State & Private Forestry
Forest Products Laboratory
The individual items included in the Review reflect the content and tone of the original articles. Inclusion of an item does not imply agreement nor endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of facts or opinions contained in any article. The Review does not evaluate the accuracy of the information reported.
USDA Forest Service
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FORESTWORLD, an extensive directory of forest-related Web sites, is available on the Internet (http://www.forestworld.com). The directory currently contains information on more than 3,600 sites, which can be searched by site name, site description, keywords, kinds of information offered, the URL, and the date the information was first listed. Anyone with a Web site related to the forest products industry can be listed in FORESTWORLD free of charge. The directory also includes a database of 12,000 common names representing approximately 900 wood species, which can be used for searches.
The First National Extension Natural Resources Conference - The final program and registration information are now available for this conference scheduled for May 17-20 at Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge, Deerwood, MN. The conference is aimed at natural resource educators who focus on environmental education, fisheries, forest products, forestry, range, recreation, water, and wildlife. It is particularly targeted toward Cooperative Extension Service personnel, including county, area, and State faculty from Land Grant Universities, 1890 Institutions, and USDA Cooperative State Research and Extension and Education Service (CSREES). Natural resource educators from other agencies and organizations that offer noncredit adult and youth education are also encouraged to attend.
For more information, contact Tracey Benson at (612) 624-3708 or (800) 367-5263 or by e-mail (tbenson@extension.umn.edu), or visit the Conference Web site at http://www.extension.umn.edu/Courses/nrconfer.htm.
Building a Workforce for the Next Millennium...Employee Development Strategies for the Wood Industry is the title of a meeting sponsored by the Forest Products Society--Ohio Section and the University of Kentucky Extension Wood Products Group. The meeting will be held April 23-24 in Louisville, and speakers will include both wood industry and nonwood industry experts on workforce development. Included will be a mid-meeting tour of Koetter Woodworking, Inc., a vertically integrated, optimization-oriented manufacturer of moulding, flooring, doors, cabinets, and dry kilns. For more information, contact Jan Wiedenbeck or Kevin Powell at the University of Kentucky. Tel: (606) 257-8289 or 257-2806; Fax: (606) 323-1031.
Information on Preparing for a Timber Sale and choosing a logger to harvest the
timber is available in two brochures. Tips to Consider When Selling Your Timber
gives the basics of preparing for a sale: determining property lines, developing
a management plan, and drawing up a contract. How to Choose a Quality Logger
outlines qualities of a professional logging contractor and explains how
landowners can evaluate loggers to find the best one for their job. The
brochures are available in lots of 50 for $35; if at least 300 brochures are
ordered, the cost is $30 per 50. The brochures are also available as a set of
one copy each for $2. Orders and full payment should be mailed to the American
Pulpwood Association, 600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 350, Rockville, MD 20852.
[Source: The Northern Logger & Timber Processor, Jan. 1998]
A Forest Landowner's Guide to Federal Laws and Regulations Affecting Their
Forest, written by the American Forest and Paper Association, takes a close look
at 12 Federal regulations that have the greatest impact on how forest landowners
manage their land. Regulations range from landowners' responsibilities
involving endangered species, use of herbicides and pesticides, and migrant and
seasonal worker rights to field sanitation requirements for workers. To order a
copy, mail a check or money order for $19.95 to the American Tree Farm System,
Federal Regulations Guide, 1111 19th St., NW, Suite 780, Washington, DC 20036.
[Source: Tree Farmer, Nov./Dec. 1997]
Forest Health Kits - Representatives Bob Smith (R-OR) and Helen Chenoweth (R-ID)
both introduced forest health legislation in September 1997. The American
Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA;) has reviewed both pieces of legislation and
developed message points on these bills as well as the entire forest health
issue. These talking points, along with sample press releases, bill summaries,
and copies of the Smith bill (The Forestry Recovery and Protection Act of 1997)
and the Chenoweth bill (The Community Protection and Hazardous Fuels Reduction
Act of 1997) are now available in a "forest health kit." To order a kit, fax
your request to Katy Moffett at (202) 463-2708. For more information on forest
health and the current state of House and Senate legislation, contact Doug
Crandall at (202) 463-2752 or Katy Moffett at (202) 463-2755.
[Source: The Timber Producer, Dec. 1997]
Small-Diameter Lodgepole Pine Being Profitably Harvested - Sunpine Forest Products is a new company in Alberta, Canada, that has set up shop in a forest region where other, more experienced companies have declined. It is following an aggressive and innovative manufacturing strategy designed to derive maximum value from the region's small-diameter logs. Instead of focusing on the manufacture of studs and pulp chips, Sunpine makes a variety of products that tap into the full potential of each log, from treated decking and log home products to lumber and laminated veneer lumber. By adding value, Sunpine is making conversion of this superficially low-value resource worthwhile.
Founded in 1987, the original Sunpine operation started with 40 employees and consisted of a crude sawmill and wood-treating facility. The company's steady development has been marked by many changes. The first was the relocation and modernization of the Sundre sawmill. Then, in 1994, the company fired up a sophisticated spindleless lathe veneer line designed for its relatively small-diameter log supply. A high-recovery sawmill (lines for large and small logs) was added in 1996. In 1997, Sunpine started the world's first continuous laminated veneer lumber line, which allows peeling of 9-inch (22.5-cm) logs and reassembly of the veneer into structural or decorative products up to 4 feet (1.2 m) wide and over 100 feet (30.5 m) long.
The company is also involved in small-scale manufacturing ventures, such as a fencepost operation that serves local farmers. The target is to use trees as small as 5 inches (12.5 cm) at the stump and just over 2.5 inches (6.25 cm) at the top. Typically, the largest logs are sent to the veneer plant, the next largest (>3.5 inches (>8.75 cm)) are sent to the small- or large-log sawline, and the remainder are merchandised at the fencepost operation.
Operation of Sunpine is supported by a forestry operation that must get the
right log to the right facility at the right price, all the while meeting the
needs of a wide assortment of resource users. According to Sunpine's forest
planning manager Peter Denney, the key to keeping all these tasks synchronized
is planning. It means involving the public as well as potential resource users,
incorporating and balancing their needs alongside operation challenges. It also
means accounting for habitat, keeping a vigilant eye on water quality and
quantity, and making some unpopular decisions in the name of responsible
stewardship.
[Source: Canadian Forest Industries, Nov./Dec. 1997]
Virginia Tech Announces Graduate Fellowships in Forest Products Marketing - Graduate fellowships are available for students wishing to pursue a Ph.D. with emphasis on the marketing of forest products. Fellowships provide students with a stipend ($17,000 per year plus tuition wavers) and the opportunity to work in one of the top programs in the field. Candidates with an interest in forest products marketing, regardless of educational background, are encouraged to apply. Fellowship awards will be based on academic achievement and potential to excel in graduate studies. U.S. citizenship is required. For more information, contact Joanne Buckner, Center for Forest Products Marketing and Management, Virginia Tech, at (540) 231-5876, or by Fax (540) 231-8868 or e-mail (ctrfpmjo@vt.edu).
Lumber Demand to Soften Slightly in 1998 - The Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) has projected 1998 U.S. lumber demand to drop 3.3% to 48.19 billion board feet. Housing starts are estimated to drop 3.5%, and minor declines are expected in other markets. Pending final reports, WWPA officials estimate that 1997 U.S. lumber demand was 49.84 billion board feet, just under the 1996 total, which was the second highest on record.
According to WWPA estimates, western lumber production is expected to fall 4.1%
to 16.1 billion board feet in 1998, with southern production dropping 5.2% to
14.8 billion board feet and Canadian lumber imports falling 2.2%. U.S. lumber
exports are expected to increase slightly (0.5%) for the first time since 1989.
Though lumber exports to Japan are expected to be down 16% this year, increases
in other export markets (Europe 14%, Canada 12%, and all other countries 16%)
are making up much of the shortfall.
[Source: Timber Processing, Jan./Feb. 1998]
The Surplus and Scrap Wood Products Exchange, developed by VTE Company LLC in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service (Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, Economic Action Program), has been expanded to include all 20 northeastern states. The purpose of the Exchange is to allow a way for woodshops, furniture manufacturers, and sawmills to buy and/or sell their wood byproducts and wastes (e.g., surplus wood parts, off-spec, seconds, shorts, off-fall, cutoffs, edge rippings, short logs, and scrap), thus conserving the resource, increasing wood utilization, and increasing profits.
Offers to buy or sell wood surplus and scrap can be posted on the Exchange's Web site (http://www.woodexchange.com/). The 1997 Surplus & Scrapwood Products Directory is also available in hard copy. For more information about the Exchange or to request a copy of the directory, call the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation at (802) 241-3674.
Industry Evaluation of Reuse, Recycling, and Reduction of Spent CCA-Treated Wood
Products - In an article in the February issue of the Forest Products Journal,
Robert L. Smith and Ren-Jye Shiau of Virginia Tech contend that the wood-based
composite industry is not currently willing to use spent CCA fiber in their
manufacturing processes. Their findings are based on a mail survey to wood
composite manufacturers and personal interviews. Major concerns voiced by the
industry are the safety of mill workers during the manufacturing process and the
potential long-term environmental problems that may arise with composite
products that are contaminated with treatment chemicals. Study respondents
suggested fuel, specialty treated wood composites, and wood-nonwood composites
as possible uses for spent CCA-treated wood.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 48(2): 44-48, 1998]
Validity of Global Warming Questioned - Arthur Robinson and Zachary Robinson of
the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine maintain that temperatures during
the past 20 years may be correlated more closely with the length of solar
magnetic cycles than with the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The authors conclude that we needn't worry about the use of hydrocarbons, which
warm the earth. This conclusion contradicts those of other studies indicating
that the increased use of fossil fuels will have a detrimental effect on living
conditions in the future.
[Source: The Timber Producer, Jan. 1998]
Directions for Paper Industry Research - In a letter to the editors of TAPPI Journal, John Koning, Jr., former assistant director at the Forest Products Laboratory, suggests that the paper industry focus their attention on research in the following areas:
Ethanol Fom Biomass for Future U.S. Fuel - At the Global Change USDA/DOE National Market Place for the Environment meeting last November, Joseph Rohm, Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), expressed optimism on future use of biomass ethanol fuel. He predicted that within 5 years ethanol from cellulose will be produced at 70 cents per gallon. Although this prediction may be overoptimistic, the production of biomass ethanol has many advantages compared to other fuels and may eventually be cost effective.
Use of ethanol from renewable resources results in eliminating permanent carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere that could otherwise result from using fossil fuels. In doing so, it would further the goal reached at the energy summit in Kyoto of reducing carbon dioxide to 1990 levels by the year 2012. In addition, the use of ethanol should reduce carbon monoxide emissions, which are problematic in some U.S. regions in winter.
Ethanol provides opportunities for rural development, provides energy security (backup to Mideast oil supply), reduces the amount of biomass being disposed of in landfills, and increases water yield in watersheds. Moreover, ethanol production improves forest health and reduces the risk of wildfire by providing a use for forest residue.
Opponents of ethanol use as a motor fuel claim that it adds to ozone in the lower atmosphere, which is a problem in some U.S. cities in the summer. Proponents say that ethanol may be used as an oxygenate in reformulated gasoline in ozone nonattainment areas to combat this problem.
In the 1980s, the FPL and the Tennessee Valley Authority developed and pilot tested an improved process for making ethanol from cellulose, based on original FPL research. The process had been producing low yields of ethanol because the feedstock consisted of hardwoods instead of softwoods. To make the xylose-rich hardwoods more amenable to ethanol production, research at the FPL and elsewhere focused on processes that utilize this 5-carbon sugar. Some problems remain to be solved before the process can be commercialized. The FPL research was based on dilute acid prehydrolysis followed by secondary hydrolysis in a percolation reactor. Proposed new technology includes using a counter-current reactor for prehydrolysis and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation with enzymes instead of secondary acid hydrolysis and enzyme fermentation.
The main barrier to producing fuel from ethanol is cost. The cost of making ethanol from wood was rigorously analyzed by a Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) consultant in 1975. Although there have been technological advances since then, current analyses indicate that the technology would not greatly change basic cost relationships. The consultant found that fairly large plants (minimum of 25 million gallons/year capacity) were needed to take advantage of economies of scale. At a dry wood waste cost of $16 to $38 per ovendry ton, the selling price of ethanol was estimated to be from about $1.20 to $1.40 per gallon. New processes, such as use of the counter-current reactor, saccharification, and enzyme fermentation, might have higher yields and require less capacity to be economical. However, they might still require 500 dry tons of wood per day.
At this stage, manufacture of ethanol from wood and other forms of cellulose is still costly, although cost reductions are anticipated in the future. Ethanol from cellulose might compete with ethanol from corn, the current source of almost all biomass ethanol for fuel. Ethanol now accounts for less than 1% of U.S. fuel consumption (Wall Street Journal, August 18, 1997), and according to the General Accounting Office, under existing conditions usage will not increase in the next two decades.
Although a gallon of ethanol has less fuel value than a gallon of gasoline, ethanol has an inherently higher octane rating than gasoline and engines could be designed with higher compression ratios to take advantage of this characteristic. Thus, a gallon of ethanol might get the same mileage as basic grades of gasoline.
The Federal subsidy on the manufacture of gasohol (54 cents/gallon ethanol), which is scheduled to run until 2000, has enhanced the ability of ethanol to compete with other fuels. Some States supplement the Federal subsidy with additional subsidies. Ethanol is used as an octane enhancer in gasohol. Ethanol could also be used to produce ethyl-tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), another octane enhancer, which could conceivably be used in fuel cells to produce electricity efficiently.
In summary, the financial risk of building plants to make ethanol from wood may
be offset by the benefits of using renewable materials instead of fossil fuels
for energy.
[Source: John Zerbe, Program Manager, Energy Research, Development, and
Application, FPL (retired)]
Paris Plans Tallest Ever Timber Millennium Landmark - A structure that rivals the Eiffel Tower promises to raise timber engineering to new heights. The 200-m (656-ft) Tour de la Terre will be the most prominent element in celebrations recently announced by Mayor Jean Tiberi. The $42 million structure, now in conceptual design, will be constructed in east Paris. Scotch fir trunks will form the base and, according to project designer Daniel Lelievre, many types of wood will be used for internal decorations.
Engineering designer Dominique Calvi believes that the the Tour de la Terre will be the world's tallest tower to be made of wood. It will have the most heavily loaded elements of any timber structure--up to 700 tons in tension and 1,000 tons in compression.
The first 100 m (328 ft) of the tower will consist of eight cross-braced, 1.2-m- (3.9-ft-) diameter legs, each reinforced by a 70-cm- (28-inch-) diameter steel tube. Walls will be 70 mm (2.8 inches) thick at the bottom and thinner toward the top. The rest of the tower will consist of six fir trunks with intermediate cross-bracing. Vibration of the slender core, which will taper from 18 m (59 ft) wide at the base to 8 m (26 ft) at the top, will be controlled by hydraulic damping devices to make the tower comfortable for visitors.
According to Lelievre, construction of the tower will begin at the end of the
year, as long as funds can be raised. The tower itself must be privately
financed, but officials say that there is no shortage of funding offers.
[Source: Engineering News Record, Jan. 5, 1998]
The Skidder Bridge Fact Sheet has been developed by the University of
Massachusetts Extension, with input from 21 western Massachusetts loggers who
use portable skidder bridges. The bridge design is simple, inexpensive, and
low-tech. This skidder bridge is suitable for construction and use by loggers
who do small jobs, move their equipment often, and cannot afford to invest in
highly engineered structures. To obtain a copy of the fact sheet, contact
Dr. David Kittredge, University of Massachusetts, at (413) 545-2943, by Fax
(413) 545-4358, or by e-mail
(dbk@forwild.usmass.edu); or the National Wood In
Transportation Information Center at (304) 285-1591.
[Source: Crossings, Nov. 1997]
A Nontimber Forest Products Internet Discussion and Mailing List has been
established to communicate information about the biological and cultural
dimensions of nontimber forest products and their role in forest ecosystems.
The list is intended for timely distribution of announcements and educational
materials and as an international discussion forum. To subscribe, send an
e-mail message to majordomo@igc.org; and in the body of the message, type:
subscribe Improving Wood Utilization for Small Wood Products Businesses, a workshop
scheduled for March 26 at the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Caddo
Parish Office in Shreveport, is designed to educate woodworkers about some of
the many issues involved in the proper and efficient use of wood. For those who
produce or purchase green lumber, advice will be provided on selecting a dry
kiln and reducing moisture-related problems; for lumber producers, information
on optimal recovery; for small wood products manufacturers, information about
critical business management skills; and for all participants, knowledge about
wood behavior. For more information, contact Ricky Kilpatrick at (318) 965-2326
or Todd Shupe at (504) 388-2145.
Kiln Drying Publications Available on CD-ROM - The CD-ROM of Forest Products
Laboratory publications on kiln drying produced by Global Energy of Madison, WI,
is now available to readers of this Review for the nominal shipping and handling
charge of $9.95 in the U.S. and $19.95 outside the U.S. This CD-Rom was
originally priced at $99.95. This special offer will expire on March 31. Send
your request, along with a note that you saw the offer in the Forest Products
Conservation & Recycling Review, to Global Energy, P.O. Box 5617, Madison, WI
53705. Tel: (608) 238-6001; Fax: (608) 238-6081; e-mail: ggiese@sprynet.com.
The Application of Scanning Optimizer Systems to Hardwood Lumber Manufacturing
seminar will be held on May 7 in Richmond, VA. This 1-day seminar, sponsored by
the Virginia Tech Department of Wood Science and Forest Products and the
Virginia Forest Products Association, is intended for hardwood lumber
manufacturers who are considering precision sawing systems with scanners and
automatic decision assistance hardware. The seminar will include detailed
discussion and practical examples in the effect of sawline positioning accuracy
on hardwood lumber yield and value; equipment for automating sawmill sawline
positioning; and application of this technology at the headsaw, resaw, edger,
and trimmer. For further information and registration information, contact
Sharon Daley, Virginia Tech--Brooks Center. Tel: (540) 231-7105 or Fax: (540)
231-8868.
Training for the Lakes States Wood Industry provided by the Lake States Lumber
Association (LSLA) will take place in Wisconsin in April and May:
For information or requests for registration, contact LSLA Education, Inc.,
500 S. Stephenson Ave., Suite 301, Iron Mountain, MI 49801. (906) 774-6767.
Robert C. Byrd Hardwood Technology Center Workshops - The calendar of workshops
being offered by the Center is now available from Greg Puckett, Marketing
Director, Robert C. Byrd Hardwood Technology Center, 301 Hardwood Lane,
Princeton, WV 24740. Tel: (304) 487-1510; Fax: (304) 487-6661; or e-mail:
wood@byrdctr.com. The official newsletter Center Point is also available. The
workshop calendar, newsletter, and other information about the Center can be
accessed from the Center's Web site: http://www.byrdctr.com.
Contents
Forest Products Laboratory |
Forest Service |
USDA
Please send any questions or comments to
/s=s&pf;/ou1=s32a@mhs-fswa.attmail.com.
Contact-Name: Adele Olstad
Contact-Phone: 608/231-9329
Document-Date: 1998 March 3
Abstract: February 1998 Issue of FPC&R; Review
[Source: Ted Laufenberg, FPC&R; Technology Marketing Unit, FPL]
Improved Utilization of Solid Wood
Practical Lumber/Wood Products Marketing Techniques: April 1, Green Bay;
April 2, La Crosse; LSLA Education, Inc., in cooperation with Bob Smith
from Virginia Tech. Practical tips and examples to enhance wood products
operations.
Stain Control During Drying: April 21, Wausau. Intended for both
practicing kiln operators and managers/supervisors/owners. Basic causes of
stains, concentrating on maple, oak, and pine.
Hardwood Lumber Grading: May 11-13, Land O'Lakes.. For beginning lumber
graders, also suitable for sawyers, edgers, and trimmers. Classroom
sessions interspersed with practice grading sessions.