…
Resolute Forest Products is fighting back against years of attacks on its forestry practices by launching a publicity campaign that counters what it says are inaccurate allegations from environmental groups Greenpeace and ForestEthics. Full page ads began to appear Friday in several Canadian newspapers. The Montreal-based company said it plans to spend “significant” sums on…
There’s a tiny new weapon being used in the fight against the destructive emerald ash borer in Ontario. The federal government recently approved the introduction of a foreign breed of parasitic, non-stinging wasp that destroys ash borer eggs from within. Scientists are now starting to release them into the National Capital Region. In their native…