ESFPA E-News

February Has Shaped Up to be Trade Month in Washington

From our colleagues at the Hardwood Federation

To better understand the chaotic pace of tariff policy announcements this year, it’s helpful to unpack the activity by dividing specific trade actions into categories in a sequential timeline.  We hope you can use the below summary as a guide to all the twists and turns on trade, which have been changing on a daily basis. 

Canada and Mexico:   President Trump jump-started the tariff process by announcing initial tariffs on Canada and Mexico to begin on Feb. 1.  Following outreach from Canadian and Mexican leaders, however, the Administration pushed back the effective date to March 4. After announcing on February 27 that the tariffs would be suspended through April 2, the Administration later clarified that the effective date will in fact be March 4.  Both countries have promised retaliatory action should U.S. tariffs move forward.  Canada’s retaliatory list includes a 25% tariff on wood and products from the U.S. including hardwoods.

China: Ten percent tariffs on Chinese imports to the U.S. also went into effect on February 1, prompting retaliatory tariffs on a limited set of products from China, which went into effect on February 10. On February 27, the President announced an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, which will be effective March 4.  The Chinese have imposed $14 Billion in retaliatory tariffs to date.  Chinese reaction to the latest White House action, including tariffs on U.S. hardwoods is unclear at this time.

European Union (E.U.):  Although the President talks regularly about the trade imbalance between the U.S. and the E.U., no formal announcement has been made targeting the Europeans.  When asked by reporters on February 26 when tariffs could be imposed, the President replied vaguely that it would be “soon” and set at the rate of 25%.   

Aluminum and Steel Tariffs: In addition to imposing tariffs on specific countries, on February 10, the Administration announced it would impose a 25% tariff on global steel and aluminum imports, which are scheduled to go into effect on March 12. Please note that while Canada and Mexico have a temporary suspension on general tariffs, they are subject to the product-specific tariffs on aluminum and steel.  The same goes for the E.U. 

Reciprocal Tariffs – Casting an even wider net on tariffs, on February 13, President Trump announced that the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Department of Commerce and other agencies, would move forward with reciprocal tariffs on a country-by-country basis.  Reciprocal tariffs could be imposed in a number of ways. They could be applied to specific products, to entire industries, or as an average tariff on goods arriving from a specific country. The anticipated action will follow submission of reports from federal agencies, analyzing the extent of trade imbalances between the U.S. and specific trading partners. After submission of the reports, which are due April 1, the White House directive orders federal agencies to “initiate … all necessary actions to investigate the harm to the U.S. from any non-reciprocal trade arrangements adopted by the trading partners.”

Executive Orders on Timber Production

On Saturday, March 1^st, the White House issued an Executive Order Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production. The Order carries the following directives:

• Within 30 days, the Departments of Interior and Agriculture shall each issue new or updated guidance regarding tools to facilitate increased timber production and sound forest management, reduce time to deliver timber, and decrease timber supply uncertainty.  The Departments shall also submit to the Office of Management and Budget any legislative proposals that would expand authorities to improve timber production and sound forest management.
• Within 60 days, the Departments of Interior and Commerce shall complete a strategy on USFS and BLM forest management projects under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1536) to improve the speed of approving forestry projects. The Department of the Interior, through the Director of the FWS, shall also examine any applicable existing authorities that would permit executive departments and agencies (agencies) to delegate consultation requirements under section 7 of the ESA to other agencies and, if necessary, provide a legislative proposal to ensure consultation is streamlined.
• Within 90 days, the Departments of Interior and Agriculture shall together submit a plan that sets a target for the annual amount of timber per year to be offered for sale over the next 4 years from Federal lands managed by the BLM and the USFS, measured in millions of board feet.
• Within 180 days, the Departments of Interior and Agriculture shall consider and adopt categorical exclusions to reduce unnecessarily lengthy processes and associated costs related to approvals for timber production, forest management, and wildfire risk reduction treatments.
• All relevant agencies shall eliminate, to the maximum extent permissible by law, all undue delays within their respective permitting processes related to timber production. 

Also on March 1^st, the White House issued a second Executive Order Addressing the Threat to National Security from Imports of Timber, Lumber. This Order addresses the effects on national security of imports of timber, lumber, and their derivative products. The EO directs the Secretary of Commerce to assess the following factors relative to domestic lumber production for national defense; impact on foreign competition on the welfare of domestic industries:

• the current and projected demand for timber and lumber in the United States;
• the extent to which domestic production of timber and lumber can meet domestic demand;
• the role of foreign supply chains, particularly of major exporters, in meeting United States timber and lumber demand;
• the impact of foreign government subsidies and predatory trade practices on United States timber, lumber, and derivative product industry competitiveness;
• the feasibility of increasing domestic timber and lumber capacity to reduce imports; and
• the impact of current trade policies on domestic timber, lumber, and derivative product production, and whether additional measures, including tariffs or quotas, are necessary to protect national security.

Within 270 days the Secretary of Commerce will submit a report to the President that includes:

• findings on whether imports of timber, lumber, and their derivative products threaten national security;
• recommendations on actions to mitigate such threats, including potential tariffs, export controls, or incentives to increase domestic production; and
• policy recommendations for strengthening the United States timber and lumber supply chain through strategic investments and permitting reforms.

Forest Products Coalition Authors Letter on EUDR to President Trump

A coalition representing the U.S. forest products value chain is calling on the Trump Administration to engage with European counterparts regarding the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Supply Chains (EUDR), which threatens U.S. forest product exports to Europe starting in December 2025. While the regulation aims to prevent deforestation-linked products from entering the EU market, its stringent compliance requirements unfairly disadvantage the U.S. industry, which is a global leader in sustainable forest management.

The regulation’s strict geolocation and traceability mandates are impractical given the scale of the U.S. supply chain and could disrupt $3.5 billion in trade. Despite a delay in implementation, fundamental compliance challenges remain unresolved. U.S. engagement is essential to ensure the EUDR does not impose unnecessary trade barriers that harm millions of private landowners, manufacturing jobs, and the broader U.S. forest products sector.

Click the link below to read the letter that received 61 signatories:

The Future of Private Lands

A one-day summit on forest land management and legacy planning for Adirondack Landowners presented by the Adirondack Landowners Association.

May 3rd, 2025, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Northwest Bay Conference Center (640 Bay Rd) - SUNY Adirondack, Queensbury, NY

Join fellow landowners, forestry leaders, and conservation experts for an immersive conference dedicated to empowering private forest stewards with the knowledge and tools needed to protect and enhance our precious woodland resources, now and for future generations.

Featuring Keynote Speaker: Kim Elliman, Retired CEO, Open Space Institute - Drawing from decades of conservation leadership, Kim Elliman brings unparalleled insight into effective land conservation and the valuable role of private stewardship. 

This comprehensive program addresses today's most pressing challenges:

• Master planning fundamentals: Learn the value and mechanics of a master plan
• Private forestry opportunities: Navigate challenges while maximizing potential
• Climate resilience: Understand the changing environmental conditions of our forests
• Generational transition: Engage the next generation to continue the legacy
• Financial sustainability: Explore innovative approaches and fresh perspectives on familiar economic tools
• Invasive species management: Latest identification and monitoring efforts
• Community connections: How we can strengthen our vital relationship with local government

Whether you are an individual forest owner, member of a club, or part of a multi-generational landowner, this conference offers practical insights and valuable connections to help you become a more effective steward of your land. Register today to secure your place among forward-thinking private landowners committed to preserving our forests for generations to come.

Click the link below to register:

NYSDEC's 2024 New York Forest Health Highlights

Our Forests

Forests in New York cover 18.6 million acres of land, making the state 61% forested. Whether it’s hiking, hunting, camping, or birdwatching, these forest lands provide recreational opportunities for millions of residents and visitors to the state’s scenic regions. New York’s forests also provide employment and bolster the state’s economy through the production of timber. New York’s forests are made of a variety of forest types with tree species such as maple, pine, oak, eastern hemlock, and more.

Invasive species threaten New York’s forests, damage our economy, and impact human health. Tracking, managing, and conducting research on invasive species and other forest health concerns is crucial for ensuring that New York’s forests remain a healthy, valuable resource for years to come.

Insects

Asian Longhorned Beetle

New York State has been managing Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) since the insect was first found in Brooklyn in 1996. Since then, ALB has been eradicated from all five New York City boroughs. The single remaining quarantine area is in Central Long Island, covering portions of Nassau and Suffolk counties. When ALB is found, infested trees are cut down and destroyed, while healthy nearby trees are sometimes treated to prevent future infestation. In January of 2024, USDA removed 10 square miles from the Long Island quarantine area, leaving 43 square miles under quarantine.

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid

Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) continues to cause widespread damage and mortality to eastern hemlock trees. In 2024, DEC treated hemlocks with systemic insecticides at Lake George Wild Forest, Glen Island Campground, Zoar Valley Unique Area, Carpenter Falls Unique Area, and multiple state forests to protect sensitive hemlock ecosystems and high public use areas. DEC supports HWA biological control work across the state, which uses the natural predators of invasive species to reduce their populations. In 2024, predators of HWA were released at more than 20 locations across New York, including silver flies and Laricobius beetles. It is hoped that chemical treatments will help to buy time for biological controls to become established and effective across the landscape.

Southern Pine Beetle

Southern pine beetle (SPB) continues to cause significant pine mortality on Long Island. Through an aerial survey in March 2024 followed by ground surveys, DEC mapped about 5,000 acres of damage on Long Island due to SPB. In 2024, DEC's SPB program conducted thinning and prescribed fires to restore a healthy, naturally sparse pine barrens that is resistant to SPB outbreaks. In total, 250 acres of pine forest were thinned on DEC lands in Suffolk County. About 100 acres of dense scrub oak understory were mowed. DEC staff worked with land managers at Sarnoff State Forest to burn 250 piles of coarse woody debris and conduct 50 acres of woodland prescribed fires. Management activities were conducted outside the active season of the federally endangered northern long-eared bat in order to protect this sensitive species. At sites north of Long Island, DEC continues to trap for SPB to monitor potential spread of the beetle. To date, no established populations of SPB have been found in New York outside of Long Island.

Spongy Moth

Spongy moth outbreaks occur every 7 to 10 years and cause severe defoliation of oaks and other hardwoods. When populations get exceptionally high, moths will also feed on conifers like white pine and hemlock. Hardwoods can often recover from 1-2 years of defoliation, but may die if they are defoliated for multiple years in a row. Conifers do not rebound well, and may die after just 1-2 years of defoliation. The current outbreak began in 2020 in the Finger Lakes region and spread to many areas of the state, peaking in 2021. In 2024, the heaviest defoliation occurred in Columbia, Dutchess, Ulster, and Orange counties. Through aerial surveys, DEC mapped about 600,000 acres of defoliation in southeastern New York in 2024. Outbreaks typically collapse after 3 to 5 years, so we should be nearing the end of this outbreak.

Multiple years of defoliation due to spongy moth, combined with multiple years of drought, have led to observations of oak mortality in central and northeastern New York. These same factors are likely to impact oaks in the Hudson Valley area in the coming years. DEC will continue to monitor and further quantify the damage to oaks in 2025. 

Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald ash borer (EAB) has expanded its range to nearly every corner of the state. In 2024, EAB was confirmed in Essex County for the first time. Research into biological control and surveys to locate potentially resistant ash trees are being conducted in all the infested regions of New York.

Red Pine Scale

Red pine scale, an invasive insect, was detected in Essex and Warren counties for the first time in 2024. Red pine scale nymphs feed on a red pine tree’s sap, eventually causing the tree to die. Infestations can be identified by the insects’ cocoons, which look like white, woolly masses around the base of red pine needles. Native to Japan, red pine scale was first detected in New York on Long Island in 1950. However, red pine scale had not been identified in upstate New York until 2024, possibly because colder temperatures kept populations low enough to remain undetected. In 2024, a significant amount of red pine in Essex and Warren counties that were surveyed for red pine scale showed signs of dieback, poor health, or mortality. DEC plans to conduct surveys in 2025 to determine the locations and abundance of red pine scale in New York.

Pathogens

Beech Leaf Disease

Beech leaf disease (BLD) was first found in New York in 2018 and has expanded rapidly across the state in the past few years. In 2024, BLD was confirmed in five new counties: Otsego, Oneida, Washington, Lewis, and Schenectady. Currently, there is no known treatment for BLD. Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, DEC is testing potential treatment strategies including canopy thinning and understory removal to see if the impacts of BLD can be mitigated by forest management.

Oak Wilt

Oak wilt is a disease that causes oak leaves to turn brown and fall off in spring and summer, typically killing the tree. Oak wilt is caused by a fungus and can spread when fungal spores are transported by beetles or when the roots of nearby oaks, especially red oaks, graft together with an infected tree. When oak wilt is detected in New York, a quarantine district is established to prohibit the movement of infected wood, preventing the disease from spreading. Quarantine districts currently exist in the towns of Middlesex, Bristol, South Bristol, Italy, and Glenville. In 2024, DEC conducted aerial surveys for oak wilt over previously known infected areas. No new cases of oak wilt were discovered.

Invasive Plants

Giant Hogweed

Giant hogweed plants have been managed by DEC since 2008 and are present in 48 counties in New York, with the largest and densest number of sites located in the western portion of the state. At sites where giant hogweed plants are found, a mix of manual and/or chemical control methods are used. Sites that have previously been treated for giant hogweed continue to be monitored until no giant hogweed plants are found for a total of nine years, at which point they are considered eradicated. Information is available for landowners and the public through our giant hogweed information line, outreach materials, and website. Because of our control efforts, over 62% of historical giant hogweed sites in New York no longer have these invasive plants.

Kudzu

Kudzu plants have been managed by DEC since 2014 and are present in 14 southeastern counties in New York. Because of our control efforts, kudzu has been eradicated from over 30% of sites where it was historically present.

Forest Health Research Lab

The Forest Health Research Lab (FHRL) responded to 701 diagnostic requests and conducted 4 public site visits in 2024. Diagnostic requests and inquiries received by the FHRL came from across the state from the public, arborists/tree care professionals, foresters, and more. Additionally, the lab received inquiries from nine other states/provinces. General Invertebrate Identification (insects, spiders, mites, and worms) remains the most frequently inquired subject across the state for the second year in a row, followed by General Pathogen/Microorganism Identification (fungi, bacteria, slime molds, etc.). Many of these are native species that the public hasn’t seen before and would like identified.

Public reports of invasive species are crucial to protecting the health of New York’s forests. The first detection of oak wilt in New York was reported by a concerned homeowner. Both HWA and BLD have been found at the edges of their known range by campers, hikers, and homeowners. Public reports also help us track outreach efforts and determine what issues are emerging across the state.

If you have questions about an insect or tree health issue you think might be invasive, contact foresthealth@dec.ny.gov, or use the online reporting form.