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
Dec 06, 2014
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 [email protected]
www.urbanwood.org
Questions?
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This work has been supported by
Edith [email protected]