I think if you click on the blue arrow below you will get the trailer for this series of podcasts. The first episode of Forestcast Season 4 is now available! Join Forest Service researchers as they delve into the multifaceted world of fire. Available online or wherever you get your podcasts.https://t.co/rKRufIBLNd pic.twitter.com/8fNmau1CUx — Northern Research (@usfs_nrs) April 10, 2024 ..read more

The Westerman Draft bill wants to support biochar research. It seems that many folks are already studying biochar. An idea would be to round these up, and look for gaps and overlaps before we send any more funding. I tried the search terms forest and biochar for a variety of federal research organizations. Apparently, search terms select a broader group than I intended. I looked at NSF (National Science Foundation) and searched on biochar and forests and got this.. but many of them don’t seem to have biochar or forests, so maybe my searching is at fault. I looked at Department of Energy and f ..read more

Here’s a link, thanks to Forest Business Network.   Scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable way to make a popular pain reliever and other valuable products from plants instead of petroleum. Building on a previously patented method for producing paracetamol—the active ingredient in Tylenol—the discovery promises a greener path to one of the world’s most widely used medicines and other chemicals. More importantly, it could provide new revenue streams to make cellulosic biofuels—derived from non-food plant fibers—cos ..read more

Subtitle C actually says “addressing frivolous litigation” and Section 121 is titled “Commonsense Litigation Reform” Here’s the text. We’re going to need help from lawyers out there.. a) IN GENERAL.—A court shall not enjoin a fireshed management project under this Act if the court determines that the plaintiff is unable to demonstrate that the claim 7 of the plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits. 8 (b) BALANCING SHORT- AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES IN CONSIDERING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.—As part of its weighing the equities while considering any request for an injunct ..read more

  This is under the tab for “other”. I think most of them are rural schools funds but maybe not. NFF seems to have two $100 mill ish and one 50 mill ish all started in 2023. *************** Also the Great Basin Institute is not a Keystone but did get 59 mill. Looks like that was for some NEPA, perhaps: In recent years, GBI has scaled support for several post-fire planning needs for the US Forest Service.  In 2022-23, the Sequoia, Inyo, Eldorado, Plumas, and Lassen National Forests have entered into agreements to provide specialist support and scoping services for Categorical Exclus ..read more

The above is a screenshot from USAspending.gov. You can click on it to make it easier to read. Update on Questions From Last Week Dave Mertz has heard back that the Forest Service will answer the questions he posed last week. So we can look forward to that. Suggestions for the Forest Service in Communicating I’d put out a table that shows the agreements thus far, and how much has been obligated over what time period.  Once specific agreements for each project are approved,   I’d have each funded project with a project description, how much money, timeline, and accomplishments when t ..read more

Well actually, Smokey never left, although he was defamed in certain circles. Here’s BCm and here’s Burnie the Bobcat. As I said on XTwit or TwitX last weekish. Thanks to Wildfire Today for this: Air quality publication HouseFresh analyzed NIFC data from 2023 and ranked the causes of wildfires by number of occurrences. Of the recorded fires, 72.6 percent were directly caused by humans. The bulk of last year’s wildfires were caused by debris burning and open burning, resulting in 1,302 wildfires. That is an increase from the 1,120 fires started by debris and open burning in 2022. Equipment an ..read more

A little weekend reading. FOREST SERVICE Siuslaw NF Oregon Dunes NRA coastal marten Notice of Intent to Sue On March 25, the Center for Biological Diversity notified the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service of its intent to sue for failing to initiate consultation on its ongoing actions that may affect the coastal pine marten, listed as threatened in 2020.  They specifically target “rampant, unchecked off-road vehicle (“ORV”) use” in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, and suggest that the Forest Service should “put up fencing to protect marten habitat, and more signage ..read more

If you watched the Forest Service budget hearing, a few of the Senators brought up Mass Timber and CLT (cross-laminated timber).  The National Museum of Forest Service History had an excellent explanation (with photos) in their newsletter. They are also having an auction until April 15, I’ve bid on a couple of places to stay and there’s other good stuff as well. The below and attached newsletter is reprinted with the permission of the National Museum.  I thought this was a great article, so shout-out to the Museum and to Tom Chung! I just excerpted the introduction below, and the ar ..read more

NBC News As the election campaign overheats, here are a couple critiques of current Biden and future Trump policies affecting the Forest Service. WildEarth Guardians recently reviewed a FY 2022 Forest Service Report to Congress, which discusses “timber program performance.”  (I’d note that the context was “the unexpected increase in demand for lumber during the recent period of quarantine and social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic…”)  WildEarth Guardians said, The document outlines how the agency can increase logging in our national forests by at least 25 percent above cu ..read more