DHA eNews - New Executive Order Will Impact U.S. Forests
On Earth Day, President Biden issued a new executive order impacting forests and the surrounding communities. According to the White House, the order is designed to "strengthen America's forests, boost wildfire resilience, and combat global warming." Using more forest products can help accomplish these goals by sustainably harvesting wood and storing that carbon for decades to come. The Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials published a new fact sheet earlier this year that highlights the benefits of managed working forests. At this point, it's unclear whether the executive order will fully recognize all benefits of using wood products.
Beyond the carbon storage benefits of decorative hardwoods, people benefit from the warmth and timeless beauty of hardwood products such as wood furniture, panels, cabinets, and engineered hardwood floors. We are looking forward to the upcoming launch of the DHA-supported, Real American Hardwood™ marketing campaign and public website that will highlight these benefits.
I also look forward to seeing many of you at DHA’s Annual Meeting in less than two weeks. If you have questions or comments, contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Keith A. Christman, President
Decorative Hardwoods Association
On Earth Day, President Biden signed an executive order designed to "strengthen America’s forests, boost wildfire resilience, and combat global warming." The executive order also directs agencies to inventory "old growth" and "mature" forests and enhances international efforts to prevent deforestation.
A new DHA-supported marketing campaign, Real American Hardwood™, will advertise the beauty of hardwoods directly to consumers. The campaign will promote the benefits that consumers value most: that hardwood products provide enduring beauty, warmth, and deep satisfaction to their owners.
The U.S. Department of Commerce has postponed the deadline for issuing its final conclusion on the investigation into possible evasion of anti-dumping and countervailing duties involving hardwood plywood imported from Vietnam. The agency will publish its conclusion by October 17 instead of April 20.
The Chinese Minister of Finance will extend tariff exclusions for U.S. hardwoods through November 30, reported the Hardwood Federation, stating that "business will carry on as usual with no Chinese tariffs on U.S. hardwood lumber and log exports for the next six months."
The National Forest Certification System of Belarus has been suspended by the PEFC International Board after a request from PEFC Belarus. The suspension is effective as of April 18 and will last until the revised system documentation is submitted—at least for six months.
Raute, a leader in plywood and LVL production technologies, has begun a controlled shutdown of existing agreements with Russian customers who are not under sanctions. EU's sanctions against Russia included export prohibitions which are likely to affect some of Raute's deliveries to Russia.
Danzer sold its hardwood lumber sawmill in Bradford, PA, on April 21 to a joint venture between hardwood producer Rossi Group and timberland investment firm Lyme Timber Company. The new owners will keep all 85 jobs at the facility and plan to add about 20 more.
We're looking forward to seeing you at the Decorative Hardwoods Association 2022 Spring Conference and 101st Annual Meeting in downtown Nashville from Monday, May 16, to Wednesday, May 18. Industry experts will talk about what we can expect to see in trade, the economy, and legislation. And, we'll hear about the launch of the Real American Hardwood™ marketing campaign. See the full list of our sponsors and products showcase exhibitors on the DHA website.
Continuously replanting after harvest offsets removals and keeps the average carbon stable across forested lands. Continued investment in sustainably managed forests can increase forest carbon storage while providing a continuous supply of wood for future needs.
The Oregon Court of Appeals found that managing state forestland for the "greatest permanent value" isn't the same as maximizing timber revenue, deciding against a county seeking to maximize revenue. The court ruled that Oregon can balance the financial benefits of timber production with other benefits like water quality, wildlife habitat, and recreation.
In Ontario, a large private tract—358,295 acres—of boreal forest, formerly managed as wood supply for Domtar, will now be managed for research and conservation by The Nature Conservancy of Canada. Formerly the Hearst Forest, the area is known for its extraordinary ecosystem and abundant wildlife.
A new study shows that better wildfire management in Canadian and Alaskan forests could be a more cost-effective way to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Improved fire management could prevent the release of up to nearly 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2050.
Changes in forest composition are causing stress to species of birds that live in wooded areas. Research suggests that the decline in the number of many bird species in eastern Canada is due to habitat loss caused by forestry activities.
Legal restrictions meant to protect Brazil's Indigenous territories from illegal deforestation and cattle ranching have not been effective. In just the first two months of this year, nearly 300 acres of forest were cleared for cattle ranching and mining in Indigenous lands ostensibly protected by these decrees.
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