NEWS

In addition to the tragic humanitarian impact, the Russian invasion of Ukraine will impact the decorative hardwoods industry. In 2021, Russia was the third-largest source of U.S. hardwood plywood imports, with a total volume of more than 567 million square feet worth more than $334 million. Elimination of these imports could create opportunities for competing manufacturers. For those who import Russian birch cores for further processing, it is likely to create sourcing challenges. PEFC and FSC have labeled wood from Russia and Belarus as "conflict" timber.

In these challenging times, timely information can be the key to surviving and thriving. DHA is here to help: learn more from industry experts and your colleagues at the DHA 2022 Spring Conference and 101st Annual Meeting, from Monday, May 16, through Wednesday, May 18, in downtown Nashville. And now, DHA is providing FREE resources to help specify and buy decorative hardwood products. I look forward to seeing our DHA members at our annual meeting. Not yet a member? Reply to this email to learn more.

If you have questions or comments, contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.


Keith A. Christman, President
Decorative Hardwoods Association

Russia is the largest lumber exporter in the world and the seventh-largest exporter of forest products. Forest products exports from Russia have grown rapidly over the past five years, reaching a value of more than $12 billion in 2021. Sanctions will create both challenges and opportunities for our industry.

Forest certification programs PEFC and FSC have labeled wood and wood-based materials from Russia and Belarus as "conflict" wood that cannot be used in certified products. The use of wood covered by a certificate of origin before March 2, 2022, is not affected by the PEFC decision; the current policy on conflict trees is valid for six months. FSC stated that the wood "cannot be used in FSC products or be sold as FSC certified . . . as long as the armed violence continues."

Ukraine's Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources has asked the Council of the EU to ban imports of Russian forest and wood products, stating that not a single Russian tree should finance the furious destruction occurring in a peaceful country nor environmental disasters in the world.

Expect increased sanctions against trade with Russia and restrictions on financial transactions to interrupt and redirect shipments of forest products worldwide, experts say, likely causing a precipitous decline in forest products trade with Russia.

Registration is now open for all DHA members for the Decorative Hardwoods Association 2022 Spring Conference and 101st Annual Meeting, held in Nashville from Monday, May 16 - Wednesday, May 18. Join us to hear the latest insights from industry leaders and experts on the trade, economics, and marketing of decorative hardwood products.

DHA is making it easier and less expensive to buy decorative hardwood products. Now, key materials to help specify and purchase decorative hardwood products are available at no cost from DHA's website. Free downloads include:

• American National Standard for Hardwood and Decorative Plywood (ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2020)
• American National Standard for Engineered Wood Flooring (ANSI/HPVA EF 2020)
• American National Standard for Due Diligence in Procuring / Sourcing Legal Timber (ANS LTDD 1.0)
• 2022 Where to Buy Membership Directory

According to the latest data from Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association, total cabinet sales increased 11.7% in January. The growth of custom cabinet sales surpassed that number, up 19.7% in January.

The Cabinet Makers Association's twelfth annual Wood Diamonds Awards showcase the amazing craftsmanship of CMA's members. Submit your entries no later than May 1.

AHF Products, manufacturer of engineered wood flooring and DHA member, announced two promotions. Jennifer Zimmerman, previously the company's general counsel, was promoted to chief commercial officer. Chris King, previously vice president of sales, is now senior vice president of sales and marketing.
 

Capital Testing has been added to the newest edition of the FAA's Aircraft Materials Fire Test Handbook. Capital Testing provides vertical flammability, horizontal flammability, and smoke density testing of aerospace materials in accordance with FAA methods.

Small landowners faced a number of obstacles when tackling the job of replanting after the 2020 wildfires, just one of which was the shortage of seedlings. Some found that weeds and other vegetation grew quickly over burned forestland and, deciding that these might threaten the survival of seedlings, chose not to replant.

In July 2020, Nature published the results of a study that showed a sudden increase in harvested forest area in Europe. However, new data shows that the Nature study results were overstated and not accurate. One of the reasons: the method used to identify harvested area has improved over time.

Overgrown forests are one of the key contributing factors to the current wildfire crisis in the West. U.S. Forest Service research shows that thinning forests will reduce the impact of wildfires and mitigate damage during droughts.
 

The emerald ash borer has destroyed approximately 100 million ash trees across the U.S. Oregon foresters are preemptively collecting ash tree seeds to protect the tree's genes and help limit the impact of the invasive pest.

Scientists found that the emerald ash borer can adapt its physiology to severe Canadian winters. Larvae survived temperatures as cold as -40 degrees Celsius.

Two years after the EU Commission warned Romania to put an end to illegal deforestation, researchers found that the country is failing to prevent illegal logging in areas protected by European Union law. The Commission reported that Romanian authorities managed forests and authorized logging "without evaluating beforehand the impacts on protected habitats as required."

Just how many trees are there in the world?