Here is the week's news affecting forestry in california:
Wildfire epidemic leaves states searching for answers, By JIM MALEWITZ, Sacramento Bee, DEC. 13, 2012
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- To some people living in the drought-scorched American West, it may seem like the fires will never stop raging. Months after forests and grasslands in much of the region usually cease smoldering for the year, smoke still wafts across parts of Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. Hundreds of residents living nearby have returned to their homes, but firefighters have not fully contained the blaze, which they hope will be the last in Colorado's worst fire season ever. .....
Environmental assessment released for Rush fire, By Jane Braxton Little, Sacramento Bee, DEC. 13, 2012
SUSANVILLE – Bureau of Land Management officials have released an environmental assessment of the Rush fire, which in August burned more than 315,000 acres of mostly public lands northeast of Susanville along the California-Nevada border. The federal document describes projects to restore the burned area, including portions of nine livestock grazing allotments, important wildlife habitat and parts of the Twin Peaks and Buckhorn wild horse and burro herd management areas.....
Feds designate habitat for Klamath sucker fish, By JEFF BARNARD, Contra Costa Times, 12/12/2012
GRANTS PASS, Ore.—The federal government has designated habitat critical to the survival of two endangered species of sucker fish that have been at the center of bitter battles over water in the Klamath Basin for decades. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday designated critical habitat for Lost River suckers and shortnosed suckers. ....
NIST, Forest Service Propose System to Help Communities Resist Wildfires, Michael E. Newman, From NIST Tech Beat: December 12, 2012,
Federal researchers have developed the first-ever rating system that allows communities to assess their risk from wildfires—on a building-by-building basis—and then ties that assessment to improved building codes, standards and practices that could help reduce the threat. The proposed Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Hazard Scale addresses fires that occur where developed and undeveloped areas meet.
Rare wolf in California moves to lower ground, Associated Press, Contra Costa Times, 12/11/2012
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Oregon-born wolf looking for a mate in the wilds of Northern California has moved to lower ground as winter approaches. California Department of Fish and Game program manager Karen Kovacs told The Oregonian that winter storms lashing the high country south of Lassen Peak have forced deer to lower elevations, and the wolf, known as OR-7. has followed......
Call for nominations: Softwood Lumber Board seeks candidates, Forest Business Network, Dec 11, 2012
The Softwood Lumber Board (Board), which administers a national research and promotion program for softwood lumber, is seeking nominees to fill six seats on the Board. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA, which oversees the program, would like to encourage all eligible industry members to participate in the process. In an effort to enhance the diversity of the Board, USDA also encourages women, minorities and people with disabilities to seek positions on the Board.
Evidence Keeps Building Of Flaws In State’s Carbon Auction, By John Hrabe, Fox & Hounds Daily, December 10th, 2012
California’s cap and trade regulators can’t seem to do anything right. Taxpayers, businesses and even some environmentalists are exposing the serious flaws with the state’s carbon auction. Small businesses have criticized the landmark greenhouse gas emissions law for being “the greatest threat to the growth of our business in California.” On the eve of the state’s inaugural cap and trade auction, the California Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit claiming that the state was illegally profiting from the sale of “free” emission credits. The next day, the auction itself proved to be a major disappointment, yielding less than a dime more than the floor price for carbon allowances......
North American lumber prices forecast to soar in 2013 and reach record highs in 2014, Woodmarkets, Dec. 10, 2012
New Five-Year Outlook shows that supply and demand conditions in wood products for the long-awaited 'super-cycle' are now taking hold, with the full impact still some 3+ years away! With the return of a demand-driven wood products market in 2012 - due to rapidly increasing housing starts in the U.S. - it is now forecast that lumber and panel prices will move to new highs in 2013 and record highs for lumber in 2014......
Number of Improving Housing Markets Surges to 201 in December, National Assn of Homebuilders, December 6, 2012
The number of housing markets considered “improving” according to parameters established by the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) surged by 76 to a total of 201 metros in December, according to IMI data released today. The index also shows that the number of states represented on the list by at least one metro increased from 38 in November to 44 (plus the District of Columbia) in December.......
Let it burn? Federal agencies draft national wildland fire strategy, BY ROB CHANEY, Missoulian, Dec 9, 2012
Wildfires and weather share a common problem: We all talk about them, but what can we do about them? The federal government hopes to answer the wildfire question with a three-year strategy session that’s wrapping up this month. But there’s no guarantee the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy will save an acre of forest. In fact, it might force the nation to decide how much it’s willing to let burn......
Big, Old Trees in Decline Worldwide, Our Amazing Planet, Dec 06, 2012
Big, old trees are in decline throughout the world, which spells trouble for the forests in which they play such an important role, a new study finds. These elders of the forest do many things that smaller, younger trees cannot; for example, providing homes for many types of animals, providing space for other plants to grow in tropical rainforests and producing large amounts of seeds that serve as food for other animals and replenish tree populations, according to the study, published today (Dec. 6) in the journal Science. .....
Rural America becoming less relevant, By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press, HughesNet, December 8, 2012,
WASHINGTON (AP) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has some harsh words for rural America: It's "becoming less and less relevant," he says. A month after an election that Democrats won even as rural parts of the country voted overwhelmingly Republican, the former Democratic governor of Iowa told farm belt leaders this past week that he's frustrated with their internecine squabbles and says they need to be more strategic in picking their political fights......
Retailers to collect lumber products assessment, Eureka Times Standard, Dec 7, 2012
Retailers and construction contractors who make retail sales will begin to collect a 1 percent assessment from California consumers who purchase lumber and engineered wood products beginning Jan. 1, 2013, according to a recent announcement by the state Board of Equalization.