Overview of the Urban Wood Utilization Markets Obstacles and Opportunities

Edith Makra IL EAB Wood Utilization Team and

Metropolitan Mayors Caucus

Jessica Simons Southeast MI RC&D Council

and

The Urbanwood Project

Overview

● Full Circle Urban Forestry

● Urban forest product markets

– Supply – Demand– Urban Wood Attributes

● From tree to finished products - “links in a chain”

● Urban Wood Businesses

● Creating local wood programs

● Advancing urban wood – state and regional level

Trees are valuable over their lifetime

After decades of giving….

Is this the best stewardship?

2.3 yds 3

$129

delivered

CHALLENGES Location

Poor wood markets

Scale/supply issues

Diverse UF stewards

Short timelines

Transportation

Lack of support

POSSIBLE BENEFITSBetter EAB response

Lower disposal costs

New wood products

Diverse partnerships

Full-circle forestry

Resource stewardship

Job creation

Carbon-smart

Meaningful story

Urban Wood Markets: opportunities outweigh challenges

Wood Products and Markets

Lower Value

Firewood

Mulch

Compost

Biomass fuel

Higher Value

Railroad ties

Landscape timbers

Rough-sawn lumber

(barricades, truck sideboards, etc.)

Highest Value

Artistic pieces

Planed lumber

Finished products

(flooring, furniture, etc.)

High volumes used

Plenty of resource

Low processing/skill

Lower value

Low volumes used

More limited resource

High processing/skill

Higher value

Michigan Processors & Markets

Source: Dovetail Partners, 2010

Market Example: Twin Cities Cluster

Market Example: Oakland University Biomass System

Potential Market Driver:Demand for Green Buildings

Urban wood = Local and sustainable● Certifiers drive materials selection

● Most recognized certification: LEED

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design

● Approved wood products (FSC) don’t recognize urban wood

BUT: STORY is what matters to customers

Green Building Example: Traverwood Library

Credit: Architect Magazine

For Robbinswood Community Wood System Feasibility study

• 272 Municipalities Surveyed - 15% participation rate

• Analyzed park districts (separate agencies) own survey

• Studied ‘green’ programs for schools

Survey – Public Sector Demand for Green Products

Municipal Demand for Green Products

● 83% are purchasing green

Product attributes considered in purchasing -– 89% consider recycled materials – 40-50% consider local materials– 13% incentivize LEED building

● Staff most influential in buying decisions

● 52- 67% are part of purchasing coop

● 83% would buy green if more expensive

● Municipalities are best public sector full circle urban forest managers

Municipal Example: City of Grosse Pointe Park

School Demand for Green Products

●Hottest area for green

– US Dept of Education, EPA, White House• Green Ribbon Schools

– US Green Building Council• Coalition for Green Schools

● Driven by:

– Children’s health– Desire to teach “environmental literacy”

●20% of the US population are in schools

CINCINNATI URBAN TIMBER PROJECT

Turning urban trees into products involves the entire wood use chain

● Arborists – fell trees, harvesting logs

● Sawyers – mill logs into lumber

● Woodworkers – build wood products from lumber

● Intermediaries – specify and sell wood products

● End users – buy finished wood products

Arborists first vital link

●Two paths from felling to products

– Move one’s own tree through the chain– Sell or provide logs to sawyers

● Issues in common

– Assessment of logs– Safe felling– Felling & storage to preservelog quality– Cost or savings?

Sawyers – Primary Wood Products Manufacturers

● Portable band saws:– Flexible services – buy/barter/hourly– Nimble with location– Willing to mill urban logs– Artisan skill – can maximize value

● Drying adds value and quality

● Sawyer lists available in most states

Woodworkers – Secondary wood products manufacturers

● Most are unfamiliar with urban wood

● Prefer consistent supply

● Like what urban wood does well!

– Green– Unusual species– Character wood

● Woodworker associations are helpful

Intermediaries – Specifiers and sellers of products

● Key contacts:

– Architects – Interior designers– Distributors & wholesalers – Retailers

● Green certifications would help

● Need to build relationships

● Need more samples to compete with traditional industry

End Users – Promoting purchase of products

● Public agencies can lead

● All “links” can advocate

● Users ultimately drive market demand

● Consumers value story

● Great media potential

● Exhibitions very popular

All the links can work together!

● Arborist –

Village of Wilmette

● Sawyer –

Horigan Urban Forest Products

● Woodworker –

Bats By Buck

● Intermediary –

Village President, Chris Canning

● End User –

Wilmette Little League

Urban Wood Businesses

Urban Wood: Finding the Highest and Best Use

Market Development Example:

Note: 2013 values projected

Urbanwood Marketplace Sales Growth

● Know wood availability

● Understand capacity

● Explore products and markets

● Find partners

● Be realistic about logistics

Promoting Urban WoodCommunity Level

Promoting Urban WoodRegional Level

Midwest Example

● Southeast Michigan RC&D Council: Nonprofit “hub”

● Network: federal, state, local, nonprofit, academic, private

● Drove tri-state marketing and branding initiative

● Regional meetings created broader network

● Led to formation of Urban Forest products alliance

● Continued regional information sharing..

Promoting Urban WoodState Level

● State Urban and Community Forestry Program

– Wisconsin– Grant programs– Technical assistance and training

● State Wood Utilization Team

– Illinois EAB Wood Utilization Team– Stemmed from EAB readiness planning– Continues ad hoc

● State Forest Action Plan

– 4 Midwestern States call for urban wood

Promoting Urban WoodNational Efforts

● Wood Education Resource Center

– Publications, technical assistance, organizing – Conference calls

● In USFS Northeast Area Strategic Plan

● National Partners

– Tree Care Industry Association• ANSI Standard for Urban Forest Products

– Arbor Day Foundation • Tree City USA Growth Award

Join the Conversation

● Quarterly Conference Calls

●Join UFPA on Linked In

www.na.fs.fed.us/werc

www.linkedin.com/ search groups

Jessica Simons jessica.simons@semircd.org

www.urbanwood.org

Questions?

An equal opportunity provider and employer

This work has been supported by

Edith Makraemakra@mayorscaucus.orgwww.illlinoisurbanwood.org