ForesterBlog.com

Rayon - The Rising Forestry Fabric?

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

If you are in the forestry business, you may also be in the fashion business and not know it.

Forest products are often thought of as lumber and paper, and beyond that the list gets thin. Fortress Paper has been betting that the production of rayon, a fabric used to make clothing, will be another successful forest product. They have bought another old mill in Quebec and will change it's production to dissolving pulp in order to make rayon. The process is different than producing pulp for paper, but with some investment it can be done.

Though rayon may not be a huge market now in forestry, it's always great to see another use for wood fibre. Any time another product can be produced from wood fibre, it helps the forest industry and creates a demand for the available timber resource. To see a mill that's been shut down for 6 years have a new life is a great story for the town in Quebec where it's happening.

The rayon market is seeing an increase because cotton crops and production haven't been able to meet all the demand in recent times. Rayon material also has different properties than cotton. It doesn't retain heat as well as cotton does, but this is a good feature to have in warmer climates, which is where many emerging markets in Asia, the Middle East and South America happen to be.

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Fortress Paper Ltd. plans to transform yet another old Quebec forest-products mill into a facility that makes pulp used in the production of rayon instead of paper.

The old Domtar mill has been shut for more than six years and is now to get a new lease on life by producing dissolving pulp used in the manufacture of rayon, a product that has been in huge demand especially in Asia.

The project is the second such endeavour by Mr. Wasilenkoff in Quebec, after the transformation two years ago of a mothballed hardwood pulp mill in Thurso to pulp-for-rayon.

To read the full news, click below:

Foretress Paper Rayon Pulp Mill

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Pulp maker Fibrek bought by Mercer International

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

This news caught my eye because Mercer International operates a pulp mill in Castlegar BC, close to where I live. They also have two mills in Germany, and it looks like they are now ready to expand. Fibrek, the company they seek to acquire, has three mills in Quebec, West Virginia and Michigan.

Another interesting aspect of this deal is that there was another competing bid for Fibrek valued at $130 Million. Mercer's offer provides a significant premium at $170 Million. The pulp business to me is a difficult one, it's very capital intensive but this also acts as a barrier to competition. For Mercer to build three new pulp mills would have cost a lot more in time and money than their bid to buy Fibrek, so for them I think it will be a good deal. Especially since they are already very experienced in the pulp market. This deal is also a sign that the future might be good for pulp, since companies in this industry are looking to expand.

Mercer International isn't a household name, but they are important to the Castlegar and Kootenay areas of BC for the mill and forestry jobs they provide or create, and the taxes they pay to local government. To see Mercer in a position to expand and grow is a good sign for the people in these areas.

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Pulp producer Fibrek Inc. says it has struck a friendly $170 million deal to be acquired by Vancouver-based Mercer International Inc.

Mercer Inc. operates in the pulp business and produces market northern bleached softwood kraft, or 'NBSK', pulp for export around the world. The company employs nearly 1,500 people and has a mill in British Columbia's interior, and two in eastern Germany.

Mercer president and chief executive Jimmy Lee welcomed the deal and said it benefits both pulp makers, their customers employees and shareholders.

"The acquisition of Fibrek clearly fits within our strategy of focusing on world-class production assets that produce high quality pulp," Lee said in a release.

"Additionally, the ability of Fibrek's St. Felicien mill to produce and sell surplus renewable energy is in line with our goal of increasing our revenues from energy sales."

To read the full news release, click below:

Mercer International buys Fibrek Inc

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China-Canada Green Building Design Center

2012-02-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently untook a trade mission to China. Part of the mission involved forest products and lumber. China is one of Canada's most important customers for wood products, and according to the release below Canada is now the largest supplier of lumber to China.

Initiatives like the China Canada Green Building Design Center highlight wood frame construction, which still isn't widely used in China. If the use of wood in construction continues to grow in China, Canadian lumber mills should benefit along with the jobs they bring. The bottom of the release has some interesting stats on exports to China for 2009, 2010 and 2011. I wonder what kind of year 2012 will be?

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PMO press release:

Langfang, China
Feb 9, 2012
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today visited the China-Canada Green Building Design Center – one of China’s largest wood frame buildings – to highlight Canada’s achievement as China’s largest supplier of lumber. “Our Government is committed to helping the Canadian forestry industry to diversify and succeed in priority markets around the world. With Canadian lumber exports to China at a record high, our efforts are paying off, creating jobs and economic opportunities for Canadians,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The China-Canada Green Building Design Center is just one of the ways Canada is promoting its world class environmentally-friendly wood frame technologies and materials in this rapidly growing market.”

The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia, in partnership with Canadian lumber suppliers, are working with several countries to further promote Canadian wood frame technology by developing building codes, training designers and builders to use wood and educating institutions on the benefits of building with wood.

Thanks to their versatility and environmental benefits, wood frame construction, such as that used for the Green Building Design Center, has become more prominent throughout China and has led to a major boost in Chinese demand for Canadian wood and wood frame technology. As a result, 18 Canadian mills have reopened or dedicated part of their production to servicing the Chinese market.

The China-Canada Green Building Design Center is a 2,500 square-meter facility which features environmentally friendly, seismically stable, and energy efficient Canadian wood frame technologies and materials.

Canadian wood exports to China grew to $835 million in 2010, up 119 percent from 2009. During the first eleven months of 2011, wood products were Canada's third largest export to China, totalling $1.36 billion and expected to exceed $1.5 billion in 2011.

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What Caused the Burns Lake Sawmill Explosion?

2012-01-28T14:00:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

I was on the road last weekend when I heard about the explosion at the Burns Lake sawmill that killed two people and injured 19 more. It was surprising because you don't often hear about explosions at sawmills, and most mills have good safety practices that try to minimize the number of accidents.

The destruction of this mill will also have a big effect on the employment situation in the area. Small towns with lumber mills are usually heavily reliant on the jobs the mills provide. I've heard that the rebuilding of the mill isn't certain due to the reduced timber supply in the area from mountain pine beetle attack. Even if they do decide to rebuild, it would take about a year and a half to construct. In the meantime, workers dependent on this mill have to switch employers or possibly leave town to find work, which is hard on family life. The question of rebuilding the mill will have to involve the owners, government and employees working together to create a viable operation.

There is still speculation on what caused the explostion, but the most popular theory seems to be a build up of sawdust in the air that was somehow ignited. The wood that was being processed by the mill was dry, dead pine, and many people have commented on how high the dust levels were in weeks leading up to the accident. It was actually pointed out as a safety hazard for inhalation. If a build up of sawdust was the cause, similar mills should take note and ensure dust particles don't reach such dangerous levels.

For recent information on the Burns Lake sawmill accident, visit:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/destroyed-burns-lake-sawmill-warned-of-unsafe-levels-of-sawdust-in-december/article2314866/

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Lumber Sales to China Slowing?

2012-01-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

I meant to post about this in December, but it was just too busy and I had to spend a little time finding the right article.

The Globe and Mail reported in December that BC lumber sales to China were slowing down as late as October. If you read the article carefully, it appears that shipments are still near all time highs, they are just not growing as much as they have been year over year. The main reason for this is that China's real estate market has been slowing, and lumber inventories are high. According to the article, things may improve in the spring, but it will depend on how China's economy is doing.

The US is still a major customer of BC lumber, and the forecast is that lumber shipments may keep improving over the next three years.

In a nutshell, while there may not be a lot of growth happening in lumber shipments, China is still taking a lot more lumber than they used to and the US is still the biggest customer.

According to Statistics Canada data compiled by BC Stats, October was the sixth-biggest sales month for B.C. foresters in China but, at $89-million, the figure was only 8 per cent higher than a year ago. While shipments remain near an all-time peak, growth may not re-emerge until spring.

Wood Markets International, a Vancouver industry consultant, predicted on Wednesday that U.S. lumber demand and prices would “rise slowly” in 2012, gain “momentum” in 2013, and that “price surges” would start in 2014, propelled by strong demand as the U.S. and China chase tight supply.

Click below to read the full article, there are many interesting details in it:
Lumber sales to China

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Canada's Rarely Seen Animal

2011-12-14T15:47:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

I usually pick up a Saturday Globe and Mail newspaper, because the weekend is the only time I have a chance to sit down and read one. I like to check the Sports and Business sections and catch up on the week that passed.

Last weekend, I noticed there was an article titled 'Canada's Most Elusive Creature'. The title piqued my curiousity, so I flipped ahead and saw that it was an article on the wolverine. Working in forestry, you sometimes hear people talking about wolverine's, but you rarely meet anyone who has seen one. If they have seen one, it was usually running off the road or into the woods and they didn't get a good look at it.

The article gives a good history of the wolverine, how it's population was greatly reduced, and hope that it may be recovering.

Some of the interesting quotes in the article were:

Ecologist Jason Fisher has spent the past six years studying wolverines in the Alberta foothills. When I ask him the extent of the wolverines' current range in Canada, he hesitates: “The honest answer is, I don't think anyone really knows for sure.”

it was the widespread introduction of predator poisons across North America during the 1960s and '70s that turned the animal's greatest strength – its supreme ability to locate scraps of meat scattered about a landscape – into a ruinous liability. In a few short years, wolverines were extirpated from the Lower 48, and savagely beaten back across Canada.

The deeper truth is that wolverines are difficult to find, and even harder to observe. They are blessed with the endurance of a marathoner, the speed of sprinter and the mountain-climbing ability of a goat. Chasing a wolverine through the wilderness is like pursuing the Terminator.

“They may just be the toughest animal in the world,” Douglas H. Chadwick says in his book The Wolverine Way. “When you weigh 15 kg and can back a full grown grizzly off a kill, that is just plain badass.”

Luckily for you, the article is now posted online and you can read it all yourself.

To read the full article, click here:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/news-and-trends/bruce-kirkby/have-you-seen-canadas-most-elusive-creature/article2266069/singlepage/

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West Fraser Timber Company Plans Two Biomass Powered Plants in BC

2011-11-28T15:44:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

This might be something we start seeing more of in BC - established forest companies building biomass/bioenergy plants. The technology is approaching the point where forest material that would otherwise go unused, or be burned into the atmosphere, can be harnessed and used to create a cleaner energy. The energy can be used to run adjacent building or mills, or possibly be sold back into the grid for general use. Material that could be used would be pieces of wood that are too small or too poor quality for lumber or other forest products. This will be a good trend to watch.

West Fraser Timber Company is mulling identical, biomass-powered generation plants at two of its subsidiaries in British Columbia. The plants are being planned in response to BC Hydro's (Nelson, British Columbia) "Bioenergy Call to Power" program to acquire and provide cost-effective, clean, renewable energy.

For details, view the entire article by subscribing to Industrial Info's Premium Industry News at http://www.industrialinfo.com/showAbstract.jsp?newsitemID=191380&refer=marketwire, or browse other breaking industrial news stories at www.industrialinfo.com.

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$24 Million Investment in Castlegar & Grand Forks mills

2011-11-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

Good news for Castlegar and Grand Forks in the BC Kootenays.

International Forest Products is planning a total of $24 million in upgrades to two of its mills in Castlegar and Grand Forks. This will certainly create some jobs in the area, and is a vote of confidence in the future viability of these mills. Great news for the local communities.

At its meeting today, Interfor's Board of Directors approved a $24 million capital plan to upgrade the Company's Grand Forks and Castlegar sawmills.

The plan involves the installation of a new small log line at Grand Forks to replace the existing two-line facility, along with funds to complete the installation of an automated lumber grading system. The Grand Forks project is budgeted at $19 million and will incorporate the same technology recently installed at the Company's Adams Lake sawmill. Construction will commence in the first quarter of 2012 and will be completed in mid 2013.

The investment at Castlegar, which totals $5 million, consists of a series of high return projects including the installation of an automated lumber grading system focused on increasing productivity and value extraction at that mill.

When completed, the Grand Forks and Castlegar mills will operate with a combined capacity of 375 million board feet on a full two-shift basis.

The Grand Forks and Castlegar sawmills were acquired by Interfor in April 2008. The projects announced are consistent with the Company's philosophy of operating top quartile manufacturing facilities capable of extracting full value from the available timber resource. The investment, which will be funded primarily out of operating cash flow, is made possible by the Company's strong financial position and by the support of the management and crew at the two mills, along with other stakeholders, who have helped create a positive operating and investment climate in the area. The improvements to be made at these mills will help support long term jobs in the local communities.

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To read the full release, click below:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/interfors-q3-results-improve-on-higher-sales-revenue-2011-11-02

China slows but still Growing

2011-10-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

The good news from China couldn't go on forever. Looks like China has slowed down in their buying of Canadian lumber for now, but records are still being broken. China is now BC's #2 customer for lumber. Some expect that this is just a blip and the buying will continue at some point. It is probably healthy for markets to have some sort of pullback. More BC delegates will be heading to China this fall to strengthen trade ties.

B.C. foresters, suffering in a five-year industry depression, have depended on the boom in China to sell wood as the key housing market in the United States remains moribund. Sales to China have helped keep some B.C. mills running that would otherwise be shuttered, including Canfor’s operation in Mackenzie.

Canfor’s forecast of lower sales in the fourth quarter suggests the industry could experience its first period of decline in the country since the selling boom to China began in 2007 and 2008.

This year’s sales to China by the B.C. industry of $731-million through August have already reached record territory – all of 2010 brought in $668-million. August, 2011, sales alone topped sales in all of 2006 but growth in August was a fraction of surprisingly strong growth recorded earlier in 2011.

Even if fourth-quarter sales decline from 2010, the B.C. industry this year is still likely to top $1-billion of sales to mainland China for the first time, cementing the country as B.C.’s No 2 customer.

To read the full article, visit:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/lumber-sales-to-china-topping-out-canfor/article2216516/

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No more rainforest destruction for Barbie

2011-10-08T06:47:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

A win for responsible forestry and rainforests.

Mattell Inc, the company that makes the Barbie doll and other toys, has agreed to stop buying paper products associated with rainforest destruction.

This is great news on two fronts. One, it will help create less demand for wood acquired from bad forestry practices. Two, Mattell will now turn to paper products sourced from sustainable forestry operations, such as those in BC. Hopefully we see more companies follow suit.

As part of its new commitments, Mattel is instructing its suppliers to avoid wood fibre from companies "that are known to be involved in deforestation," Greenpeace said in a statement. One such firm is Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), a Jakarta-based company that owns five pulp mills in Canada, the Toronto Star reports.

Mattell also introduced new sustainable sourcing principles, including a commitment to have 70 per cent of its packaging come from recycled material or sustainable fibre by the end of this year, and 85 per cent by the end of 2015.

"We're very happy that Barbie retired her pink chainsaw," Richard Brooks, a Greenpeace Canada spokesperson told the Ottawa Citizen.

To read the full article, go here:
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/Barbie-lays-pink-chainsaw-yahoofinanceca-3512095734.html

BC exports to Asia greater than to US

2011-08-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

Asia continues to be an important and improving market for BC products, and has surpassed the US market in dollar value for the first time. This is a trend I think we'll see continue, given the huge Asian population and development that is happening.

“For the first half of the year we’ve seen a total of $6.9-billion worth of goods flow into the Asia marketplace, that compares to $6.8 billion into the United States,” Mr. Bell told reporters after Statistics Canada released new export data.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bcs-exports-to-asia-eclipse-sales-to-us/article2127935/

Forestry Jobs in Nelson BC and the Kootenays

2011-07-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

Are you looking for Forestry work in BC Canada?

Timberland Consultants 2001 in Nelson BC is looking to hire RPFs, senior and junior forest technicians (for block and road layout), timber cruisers, and silviculture surveyors.

The more experience you have the better, but we may also have some junior positions. We'd like to hear from you. We are looking to hire for our 2012 field season.

If you are interested, contact me at: admin@foresterblog.com

or phone the Timberland office at 250-354-3880.

(post updated February 2012)

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BC Company Gears for more Chinese business

2011-07-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

BC company West Fraser Timber sets record in second quarter by shipping more than 30 per cent of its Canadian production to China and Japan.

Chinese demand has helped to increase lumber prices above the lows set in 2009.

Pierre Lacroix of Desjardins Capital Markets expects market conditions for lumber to improve over the next six to nine months on reduced industry production, slight improvement in U.S. housing and continued Chinese demand.

“We're excited about this growing market and West Fraser will continue to devote all necessary resources to expand our business in China and throughout Asia,” CEO Hank Ketcham said Friday during a conference call.

Read the full article:

http://t.co/wfDcDrs

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Underwater Timber Harvest in Africa

2011-07-20T03:43:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

Triton Logging, a BC company, is just getting underway with a project that will harvest tropical hardwoods from a lake bottom in Ghana. When it gets up to full steam, they will be harvesting 400,000 cubic metres per year. A mill by the lakeshore will process the timber and provide 100 jobs to locals.

Nearly eight years in the making, the massive salvage operation will take 25 years and harvest 350,000 hectares of underwater forest. It makes Triton, which was awarded the project late last year by Ghana’s parliament, well positioned to meet high global demand for tropical hardwoods – especially those logged sustainably.

Production couldn’t be starting at a better time. Experts foresee reduced supply and rapid growth in demand for tropical hardwoods from Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/business-categories/sustainability/african-treasure-bc-firm-harvests-submerged-forest/article2101132/

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China the top market for BC lumber in May

2011-07-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

Who would have ever thought 10 years ago that another country would be a bigger market for BC lumber than the USA?

In May of this year, sales of BC lumber to China were $1 million above sales to the US.

In May, a record month, B.C.’s producers sold $120-million of softwood lumber to mainland China, triple the level of a year earlier and, more significantly, edging out the $119-million in sales to the United States.

The impact of China's buying in the past few years I believe has made a significant difference to the economic health of BC forest companies, and forest and mill workers. Take away the Chinese buying and lumber markets would be very poor.

China also paid more for their lumber per cubic metre, spending $163 per cubic metre vs $142 for the US. Sales to China are up 178% from a year ago.

There are more details in the article below, which suggests that demand may taper off until the winter. However growth from China has been in the double and triple digits in recent years, and I don't see the overall trend slowing down from year to year just yet.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/china-edges-out-us-as-bcs-top-lumber-market/article2100185/

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Interview with a Kentucky Forester

2011-07-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

Interview with a Kentucky Forester, from LatPro.com

Considered working as a Forester? This interview will take you through the ups and downs you can expect in the position, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. This is a true career story as told to LatPro.com for its “What They Don’t Teach” series – a collection of interviews with Hispanic and bilingual professionals from a Key Accounts Manager to a Senior Events Planner, and everything in between.

I have worked in Kentucky as a consulting forester for the past five years. The primary job of a consulting forester is to work with landowners and advise them on the best forestry practices for their land. The daily life of a forester changes throughout the year since different jobs need to be done in different seasons. Believe it or not, a great deal of the work takes place in the winter. This is mostly because it is easier to walk through a forest when the underbrush is leafless. In the winter, a forester will typically be "cruising timber." This is the jargon term for taking inventories of a forest to determine what species are present and how much timber is available. Other parts of my job involve writing contracts for timber harvests, submitting forms to the government, and trying to improve the forests I manage.

I am a white male, and we make up the vast majority of foresters. Plenty of women and minority foresters exist, though, so anyone who is interested in the field should not be discouraged. Knowing a foreign language is not required to be a successful forester, but knowing other languages can be a huge benefit. For example, Spanish is a plus when working in Texas or Arizona, and knowing basic French is often a requirement to work in Maine or Canada.

Overall, I would rate my job satisfaction a 7 out 10. Being a consulting forester means that I am self-employed, so keeping a steady stream of clients is crucial to running a successful business. Increasing my job satisfaction would mean being able to find more clients and grow my business.

Even though I graduated college prepared to be a forester, one of the hardest parts of the job was learning how to be self-employed. It takes a great deal of responsibility to properly manage your finances, and this isn't a topic that is taught in a forestry curriculum. If I had a second chance, I would try to take one or two finance and entrepreneurship courses in college.

I think that the driving factor in me becoming a forester was my love of the outdoors. Even when I was young, I loved science and knew it was what I wanted to pursue. During my first year of college, however, I studied molecular biology. I soon discovered that I wasn't made to work in a lab every day, and I wanted to have a chance to work outdoors. That was the point when I discovered forestry and began to understand how exciting it was. In terms of my education, I can't say that I would change anything. I feel I made the right choices, and I love the job I have today.

Working in the forest means every day is another opportunity for a unique experience. I wouldn't call any of my experiences strange, but I have had the chance to see several rare plant and animal species. One of the best parts of my job is that, since I often work on private land, I am able to see beautiful scenery that few people will ever experience. While I deal with relatively few problems, being a forester involves working in all types of weather and dealing with unpleasant plants and animals. I dislike spiders the most. Successful foresters must be able to put their love of the outdoors over the less enjoyable aspects of the job.

The greatest part of being a consulting forester is the ability to set your own hours and, to a certain extent, your income. The salary of a forester ranges depending on workload and location. As a forester in the southeast, I earn approximately $45,000 per year. Considering my freedom and responsibility, I am happy with my income.

The most rewarding part of my job comes from interacting with landowners. All of my clients own forest land, but very few are familiar with the forest. I love having the opportunity to discuss my clients' land and teach them what I can about it. In my experience, forest owners love to learn more about the trees in their forest and how the ecosystem works as a whole. I have also had the chance to speak at workshops and teach short courses in different aspects of forestry.

Two options exist for individuals interested in forestry as a career -- technical colleges and universities. Earning a degree from a technical college will take two years, and the student will be prepared for all aspects of forest management. Most states have at least one four-year university that offers a forestry curriculum. These programs require more courses in math and science, and the graduate will be prepared for higher level forestry positions. When choosing a forestry school, it is important that it be accredited by the Society of American Foresters. Each year, the Society of American Foresters publishes a list of accredited programs.

For a friend or anyone considering forestry, I would suggest thinking about the educational requirements and whether working outdoors during all weather conditions is the right choice. From the educational standpoint, many people struggle in forestry programs because they do not expect to be challenged; however, learning tree species and understanding forests can be extremely difficult at times. There is also a fair amount of math, statistics, and chemistry involved.

I'm incredibly happy with the job I get to perform on a daily basis. I have always loved being outdoors, and now I get to explore nature for a living. If I were to choose my own destiny, then in five years from now I would be able to expand my business and work over a larger region. I would love to be able to hire more employees so that I could take a more managerial role. Managing my own company has always been one of my life goals. Overall, though, I love what I do, and I hope I get to do it for many more years.

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Slave Lake wildfire - More to Come?

2011-05-20T23:34:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

The Slave Lake wildfire devastation almost seemed to come from nowhere. There weren't the usual warnings about a fire starting near a community, days of watch to see if it got close, and so on, like we normally see. At least I didn't catch any of it on the nightly news. It was very sudden, the fire was on the town right away, people were evacuated, and everyone was wondering if their homes and businesses would survive intact.

The latest article I read (link posted below), has some interesting facts about this disaster. 485 homes and businesses gone or damaged, almost no prior notice because the fire moved too fast, warmer seasons drying out the boreal forest, more lightning storms, pine beetle spreading and killing trees - turning stems into dry standing fuel, highway closures, 100 km/hr winds, bulldozing unburned homes to create a fire break to protect other homes. These altogether in one event are an extreme occurrence and it makes me wonder if we'll see more of the same.

Warmer summers and mountain pine beetle killed trees alone are enough of a hazard to any towns within the boreal forest. If a town borders a forest that hasn't burned in decades - where fuels have built up on the forest floor and dead pine stand scattered throughout and dry - it could be a recipe for disaster. Many towns in this kind of situation have started projects to create fire breaks and reduce forest fuels so that if a fire does start nearby, it will have less of a direct bridge to structures and settlements.

The bright spot in the Slave Lake disaster is that no one died when the fire hit the town, and during the evacuation, despite what little time people had to react. The PM has toured the area and hopefully supplies and support will come quick to help the residents recover and rebuild.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/prairies/wildfire-in-the-streets/article2030715/

China Continues to Impact Canada's Lumber Industry

2011-03-03T13:08:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

Latest news reports in 2011 continue to show a positive trend for the Canadian forest industry.

Shipments to China and Japan were up in 2010 from the year before, and demand continues to be strong in 2011. Many BC forest companies have reported a profit in the latest quarter. There are a number of sawmills operating in BC right now solely because of demand from China.

There are also more indications that China will be using more lumber for constructing housing than in the past (when mostly concrete and steel were used). Housing starts over the next three years are going to be in the 6 million unit range.

Given that only a minor amount of construction in China uses wood right now, there is a lot of room for growth. Canada recently became the number one supplier of lumber to China, and China recently became the second largest economy in the world (behind the US and ahead of Japan).

When you think that the increased harvest of dead beetle-attacked pine in BC is in its closing days, demand from China keeps increasing by double digit %, and the US is expected to resume its demand at some point, the next few years could be busy times in the Canadian forest industry. If harvest rates in BC come close to their annual allowable amounts, it will have a trickle down effect for jobs and towns in the areas of logging, hauling, planning, engineering, and silviculture.

A couple years ago it seemed like the forest industry couldn't sink any lower. Today, the future looks bright.

See the article below in Canadian Business:

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/headline_news/article.jsp?content=b5998397

Forest Industry Profitable in 2010?

2010-12-14T12:01:00.000-08:00

ForesterBlog.com

News out from the Conference Board of Canada says that the Wood Industry returned to profitability in 2010.

The increase was due to a small boom in Canadian housing, a small increase in demand from the US, and increased exports to China.

Revenues are increasing this year for the first time since 2004. Despite rising costs, the industry is expected to post a profit of $476 million in 2010.

Even better, the Conference Board predicts this trend will continue into next year.

The brightest spot seemed to be Canadian exports to China:

Canadian producers attempts to diversify away from the U.S. market and break into China appear to have paid off, the board says.

"Between 2000 and 2010, Canadian exports to China have increased by 3,300 per cent. In fact, Canada surpassed Russia this year as the biggest exporter of softwood lumber to China," the board said.

Link to full article:

http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/Wood-industry-likely-returned-capress-682992586.html?x=0

Asian lumber exports match US in Sept

2010-12-12T01:11:00.000-08:00

I just read in today's Globe and Mail newspaper that lumber exports to China and Japan matched those to the US for the first time ever this past September. This is a very significant event for the Canadian forest industry and if the trend continues, could help us decrease our reliance on the US market. Most economic reports I've been reading point to continued growth and expansion in Asian countries, which bodes well for lumber and other commodities like copper and agriculture crops.

China lumber demand helps BC forest companies

2010-11-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

In the past few weeks, I noticed two companies in BC were helped in their quarterly earnings reports by increasing sales of lumber to China. While still a low overall percentage of their sales (10-15%), Chinese demand for Canadian lumber is picking up, and may be the difference for Canadian forest companies given the lower US demand and strong Canadian dollar. In fact, if Chinese demand continues to grow and the US demand comes back, you have to wonder what that would do to our forest industry.

A recent article by Allen Dowd on sales to China highlights some of these points.

China has become a bright spot on the balance sheets of companies still waiting for a recovery of the U.S. housing sector, its mainstay market for decades.

A report this month by British Columbia, Canada's largest lumber exporting province, estimated its producers had sold C $342 million ($335.3 million) in lumber to China in the first eight months of the year, up 71 percent from a year ago.

A stark example of China's new role can be seen in Canfor's decision in May to restart its Quesnel, British Columbia, sawmill. The mill had been idled because of slack U.S. demand, and its production now goes exclusively to China.

Bell added that he hopes the province will be shipping as much wood to Asia as it does to the United States when the U.S.-Canada softwood trade agreement comes up for renegotiation in 2013. "That would make for quite a different discussion," he said.

Ten Most Devastating Wildfires

2010-07-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

ForesterBlog.com

Here is an interesting article recently posted by the US Fire Science Colleges giving details on large historical wildfires.

These fires represent millions of acres of affected area going back in time.

Here is a link to the article:

http://www.firesciencecolleges.com/blog/2010/10-most-devastating-wildfires/

Right now we are starting a spell of sunny, hot weather in BC, with temperatures across the province in the upper 20's and 30's. It is our first taste of summer, and I've already seen some open fire bans go into effect. Be careful out there when playing or working in the woods!

Timberland Mining Services

2010-05-19T23:48:00.000-07:00

Timberland Consultants 2001 offers mining services such as line cutting, trail establishment, brushing for access, GIS mapping, GPS traversing and sample collections.

We also provide forestry services in relation to mining claims.

For a full review of this company near Nelson BC Canada, visit

http://www.miningservices.ca

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Tussock Moth near Rock Creek, BC

2010-05-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

Treatments are planned by the BC government to deal with the Tussock Moth (see below). This insect attacks the Dougas-fir tree species, and has the potential to kill mature trees. It's too bad there wasn't a similar treatment that could be done for mountain pine beetle.

Locations and times are given where people can view the plan and treatment areas affected.

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TUSSOCK MOTH TREATMENT PLANNED FOR ROCK CREEK, MIDWAY

ROCK CREEK – The Ministry of Forests and Range has been issued a pesticide-use permit to aerially spray 300 hectares near Rock Creek and Midway to reduce the impact of Douglas-fir tussock moth populations on forests, farms and residential trees.

One application of TM Biocontrol-1 ® virus is planned between May 8 and June 18, 2010 to help control the moth’s spread. The virus is federally regulated, naturally occurring and specific to tussock moth caterpillars. As a biological spray, it is not harmful to people, pets, fish, bees or birds.

Pest management plans and maps for the treatment area, including sites near Ingram Creek and Rock Creek, can be viewed at the following times and locations until June 18:

· Midway Public Library (612 – 6th Ave., Midway): Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

· Arrow Boundary Forest District (845 Columbia Ave., Castlegar): Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Southern Interior Forest Region’s overall pest management plan and proposed treatment areas can be accessed at:

www.for.gov.bc.ca/rsi/ForestHealth/PDF/SIR_PMP_March%2011_2008.pdf

and

www.for.gov.bc.ca/rsi/ForestHealth/Tussock_Moth_Spray_2010.htm

The Douglas-fir tussock moth is a native species with caterpillars that consume a tree’s needles. Outbreaks can last up to four years and quickly spread to nearby areas, causing significant forest damage and tree mortality.

For more on the tussock moth, go to:
www.for.gov.bc.ca/rsi/ForestHealth/Tussock_Moth.htm

or email:

tussockmoth@gov.bc.ca

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Prescribed Burns near Nelson BC

2010-05-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

News from the BC government about prescribed burns in my local area. If it is the area I'm thinking of, it will be a good treatment because it's a north aspect site with high slash levels. It will definitely help for tree planting and reduce fuels, and therefore fire risk. The weather has been cool and wet lately, so if they can get a burn going it should be easy to control.

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PRESCRIBED BURNS ASSIST REFORESTATION NEAR NELSON

NELSON – The public is advised that the Ministry of Forests and Range will conduct prescribed fires for the Sproule/Rixen Creek area between April 30 and May 15, weather permitting.

The burns will cover an estimated 20 hectares about 12 kilometres west of Nelson. All prescribed fires are carefully managed and must comply with the open burning smoke control regulation under the Environmental Management Act. Experienced fire crews will be on site to ensure the fires are properly extinguished.

Prescribed burns help prepare harvested forest land for replanting by adding nutrients to the soil and maximizing areas for optimal seedling growth. They also expand forage sites for deer and reduce interface fire risks by removing hazardous debris from forests surrounding communities.

The burns are being conducted by the Ministry of Forests and Range.

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