NEWS

Decorative Hardwoods Association (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XVII, Issue III: DHA Insights | 54% of Homebuyers Will Pay More For Hardwood Floors | Business Tax Package Makes Progress | Hardwood Industry Asks For $25M To Promote Hardwoods | Hardwood Federation Urges Support For Key Farm Bill Provisions | GSA Chooses Red Oak For Military Vehicles | New Regulations Could Shut Down Permitting | Wood Trivia: Test Your Knowledge

As the climate changes, which important hardwood tree in eastern North America is likely to be the most resilient?

Answer: Red maple.

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PHOTO © USFS TONY DYNEK

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release a stringent air quality standard for "fine particulate matter." While the standard would primarily affect large facilities in the wood industry, it is also likely to impact smaller operations and downstream manufacturers. In addition, this standard will affect the many areas of the country that are exposed to smoke from forest fires.

The U.S. General Services Administration designated red oak as the material of choice for floorboards and cargo beds in military vehicles. The goal is to use northern red oak, which GSA characterizes as having "the least concern for extinction," instead of hardwoods from endangered tropical forests.

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The farm bill, reauthorized every five years, includes forestry provisions that impact the U.S. hardwood industry. The Hardwood Federation is urging members and those in our industry to contact members of Congress. What's at stake: hardwood export promotion funding, timber innovation for the Building Rural Communities Act, and the Jobs in the Woods Act.

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