ESFPA E-News

Forestry Awareness Day 2025 Registration

This year's Forestry Awareness Day will be held on Tuesday, March 4th, 2025. The event will be in the Well at the Legislative Office Building in Albany. As many of you already know, Forestry Awareness Day gives ESFPA members the opportunity to put a face on our forests and wood product manufacturing sector; educating legislators and policy makers on the importance of forests and harvested wood products, and the contribution we have in New York's economy, environment, and the quality of life of all New Yorkers. 

We will have more details available in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned and keep an eye out for updates!

Preliminary information:

• All meetings will have an assigned leader
• Meetings will be in 30-minute time slots  
• Our issue sheets will be released in the upcoming weeks
• Registration is required
• If you will be purchasing breakfast/lunch through ESFPA, the cost is $25 and can be paid through the registration form 

Your voice is needed to help make a difference! Register today:

New 25 Million Trees Initiative ‘Tree Tracker’

New Yorkers Encouraged to Record Tree Plantings to Contribute to Statewide Sustainability and Reforestation Goals

Every Tree Planted Contributes to State Goal of 25 Million Trees by 2033

Launch of a new webpage and interactive tracking tool to help document progress toward New York State’s goal to plant 25 million trees by 2033. Hosted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and developed in cooperation with the Office of Information Technology Services, the webpage and Tree Tracker allow State agencies, organizations, private entities, and individuals to report the location and number of trees planted into the tracking tool, measuring progress in the statewide effort.

Trees planted in 2024 and on count toward the statewide total. Every entry records the number and location of trees planted. Entries can also include additional information such as planting date(s), tree species, and tree size. The webpage displays an interactive map of planting projects across New York State, and tallies trees planted by region, county, and municipality for visitors to track planting across the state as the initiative progresses toward the 25 million tree goal.

In addition to linking to the Tree Tracker, the 25 Million Trees webpage provides information on how to plant trees, how to care for them to aid their survival, and where to go for more technical assistance.

Governor Hochul launched the 25 Million Trees Initiative in her 2024 State of the State address, allocating $32 million in Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act Funds to modernize the State’s tree nursery and harness technology to track forestation efforts in New York and $15 million in the Executive Budget to support resilient reforestation projects. The Initiative is invigorating statewide tree planting efforts, sending an unmistakable market signal to private nurseries, and growing the state’s vital forest products industry. The Initiative advances the climate equity and reforestation goals outlined in New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and contributes to New York’s broader efforts to reduce the pollution contributing to climate change.

The 25 Million Trees Initiative also highlights funding opportunities for afforestation and reforestation projects in New York State. Private landowners had access to $4.5 million for projects expanding and restoring forests through the Establishing Large Forests (ELF) Grant Program, and $15 million is currently available to municipalities, not-for-profits, and State agencies to create forested natural areas servicing urban communities through the Community Reforestation (CoRe) Grant Program until March, 12, 2025.

New York’s 25 Million Trees Initiative also contributes in part to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers’ call for planting 250 million trees around the Great Lakes region by 2033.

For more information, read the full Governor's press release.

EUDR Questions

From our friends at the Forest Resources Association

Several questions for the record about problems with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) were submitted to Howard Lutnick in advance of his hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to become the next Secretary of Commerce. One of the questions was about the risk assessment the EU government must perform of all countries shipping products into the EU and categorize each as low, medium, and high risk for deforestation. 

Mr. Lutnick answered:  Given our strong anti-deforestation measures in the United States, I do believe that exports from the United States should be considered low-risk and would support efforts to reduce complex requirements.

Another question probed the technical trade barriers EUDR poses for the U.S. forest products industry, particularly given the number of small, private landowners in the U.S. compared to countries in the EU and countries like China.

Mr. Lutnick replied:  I am concerned about the technical barriers to trade posed by the EUDR and its impact on the American forest products industry. Upon confirmation, I will direct my staff to review the impact of the EUDR as part of the reports and reviews the Department will conduct pursuant to President Trump’s America First Trade Policy Presidential Memorandum.

Similar questions were posed to Jamieson Greer in advance of his hearing yesterday before the Senate Finance Committee to become the U.S. Trade Representative. Responses have not yet been received.

Trade Issue Updates

It has been a very interesting and wild couple of weeks on trade issues.  While we try to keep up, it just take one X post to change the game.  Here is a quick summary of where we ended last week on trade from our friends at the National Alliance of Forest Owners:

On Saturday, February 1, President Trump signed three executive orders implementing a 25% tariff on products from Canada, a 25% tariff on products from Mexico, and a 10% tariff on products from China.  On the following Monday, President Trump delayed the implementation of the tariffs for Canada and Mexico for 30 days.  However, the China tariffs went into effect on Tuesday.  Tariffs have not been imposed on log exports to date. The elimination of the Canadian tariff does not affect the established annual process for assessing duties on Canadian softwood lumber. The current duty on most Canadian lumber is 14.54%.  That number is likely to increase to 25% or higher by the end of summer.

Passing of Dennis J. Phillips

It is with a heavy heart we share that ESFPA Counsel and Empire State Forestry Foundation Director, Dennis Phillips passed away on Friday, February 7^th. 

Dennis was an icon of the forest products industry and Adirondack community.  He was present at the modern creation and re-incorporation of ESFPA in 1982 and practiced forest and land use related law for over 50-years representing many ESFPA landowners and businesses.  An outstanding professional, stalwart property rights advocate, gentleman, and family man!

There will be a funeral service for Dennis on Saturday February 15^th at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Glens Falls (62 Warren St, Glens Falls, NY 12801), followed by a reception at the Queensbury Hotel. His family has extended an invitation to the reception for all ESFPA members.