timber

Mr Owen had moved to Selkirk more than 20 years earlier from Saffron Walden, where he ran his own timber and conservatory companies.

Buildings in Afghanistan also tend to be made of timber, mud brick or weak concrete, which are not quake-resistant.

As Sitka spruce is the main tree used for timber in the UK, Dr Blake and his colleagues watched developments on continental Europe with some serious concern.

“This move will literally pave the way for the timber industry to clearcut backcountry forests that house endangered wildlife and are source waters for important fisheries and communities.”

In recent months, the administration has called for opening up public lands for energy resource extraction, including oil drilling, coal mining, timber production and geothermal exploration.