CANOPY ’25 Agenda

Here are the sessions we are currently working on, based on the two Planning Committee meetings, and follow-up research.

Note that the following session descriptions are drafts and are likely to be revised.

In no particular order, aside from the Opening Keynote.

Keynote: Potential Impacts of Federal Policy on Forests and Forest Markets

How are federal policies in the United States reshaping the economic and forestry landscape, and what are the impacts on the perceived value of the forest asset class? Are the current disruptions in the structure and resources of government an inflection point, and how? What will be the impacts on supply—private and public; domestic and foreign—and demand for timber values? Have we been here before? We hear from prior administration leaders who have first-hand experience in federal policy-making to give their perspectives on how these major changes present both opportunities and challenges for the forest sector.

Moderator: Dave Tenny, President and CEO, National Alliance of Forest Owners

Session: Tariffs, Trade, and Timber

Tariffs, both US and reciprocal, have increased market volatility and uncertainty and will likely reshape global wood trade. What are the short-term supply and pricing impacts on lumber and other forest products, and can the housing market absorb these price increases? Who are the winners and losers in this complex and evolving trade war?

Paul Jannke, Principal, Lumber, Forest Economic Advisors
Bob Flynn, International Timberland and Wood Products Advisor

Session: Renewable Bioenergy – Policy Updates and Market Developments

Recent announcements of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) investments have provided a glimmer of hope in the face of continued Pulp capacity contractions in the US. What is the potential for BECCs and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) expansion without federal support? Given low commodity prices of electricity and jetfuel, what kind of pulp log prices can landowners and forest managers expect? Is there a level of production at which forest biomass sources no longer provide greenhouse gas benefits to bioenergy investors?

Moderator: Greg Latta, Associate Research Professor of Forest Economics and Director of Policy Analysis Group, Department of Natural Resources and Society, University of Idaho

Session: Corporate Action on Climate Change – Views on the Role of Forests as a Nature-based Solution

Major corporate buyers of carbon offsets are making significant and long-term commitments that go beyond meeting CO2 targets. What is driving their strategic decision making? Are they planning to continue with investments, and what do they see for the future of carbon offsets? What are they looking for from forest carbon managers? What is a target setting mechanism that works for corporates?

Moderator: Mark Wishnie, Chief Sustainability Officer, BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group

Session: Navigating Opportunity and Complexity in Natural Capital Investing

Forestland has always been a green asset class, offering a compelling investment profile with solid, low-risk timber returns and diversification. More recently, there has been growing interest in forests as a nature-based solution for carbon offsets. Is natural capital the destination for the traditional timber asset class? What do investors need to consider when adding carbon and other non-timber benefits which can fundamentally change the investment with different underlying assumptions from timber? This panel discusses how institutional investors need to recognize the complexity, due diligence, and underwriting required for natural capital investing.

Moderator: Gary Myers, Principal,TimberLink

Session: Forest Adaptations to Wildfire, Markets, and a Warming Climate

9:10 am Fireside Chat on Locally Sourced Mass Timber: PDX and Jamestown Discuss Pulling off a Forest-to-Table Project

Forest owners are adapting forest management practices to address various challenges, including wildfire, a warming climate, and changing market demand. What strategies—such as changes to harvest rotations, silvicultural treatments, seedling investments and wildfire mitigation—are being deployed to reduce risk and improve forest resilience? What are the implications for timberland returns and investors?

Thomas Fox, Ph.D., Vice President, Productivity and Sustainability, Rayonier
Eric Sweet, Director of Wildfire and Fuels, SPI

Session: Ensuring a Successful Carbon Deal

How can the right structure drive credibility and find buyers in the voluntary carbon markets? What are the key terms that ensure a successful carbon deal? Hear from leaders in the carbon transaction space on the essential pieces of putting together carbon deals that make an impact and work for all parties.

Session: Tribal Acquisitions and Management of Forestland

Tribal nations are reclaiming and acquiring forestlands for culturally-focused conservation goals as well as for generating revenue streams to support their communities. What is the current status and future outlook for tribal land purchases? Are there specific characteristics in these land transactions that buyers and sellers need to be aware of? How are tribal nations managing forests for conservation, carbon credits, wood markets, hunting, and habitat? This session will hear from tribal nations that own and are seeking to acquire forestlands and either manage their own lands or are partnering with external entities to co-manage forests.

The Tulalip Tribes

Session: Derisking AI in the Timber and Logging Industry – How to Stay Competitive and Adopt Modern Tools While Managing Inherent Risk

Data and AI have transformed nearly every industry, driving efficiencies in existing processes and unlocking new value streams for established companies. Yet the timber industry has lagged behind, still relying heavily on manual measurements with tape measures and optimization tools that are decades old. This presentation will share key lessons learned at Gaia AI from deploying cutting-edge AI technologies in the timber and logging industry, drawing from real-world successes and failures.