Sanctions on Russia will severely limit its ability to participate in international trade, but the impacts to its softwood log and lumber trade are likely to be less affected than other industries.
News in timber
Alberta Renews 20-Year Forest Management Agreement With West Fraser and Tolko Industries in High Prairie and Slave Lake Regions
The Alberta provincial government announced on Wednesday (2-22-22) that it has renewed its 20-year joint forest management agreement (FMA) with West Fraser and Tolko Industries. The FMA covers 245,527 hectares in the Slave Lake and High Prairie Regions in the province.
Canfor to Sell Mackenzie Assets for $70 Million
Canfor Corporation on Thursday (2-24-22) announced that it has entered into a Letter of Intent with McLeod Lake Indian Band and Tsay Keh Dene Nation to sell its forest tenure in the Mackenzie region of British Columbia and in a separate agreement with Peak Renewables to sell its Mackenzie site, plant, and equipment for a combined price of $70 million (CAD).
Australia’s Farm Forestry Assistant Program Supports Local Softwood Plantation Industry
Australia’s Forestry Minister Dave Kelly has launched the Farm Forestry Assistant program (FFAP) for 2022. The program supports farmers and landowner who wish to plant pine trees on their land.
Lawsuit Challenges Bureau of Land Management’s Post-Archie Creek Fire Logging Plan
Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild, and the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, all environmental organizations, filed a lawsuit on February 8, 2022, that challenges the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) post-Archie Creek Fire logging plans. Nick Cady, Cascadia Wildlands Legal Director said on Tuesday that this is the BLM’s first major post-fire salvage logging operation under a relatively new resource management plan.
Allowable Annual Cut Reduced on Tree Farm License 8
B.C.’s chief forester, Diane Nicholls, announced on Thursday (2-10-22) that a new allowable annual cut (AAC) level for Tree Farm License (TFL) 8 in the Southern Interior has been set, effective immediately. The new AAC for TFL 8 is 158,400 cubic meters with a maximum of 131,500 cubic meters harvested from terrain of less than 45% slope.
In Oregon, Timber Industry and Environmental Groups Join Forces in Support of the “Private Forest Accord”
The Private Forest Accord, which is currently being considered by the state’s legislature, is a compromise deal on logging rules, which expands no-harvest buffers and makes other management changes. The bill also would strengthen rules for roads to ensure they do not obstruct fish passage and does not increase sediment in streams.
Nuveen Natural Capital Completes Sale of 66,800 Acres in Texas and Georgia to Rayonier
Nuveen Natural Capital, a global investment and asset management company specializing in the acquisition and stewardship of forestry assets, announced today (2-3-22) that it had completed the sale of 66,800 acres in Texas and Georgia to Rayonier, a leading timberland real estate investment trust. The purchase price was $ 124.2 million, prior to transactional costs.
Manitoba and LP Canada Sued by Pine Creek First Nation Over Duck Creek Forest Rights
According to a notice of application filed in a Manitoba courtroom on January 26, 20222, PCFN says the province has “failed to enforce critical conditions of Louisiana-Pacific’s forestry authorizations,” including logging in the area without a long-term forest management plan approved by the First Nation.
Allowable Annual Cut Reduced for B.C.’s Okanagan Timber Supply Area
Shane Berg, B.C.’s deputy chief forester, has announced that he has set a new allowable annual cut (AAC) level for the Okanagan Timber Supply Area (TSA), effective immediately. The new AAC for the Okanagan TSA is 2,462,800 cubic meters. It is a decrease of approximately 20% from the previous AAC of 3,078,405 cubic meters, which included an increase to allow salvage of stands affected by the mountain pine beetle.