North American timber companies are importing large volumes of cheap timber from Russia.
Companies including Weyerhaeuser, Georgia-Pacific and Canfor are among those supplementing their own production with overseas lumber.
But commentators say the extra timber is adding to a growing market glut which is keeping prices down in the middle of a housing boom.
Russian wood imported by Canadian companies for the US market is not subject to punishing American duties. But the main reason North American companies are cultivating links with Russia is its widely-touted growth potential in the global forests products trade.
According to the US Forest Service, European lumber will increase its US market share from about 2% today to 10% by 2020.
