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Wood Education and
Resource Center Update January 29, 2013
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Long-Lived Wood Products: Carbon and Competitive Advantages for Hardwood Mills
(WERC Award Number 2009-DG-079) 
The University of Kentucky's Department of Forestry
recently completed a project to help hardwood sawmills determine the feasibility of increasing revenues by selling carbon credits tied to their role in producing long-lived wood products that store carbon. With the collapse of the Chicago Climate Exchange, no carbon market currently exists. Hardwood sawmills can use an Excel spreadsheet created by this project to estimate probable gross and net revenues from the sawmill's potential participation in future carbon markets. View the final report here. The project also helped develop the Center for Forest and Wood Certification. For further details, contact Jeff Stringer at 859-257-5994.
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Toolkit for Incentivizing Renewable, Residential
Heat - The Alliance for Green Heat
(WERC Award Number 2010-DG-153)
After completing this project a little over a year ago, the Alliance for Green Heat has now organized the "Next Generation Wood Stove Design Challenge." This international competition is focused on designing and building the cleanest, most efficient, and most affordable "next generation" wood stove. For details, go here. View the results of the WERC-funded project here and here. For additional information, contact John Ackerly at 301-841-7755.
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Woody Biomass Technical Assistance Team
The WERC Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team recently completed preliminary feasibility studies for two wood energy systems in Ely, MN--a multi-owner system serving the hospital, high school, and several commercial and residential buildings; and a system for Vermilion Community College on the east end of the community. Community and college leaders are evaluating these opportunities and pursuing funding options. The Technical Assistance Team effort was part of a community-wide planning process led by Dovetail Partners and funded by the Minnesota Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. View these studies here.
WERC cooperated with several engineering firms to develop a team approach to providing preliminary assessments and technical assistance to facility owners and managers considering the use of woody biomass as an energy and power source. Since 2009, benefits of using these systems have included over $4.5 million in annual operating savings, over $5.2 million in capital cost savings, and an annual net carbon dioxide offset of over 35.5 metric tons. View further details about the program here. For additional information, contact Lew McCreery at 304-285-1538.
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Webinar on Wood Utilization Options for Urban Trees Affected by Invasive Species
Thursday, January 31, 2013
10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Central
This Webinar is now closed for new attendees but will be recorded. To request a Webcast link of the Webinar, contact Brian Brashaw at 218-720-4248.
This Webinar will provide details about the publication and its content, including an overview of invasive species and utilization options; basic wood properties of hardwoods affected by invasive species; market and utilization options for ash logs, lumber, and other products; and heat treatment of wood for invasive forest pests.
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European Union Timber Regulations
New European Union Timber Regulations go into effect March 3, 2013. For additional details, click here and here.
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Update on the Housing Market
From Urs Buehlmann, Virginia Tech Department of Wood Science and Forest Products, and Delton Alderman, U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station. View the report here. All past housing reports are archived here.
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Update on Wood Markets
From Don Deckard, Minnesota DNR Division of Forestry. View the report here.
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Wind Wood Utilization
Wind Wood Utilization is the hub for information about preparing for, responding to, and recovering from major wind events and using the downed and damaged timber and woody debris that can result.
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USDA Announces Investments in Bioenergy Research and Development to Spur New Markets, Innovation, and Unlimited Opportunity in Rural America
View the press release here.
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Urban Forest Products Alliance
In 2009 and 2010, discussions began in the Lake States area about a common vision of putting all wood from urban trees to good use. Leaders and experts from a variety of disciplines, including forestry, tree care, wood processing, and green building, formed the Urban Forest Products Alliance (UFPA) to advance the sustainable recovery and the highest and best use of products from urban forests. The alliance has formed a LinkedIn group that now has more than 450 members to share information and encourage discussion about urban wood utilization. To learn more about the UFPA, contact Jessica Simons at 517-851-2372 or write to info@urbanwood.org.
Urban Forest Products Alliance LinkedIn group
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The North American Forest Sector Outlook Study: 2006 - 2030
Published by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the Food and Agricultural Organization. View the report here.
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Forests of the Northern United States
This publication provides a broad overview of forests in the 20-state region that is bounded by Maine, Maryland, Missouri, and Minnesota. It was authored by nine people across the region and is accompanied by a Web site that describes current resource conditions, unique forest characteristics, and the challenges faced by this tier of States. The report's findings also highlight the complexities facing those making today's forest management, policy, and investment decisions that, in turn, will prepare and shape the region for a sustainable future.
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Hardwood Checkoff Program
The Hardwood Checkoff is an initiative led by a group of U.S. hardwood industry leaders who have developed a Commodity Checkoff program for the hardwood industry. Checkoff programs are industry-funded research and promotions programs tailored to a specific commodity. For additional details, click here.
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September 27, 2012 (Award number 2011-DG-057) - This workshop provided an educational and networking event for the firewood processing industry and presented the latest knowledge on processing, kiln drying, and marketing firewood. The Webcast includes these presentations:
- Introduction and Overview, Harry Watt, North Carolina State University (NCSU)
- Current Status of Firewood Industry, Scott Salveson, Director, National Firewood Association
- Current Firewood Research Project at WVU, Liz Basham, Research Student at West Virginia University
- Overview of Insect Quarantines, Justin Thaxton, USDA APHIS
- Who Is Buying Firewood? Harry Watt, NCSU, Wood Products Extension
- New York Firewood - Learning What Works and What Does Not in the Firewood Producing Business, Forbes Narch, Firewood Processor Business Owner
- Forest Management Practices to Compliment the Firewood Industry, Consulting Foresters Panel
- Firewood Processing Equipment, Marcus Steigerwaldt, Multitek
- Dry Kilns, Heating Systems, Schedules, Management & Maintenance, Niels Jorgenson, Kiln-Direct
- Wood Stove Emissions and the Movement to Modernize Wood Heating in the U.S., John Ackerly, President, Alliance for Green Heat.
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A series of 14 educational Webinars about emissions, combined heat and power (CHP), thermal markets, and advanced technologies, among others, was completed with the assistance of a WERC-sponsored grant. Topics include:
- Biomass Heating and CHP
- Residential Use of Biomass
- Legislation and Regulation
- Air Quality / Emissions
- Large-Scale Biomass and CHP
- Successful Biomass Markets - The European Example
- Biomass Thermal Finance: Options, Steps, and Resources for Biomass Project Development
- Public Perception of Biomass Thermal Energy
- Agricultural vs. Woody Biomass - Contrasts and Comparisons
- The Future of Biomass Thermal Energy - Advanced Technologies
- Biomass Thermal Outlook - Regional Perspective - Northeast
- Biomass Thermal Outlook - Regional Perspective - Midwest
- Biomass Thermal Outlook - Regional Perspective - West
- Biomass Thermal Markets - Outlook 2012-2015
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October 2, 2012: Quarterly Webcast and Conference Call on Urban Wood Utilization and Markets
View PDFs of key presentations:
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July 10, 2012: Quarterly Webcast and Conference Call on Ash-Urban Wood Utilization
Topics included a forest health update; update on WERC urban wood utilization activities; update on the Tree Care Industry Association's A300 ANSI standard for wood utilization; discussion on needs/opportunities for an urban wood harvesting training curriculum and update on urban wood utilization training by State; updates on the Illinois EAB Wood Utilization Team, southeast Michigan ash-urban wood utilization activities, and Western Lake Erie Basin wood utilization working group; and outcomes of an Ohio State University student industrial design class project.
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The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this Update is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute official endorsement or approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.
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Wood Education and Resource Center Staff
Steve Milauskas, Director, (304) 487-1510, smilauskas@fs.fed.us
Ed Cesa, Deputy Director, (304) 285-1530, ecesa@fs.fed.us
Lew McCreery, Biomass Coordinator, (304) 285-1538, lmccreery@fs.fed.us
Debbie Hawkins, Office Administrator, (304) 487-1510, dhawkins@fs.fed.us
Nathan Delimont, Maintenance, (304) 487-1510, ndelimont@fs.fed.us |
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