Chris Matthews wonders where America could possibly get wood other than from Canada

Wood doesnt just grow on trees is glorious

We will have the best wood, big beautiful wood, the type we all remember from our teenage mornings.

They have larger amounts of certain woods

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Here are some key examples of wood species that Canada exports to the U.S. — often because they're harder to source domestically:

1. Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)

Why it's special: Native to Canada and the northernmost parts of the U.S., but grows best in colder Canadian climates.

Uses: Fencing, shingles, outdoor furniture, saunas.

American availability: Very limited commercial supply in the U.S.

2. Eastern White Spruce (Picea glauca)

Why it's special: A staple in Canadian forestry, especially in the Boreal forest. Doesn't grow widely or commercially in the U.S.

Uses: Lumber, millwork, framing, and musical instruments.

American availability: Minimal.

3. Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana)

Why it's special: Primarily a Canadian species that prefers poor, sandy soils and colder climates.

Uses: Pulpwood, utility poles, and rough construction.

American availability: Native to parts of the northern Midwest but not widely harvested.

4. Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis — Eastern Hemlock)

Why it's special: Grows in the northeastern U.S., but large, high-quality stands are more common in Canada.

Uses: Framing lumber, paneling, and decorative applications.

American availability: Limited commercial harvest.

5. Black Spruce (Picea mariana)

Why it's special: Thrives in Canada's boreal forests — colder and swampy areas unsuitable for most U.S. forestry.

Uses: Pulpwood, paper, and sometimes lumber.

American availability: Some in Alaska and northern Minnesota, but mostly imported.

Honorable Mention:

? Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)

Grows in the Pacific Northwest (U.S. & Canada), but much of the premium supply comes from British Columbia.

? Douglas Fir

Native to both countries, but Canada supplies a lot due to expansive managed forests in BC.

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Chris Matthews wonders where America could possibly get wood

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Ironic, because this idiot was actually fired by NBC/MSNBC for several years because he had his own problem with wood.

This is a prime example of how out of touch these people are.

There was a pretty good response from an op in the lumber industry.. it is a lot more complicated than grabbing a chainsaw and going down to the woods ..

Supply .. trucking.. mills available.. types of wood.. types of saws.. logistics.. cost of mill in area of supply.. building investing in mills that can be low profit.

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The upper peninsula of Michigan is loaded with many of the very resources we import from Canada. They just won’t let people cut and dig because muh environment

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Environment is not the issue. It’s the economics.

Wood is a perishable item, economically. Yes, it literally rots, but the issue I’m raising is transport costs. Over a certain distance, the transportation costs negate the case for taking logs from Point A to Point B.

There are a lot less customers in the UP for the wood that comes out of the UP. One huge mill shut down in 2020 that accounted for ~25% of the wood harvested in Wisconsin. It was a hardwood customer for making the high end paper that goes in glossy magazines, annual reports, etc. A lot less of that printed now. One other one is on the chopping block.

The Great Lakes is not the huge source of framing lumber. It’s a lot of hardwood.

Pine boards are dominated by the Southeast US.

Canadian imports of this softwood are significant, but not crippling. It’s not a matter of where they go.

Canada denies that these are subsidized, but they definitely are. Stumpage fees from crown lands are well below what private owners charge.

Now, if the US and State forests want to match these stumpage fees, and actively manage those forests, then the costs are much better. It’s a combination of a LOT of US timberland being in private hands and the govt lands effectively auctioned off for stumpage.

At the other end, mills basically Dutch auction the wood coming in, so it’s a race to the bottom for loggers.

I’ve spent a few years in the equipment business for loggers. As our Sales Manager points out (after 50 years in heavy equipment), logging is the only market where an owner-operator has to spend well over a million dollars on 2 machines to make $50,000 per year.

it just amazing how profoundly stupid these people are.

timber production by country,
USA 292.1 million cubic meters
china 225.7 million cubic meters
russia 186.7 million cubic meters
canada 166.2 million cubic meters

in canada the timber land is owned by the government and heavily subsidized and then dumbed at below market prices into the US. this has been ongoing since the reagan administration. and it's time to end it. they do the same thing with dairy products and then impose a 300% tariff on US dairy products.

Canada does have cedar that we need, but the other species (spruces, fir and jack pine) have wood that is just like American firs and pines. We currently have an oversupply of sawlogs on the stump in the southeastern US. Our mills may run at full capacity and stumpage prices may improve for American timberland owners.

Wow. Good to know this stuff.