Forest products

Forest Socioeconomics: An Introduction

By Grace Hershberg, DNR Forestry Associate Communication Specialist

Take a walk through a forest on a fall day and what do you see? Probably a lot of trees. Some may be vibrant, their leaves painted shades of orange, yellow and red while the conifers hold tight to their striking green needles. But amidst the beauty and tranquility it may not dawn upon forest users to consider the socioeconomic impacts of forests.

Wisconsin is home to almost 17 million acres of forest land, making it a hub for diversified forest markets and non-market benefits a like. From the lumber and paper industries that fall under the forest products sector, to the ecosystem services provided by forests such as carbon sequestration, forests play a crucial role in our lives through the goods and services they provide.

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Casehardening Of Lumber: What It Is And How To Relieve It

By Scott Lyon, WI DNR Forest Products Specialist

Lumber manufactured into interior wood products (e.g., furniture, flooring, millwork, cabinets) typically requires kiln drying to reach a targeted moisture content to minimize dimensional changes. In Wisconsin, this dry-basis moisture content is 6-8%. Not only does kiln drying allow the wood to equalize to desirable and usable moisture content, it kills fungi and insects that might be present in the lumber.

However, drying stress—commonly called casehardening or tension set—occurs during the drying process. Casehardening is a normal part of the drying process of lumber. It is critically important to relieve this stress as it can lead to warping and twisting when lumber is later re-sawn or machined.

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Merchandizing Urban Trees

By Scott Lyon and Alex Anderson, WI DNR Forest Products Specialists

An urban tree is most valuable while it’s living. However, if that tree is killed or damaged, there are ways to recycle it. As the “buy-local” movement continues to gain momentum, urban wood recycling efforts have increased in Wisconsin. Historically, urban trees were utilized by only a few mills in the state. With the increased number of trees killed by invasive insects and disease, though, municipalities and arborists are seeking alternative uses for urban wood materials, and interest has grown among traditional forest products manufacturers (sawmills, bolt and pallet mills, pulp mills, etc.) to procure this ever-growing resource. 

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There’s More To Panels Than OSB And Plywood

By Alex Anderson, DNR Forest Products Specialist, Rhinelander

When people think of wood-based panel products, plywood and oriented-strand board (OSB) usually come to mind. However, a vast array of panel products whose primary building block is wood do not fall under the auspices of plywood or OSB. Before we explore those, it’s important to understand the distinction between “structural” panels and “non-structural” panels.

As the name implies, structural panels are designed to bolster the strength, stiffness and resistance of the items they adhere to. Plywood, generally, is utilized in commercial structures, whereas OSB is more common in residential construction.

Both plywood and OSB function as cladding for roofs, walls and subfloors. In Wisconsin, various plywood manufacturers generally produce hardwood plywood for decorative applications, such as furniture, cabinets, pinblocks for pianos and many others. There are also two OSB manufacturers in Wisconsin that utilize OSB as a base for their siding product.

Alternatively, non-structural panel products are primarily represented by medium-density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard and hardboard. Like OSB and plywood, these panels are prized for their dimensional stability and textural consistency.
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Opportunities for US softwood lumber in Pakistan

In early September, the Wisconsin Wood Marketing Team and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Products Services program partnered with the Softwood Export Council and Northeastern Lumber Manufacturer’s Association to host a virtual trade seminar with US softwood manufacturers, US building material brokers, and Pakistani wood buyers. The seminar had 28 people in attendance, with the majority being lumber purchasers from Pakistan. Participants from Pakistan gained valuable information about the benefits of using US softwood products and current market trends for wood products in Pakistan.

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Fighting invasives together through responsible firewood practices

By Marguerite Rapp, forest health communications specialist, marguerite.rapp@wisconsin.gov, Andrea Diss Torrance, invasive insects program coordinator, andrea.disstorrance@wisconsin.gov, and Tim Allen, DATCP forest pest program coordinator and nursery inspector, timothy.allen@wisconsin.gov, 715-891-8158

This time of year, many Wisconsinites warm up with firewood, whether that’s in a wood stove for the home or a bonfire with family and friends. While firewood is one of the most sustainable heat sources available, the forests that produce it are threatened when firewood infested by invasive species is moved long distances. Fortunately, we can reduce this threat together through responsible use, movement and sale of firewood and wood products.

Man loads firewood into arms from back of truck. Continue reading “Fighting invasives together through responsible firewood practices”

It’s Firewood Awareness Month: do you know what your options are?

By Andrea Diss-Torrance, invasive forest insects program coordinator, Andrea.DissTorrance@wisconsin.gov, 608-516-2223

Most people know that using locally-sourced firewood helps prevent the spread of invasive pests and diseases. What may be less well known are the processes for finding local sources of firewood or learning where and how you can collect it yourself. During Firewood Awareness Month, we want to share what options are out there so you can take steps to protect the places you love.

Firewood isn't dead - infested firewood can carry insects and diseases to new places

Infested firewood can carry invasive insects and diseases to new places. Buy or gather firewood where you will use it or buy firewood that has been certified as heat-treated and free of pests and diseases. Credit: dontmovefirewood.org.

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Salvaging Storm-Damaged Forest Products

By Alex Anderson, forest products specialist, Rhinelander

The devastation left behind in forested areas after a severe weather event can seem overwhelming. In order to further understanding of how storm-damaged forest and woodlot salvage harvests differ from traditional timber sales, we have compiled information that will, hopefully, help landowners affected by the recent rash of severe weather events in Wisconsin deal with their damaged woodlands more confidently.

Wood Degradation
Many of the downed trees from July’s severe weather are red pines (Pinus resinosa). Pines, particularly white pine (Pinus strobus) and red pine in the Lake States region, are susceptible to staining when they are harvested or killed during a weather event but are not processed quickly enough. The discoloration is a result of microscopic fungi that manifest as a pale, blueish stain in the wood often called “blue-stain” or “sap-stain.” Though there is a small, decorative market for blue-stained pine—sometimes referred to as “denim pine”—it is generally undesirable. Hardwood species are also susceptible to blue stain fungi. End coating logs with a wax barrier may reduce the risk of staining and end checking.

These logs show blue staining. Continue reading “Salvaging Storm-Damaged Forest Products”

Webinar: Biochar Basics and Benefits in Vegetable Growing

By Sabina Dhungana, forest products specialist, Madison

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service hosted a webinar highlighting the principles of biochar. 

Biochar is an emerging forest product that is derived from woody biomass and other organic feedstocks. The use of biochar has gained considerable interest in the agricultural field, and it presents opportunities for utilizing available biomass sources. Topics covered in the webinar included: Biochar markets and uses, biochar production systems, applications in vegetable growing.

The webinar has been archived and can be viewed here.