For decades, the United States and Canada have sparred over whether Canada is dumping lumber in the US and unfairly competing. Since the latest agreement ended in 2015, the US raised tariffs and held them in trust until a new trade agreement is reached. That hasn’t happened yet but the winds are changing. Another agreement isn’t on the horizon for at least another 18 months but if it happens, Canadian producers could get some of the $6.1B USD currently held.
Source: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canada-softwood-lumber-tariff-refunds/
Supply Crunch could hit the US this year
The lumber industry right-sized last year (2022) following the pandemic boom. Now market pressures on housing are decreasing leading to an increased demand for building materials. This year, the market could find itself in an undersupplied position at the height of the building season.
Source: https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/lumber-supply-shortage-outlook-price-surge-homebuilding-season-mortgage-rates-2023-1
Firmageddon – Researchers found 1.1 million acres of dead trees
Researchers found 1.1 million acres of dead fir trees in Oregon, the most in a single year since surveys began 75 years ago. One of the main reasons they hypothesize was the heat wave that stressed so many trees. Those that weren’t killed by the heat were left susceptible to insects and disease.
With that much standing dead timber, what is the State of Oregon and the US Forest Service going to do about it? If they don’t harvest them, the timber will be ripe fuel for massive wildfires.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/firmageddon-researchers-find-11-million-acres-dead-trees-oregon-rcna59671
Oregon Logs to become more scarce
In a recent interview, Dave Hampton of Hampton Lumber informs us about government pressure to restrict logging. This restriction lowers the availability of sawmills in Oregon to compete with sawmills in other parts of the country. How much? That remains to be seen. However, expect the supply of logs to drop from both public and private land.
Source: https://newsregister.com/article?articleTitle=hampton-local-sawmills-facing-challenging-times–1673625423–45096–
Canada’s British Columbia Lumber Challenge
Much of the lumber sold in the United States comes from Canada. In the Canadian British Columbia Province, forests have been devastated by mismanagement, beetle kill, and wildfires. The forests can’t continue to supply the logs at the previous volumes. Expect massive changes there as they change the way they manage their resources.
Source: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/12/21/news/bc-premier-warns-forests-exhausted-forestry-industry-change
More than 100 species of trees now subject to CITES regulations
Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), met in Panama City, Panama. The representatives of more than 160 governments negotiated for more than two weeks to on important issues facing the trade in endangered animals and plants. The net result is that over 100 species of trees and 400 species of animals are now subject to CITES trade oversight. States that do not meet the reporting and compliance requirements will have their trade restricted in specimens of CITES-listed species.
Source: https://cites.org/eng/news/record-number-of-species-to-be-regulated-by-cites-after-cop19
LVL Windmill Blades?
Sustainability has long been a challenge for the wind industry. The most expensive parts are the blades. Crafted of a composite of glass, carbon fiber, and plastic is a unique material that gives the blade strength and durability. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do with a windmill blade except bury it after it’s no longer useful. Stora Enso is manufacturing Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) blades along with German startup Voodin Blades. Testing will begin soon on a smaller 20-meter version before moving to the standard 80-meter size.
Source: https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/longer-lumber-wooden-wind-turbine-pioneers-plan-80-metre-blade/2-1-1355600
Concrete, Steel, or Wood?
The choice of building materials has ever been a concern for those who design structures. Each material has properties that make it outstanding. As architects and engineers look forward, what blend of materials will they use to balance strength, aesthetics, cost, time, and carbon requirements?
Source: https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/concrete-steel-or-wood-searching-for-zero-net-carbon-structural-materials_o
$19 Billion USD and almost two decades of cutting carbon emissions were erased in California’s 2020 fire season.
Researchers at UCLA and the University of Chicago estimated that about 127 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent were released by the California fires in 2020, compared with about 65 million metric tons of reductions achieved in the previous 18 years.
The researchers contend that wildfire emissions or “natural emissions” should also be considered as a major contributor to greenhouse gases when planning reduction goals.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-10-20/california-wildfires-offset-greenhouse-gas-reductions
Lewis County wants answers on a “Carbon Project” that would take millions from their budget
The Washington Department of Natural Resources is fast-tracking a proposal to stop the management of 10,000 acres of forest land to be used as a voluntary “Carbon Project’. Critics suggest that it’s “Green-washing” the pollution of deep-pocketed polluters by selling the credits at a rate lower than what Lewis County would make off of a working forest. Lewis County contends that they would lose millions of dollars used to maintain schools, libraries, roads, and emergency first responder equipment (fire, police, etc) without understanding the impacts on the environment, wildlife, and the risk of wildfire.
Source: https://www.chronline.com/stories/commentary-dnr-fails-to-disclose-environmental-and-social-impacts-of-carbon-scheme,302149