Working for You

OCTOBER 2009, VOL. 59, NO. 10

T H E N A T U R A L R E S O U R C E F O R T H E F O R E S T P R O D U C T S I N D U S T R Y

FOREST PRODUCTS

J O U R N A L

Working for You

FOREST PRODUCTS

A Century of Research A Century of Research

J O U R N A L

1910 –2010The Centennial Year of the 

USDA Forest Service’s Forest Products 

Laboratory offers a time to reflect on 

significant breakthroughs and look to a 

future of unprecedented innovation.
The U.S. Forest Service 

Forest Products Laboratory:

 1910–2010

 

By James T. Spartz

 A Century of Research Working for You

USDA Forest Service

Forest Products Laboratory

One Gifford Pinchot Drive

Madison, WI 53726

Phone: (608) 231-9200

Website: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/

6 OCTOBER 2009
Washington, D.C., turned the tide. On March 5, 1909, the day 

after President Taft’s inauguration, the announcement was made 

by Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson that Madison, Wisconsin, would indeed be home to the Nation’s first central wood 

research laboratory. 

Architectural planning proceeded quickly. By December 1909, 

the assembly of laboratory equipment began, and by spring 

of 1910, administrative offices opened. McGarvey Cline was 

named director prior to the official opening on June 4, 1910. The 

Forest Products Laboratory made its home on the UW–Madison 

campus in what today functions as the Materials Science and Engineering Building.

Early research priorities at the FPL focused on timber testing, wood preservation, wood-based distillates, wood technology (timber physics), pulp and paper, and wood chemistry. 

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL VOL. 59, NO. 10

Introduction to the Past

Since 1910, the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has promoted 

healthy forests and forest-based economies through the efficient, sustainable use of American wood resources. These past 

100 years have produced an extraordinary amount of research. 

From propellers and paper to construction materials and fire 

safety, the Forest Products Laboratory has helped make life easier, more comfortable, and infinitely more rewarding for almost 

every American.

The early years of the 20th century were brimming with industrial promise and ingenuity. The American frontier spirit 

of lumberjacking and self-reliance was still held in high regard. In 1910, James McGillivray’s first story about the giant 

lumberman Paul Bunyan was published in the Detroit News, locomotives steamed coast to coast and the professional class took 

to motoring through the countryside in pursuit of recreation 

and leisure. Cultural advances coincided with pursuits in the 

biological sciences and environmental conservation resulting in 

efforts to maximize America’s wood resources through a more 

efficient stream of production.

In 1907, McGarvey Cline, Chief of the Office of Wood Utilization 

in the U.S. Forest Service, proposed to colleagues that, in order 

to improve coordination among disparate centers of research, 

one main Forest Service research laboratory be established. By 

January 1909, Gifford Pinchot, head of the Forest Service, made 

an offer to the University of Wisconsin (UW) in Madison to be 

home to this new central research laboratory. The offer was accepted with much acclaim by UW President Charles Van Hise. 

Forester Pinchot then, surprisingly, retracted the offer in light 

of objections by Congressman James McLaughlin of Michigan 

and a separate offer from the University of Minnesota. Heated 

deliberation ensued. Eventually, a February meeting between 

Pinchot, Van Hise, and Wisconsin Senator Robert M. “Fighting 

Bob” La Follette, among others, at the exclusive Cosmos Club in 

7

U.S. Secretary of 

Agriculture James 

Wilson (left) with 

Director McGarvey Cline during 

FPL’s first inspection in 1912.

A Note on References - 

In his definitive dissertation on early FPL history, Charles 

A. Nelson wrote that researchers were engaged in “a scientific crusade against waste and inefficiency in the use of 

America’s forest resources” (Nelson, 1971; p. 46). This description remains appropriate for today’s state-of-the-art 

research and cooperative efforts at the FPL. To that end, this 

article focuses on modern advancements in forest products 

research in light of accomplishments made over the past 

100 years. Much of the historical information for this article was drawn from Dr. Nelson’s dissertation, published in 

1971 as the History of the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory 

(1910–1963). We are deeply indebted to this document as a 

reference to the Lab’s first half-century of service.

In 2008, the University of Wisconsin’s Digital Collections 

Library compiled an oral history of the FPL. Fifty-two current and former FPL employee interviews were recorded 

and transcribed for the public. With permission from the 

Oral History Program at UW–Madison, this article draws 

from those transcripts. Some quotes have been edited for 

length. Verbatim transcripts and original digital audio recordings can be accessed through UW–Madison’s Digital 

Collections Library at http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/FPLHist/.

Former FPL Assistant Director John Koning was also an 

invaluable resource in the reporting of this article. Mr. 

Koning provided generous feedback in weaving together 

100 years of scientific progress at the FPL.
Fourteen scientists 

and six assistants 

were initially supported by a total of 

$28,000 per year. 

Dr. L.F. Hawley 

moved to Madison to continue 

his experiments 

in refining crude 

turpentine; Harry 

Tiemann, discoverer of the fibersaturation point 

of wood, came to 

direct the timber physics section, while Rolf Thelen and John 

Newlin supervised engineering and testing, respectively. F.M. 

Bond became section chief for wood preservation, and Howard 

Weiss, a preservation expert, took a role as assistant director. 

The new laboratory did not have a mycology section at the time 

but C.J. Humphrey, under the Federal Bureau of Plant Industry, 

was given laboratory space for his team to investigate wooddestroying fungi (Nelson 1971, p. 38).

Under Cline’s oversight, the FPL focused on characterizing the 

fundamental properties of wood and on wood products utilization. Cline also strengthened ties to industry. The development 

of low-cost residential construction standards through World 

War I and the Great Depression provided shelter for thousands 

of citizens shifting from rural to urban areas. National defense 

initiatives were also an early priority for the FPL. Research into 

highly absorbent charcoal for gas masks, aircraft engineering, 

the effects of humidity and temperature change on wooden and 

laminate propellers, and wood drying processes began by early 

1917. FPL research also made significant contributions to World 

War II and the Korean Conflict. Support of military efforts continued through the 1960s to the modern era of Desert Storm. 

Wartime efforts were multifaceted and produced two influential publications: A Wood Aircraft Fabrication Manual and the 

ANC Handbook on the Design of Wood Aircraft Structures. Packaging experts at the FPL also engineered remarkable savings 

in cargo space by redesigning boxes and packing material for 

wartime equipment. Chemicals derived from wood enhanced 

the understanding of wood chemistry and provided the basis 

for information on naval stores, chemical intermediates, extractives, explosives, rayon, flavorings, alcohol, and fuel. These and 

other FPL accomplishments in times of war are highlighted in a 

review published as Forest Products Laboratory: Supporting the 

Nation’s Armed Forces with Valuable Wood Research for 90 years

(Risbrudt et al. 2007). 

Throughout its 100-year history, the Forest Products Laboratory 

has stated approximately 264 broad research and project goals. 

These goals, which incorporate many past and current research 

efforts at the FPL, have been synthesized into the following eight 

general categories:

• Develop basic knowledge of wood and its use

• Improve wood processing to increase yield and quality while 

reducing costs and waste 

• Extend the service life of wood products

• Utilize various wood species and changing quality of wood

• Improve the quality and usefulness of wood products

• Develop new products from wood

• Develop basic knowledge of the biological aspects of wood

• Transfer research findings nationally and internationally

Develop basic knowledge of wood and its use

Characterization and strength testing of wood formed much of 

the basic research at the FPL. Determining mechanical properties of North American woods and wood products led to practical applications for under-valued species found on National 

Forest and private lands. Lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce, 

for example, were found to be suitable substitutes for redcedar 

as telephone poles and in light construction. These early categorizations resulted in specifications and guidelines for the use of 

wood in structural applications that are still used today.

Wood preservation, another focus of early FPL research, often 

aimed to educate industrial wood consumers such as architects 

and railroad and mining engineers in the ways of efficient utilization. Early research sought to extend the useful life of railroad 

crossties and structural timbers used in transportation structures. These efforts also strived to improve the economic conditions of wood-using industries in light of a period of market 

overproduction, cutthroat competition, and considerable waste 

from the forest to the factory (Nelson 1971, pp. 52–53).

Fundamentals regarding the basic knowledge of wood have more 

recently entered a 21st century level of analysis: the nanoscale. 

Nanotechnology is the study and manipulation of materials 

8

From propellers and paper to 

construction materials and 

fire safety, the Forest Products 

Laboratory has helped make life 

easier, more comfortable, and 

infinitely more rewarding for 

almost every American.

Research on 

the effects of 

humidity and 

temperature 

change on 

wooden and 

laminate airplane propellers supported 

the war effort 

during World 

War I. 

OCTOBER 2009
ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers in at least one dimension (one 

nanometer is about 50,000 times thinner than a human hair). It 

is an enabling technology used by scientists and engineers to create products with unique functions and improved performance. 

Innovative nano-related advancements will help replace nonsustainable plastic and metal products with lighter and stronger renewable bio-based materials. Advances in lignocellulosic 

(wood-based) nanotechnology could lead to new techniques for 

modifying wood growth characteristics and improving strength, 

durability, and performance aspects of many paper, packaging, 

and structural products. 

Advancement at the nanoscale is only one of many high-tech applications at the FPL. As a leader in the development and use of 

ultrasound technologies to locate defects in wood, the Engineering Properties of Wood, Wood-Based Materials and Structures 

unit at the FPL has helped pioneer methods of nondestructive 

evaluation (NDE). According to Project Leader Robert Ross, 

NDE is the science of identifying the physical and mechanical 

properties of materials, products, and structures without altering their end-use capabilities. This evaluation includes testing of 

standing trees as well as logs, timbers, and lumber. Basic research 

on wood physics, particularly vibration and sound propagation 

properties of various wood species, says Ross, have served as the 

foundation for many modern lumber-grading and automated 

assessment technologies.

Improve wood processing to increase yield and 

quality while reducing costs and waste

Improving efficiencies in the processing of wood has been a focal point of the FPL mission since the days of McGarvey Cline. 

Kent McDonald, former FPL researcher in the Wood Quality 

Research unit, was concerned with sawmill inefficiencies in the 

early 1970s when sawmilling research was considered all but obsolete. McDonald and fellow scientists Erv Bulgrin and Hiram 

Hallock conjured up a novel solution to waste in the mill: the 

use of computers to determine appropriate sawing dimensions 

per log. This approach, known as Best Opening Face technology, vastly improved efficiency and helped avert an industry collapse by saving an estimated one billion board feet of lumber 

annually through improved sawing techniques (see FPL Greatest 

Hits, p. 6).

Wood-based distillates were another early focus of FPL efficiency research. Better grades of wood turpentine were developed, as was production of methyl alcohol, in the 1920s. More 

recently, in 2005, scientists from the FPL Institute for Microbial 

and Biochemical Technology patented a process for converting 

xylose (wood sugar) to ethanol and xylitol (wood sugar alcohol). This fermentation process uses specialized yeast strains 

to metabolize xylose more quickly. The development of modern biorefineries to process and convert wood into an array of 

usable fibers, fuels, and chemicals is getting a fresh look as fossil-fuel prices rise and environmental sustainability becomes 

a bigger part of the bottom line. 

Kenneth Skog and Peter Ince of the FPL Economics and Statistics Research unit believe that biorefineries using sequential, 

integrated processing approaches could have economic advantages over standalone cellulosic biofuels plants. Integrated 

facilities would take advantage of existing infrastructure for 

biofuel and pulp production as well as support rural economies 

in forestry-dependent areas. Skog and Ince (2008) estimate 

that wood-based biofuels production could provide 102,000 

to 220,000 new American jobs by 2022 with estimates reaching higher if economic conditions become more favorable than 

currently projected. 

Economics and statistics research are critical components to the 

success of broader scientific investigations at the FPL. Economists provide information about how and why markets and 

technologies for wood products change over time, implications 

for natural resources 

management, and 

broad environmental 

and social impacts. 

Statisticians apply 

modern statistical 

methods to enhance 

the integrity of utilization research.

This unit supports 

other research projects by developing 

innovations to conserve resources 

and expand the 

competitive use 

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL VOL. 59, NO. 10 9

Wood-based biofuels production could provide 102,000 to 

220,000 new American jobs by 

2022 with estimates reaching 

higher if economic conditions 

become more favorable than 

currently projected.

Wood is naturally composed of very small but 

extremely strong cellulose 

nanofibrils. Nanotechnology enables scientists 

and engineers to create 

products with unique 

functions and improved 

performance.

Students in an 

early Wood Properties and Uses 

course observe 

a static bending 

test to measure 

strength properties of wood.
of wood; evaluate the role of market trends and competitiveness of U.S. firms in the global marketplace; and evaluate the 

impacts on forests of forest management policies and forest 

industry initiatives. 

Extend the service life of wood products

Some of the most important early work in timber preservation 

was in cooperation with the Nation’s railroads. In 1900, America’s growing railroad industry was using 110,000,000 crossties 

annually, yet only about one percent of these were treated with 

preservatives (Nelson 1971, p. 16). By the turn of the century, 

decreasing supplies of large-diameter timber suitable for crossties made preservation research paramount to the economic 

concerns of railroads and the industries they supported. This 

supply crunch also raised the ecological concerns of America’s 

leading foresters in what was then the U.S. Bureau of Forestry. 

In 1905, the average number of crossties used by the primary 

railroads was 237 per mile, per year. By 1925, using a wider variety of wood species and more effective preservation techniques, 

the annual average dropped to 194 crossties per mile of track. 

These statistics, as Charles Nelson noted in 1971 (p. 89), “dramatically demonstrated the practical value of the FPL’s continuing research in wood preservation.”

Wood preservation has come in many forms. Common practices 

used today benefit from decades of research but, unfortunately, many wood preservation techniques have historically used 

undesirable broad-spectrum toxicants. With nearly 400 million cubic feet of preservative-treated wood now produced and 

consumed in the United States annually, more environmentally 

compatible preservatives are needed to replace broad-spectrum 

conventional biocides. The voluntary withdrawal of chromated 

copper arsenate from applications such as play structures and 

picnic tables in 2004, for example, was a significant change in 

wood preservation use and safety. Other preservative regimens 

may soon face similar environmental scrutiny. 

FPL researchers in the Durability & Wood Protection unit are 

developing new, environmentally preferable wood preservation 

technologies, including formulations free of toxic metals. Although changes in wood preservation are needed, it is difficult 

for researchers to respond quickly to societal pressure for environmentally sensitive preservatives. It can take years to evaluate 

the long-term effectiveness of new preservatives. FPL researchers are actively developing improved methods to rapidly assess 

the potential for environmentally preferable wood preservatives 

in providing safe and reliable long-term protection.

Durability & Wood Protection researchers also evaluate the 

performance of wood products from a fire safety perspective. 

By studying the fundamentals of fire behavior, FPL researchers 

have developed treatments for wood products that help reduce 

the flammability of structural and wood paneling, among many 

other products. These evaluations have influenced the development of building codes and increased the fire safety performance of residential and commercial structures worldwide.

Utilize various wood species and changing quality 

of wood

The Rattlesnake Creek pedestrian bridge near Missoula, Montana, was built using 6-inch-diameter lodgepole pine from a 

beetle-killed forest near Elk City, Idaho. This unique bridge was 

designed and built to demonstrate the potential use of lodgepole pine in the Pacific Northwest that have been killed by the 

pine bark beetle. FPL engineers worked with the University of 

Idaho and Timber Products Inspection of Vancouver, Washington, to develop the technical basis for mechanical grading of 

these whole round timbers. Research has shown that structures 

such as log homes and bridges provide a high-value use for logs 

cut from standing dead trees and is a source for local production and employment. 

Retooling sawmills 

to process smalldiameter logs and 

a wider variety of 

species, including 

invasive and nonnative woods, has 

helped reinvigorate rural economies and maintain 

healthier forests. 

Finding new uses 

for overcrowded 

s m a l l - d i a m e t e r 

10

Corrugated fiberboard and other fiber-based containers revolutionized the shipping industry 

during the 1920s. Its status as 

the packaging material of choice 

today is due in no small part to 

FPL research.

In the 1970s, Best 

Opening Face technology revolutionized the 

sawmill industry. Using 

computers to determine 

sawing dimensions per 

log save an estimated 

one billion board feet of 

lumber annually.

Developing preservatives for wood 

helped sustain the Nation’s railroads 

and forest resources in the early 20th 

century. Lengthening the service 

life of railroad crossties eased the demand on forests being harvested for 

replacement ties. 

OCTOBER 2009
trees on millions of fire-suppressed acres of National Forest land 

is essential to minimizing potential damage from catastrophic 

wildfires. One key to this more efficient utilization is the development of composite products using small-diameter trees 

and plantation-raised short-rotation woody crops as source 

materials. 

Engineered wood products, including wood-based composites, 

represent over 40 percent of the total materials used in North 

American residential construction. They are light, strong, easily worked, readily available, and cost-effective. FPL researchers 

from the Advanced Housing Research Center, Engineered Composite Sciences unit, and the Engineering Mechanics and Remote 

Sensing Laboratory are working to develop engineered biocomposites to meet the diverse needs of users for high-performance 

and commodity products with enhanced performance, serviceability, and durability. 

Improve the quality and usefulness of wood 

products

In looking to increase packaging performance and efficiency, 

early FPL research in the design and durability of wooden boxes 

was a direct response to demand by manufacturers and shippers. As American involvement in World War I increased, the 

War Department turned to the FPL to help create better shipping crates as well as substitutes for wooden boxes. Corrugated 

fiberboard and other fiber-based containers revolutionized the 

shipping industry during the 1920s. Its status as the packaging 

material of choice today is due in no small part to FPL research.

As was the case with packaging, most research at FPL is done 

in partnership with industry, academia, and other government 

agencies. Charles Frihart of the Performance Enhanced Biopolymers unit at the FPL, in cooperation with Heartland Resource 

Technologies and Ashland Hercules, recently helped develop an 

improvement in the field of soy-based adhesives, which combines the low cost of soy-based raw materials with the exterior 

durability characteristics of petrochemicals. When cured, these 

adhesives exhibit excellent water resistance, which makes them 

ideal for plywood, panels, and wood composite products. Importantly, these adhesives also meet the stringent California Air 

Resources Board standards on formaldehyde emissions from 

wood products.

Develop new products from wood

Changes in forest resources have often spurred innovation in 

the development of new wood products. In the 1930s, as the 

supply of large-diameter select commercial species dwindled 

and industry became impatient with the long rotation period 

required to grow large merchantable timbers, the FPL capitalized on advancements in glues and gluing practices to construct 

glued-laminated (glulam) beams and arches for structural and 

transportation applications. Multiple layers of shorter length, 

narrow-width stock are used to create large, durable beams. The 

end result combines the economy of lower grade stock for core 

laminate layers with a low fire risk due to large size members. 

These sturdy and attractive structural supports can often be seen 

in sports arenas, auditoriums, churches, and warehouses. They 

have also been employed in transportation structures such as 

bridges and span walkways throughout the Nation.

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL VOL. 59, NO. 10 11

The Rattlesnake 

Creek bridge near 

Missoula, Montana, 

was built using 

6-inch-diameter 

lodgepole pine from 

a forest in Idaho 

to demonstrate the 

effective use of trees 

killed by the pine 

bark beetle.

Biocomposite 

materials are 

light, strong, 

readily available, and cost 

effective.

Testing box 

materials and 

construction for 

durability helped 

revolutionize the 

shipping industry 

during and after 

World War I.

Glued-laminated (glulam) 

beams and arches use 

multiple layers of lowergrade wood to create large 

durable beams.

(continued on p. 8)
12

U.S. Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory 

Greatest Hits: 1910–2010

Since 1910, the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has 

been helping Americans meet their demand for wood in the most efficient, 

sustainable manner possible. With state-of-the-art technology, FPL scientists continue to research methods for promoting clean water, better homes, 

improved recycling processes, and healthier forests. Below are just a few of 

the breakthrough technologies and applications that got their start at the 

FPL. 

Engineered Wood Products

Engineered wood products help extend our forest resources by putting previously underutilized materials to use. Much of the technology needed for the 

manufacture and design properties of glued-laminated (glulam) timber was 

developed at the FPL in the 1930s. Glulam beams, often seen in churches, 

sporting arenas, and other large structures, have high structural value but can 

be made of lower-grade material. 

Wooden I-joists are another highly efficient structural component developed 

by the FPL. Spurred by military needs of the aircraft industry, wooden I-joist 

research and production evolved in the late 1960s. These products, made by combining wood with plywood or other panel 

products, are a significant structural material in both residential and non-residential construction.

The FPL also played a role in the development of oriented strandboard (OSB), a composition board meant for structural 

purposes and made with moisture-resistant adhesives. The development of OSB and other similar products provided a use 

for logging residues that were previously considered waste.

Neutral Sulfite Semichemical (NSSC) Pulping

The FPL was influential in developing the semichemical pulping process as a 

higher yield offshoot for the kraft process in papermaking. For decades, semichemical pulping has been the dominant process used for producing corrugating medium in the United States. Corrugating medium, the wavy fluting material in corrugated boxes, is one of 12 major grades of paper and paperboard 

products. Corrugated boxes revolutionized the shipping industry and are used 

to ship over 90% of all goods in the U.S. economy.

Packaging

Some of the FPL’s earliest research developed standardized methods for testing package 

performance. Research on efficient packaging design saved an estimated $50 million 

during World Wars I and II. These advances greatly reduced packaging volumes and 

product damage. FPL research allowed the packaging industry to broaden the range 

of wood species and quality of wood used in packaging; minimize the amount of fiber 

used, thus extending the timber supply; and optimize fiber use in providing product 

protection, thereby making fiber the packing material of choice. The current industry 

standard for performance testing for shipping containers and systems is based on FPL 

research.

OCTOBER 2009
FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL VOL. 59, NO. 10 13

Recycling

FPL research has led to great progress in recycling materials, from paper to wood and 

other solids. Fiber-loading technology developed at the FPL produces more paper from 

less fiber and reduces the amount of sludge produced during recycling. This and other 

research on recycling, in cooperation with the U.S. Postal Service, has resulted in the 

development of self-adhesive stamps that do not cause problems with recycling operations. As these adhesives are implemented, an additional 20 million tons of mixed 

wastepaper can be recycled.

Lumber Grading and Assignment of Design Values

One of the Forest Products Laboratory’s early achievements was developing procedures 

for structural lumber grading. This was the first system based on observations from lumber strength tests and justified a 20% increase in design value for major species. A broader 

array of species was also identified as suitable for structural use.

In the 1980s, a changing resource base and demands for more precise design values 

resulted in another comprehensive study of lumber properties. This FPL-led “in-grade” 

program changed the historic basis for property assignments. As a result, design values assigned to 2 by 4’s increased significantly, which is of particular importance for the 

utilization of lumber from small-diameter trees in engineered wood products. 

Current grading research at the FPL is bringing the use of recycled lumber and timber 

closer to commercial reality. FPL researchers are developing a new grading system to ensure that this lumber and timber will meet performance requirements in many applications. Research on lumber re-grading will allow wood from old buildings to be reused 

safely while reducing disposal costs and saving landfill space. 

Sawing

Computer-aided sawmill technology developed in the 1970s helped sawmills maximize lumber production from small log sources. Called Best Opening Face (BOF), 

this technology aided in the automation of softwood dimension sawmills and helped 

prevent an industry collapse when sawmills shifted from old-growth to second-growth 

timber resources. Today, most softwood lumber used for construction purposes in the 

United States and around the world is processed using BOF technology. An estimated 

one billion board feet of lumber has been conserved annually through the use of this 

optimization technology.

Drying

In the 1950s, Robert L. Youngs began working on an FPL team to develop dry kiln 

schedules for all native North American wood species. These parameters, still the 

industry standard, detailed the most efficient methods for drying lumber by minimizing loss due to drying defects. The schedules in the Dry Kiln Operators Manual, 

revised most recently in 1990, minimize time, cost, and energy used in the kiln drying process. Youngs eventually served as FPL Director from 1975 to 1985.
The development of new products from wood often stems from 

market forces pushing industry and associated research in new 

directions. FPL economist Henry Spelter and economics assistant Daniel Toth have recently found that rising fossil fuel prices 

since 2000, among other factors, has led to growing interest in 

renewable fuel alternatives, specifically the wood pellet sector 

(Spelter and Toth 2009). Energy market disruptions caused by 

Hurricane Katrina in 2005 spurred a demand surge and elevated 

wood pellets as a serious alternative-energy contender. The European Union’s “20 by 20” goal to supply 20 percent of its energy 

needs from renewable sources by 2020 will be difficult to achieve 

from indigenous European sources alone and has amplified interest in North American wood pellet exports. 

Develop basic knowledge of the biological aspects 

of wood

Investigations into the biochemistry of wood and its structure 

are still yielding new insights to the complex nature of wood. 

Researchers in the FPL Institute for Microbial and Biochemical 

Technology are studying how selected white-rot, brown-rot, and 

soft-rot fungi degrade wood. Knowledge of how forest fungi attack wood helps researchers find better ways to protect wood 

in use. Because of their unique capabilities, wood-decay fungi 

and the chemicals they produce show promise as versatile and 

environmentally preferable bioprocessing agents. Management 

of old and unusable treated wood through the use of decay fungi 

for myco-remediation and degradation is an attractive alternative to incineration or landfilling. 

The use of enzymes is another option in meeting popular demand for sustainable bioprocessing. Enzymes catalyze reactions 

under less environmentally severe conditions than alternative 

chemical processes. Research in enzymatic and microbial modifications of wood and fiber surfaces has found great potential 

for the removal or modification of specific wood components. 

These processes may be useful in developing new products such 

as chemicals, fuels, toxic metal and nutrient adsorbents, or for 

the replacement of harsh industrial chemicals. 

FPL research focusing on the discovery and use of microorganisms, enzymes, and biomimetics to treat virgin fibers, recycled 

fibers, and wood residues seeks processes to release complex 

cellular compounds, such as lignin, from pulps. Enzymes that 

might increase the strength of paper made from lower grade 

wood residuals and pulp are also sought. The pulp and paper 

industry already uses enzymes for pulp bleaching and removing 

inks and contaminants from recycled fibers. Enzyme pretreatment of biomass will be indispensable for forest biorefineries 

and holds promise for value-prior-to-pulping processes. An important consideration in this research is ensuring that the use of 

enzymes fits with existing industry technologies to increase their 

acceptance and use.

Transfer research findings nationally and 

internationally

Technology transfer—the sharing of research and results across 

the spectrum of industry, academia, and government agencies—

addresses the need to get technical information into the hands 

of those who can put it to use. The State and Private Forestry 

Technology Marketing Unit at the FPL, headed by Susan LeVanGreen, is one example of where the timber hits the blade in utilizing FPL expertise for the benefit of struggling, often rural, wood 

industry communities and businesses. Similar to extension services offered by many universities, the State and Private Forestry 

branch of the U.S. Forest Service reaches across the boundaries 

of National Forests to states, municipalities, tribal communities, 

and nonindustrial private landowners. 

In her UW Oral History Project interview, LeVan-Green recalls 

one particular technology transfer success story from the town 

of Hayfork, California. The community was struggling, she says. 

“They were losing their schools [and] losing their health facilities. They knew they needed to create employment.” The townsfolk were aware of forest thinning work to be done and started 

consulting with FPL specialists in the early 1990s. The main sawmill started with two employees, says LeVan-Green, but is now 

up to about 35 people. The company uses wood material taken 

from forest thinning operations to make flooring, furniture, 

and specialty products for national distributors. The best part, 

says LeVan-Green, was seeing the community benefit from the 

revival of this mill. 

Each of these eight research goals exemplifies a persistence in promoting healthy forests and forest-based economies through the efficient, sustainable use of forest resources. 

The prescient vision of McGarvey Cline to establish a central Federal research laboratory for the accumulation of 

scientific knowledge about forest products has come to pass 

as one of the best values American taxpayers have received in 

affecting the stability and comfort of everyday life. With each 

passing year, the FPL compounds on its history to provide even 

greater return on investment for the future of wood research and 

utilization. 

14

The use of smalldiameter and other 

residues from forest 

thinning projects 

helps create employment in rural areas 

and promotes forest 

health while reducing 

the threat of catastrophic wildfires 

and insect infestation.

(continued from p. 5)

OCTOBER 2009
The “New” FPL

Between 1931 and 1932, a new building for the Forest Products 

Laboratory was designed and built less than a mile west of the 

original FPL building on the University of Wisconsin campus. 

The Chicago architectural firm of Holabird and Root designed 

the building. Both Holabird and Root were graduates of the 

École des Beaux Arts in Paris, and the firm’s architectural accomplishments include, among many others, the Palmolive Building 

in Chicago and the Chrysler Building in New York City. 

According to A History of the Architecture of the USDA Forest 

Service, the new FPL building typifies the American Perpendicular or Modernistic Phase of the Art Deco style as applied to commercial design. With a U-shaped layout, the main FPL building 

has a steel and concrete frame with an exterior face of smooth 

white Indiana limestone. Windows are massed in groupings of 

four, one-over-one, with double-hung sashes and flat surrounds. 

Cypress-wood fins run the height of the vertical faces flanking 

each window and add a decorative and functional detail by partially shading the windows during the day. The flat roof has a 

plain parapet with no cornice decoration (Forest Service Engineering Staff 1999, pp. 154–155).

Walking through the tall hallways of the FPL today feels a bit 

like strolling through a sparsely decorated museum. Art meets 

science in the classic Art Deco lobby and main elevator. Throughout the building heavy wooden doors, filing cabinets, and 

desks speak to a past filled with the muffled sounds of research 

and filing performed by seven decades of scientists and their 

secretaries.

The fourth floor’s north wing has a string of offices with beautiful hardwood floors. These are not government extravagance, 

however. Several combinations of wood species and design 

applications were laid out as test flooring to measure changes due to temperature, humidity, and general use. At the end of this long hallway is the Center 

for Wood Anatomy Research. Through its heavy wood 

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL VOL. 59, NO. 10 15

Attendees of the Forest Products Society’s 64th International Convention are invited to a centennial 

celebration at the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) 

on Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010. To commemorate 

100 years of innovation, invited guests and employees will gather outside FPL’s new Centennial Research 

Facility for a ribbon cutting ceremony. The official 

program will begin at 9:00 a.m. with FPL Director 

Chris Risbrudt hosting the event. Invited speakers 

include: USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, 

U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Governor James Doyle, 

Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and Deputy Chief 

of Research Ann Bartuska. A reception will follow 

with entertainment by the Fiddlin’ Foresters, the official “old-time string band of the U.S. Forest Service.” 

Guests will be welcome to tour the 87,000 square foot 

research facility where displays, exhibits, and ongoing 

research will be highlighted. 

You’re Invited

The FPL’s classic Art Deco lobby circa 1940s.

Several combinations of wood species were designed and laid out as 

test flooring on the FPL’s fourth floor to measure effects of humidity, 

temperature change, and general use.
door sits over 

100,000 wood specimens representing 

about 18,000 tree 

species from every 

corner of the globe—

the largest collection 

of its kind. A piece of 

white oak recovered 

from a shipwreck 

near San Julian, Argentina, is believed 

to be from one of 

Magellan’s ships, 

which sank during 

a storm in 1520. A 

specimen taken from what has been called a boat-like structure 13,000 feet up Mt. Ararat in Eastern Turkey is believed by 

some to be from Noah’s Ark. These samples and many others sit 

near a bit of Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki; chunks from the USS 

Constitution—branded “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812; 

samples from King Tut’s tomb; and a 40 million year old piece of 

unfossilized hickory discovered in the western United States 

and now only found in China. A vast range of human and prehuman history is represented in this one small corner of the 

FPL.

The wood anatomy unit essentially began the day Eloise Gerry 

walked through FPL doors in June 1910. Though the Forest Service wasn’t interested in hiring a woman at the time, as Gerry 

recalled, “there wasn’t any man willing to come and do the work” 

(McBeath 1978, p. 129). She became the first woman appointed 

to a professional staff position at the FPL and the first woman in 

the United States to specialize in forest products research. Gerry 

authored more than 120 technical and trade journal articles; edited the Naval Stores Handbook of 1935; and was project leader 

from 1914 to 1924 for the wood anatomy research unit. The first 

recorded wood identification was made on January 16, 1914. 

The year Gerry stepped down as project leader, 1924, was the 

same year Aldo Leopold became assistant director at the FPL 

under Carlisle P. “Cap” Winslow. Leopold’s organizational abilities and talent for writing proved a boon for the FPL though, 

as a forester amid an orchard of scientists, he seemed a “fish 

out of water” within the confines of a laboratory (Meine 1988, 

p. 234). Despite what may have been tenuous comfort working 

within the confines of a research laboratory, Leopold’s articles, 

published for professionals and lay people alike, established 

him as the Nation’s foremost spokesman for the preservation 

of wild country (Meine 1988, p. 243) and the wise utilization of 

forest resources. Leopold, among other duties, supervised the 

FPL’s effort to reduce wood industry waste at the mill—by some 

estimates 66 percent—and encouraged the use of “inferior” 

species of trees until his departure from the FPL in June 1928.

Daniel Caufield, in his UW Oral History Project interview, noted that Leopold maintained a philosophy of wise utilization as 

“the best form of conservation.” Caufield spent 40 years working 

in wood chemistry and in the Pulp and Paper division at the 

FPL. The argument could always be made, says Caufield, that the 

FPL wasn’t interested in making paper better so much as making 

paper more efficiently.

Thomas Hamilton, FPL director from 1994 to 2001, stated in 

his UW Oral History Project interview that a variety of unique 

characteristics makes the FPL a special kind of place. Hamilton 

recalls somebody once saying, “When you walk down the hall 

of the Forest Products Lab, you are probably going to pass the 

world expert in a particular field.” This was different, Hamilton 

says, than other research labs where there might be very strong 

expertise in a few areas but not the ability to look at a particular 

problem from such an all-encompassing, group perspective.

An early synthesis of this combined expertise in wood and forest 

products research came in the form of the Wood Handbook—

Wood as an Engineering Material, first published in 1935. The 

chief basis for this handbook has been the accumulation of information from engineering and allied investigations of wood 

and wood products. It also provides basic knowledge for everyday construction practices. The Wood Handbook remains the 

most popular FPL publication. Over 1,600 digital downloads of 

all or part of this book are procured by the public weekly. A centennial version of the Wood Handbook, its seventh edition, will 

be published in 2010 by the current team of FPL experts.

16

Because forests help mitigate climate change by cleaning the air 

and acting as large carbon storage units, the use of wood as a 

structural material extends carbon sequestration beyond the life 

of the tree throughout the life of 

the product. 

In 1910, Eloise Gerry 

was the first woman 

appointed to a professional staff position at 

the FPL and the first 

woman in the United 

States to specialize 

in forest products 

research.

Aldo Leopold was Assistant 

Director at the FPL from 

1924–1928. His organizational 

abilities and talent for writing 

proved a benefit to both the 

Forest Service and the Forest 

Products Laboratory.

OCTOBER 2009
Current Areas of Focus

In moving toward improved efficiencies in the use of our 

Nation’s forest resources, the FPL has identified five current areas of research focus: Advanced Structures, Advanced 

Composites, Forest Biorefinery and Biomass Utilization, and 

Nanotechnology. 

Modern structures are complex systems of integrated components. Advancements in construction technology and the 

exploration of alternative building methods by FPL researchers 

in the Advanced Structures Research unit have greatly enhanced 

the value and durability of wood in residential, nonresidential, 

and transportation structures. Life-cycle assessment studies 

have shown that because forests help mitigate climate change by 

cleaning the air and acting as large carbon storage units, the use 

of wood as a structural material extends carbon sequestration 

beyond the life of the tree throughout the life of the product. 

Wood-frame buildings, consequently, represent a significantly 

lower environmental burden than buildings made exclusively of 

steel, concrete, or bricks. 

Wood transportation structures such as railroad trestles and 

wood bridges, including many historic covered bridges, are getting a closer look through a cooperative effort by the National 

Center for Wood Transportation Structures (NCWTS). This 

center, at the Institute for Transportation at Iowa State University, is maintained in partnership with the FPL, the Federal 

Highway Administration, and the National Park Service. The 

NCWTS brings together allied interests to complete research, 

demonstration, and education regarding durable, cost-effective 

wood transportation structures and to improve the transportation infrastructure of America and the world (NCWTS 2009).

Part of developing a sustainable infrastructure includes nurturing the practices of sustainable resource management. In the 

future, lumber used for housing will increasingly be sourced 

from plantation-grown trees and small-diameter secondary species. Composite products from bio-based materials will help 

promote the long-term sustainability of our Nation’s forests. 

The Advanced Composites group at FPL has developed methods for using a variety of undervalued materials including fibers, 

wood particles, flakes from small trees, post-industrial and postconsumer wood wastes, and other natural bio-fibers such as 

wheat straw, corn straw, and even chicken feathers. Wood 

composite technologies have been used for decades to create 

building and home furnishing products and for a number of 

structural and nonstructural applications including interior 

paneling, sheathing, furniture, and support structures in many 

different types of buildings.

Research suggests that roughly 73 million acres of national forest land needs thinning to improve forest health and resiliency. 

In 2008 and 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded 

$4.1 and $4.2 million, respectively, in grants to help small businesses and community groups develop innovative uses of woody 

biomass harvested from National Forest land. The grants, 

administered by FPL’s State and Private Forestry Technology 

Marketing Unit, help create markets for new Forest Biorefinery 

and Biomass Utilization projects, including renewable energy 

production from forest biomass. These investments help move 

America toward energy independence and contribute to the 

mitigation of global climate change while supporting rural economies and promoting sustainable natural resources utilization.

Underutilized Woody Biomass Research has shown the growth 

of many trees is suppressed in overcrowded forests. Smalldiameter (suppressed-growth) trees have narrower annual rings, 

more uniform fiber cell structure within the rings, and a higher 

volume of mature wood. Ironically, due to a number of economic factors, availability of pulpwood from public and private lands 

in the western United States is diminishing. The pulp and paper 

industry has become increasingly reliant on the availability of 

residuals from sawmill operations. Pulping trials undertaken by 

FPL show that the characteristics of suppressed-growth trees improve pulp properties in the production of paper. Furthermore, 

less refining energy is required to produce pulp from forest thinnings than from conventional wood supplies. These pulping trials also show that lumber produced from forest thinnings meets 

or exceed sawmill specifications. 

As environmental and ecological problems related to the incursion of invasive species into native ecosystems become more 

prevalent, economic concerns about removing or limiting invasives become more pressing. One method to help offset forest 

harvesting and restoration costs is to develop value-added biocomposite products that can incorporate these invasive species. 

FPL researchers in the Engineered Composites Sciences unit 

have investigated two problematic invasive species, salt cedar 

(Tamarisk ramosissima) and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), for use as fillers in biofiber–polymer composites. A separate 

FPL study investigating the use of small-diameter ponderosa 

pine lumber in glulam members found an effective combination utilizing small-diameter ponderosa pine for all laminations. 

Compared with the current single-grade combination standard, 

glulam combinations using two separate lamination grades were 

found to be generally higher in performance value. 

The FPL has also led a project to produce a Web tool, the Fuel 

Treatment Evaluator 3.0. This innovative tool uses data from 

the Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis program to 

identify locations in Western states where localized utilization of 

woody biomass could cover costs of forest thinning treatments. 

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL VOL. 59, NO. 10 17

An estimated 73 million 

acres of national forest 

land needs thinning to 

reduce risk of fire hazard, 

insect infestation, and 

disease. 
Nanotechnology Research presents great potential for improved 

wood product performance and serviceability. As such, the FPL 

is poised to be the preeminent Federal facility for the application 

of nano-science in forest products research. Potential nanotech 

applications include wood composite materials with embedded 

nanosensors to measure and react to structural forces, loads, 

moisture, and temperatures. Nano-enabled antimicrobial and 

water resistant coatings on lumber for use in flood-prone areas 

and hurricane zones could improve health, safety, and wood resiliency in these areas. “Smart” paper and paperboard packaging 

will likely replace many plastics for commercial and food products sensitive to heat, contamination, odor, or tampering. The 

development of high-value products from undervalued wood 

resources using cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibrilated cellulose components will also improve the performance and durability of fiberboard, particleboard, and glued structural products 

for use in a wide array of structural applications.

FPL research units have developed advanced science, technology, and economic information needed for the efficient use of 

small-diameter trees and forest thinnings as raw material feedstock in the high-volume commodities of dimensional lumber; 

composites; pulp, paper, and paperboard; and engineered wood. 

This research assesses the potential use of these materials to provide unique product features such as nanotech applications and 

converting forest biomass to energy. These innovative research 

and development activities reduce the amount of potential 

material to fuel wildfires, expand markets for forest products, 

and provide sustainable benefits to the American public while 

restoring and enhancing the Nation’s forests.

Welcome to the Future

The Centennial Research Facility

The most advanced large-scale addition to the FPL in over 

70 years is the Centennial Research Facility (CRF), a 

87,000-square-foot multi-use laboratory. The CRF is qualified for 

Silver certification by the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system developed by the U.S. Green 

Building Council. As such, the CRF was designed to improve 

performance across the most important efficiency metrics: energy savings, water usage, CO2

 emissions reduction, improved 

indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources 

including sensitivity to their impacts. 

Researchers in engineering mechanics can assess the strength 

of full-scale structures while durability researchers test wood 

products in a rather punishing weather simulation chamber. 

Modern preservation testing equipment will replace the older 

vessels previously used, while an efficient and manufacturingfriendly floor plan will help advance wood- and bio-based composites research.

As a combination wood, steel, and concrete structure; the CRF 

has composite wood fins highlighting each column of tall tinted 

windows facing west and south. A white rubber-membrane roof 

system blankets two stories rising in the west, while a singlestory high-bay space overlooks interior laboratory functions. 

Equipment and laboratories are housed in four main areas of 

research: Composites, Durability, Engineering Mechanics, and 

Preservation. The CRF will be commemorated with an official 

ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 23, 2010.

Composites: The Engineered Composite Sciences unit investigates relationships between materials, process, and performance 

to engineer biocomposites that benefit users while promoting 

sustainability of both virgin and recycled forest products. Biocomposites can be manufactured into highly engineered building products using low-value natural resources, which helps 

offset costs of forest thinning operations needed to improve 

forest health. Research focuses on 

enhancing traditional composites 

and developing the next generation 

of biocomposites to provide highperformance industrial products 

while opening new markets and reducing detrimental environmental 

effects. With the help of FPL’s Technology Marketing Unit, high-value 

wood–plastic composites that are 

noncorrosive, insect and mold resistant, nontoxic, and stable in all 

weather conditions are being used 

in many applications, including 

signage, decking, fencing, picnic 

tables, park benches, tool handles, 

and landscape timbers. 

18

FPL’s new 87,000-square-foot Centennial Research Facility (CRF) allows scientists to perform 

full-scale testing of wood-framed buildings, 

formulate new environmentally-friendly preservatives, and develop composite products in 

a manufacturing-friendly space. The CRF also 

houses a one-of-a-kind weathering chamber that 

simulates temperature, humidity, sunlight, wind 

and rain to test the durability of wood products.

OCTOBER 2009
Durability: One of 

the surest ways to 

extend the available 

timber supply is by 

improving the durability of wood in 

use. Vulnerability to 

moisture, fire, and 

biodeterioration are 

significant limitations to the expected 

long service life of 

wood and can result 

in economic and resource loss. Traditionally, chemicals 

used to protect wood from deterioration by fungi and insects 

have been broad-spectrum biocides. These harsh chemicals now 

face increased environmental regulatory pressure. FPL wood 

protection research focuses on developing selective biocides 

that protect against specific threats to wood. These systems offer 

a way to control wood-degrading organisms in an environmentally responsible manner. With this approach, researchers study 

the mechanisms by which a particular fungus or insect is able to 

degrade wood, enabling the development of an inhibitor based 

on that particular mechanism. Researchers also study how specific organisms tolerate various wood preservatives and use 

that knowledge to design durable systems to neutralize, block, 

prevent, or counteract that tolerance.

Engineering Mechanics: The Engineering Mechanics and Remote Sensing Laboratory (EMRSL) conducts physical and mechanical testing on a wide range of materials, from housing to 

transportation structures. Results are used to develop building 

codes and inform structural design. Testing of products and 

structures can involve samples ranging from toothpick-sized 

to structural beams 50 feet long. Materials are solid wood or 

combinations of wood fibers, plastics, adhesives, and metal. 

Tests can be static, as in simulated snow loads or dead loads, 

or dynamic, simulating seismic, fatigue, and wind loads. The 

new the EMRSL has testing machines ranging from desktopsize, rated from 1 to 10,000 pounds of force, to stand-alone 

machines rated from 60,000 to 1 million pounds. A strong 

floor and wall system provides the ability to apply loads from 

multiple directions and allows for full-scale testing of threedimensional structures, such as wood-framed building 

mock-ups, up to 20 feet tall. 

Wood Preservation: Wood Preservation and Durability laboratories will provide the widest variety of FPL testing 

capabilities available to date. Emulsification, pumping, and 

ventilation equipment allows for cutting-edge research in penetration and retention testing of new preservative formulations on commercially available and underutilized wood species. Five pilot-scale pressure treatment cylinders are available 

for a wide variety of both water- and oil-based chemical 

treatment tests. Dedicated environmental control chambers 

allow research on termites and mold and decay fungi while 

separate air-handling systems avoid cross-contamination between research projects. A fungal cellar allows accelerated durability tests on treated wood across a range of simulated environmental exposure conditions. Durability researchers can 

also conduct accelerated lab tests of preservative releases when 

exposed to water submersion, simulated rainfall, and a range of 

weathering scenarios. Chemistry, biochemistry, and bacteriology laboratories are also included in this area. The CRF houses a 

custom-designed stainless steel moisture testing chamber unlike 

any other of its size in North America. Capabilities include simulating rainfall of up to five inches per hour; temperature settings of 

30–110 °F; dew point temperatures of 25–80 °F; and 

25-mile-per-hour wind speeds with faster gusts lasting up to 

five seconds.

Advanced Housing Research Center

In response to America’s need for durable, affordable, and energy-efficient housing, the Advanced Housing Research Center 

(AHRC) was established at the FPL in 2001. Research at the 

AHRC evaluates technology for both new and existing housing and encompasses all types of residential structures in which 

wood or wood-based products are used as primary or secondary building components. Emphasizing the improved use of 

traditional wood products, recycled and engineered wood composite materials, durability, moisture control, natural disaster 

resistance, and an improved living environment, the Center’s 

research focuses primarily on the housing structure and practical technologies that can be readily adopted by homebuilders, 

industry, and consumers. 

In 2001 the AHRC Research Demonstration Housewas built 

as a cooperative project with APA–The Engineered Wood 

Association and the Southern Pine Council, among others. 

The house and its associated “Carriage House” garage structure were designed to supply the energy needs and potable 

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL VOL. 59, NO. 10 19

“Science is the accumulation of 

basic and applied knowledge. 

We stand on the shoulders of 

giants here at FPL:, and our 

tradition of passing our knowledge continues to benefit not 

only the Forest Service but the 

broader community of science.” 

- FPL Director, Chris Risbrudt

The Research Demonstration House, built in 

2001, provides real-life 

conditions for housing 

studies on moisture and 

air flow. The associated 

Carriage House demonstrates small-diameter 

timber construction 

and was designed to 

efficiently supply the 

energy needs and potable 

water requirements for 

an average cold-climate 

residential home through 

the use of energy from 

wood waste, solar power, 

and a rainwater harvesting system.
water requirements for an average cold-climate residential 

home. Several types of wood were used as flooring material 

throughout the house, including Southern Pine, western larch, 

birdseye maple and even exterior wood (siding) recycled from 

a 60-year-old Army barracks in Ft. Ord, California. Composite material formed from recycled milk jugs were used to 

create a faux cedar-shake roof. Small-scale integrated gasification systems have the ability to convert biomass to energy, while 

external photovoltaic solar collectors supplement the electrical 

needs of the house. Rainwater harvesting and filtration systems 

provide potable water for the laundry and toilets, while sensors 

measure air pressure, temperature, and relative humidity in the 

wall cavities.

The AHRC cooperates with universities, industry, consumers, 

and other government agencies, including the Coalition for Advanced Wood Structures, to bring together diverse groups interested in improving the economy and performance of wood 

structures. The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, a joint government–industry partnership run by the U.S. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development, also works 

with the FPL to accelerate development and implementation of 

new housing technologies.

Conclusion

While the Centennial Research Facility and the AHRC provide 

glimpses of technological advances at the FPL, social changes are 

also afoot. Retirements in the next decade will create turnover 

as baby-boomers move out and younger scientists move in to 

replace them. FPL director Chris Risbrudt looks forward to this 

sea-change as an opportunity for FPL veterans to pass on the 

valuable skills and knowledge accrued over many years of service to a new generation of researchers. 

“Science is the accumulation of basic and applied knowledge,” 

says Risbrudt. “We stand on the shoulders of giants here at the 

FPL. Our tradition of passing on knowledge continues to benefit not only the Forest Service but the broader community of 

science. This institution is one of the best values the American 

taxpayer has in service to the forests of our country and the 

consumers and industry people who help provide insight and 

motivation to use these resources in the most efficient and 

sustainable ways possible.” 

Even though some research has been slowed or eliminated by 

budget cuts in recent decades, Risbrudt is optimistic of the progress ahead. “Before the Centennial Research Facility, and aside 

from the Research Demonstration House, our most recent addition had been in 1967,” Risbrudt explains. “With our new facilities, we will be able to maintain cutting-edge research efforts and 

attract a new generation of researchers.”

In addressing questions of any change to the FPL’s core mission, 

Risbrudt says that the FPL has gone through changes in the past 

but “fundamentally, we travel in the same direction set forth 

in 1910. Since then, we’ve fostered some of the best scientists 

in the world. We will continue to focus on the advancement of 

forest health and forest products ingenuity while staying wellgrounded in the realities of good science and sound economics.”

References

Forest Service Engineering Staff. 1999. A history of the architecture of the USDA Forest Service. USDA Publ. EM–7310–8, 

July.

McBeath, L.W. 1978. Eloise Gerry, a woman of forest science. J. 

Forest History. 22(3):128–135.

Meine, C. 1988. Aldo Leopold: His life and work. University of 

Wisconsin Press, Madison, WI. 654 pp.

National Center for Wood Transportation Structures (NCWTS). 

2009. www.woodcenter.org. Accessed November 28, 2009.

Nelson, C.A. 1971. History of the Forest Products Laboratory 

(1910–1963). USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, 

WI. 177 pp.

Risbrudt, C.D., Ross, R.J., Blankenburg, J.J., and C.A. Nelson. 

2007. Forest Products Laboratory: Supporting the nation’s 

armed forces with valuable wood research for 90 years. Forest 

Prod. J. 57(1&2):6–14.

Skog, K. and P. Ince. 2008. Forest Products Laboratory energy 

research to generate U.S. jobs. Research and Development 

Report. USDA Forest Service. 8 Dec 08. 

Spelter, H. and D. Toth. 2009. North America’s wood pellet sector. Res. Pap. FPL–RP–656. USDA Forest Service, Forest 

Products Laboratory. Madison, WI. 21 pp.

20 OCTOBER 2009