Kelli's Kabins, LLC, Moves Into the Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) Rough Mill

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WERC Project Highlights

Safe Firewood, Secure Industry: Creating a Viable, Affordable Firewood Treatment Method for the Wood Industry to Prevent the Spread of Emerald Ash Borer and Other Invasive Species

Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation and Development Council, Ann Arbor, MI (WERC Award Number 2008-DG-302)

This project addressed the issue of firewood movement and potential techniques to sanitize firewood to reduce the potential threat of spreading invasive species through firewood. One interesting result of the project is a user-friendly statewide directory of firewood producers and sellers in a searchable format via Google maps and name/zip code search capabilities. To view and download the final accomplishment report, go here.  For more information, contact Jessica Simons at 517-851-2372.

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WERC's Woody Biomass Technical Assistance Team

Representatives from WERC's Woody Biomass Technical Assistance Team and the West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund met with officials from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, to discuss converting the college's heating plant to wood energy. The College has installed other renewable energy options and hopes a wood energy system could replace an aging coal-fired boiler system.

Woody Biomass Utilization Grants were awarded to two WERC wood-energy project cooperators. Menominee Tribal Enterprises in Neopit, WI, was awarded a $250,000 grant to develop a final design for efficiency improvements to an existing wood-fired boiler plant and to add electricity generation capacity. Grand Marais, MN, was also awarded a $250,000 grant to complete the design of a wood-fired district energy system that would serve many of the community's largest energy users. For additional information, contact Lew McCreery  at 304-285-1538.

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Workshops

Visit the WERC training Web page or WERC Webcast archive. 

Profitably Drying Small Quantities of Lumber Workshop

September 25-26, 2013

Location: WERC Facilities, Princeton, WV

Presenters will demonstrate the use of a 900-board-foot conventional steam dry kiln using sample boards to monitor the drying process. Students will learn how dry kilns work and how they can add profitability to a sawmill and/or wood processing operation. For additional information, contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University at 704-880-5034.

Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop

October 2, 2013

Location: WERC Facilities, Princeton, WV

This educational and networking event will provide the firewood processing industry with the latest knowledge on processing, kiln drying, and marketing firewood. For additional information, contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University at 704-880-5034.

Urban Wood Utilization Webcast

October 8, 2013  10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern

Join us to learn about urban wood utilization activities involving trees that need to be removed in urban and suburban areas. To join the Webcast, click on this Web link.

For the audio portion, call toll-free at (888) 858-2144 and use participant passcode 7578516.

View past Webcasts here. For additional information, contact Ed Cesa at 304-285-1530.

Small Sawmill Workshop

October 24, 2013

Location: WERC Facilities, Princeton, WV

This workshop focuses on small sawmills and lumber drying operations that use gas engines, diesel engines, and single phase electric power. For additional information, contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University at 704-880-5034.

Lean Energy for Wood Manufacturers Workshop

November 20, 2013

Location: WERC Facilities, Princeton, WV

The purpose of this workshop is to inspire new visions and strategies that address the most pressing energy challenges for contemporary society. It will create new ideas for using Lean Principles to reduce energy use and costs. It will also promote collaboration between practitioners and scholars working across disciplines on Lean Thinking and Energy. For additional information, contact Henry Quesada from Virginia Tech at 540-231-0978.

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Update on the Housing Market

From Urs Buehlmann, Virginia Tech Department of Wood Science. View all housing reports here.

Update on Wood Markets

Science-Based Methods for Entity-Scale Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks from Agriculture and Forestry Practices

The report outlines a set of methods for quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon storage at the local farm, ranch, or forest scale. It is important that the methods are scientifically rigorous, transparent, complete, accurate, and cost effective, as well as consistent and comparable with other USDA GHG inventory efforts. The report can be downloaded here. A Federal Register Notice included on the Web site provides detailed instructions for submitting comments. Comments must be received within 45 days of the August 28, 2013, publication of the Federal Register Notice.

Acting Under Secretary Discusses USDA's Role in Building Support for Aviation Biofuels

A new report shows a clear path toward cleaner, more economical, and more secure energy alternatives by using more advanced aviation biofuels developed in the Midwest.

Private Forest Owners Make Significant Contribution to U.S. Economy, New Report Shows

On June 27, 2013, the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) released new data confirming the strong support that forest owners provide to the U.S. economy. "The Economic Impact of Privately-Owned Forests in the United States" reveals that forest owners support 2.4 million jobs, $87 billion in payroll, $223 billion in sales, and 5.7 percent of all U.S. manufacturing. In addition to the full report, NAFO's interactive U.S. map  provides a convenient snapshot of individual State data.

Online Systems Keep U.S. Ag Exporters Abreast of Regulations in Foreign Markets

Environmental Performance of Wood-Based Biofuels

European Union Timber Regulation

New European timber regulations went into effect March 3, 2013. For additional details, go here and here.

Wind Wood Utilization

Wind Wood Utilization is the hub for information specifically related to the preparation for, response to, and recovery from major wind events and the utilization of downed and damaged timber and woody debris that can be generated.

 

Urban Forest Products Alliance LinkedIn Group

 

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.

 

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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Quarterly Webcast and Conference Call on Ash-Urban Wood Utilization

July 9, 2013

This Webcast includes presentations on the Baltimore Carbon Challenge Design Competition; the evolution and potential for an urban log sorting yard in Baltimore, MD; an update on the Tree Care Industry Association's A300 ANSI draft standard for urban tree harvesting; and an update on sanitizing walnut logs infested with thousand cankers disease.

Creating and Expanding the Market for Black Ash Baskets in the Northeast

June 19, 2013 (WERC Award Number 2011-DG-109)

This Webcast  provides an overview and results of a project funded with the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance. The project's primary focus was market-oriented activities to improve the market for high-value ash baskets.

Heat Treatment of Firewood and Logs Using Steam and Vacuum

May 21, 2013 (WERC Award Number 2011-DG-058)

This Webcast provides results of a study funded at the VA Tech Department of Sustainable Biomaterials to evaluate using a vacuum/steam treatment process for sanitizing firewood.

Quarterly Webcast and Conference Call on Urban Wood Utilization and Markets

April 9, 2013

This quarterly Webcast includes updates on the Tree Care Industries Association's A300 ANSI draft standard for urban tree harvesting, Illinois Emerald Ash Borer Wood Utilization Team, southeast Michigan ash-urban wood utilization activities, and an overview of Missouri's urban wood utilization workshop.

Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop and Webcast  

September 27, 2012 (Award Number 2011-DG-057)

This workshop provided an educational and networking event for the firewood processing industry pertaining to the latest knowledge about processing, kiln drying, and marketing firewood.

2012 Wood Industry Week @ WERC
View this series of workshops online. Topics include ROMI 4.0, enhancing economic competitiveness, developing new marketing strategies, mass customization, lean manufacturing, making effective use of technological advances, product costing, and small- and medium-sized enterprises in the U.S. wood products industry.

Biomass Thermal Energy Council's Educational Webinar Series
A series of 14 educational Webinars about emissions, combined heat and power, thermal markets, and advanced technologies, among others, were completed with the assistance of a WERC-sponsored grant. 

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