NEWS

Last week, our association commended Congress for moving forward with legislation to address China's abusive trade practices and asked Congress to include important new measures to improve trade enforcement in the final legislation.

The White House also launched a new effort to purchase low-carbon building products, creating new opportunities for engineered wood flooring, hardwood plywood, and hardwood veneer. These and other wood products store carbon while in use. And, a new study from Sweden adds to the large body of evidence that working forests store more carbon than unmanaged forests. DHA and others in the industry are working to find more ways to tell this story.

Earlier this month, we published the Decorative Hardwoods Association 2022 Where to Buy. Our comprehensive directory lists trusted providers of decorative hardwood products, highlights what's new, answers frequently asked questions about decorative hardwoods, and provides additional resources. If you haven't already, download your free copy now.

If you have questions or comments, contact me. I look forward to hearing from you. News and details are below.


Keith A. Christman, President
Decorative Hardwoods Association
 

Decorative Hardwoods Association published a letter commending Congress for moving forward with legislation to increase U.S. competitiveness and address China's abusive trade practices, and specifically requesting that the legislation include the Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0.

On February 15, the White House announced that it will create a "Buy Clean" task force that will focus on the production and purchase of low-carbon materials made in the U.S. for use in federal construction projects. The task force will identify products with lower embodied emissions and pollutants across their lifecycle, including each stage of the manufacturing process.

The U.S. South is becoming an increasingly important lumber supplier in North America. Canadian lumber companies are expanding into the region to gain access to its forests. An added benefit: avoiding U.S. tariffs on softwood.

Expect Vietnam's wood and wood furniture products industry to continue to grow in 2022, experts say, due in part to international demand. Last year, Vietnam's exports of wood and wood products reached $14.5 billion, an increase of 17.2%.

Don't miss out! Claim your free copy of the Decorative Hardwoods Association Where to Buy Membership Directory to see what's new. Use the guide to find reputable, reliable manufacturers and distributors of engineered wood flooring, veneer, and hardwood plywood, as well as the equipment and supplies needed to produce gorgeous hardwood products.
 

The U.S. Forest Service in Oregon will receive more than $262 million in federal disaster funding to help the state recover from forest fires. The funds are part of the $1.1 billion in federal emergency funding that will help regions across the U.S. recover from recent disasters.

A new study led by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences shows that forests that have been used intensively increase their carbon stock, while forests that have not been used as intensively have relatively unchanged carbon stock.

Severe winter weather has toppled more than eight million trees across the United Kingdom. More are threatened by oncoming storms. As the climate heats, weather is becoming more severe and unpredictable, which means that forest management and planting strategies must adapt more quickly.

New rulings in parts of Europe have created a "new order in the forest." According to Swedish Forest Industries, forest owners must now consider all wild bird species—at the individual level—since they are protected under the Species Protection Ordinance. This will make forestry impossible for large parts of the year.

Source: Timber Industry News

Twenty years ago, the warming Canadian Rockies gave rise to swarms of mountain pine beetles. Those beetles have devastated 50 million acres of forest and have helped cause one of the worst lumber shortages in history. Prices have jumped 200-300% higher than pandemic levels.

Brazil recorded the most deforestation ever in the Amazon rainforest for the month of January. Total deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil reached 166 square miles, five times higher than last January.

Experts report that companies in the EU and Britain are still buying lumber from the affiliates of a conglomerate caught illegally clearcutting trees in Russia's taiga. Environmentalists are calling for PEFC to close loopholes in the certification process. 

Last year, the U.S. Leading Economic Index ended on an upward trend, suggesting the economy will continue to expand well into the spring.

How many tree species are there on Earth?