Did you know that wood energy makes up a large percentage of Wisconsin’s renewable energy consumption? In 2017, biomass (including wood) accounted for an estimated 70% of the state’s renewable energy use. Are you a business, school or institution interested in learning more about whether wood energy is a good fit for you? See how the Forest Products Services program can help!
Source: https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/OEI/WisconsinEnergyStatistics.aspx
The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program is the nation’s “Forest Census” and has been ongoing, in one form or another, since the 1930s. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) manages this program with its state partners, allowing every state to get a snapshot of the condition of its forestland in a given year.
FIA data is frequently used to understand how forests across the state are changing over time. This analysis informs sound forest management and planning, allows Wisconsin’s forest products industry to evaluate timber availability and helps us better understand the forests that we use for many purposes.
The forest products industry employs more than 63,000 workers in every corner of the state. Jobs in forest management, logging and wood and paper manufacturing are an important part of our state’s economy. Consider a rewarding career in the forest industry, with occupations including:
Pictured above is a cabinetmaker at a custom cabinet company in northeastern Wisconsin. Credit: Wisconsin DNR
Forest products markets play an important role across Wisconsin’s urban and rural economies and are strongly tied to healthy, well-managed forests. Division staff in the Forest Products Services (FPS) team support market growth by investigating new uses for Wisconsin wood, providing professional guidance on emerging products and technologies, gathering data on Wisconsin’s timber product output and being a bridge between Wisconsin producers and buyers (i.e. the marketplace).
A market segment experiencing notable growth is urban wood recycling. Historically, urban trees were used by only a few mills in the state. However, the increase of trees killed by invasive insects and disease caused many municipalities to seek alternative uses for urban wood rather than disposing material in a landfill. Recent efforts to market this growing source of material and develop ways to recycle urban trees within communities led Wisconsin to become one of the leading states in urban wood utilization. Throughout the state, markets continue to grow; at least 30 companies are producing products made from urban wood.
Continue reading “Forest Markets – Connecting Forest Management, Products And The Economy”
DNR forest products staff work closely with businesses and organizations to use Wisconsin wood more profitably and effectively.
This work ranges from connecting buyers with suppliers of timber and other wood products, to directly assisting both rural and urban forest businesses to improve their profitability and marketing position. In addition, staff partner with members of the forest industry to host and teach workshops on lumber grading, kiln drying, workplace safety and marketing. They also provide technical assistance to improve mill productivity and product quality and collect data for assessing business development opportunities. Learn more about Wisconsin’s forest businesses here.
Forest Products Specialist assessing moisture uniformity of dried hardwood lumber during a mill assessment. Credit: Wisconsin DNR
Participants practicing railway tie grading procedures at an industry workshop hosted by the Forest Products Services team. Credit: Wisconsin DNR
How many things can you find in your home that are made of wood?
There are thousands of products made of wood. These are just a few found in one household. Photo Credit/ Wisconsin DNR
Dressers, beds, tables, chairs, pianos, guitars, boardwalks and birdhouses. What do they all have in common? They’re all forest products! These are just a few of the creations that are made from timber and they all are spectacular. all forest products! These are just a few of the creations that are made from timber and they all are spectacular.
DNR Division of Forestry at work/ Credit: Rena Johnson/Courtesy of NASF
During Forest Products Week, we took time to reflect on all the wonderful things that come from forests and the great people who work in the forest products industry as well as our Division of Forestry staff.
Did you know? Wood window and door manufacturing alone contributes $1.2 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy.
By Grace Hershberg, DNR Forestry Associate Communication Specialist
Last week Oct. 17-23 we celebrated Forest Products Week!
This week championed our forests and the products they create to enhance our everyday lives. What would your day look like without wood to build houses, furniture to sit on, paper to write on, tires on your car and even toothpaste to brush your teeth? All of these (and more than 5,000 others) have a connection to wood products!
Forest products make our lives a little easier while promoting sustainability.
Interested in learning more about forest products? Visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/ForestBusinesses.
