NEWS

In August, China’s exports and imports were much stronger than anticipated due to vigorous demand. Customs data showed that exports rose 25.6% to $294.3 billion, an increase from July's 18.9% growth. Imports rose 33.1% to $236 billion, an increase from growth in July of 28.7%. Imports of American goods grew 33.3% to $14 billion, up again after a 25.5% gain in July.

The now-defunct Global Plywood and Lumber Trading LLC pled guilty to violating the Lacey Act by buying illegally harvested or shipped hardwoods from three Peruvian suppliers in 2015. The company will pay $205,000 in restitution and fines alone.

The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have requested comments on the "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) rule. The American Forest & Paper Association recommends a durable WOTUS rule but states that wastewater treatment and ephemeral waters should be excluded.

Oregon's forest industry lost nearly $6 billion as a result of the Labor Day wildfires in 2020. The fires, which burned more than one million acres, also destroyed logging equipment and wiped out earlier efforts to restore forestland.

Manufacturing employment increased by 37,000 in August alone. Year-to-date gains have reached 190,000, resulting in a total of 12,421,000 manufacturing workers in August. The average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers rose 5% over the past year.

Recent stories about the impact on our industry include:

• Are construction workers at high risk for contracting COVID-19?
• Contractors call for more COVID-19 vaccinations in construction
• President Biden requires that large employers mandate coronavirus vaccinations
• Some much-needed coronavirus humor

See the DHA coronavirus news and resources pages for more information.

The Canadian government has published its official regulations governing formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. These regulations, which take effect on January 7, 2023, are very similar to U.S. EPA TSCA Title VI. For more information, read DHA's write-up about these new regulations and how the new rules compare to TSCA Title VI.

Capital Testing is pleased to announce the recent hire of James Fishenden as a lab technician and chemist. A graduate of the Virginia Tech nanoscience program with a minor in chemistry, James will perform formaldehyde emissions and physical property testing and assist with certification and inspection.

A new report shows that approximately 17,500 species of trees – about 30% of the world's tree species – are at risk of extinction. 440 species have fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the wild. The number of threatened tree species is double the number of threatened mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles combined.

While earthworms are beneficial for growing food, studies show that they are harming our forests and could be contributing to climate change. Earthworms are not native to most of North America.

Global Witness research shows that violent resource theft continued unabated despite the pandemic. In 2020, 227 people were killed while trying to protect the forests, rivers, and other ecosystems that their livelihoods depended on.

A machine designed to extract carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into rock began operating earlier this month in Iceland. The machine can draw 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide out of the air every year, which is equivalent to the carbon dioxide captured by four square miles of forest.

Massive global reforestation is our best option, says Yishan Wong. It’s the fastest, most efficient, and least risky solution to climate change.

Replanting efforts just can't keep up as the ferocity of forest fires increases. Just one of the many reasons is that insufficient seed collection and limited nursery capacity have resulted in too few seedlings. 

Florida leads the U.S. in managing forests through controlled burns that clear vegetation that could fuel future wildfires. Policies codified prescribed fires years ago; for the past two decades, nearly 70% of all controlled burns occurred in the Southeast. Now, some Western states are implementing Florida's policies.  

The editorial board of the San Diego Union-Tribune spoke out in a strongly worded article to encourage the federal government to properly maintain its California forestland.

Enjoy a laugh with the winners of the 2021 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards, who captured some seriously amusing shots.