Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions applied by the EU and UK on Russia for that action have European architects and designers struggling to source wood for their projects. In 2021, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine provided nearly a quarter of the worldwide lumber trade and 53% of the EU’s timber imports.
News in timber
American Loggers Council Expresses Concern About High Fuel Costs for Logging Company Operations
The rapid increase in fuel costs is forcing loggers and log trucking companies to shut down operations, according to the American Loggers Council. The association states that fuel costs have risen from 25% to as much as 60% of operational costs and expects more shutdowns will occur. The ALC suggests a number of actions to ease the current strain.
U.S. National Interagency Fire Center Wildfire Update for June 13, 2022, Shows Wildfire Danger Remains High
The U.S. National Interagency Fire Center reported on Monday that 5 large new fires were reported yesterday, 2 each in Alaska and Arizona and 1 in California. That increases the total number of wildfires currently burning throughout the U.S. to 33, with more than 1,089,844 acres in five states now burning.
New South Wales Announces Renewal of All North Coast Wood Supply Agreements, Extending Native Forest Logging Until 2028
Australia’s New South Wales Agriculture Minister Dugland Saunders has announced that all North Coast Wood Supply Agreements that were to expire next year have been renewed and extended until 2028. The renewal, Mr. Saunders says, was done to provide “certainty” for the industry to “invest in their businesses.”
Bois Forte Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe to Resume Forest Management on Over 28,000 Acres
In the largest land-back agreement in Minnesota and one of the largest-ever in Indian Country, the Bois Forte Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe restored more than 28,000 acres of land within its reservation boundaries back to tribal ownership. The Band plans to directly manage the restored lands under a forest management plan.
Economic Pressures Have Maine Loggers Facing Difficult Business Decisions
The Professional Logging Contractor of Maine conducted a survey of its members during the winter in regard to their operating costs. The results of that survey revealed that operational costs have gone up an average of 24% over the last two years—on everything from tires and hydraulic filters, to brake parts and labor.
Dixie Wildfire Burnt Timber to Help Rebuild Destroyed Communities
The scars of last summer’s Dixie Fire can be clearly seen for miles in burnt California hillside and forestland. However, there is hope. The burnt timber has value and the newly created sawmill in Crescent Mills, California, is working as quickly as possible to convert those burnt timbers into viable lumber products that can be used to rebuild the area.
Financial Incentives Offered to Encourage Southern Forestland Owners to Complete First Tree Thinning
University of Arkansas Forester Joe Friend said in a recent news release that forestland owners can get paid to complete their first tree thinning. The program is part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service initiative to help prevent the spread of the southern pine beetles—the most damaging insect pest in the eastern U.S.
U.S. National Interagency Fire Center Wildfire Update for June 6, 2022
On Monday, the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center reported that the 2022 wildfire season continues to gain momentum and is currently at a at a pace that is well in excess of both 2021 and its 10-year average. Currently, more than 4,100 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents across the country.
Maine’s Plan For Wood-Fired Power Plants Draws Both Praise and Doubts
In April, Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed into law legislation that establishes a program to commission projects that will burn wood to create electricity and also capture the heat produced for use on-site—heat that would go to waste in a conventional power plant. Some climate activists are cynical, saying questions remain as to whether the program will cut carbon emissions as intended.