NEWS

What creates the shimmering patterns you see in quartersawn oak?

Answer: The shimmering patterns are caused by medullary rays, which transport and store nutrients within the tree. 

PHOTO © MANTHEI WOOD PRODUCTS

Read More: What Are Rays in Wood? →

The Forest Service and U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities announced the launch of the Forestry Analytics for Carbon Tracking (FACT) platform. This science-based platform addresses the growing challenge and need for reliable forest sector carbon data.

The U.S. hardwood industry continues to work through a deep contraction in capacity. At the 2026 National Hardwood Lumber Association convention, Hardwood Review said it had identified 151 publicly announced sawmill and yard closures since 2023.

Read More: NHLA: Hardwood Review Tracks 151 US Hardwood Sawmill and Yard Closures Since 2023 →

U.S. hardwood lumber exports total $841 million so far this year, a decline of 2% in volume and 3% in value vs. 2025. In contrast, log exports have grown rapidly over the past two years. In the first half of this year, log exports shot up by another 50% to reach more than $675 million. If this continues, log exports will exceed lumber exports by the end of the year.

The Canadian government failed to overturn the U.S. countervailing duty case against imports of Canadian softwood. A NAFTA panel accepted the U.S. Commerce Department's second response to its orders in full. Most of the subsidies were found to have come from Crown stumpage, the price provinces charge to harvest standing timber on public land.