Forest Products Laboratory

The long-term health of our Nation’s forests depends on sound 

conservation practices, including utilization. Founded in 1910, 

the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, uses 

science and technology to conserve and extend our Nation’s 

forest resources. FPL is recognized around the world as a 

source of unbiased information about wood science and use.

Restoring America’s Forests 

Through the Wise Use of Wood

January 2013

www.fpl.fs.fed.us
Fast Facts and Key Points .........................................................................................................1 

 Forest Products Laboratory (FPL)........................................................................................1

 Wood Use ...............................................................................................................................1

 Forest Products Industry ......................................................................................................1

 Forest Management ..............................................................................................................1

Mission and Science Themes ....................................................................................................2

 FPL Mission ...........................................................................................................................2

 Science Themes ......................................................................................................................2

RWU Contributions to Science Themes ...................................................................................3 

 Durability and Wood Protection Research...........................................................................3

 Engineered Composites Sciences..........................................................................................3

 Engineering Properties of Wood, Wood-Based Materials and Structures .........................4

 Economics and Statistics Research.......................................................................................4

 Fiber and Chemical Sciences Research .................................................................................5

 Institute for Microbial and Biochemical Technology ..........................................................5

 Performance Enhanced Biopolymers ...................................................................................6

Budget........................................................................................................................................6

Recent Accomplishments .........................................................................................................7

 Build Green: Wood Can Last for Centuries ..........................................................................7

 Residuals to Aviation Fuel.....................................................................................................7

 Going to Bat for Major League Baseball...............................................................................7

 Flexible Electronics Using Cellulose Nanofiber Composite Substrates .............................7

 Protecting Wooden Bridges ..................................................................................................8

 Highly Unusual Yeast Makes Biofuel Production Faster and Less Expensive....................8

 Making Recyclable, Compostable Stamps that Last “Forever”...........................................8

 Making the Most of Beetle-Killed Trees...............................................................................8

 Projecting the Future of the U.S. Forest Products Industry................................................9

 Effect of Heat Treatment on Black Locust...........................................................................9

 Effective Fire Retardants for Wood–Plastic Composites.....................................................9

 Public–Private Partnership Moves Research Results to Marketplace ................................9

 The Cellulose Nano-Materials Pilot Plant ..........................................................................10

FPL Capabilities in USFS R&D Priority Areas .......................................................................11

 Biomass and Bioenergy .......................................................................................................11

 Nanotechnology ..................................................................................................................13

 Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation......................................................................15

Technology Transfer...............................................................................................................16

 Patents Program ..................................................................................................................16

 Technology Marketing Unit................................................................................................16

Leadership and Research Work Units ....................................................................................17

Contents
Forest Products Laboratory (FPL)

•	Located in Madison, Wisconsin, since 1910

•	Nation’s only federally funded wood utilization

research laboratory

•	Currently employs 60 scientists

•	Primarily or partly responsible for many of today’s

wood-based technologies, including wood preservatives, glulam beams, oriented strandboard, and fiberbased packaging, recycling and building deconstruction, green building technologies, and new uses for

forest biomass from restoration activities

•	Research partnerships located in virtually every state

in the Nation

•	Current research initiatives

‒	Underutilized woody biomass

‒ Nanotechnology

‒ Biobased energy and biorefining

‒ Advanced composites

‒	Advanced wood structures and green building

technologies

•	Research outcomes

‒	Reduce wildfire intensity and suppression costs

through economic use of forest biomass 

‒ Create economically viable uses for beetle-killed 

trees 

‒ Mitigate the effects of climate change on forests 

through carbon sequestration 

Wood Use

•	More sustainable to use than alternative construction

materials

•	Requires much less energy to process than other

materials

•	Energy requirement to build wood-framed houses 15%

to 20% less than for steel- or concrete-framed houses

•	Produces less air pollution, solid wastes, and greenhouse gases than steel and concrete

Forest Products Industry

•	Employs about 1 million workers

•	Accounts for approximately 6% of the total U.S.

manufacturing GDP

•	Ranks among the top 10 manufacturing sector

employers in 48 states

•	Generates over $200 billion a year in sales and about

$54 billion in annual payroll

•	In 2011, recovered 66.8% of paper consumed and is

the leading generator and user of renewable energy

Forest Management

•	Rough average of 10 ft3 of wood per harvested tree

•	9.9 billion trees per year (1.1 million trees per hour)

harvested worldwide—equivalent to 1.7 trees per

person per year

•	1.5 billion trees per year (170,000 trees per hour)

harvested in the United States—equivalent to

6.3 trees per person per year, nearly 4 times the 

global rate

•	Harvested trees replaced by planting and natural

regeneration at a rate of more than 3 to 1 in the 

United States

•	Volume of growing trees increasing in the United

States despite rate of harvest

•	U.S. consumption of wood products in 2005 at 28%

of global total

•	U.S. consumption of wood products (roundwood

equivalent, excluding fuelwood) increasing, from

16.3 to 18.8 billion ft3 between 1990 and 2006

•	U.S. harvest (excluding fuelwood) decreasing, from

high of 15.7 billion ft3

 in 1989 to 14.9 billion ft3 in 

2006, as consumption from imports increasing

•	Nearly 215,000 trees per hour are consumed in the

United States, and the Nation is a net importer of 

wood and paper products that require an average of

45,000 trees per hour 

Research at the Forest Products Laboratory promotes healthy forests and forest-based 

economies by developing efficient, sustainable uses for our wood resources.

Fast Facts and Key Points
2

Mission and Science Themes Mission and Science Themes

Science Themes

Nanotechnology—Using nanotechnology tools and 

nanoscale materials to enhance the utility or performance of 

wood- and fiber-based products, understand wood properties at their most fundamental level and how they differ, and

develop totally new products enable the U.S. forest products

industry to compete successfully in the increasingly competitive global marketplace.

Advanced composites—Developing engineered 

biocomposites can simultaneously meet the Nation’s 

diverse needs for high-performance building and commodity products while maximizing the sustainability

of forest resources.

Underutilized woody biomass—Developing uses for 

small-diameter softwoods, underutilized hardwoods,

and urban woody biomass will improve forest health,

decrease fire risks, boost local economies, and provide 

renewable products.

Biorefinery/bioenergy—Processing forest feedstocks, 

such as waste from wood processing plants, tree tops

and limbs, and urban waste wood, can produce higher

value products, such as ethanol, specialty chemicals, and 

pharmaceuticals.

Advanced wood structures—Creating advanced 

technologies and alternative building methods can 

greatly enhance the value of wood in residential,

nonresidential, and transportation structures.

FPL Mission

To identify and conduct innovative wood and fiber utilization research that contributes 

to conservation and productivity of the forest resource, thereby sustaining forests, the 

economy, and quality of life.
3

RWU Contributions to Science Themes

Durability and Wood 

Protection Research

Mission: Improving durability and wood protection through 

improved building design, advances in low-toxicity wood 

preservatives, and improvements in fire safety

Wood is an 

aesthetic and 

versatile structural 

material, and it 

represents one of 

our most valuable 

renewable resources. However,

vulnerability to 

moisture, fire, and 

biodeterioration 

are important limitations to the expected long service 

life of wood and can result in significant economic and

resource loss. One of the surest ways to extend the available timber supply and increase the resources to meet 

present and future demands is by improving the durability of wood in use.

Research Focus Areas

•	Extending the service life of residential and nonresidential buildings through proper design and 

operation of the structures

•	Improving the fire safety of forest products to ensure

personal safety and forest health

•	Developing wood treatments that improve durability

of wood products without adversely affecting the

environment

•	Formulating new, sharply targeted inhibitors to protect

wood products in service and prevent economic and

resource losses that result from biodeterioration

Engineered Composites 

Sciences

Mission: Understanding relationships between materials, 

process, and performance to engineer biocomposites that 

benefit users while promoting sustainability of both virgin 

and recycled forest resources

The engineered wood

and other bio-based 

composites developed 

through our research 

provide improved 

value, service life, and 

utility to consumers, 

while also promoting

sustainability and 

recycling. Biocomposite technologies 

can be manufactured 

into highly engineered building products using low-value

natural resources, helping to offset the costs of thinning 

operations needed to improve forest health. Composites 

also present an opportunity to promote jobs in rural 

communities that depend on forest resources for their 

economic health. 

Our research will focus on enhancing traditional composites while simultaneously developing the next generation

of biocomposites, which will provide construction and

building products that far exceed current expectations 

while opening new markets and reducing effects on the

environment.

Research Focus Areas

•	Understanding the fundamental relationships between

wood, natural fiber, and alternative materials to optimize composite processing and performance

•	Improving the performance, durability, and value of

existing composites and defining the next generation 

of hybrid composites made from natural fibers and 

alternative materials

•	Developing tools to address resource sustainability,

enhance recyclability, and minimize the environmental

impacts of composite processing

RWU Contributions to Science Themes
4

Engineering Properties of Wood, 

Wood-Based Materials and Structures

Mission: Improving the characterization of mechanical and 

physical properties of wood and wood-based products that are 

important in engineering design and fostering their efficient 

use in wood building systems

The United States is the 

world’s largest producer

and consumer of wood

products. Annual harvest 

of roundwood is approximately 350 million tons, 

and more than half that 

harvest is used in some 

form of solid wood product

(lumber, wood-based composites, and roundwood

products, such as posts, 

poles, and pilings). 

Because construction 

accounts for most of the consumption of solid wood

products, trends in demand for these products are largely 

determined by trends in construction. It is projected that 

over the next 50 years there will be a two-thirds increase

in the number of new households; therefore, our research

is focusing on increasing the efficiency of wood-products

use to support both the conservation and productivity of 

our Nation’s forests.

Research Focus Areas

• Conducting fundamental research aimed at developing

information on the fundamental anatomical, physical/

mechanical, and processing characteristics of wood

• Providing information on the engineering properties

and performance characteristics of wood-based

structural products

• Developing information on the performance and

design of structural wood systems

Economics and 

Statistics Research

Mission: Providing economic information, analysis, and 

projections and enhancing the efficiency of FPL’s research 

through development, evaluation, and application of modern 

statistical research

Economics and statistics 

are critical components 

of the success of research 

at FPL. Economists 

provide information 

indicating how and why

markets and technologies 

for wood products change

over time, implications 

for natural resources 

management, and selected broad environmental 

and social impacts. Statisticians apply modern statistical methods to enhance the 

integrity and efficiency of utilization research.

This unit supports other research projects by providing 

statistical methods that help develop innovations that 

expand the competitive use of wood to meet needs and

conserve resources; evaluating the role of market trends

and innovations on competitiveness of U.S. firms with

foreign firms; and evaluating the impact on forests of

possible forest industry or forest management policies 

and initiatives that provide new value for wood or conserve wood.

Research Focus Areas

• Applying statistical methods to enhance the quality of

FPL’s wood utilization and economics research

• Improving statistical modeling of wood, fiber, and composite properties, processing, and performance

• Monitoring and modeling market equilibria, production trends, and technology changes of the U.S. forest 

products industry

• Improving understanding of the effect of production

trends and technology changes in solid wood, composites, and end-use industries on product and wood needs

• Providing readily available, consistent information on

timber, wood products, and paper products industries

for forestry and forest industry strategic planning

• Providing knowledge of the economic viability of new

technologies for converting wood and fiber into new or

improved paper and wood products or biofuels
5

Fiber and Chemical 

Sciences Research

Mission: Formulating efficient processes for converting 

wood to chemicals and fibers, developing economically viable 

uses for underutilized wood resources, and improving methods for recovering and reusing forest products such as waste 

paper and construction debris

The need to reduce fire 

risk has led to a significant change in the 

utilization needs of the

Forest Service; available material has shifted 

from traditional timber 

to small trees, woody

shrubs, and forest floor 

debris. Fortunately, 

there are national efforts 

to use such materials 

as fuels, chemicals, and 

nanoscale materials. Our 

research is helping to 

develop commercial uses for this new wood supply and

Forest Service need. The unit also continues research on 

improving pulping technologies, paper performance, and 

the performance of recycled paper. 

Research Focus Areas

• Advancing forest biorefinery for production of

transportation fuels, such as ethanol, and valuable 

chemicals

• Conducting research on nano-materials derived

from wood

• Continuing advances in traditional wood pulp

applications

• Improving paper and paperboard recycling

• Understanding the fundamentals of paper structure

and applications for pulp-fiber-based products

Institute for Microbial and 

Biochemical Technology

Mission: Developing biotechnology and nanotechnology for 

wood and fiber conversion through research that contributes 

to efficient wood utilization and improved forest health

Research conducted in 

the Institute for Microbial and Biochemical 

Technology (IMBT) at 

FPL extends basic discoveries in microbiology, 

genetics, biochemistry, 

biophysics, nanotechnology, and bioprocessing 

into technologies that 

improve wood utilization

and forest management 

practices.

Our research improves knowledge of the chemical properties of wood, particularly as they relate to mechanisms

and processes for bioconversion and decay prevention. 

This enhanced knowledge will increase product yield

from traditional wood supplies and will lead to new and

improved technologies to convert low-value, underutilized forest resources into renewable fuels, chemicals,

pulp, paper, and paperboard.

Research Focus Areas

• Developing technologies for the efficient and economical bioconversion of underutilized woody biomass, such

as forest thinnings, unmerchantable timber, and mixed 

species, into a array of wood-based materials, from

fiber to chemicals

• Identifying and understanding the mechanisms of

wood decay fungi to increase their efficacy in bioconversion technologies, devise new environmentally

sound wood preservatives, and accelerate decomposition of forest litter

• Developing basic information and operation conditions

for efficient and effective enzymatic and microbial processing of wood and wood fiber

• Increasing understanding of the functional genomics of

lignocellulose-degrading fungi to optimize their use in

bioprocessing and bioconversion of wood
6

Performance Enhanced 

Biopolymers

Mission: Understanding the basic properties of wood and 

other materials used in conjunction with wood to improve 

their properties, enhance their service life, and develop 

new uses

Research in 

performanceenhanced biopolymers focuses 

on three problem 

areas: advanced 

structures, advanced composites, and nanomaterials. There 

is considerable interdependence among these three areas 

(i.e., improvements in structures will depend on advances

in composite materials), and improving the performance 

of wood and wood-based structures will require basic

and applied research in each of these three areas. Our 

research will help ensure that newly developed materials

and structure components are robust, durable, cost effective, compatible with other materials, and easily disposed

of or recycled at the end of their useful service lives. 

Research Focus Areas

• Understanding why wood-based materials fail under

end-use conditions, developing new and improved

methods for predicting service life, and incorporating 

new designs, materials, and methods to make structures last longer

• Understanding wood surface chemistry, how materials

bond to wood, and the processing of components during manufacture to improve wood-based composites

• Understanding wood properties at the molecular,

nano, and cell wall dimensions to solve performance

problems

Budget

Allocations FY11 FY12 FY13*

Research Base $18,643,000 $18,451,000 $18,266,000

National Fire Plan $703,000 $597,000 $591,000

*President’s Budget
7

Recent Accomplishments

Build Green: Wood Can Last for Centuries

Since we are on the cusp of a “green revolution”, there

is no better time than now to promote wood in construction as a means to mitigate climate change and to 

highlight the environmental benefits of choosing wood

for residential and non-residential construction. FPL 

researchers published a report to dispel the myth that 

wood construction will not last as long or be as “green”

as steel or concrete. They aim to educate the public on 

home maintenance and empower them with proper

information to make an informed choice for their next 

construction project. With user-friendly information, 

home-owners can address many home maintenance issues prior to costly repairs. This report illustrates many 

common moisture-related problems that can lead to 

decay if ignored and points out that with proper attention to detail, wood that is protected from moisture can

last indefinitely. 

Converting Northwestern Forest 

Going to Bat for Major League Baseball

Breakage of bats during play has become a safety concern 

for Major League Baseball (MLB), and FPL researchers, along with university and private sector partners,

are on board to help improve the situation. Researchers 

have been giving 

technical advice 

to MLB officials 

on the mechanical properties of 

various species of 

wood commonly

used to make 

baseball bats, and a contract between FPL and MLB was

signed to continue the partnership. The committee compiled relevant information for each broken bat, including 

manufacturer, model, dimensions, game situation when

it broke, area in which the bat fragments landed, and

video footage of each incident. FPL began working with a

private certification and testing agency to help assess and 

categorize the bat failures, as a first step toward reducing

future catastrophic incidents. Recommendations were

then made on steps that could be taken to reduce the 

number of bats broken during play, and implementing 

those recommendations resulted in a 50% reduction in

the number of catastrophic bat failures.

Flexible Electronics Using Cellulose 

Nanofiber Composite Substrates 

Flexible electronics have many 

potential applications including 

malleable displays, solar cells, 

smart cards, radio frequency 

tags, medical implants, and 

wearable computers. Transparent films made from cellulose 

nanofibers, a renewable nanomaterial, have the potential to serve as a foundation 

for flexible electronics. Researchers from FPL and the 

University of Wisconsin–Madison have demonstrated 

the first example of using cellulose nanofiber composite 

substrates for flexible electronics. Although some challenges remain, the cellulose nanofiber composite showed

good chemical and thermal resistance necessary for electronic fabrication and the use of cellulose nanofibers as a 

sustainable component for high-speed flexible electronics 

is extremely promising.

Residuals to Aviation Fuel

In September 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

announced that Washington State University was to

receive a five-year, $40 million grant to help develop

alternatives to petroleum-based fuels and chemicals. 

Called the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance

(NARA for short), FPL received a $1.1 million subcontract to pretreat woody biomass for conversion to

aviation fuel. FPL’s participation is to demonstrate the 

SPORL (Sulfite Pretreatment to Overcome Recalcitrance 

of Lignocellulose) process for efficient sugar production from Douglas-fir forest residue. In the first year 

of the project, FPL scientists developed a fractionation 

technique to reduce the bark content of forest residues. 

The goal is to leave the bark in the forest for soil conditioning and nutrients. Improved bark removal also 

reduces the deadload in transportation and biorefinery processing. Preliminary laboratory evaluation has 

confirmed the high performance of the SPORL process 

for pretreatment of the Douglas-fir, providing efficient 

enzyme conversion to sugars and high biofuel yield.
8

Making Recyclable, Compostable Stamps 

that Last “Forever”

The US Postal Service has sponsored cooperative research 

projects at FPL for more than 20 years. Initial research 

developed stamp adhesives that do not cause problems 

during paper recycling. Researchers are now developing improved performance and accelerated aging tests 

to assure that Forever Stamps are indeed useful—if not

forever—at least

close enough to 

qualify for the 

name. Also, in an 

effort to reduce 

the environmental 

impact of stamp 

materials, researchers are developing 

new adhesives that

are produced from 

renewable materials and degrade in landfills. Beyond

developing adhesives that may be used on future stamps 

and other commercial products, researchers are developing experimental methods for determining the biodegradation rate of new materials.

Making the Most of Beetle-Killed Trees

FPL researchers and their partners have developed a 

user-friendly guide that focuses on how best to use wood

obtained from trees 

that were infected by

invasive species. Wood 

Utilization Options for 

Urban Trees Infected 

by Invasive Species is a 

comprehensive manual that can be used by 

professionals when

assessing use options 

for this material. The 

publication includes a 

summary of the technical viability of using 

these materials for 

value-added products 

in a variety of applications, and will be useful to urban

foresters, municipalities, and local industries looking for 

ways to use beetle-killed trees. The publication places a

major emphasis on trees killed by the emerald ash borer. 

Protecting Wooden Bridges

Wooden bridges, whether historic covered bridges or

current highway timber bridges, can be vulnerable to

damage from biodegradation or fire. Only about 800 of 

more than 10,000 covered bridges built in the United 

States are still standing, and many of those are suffering 

from biodeterioration. The remaining covered bridges are 

also vulnerable to damage by intentional or accidental 

fires. Modern timber bridges, which represent an important component of the transportation resource, can also 

be vulnerable to fire and decay. With funding provided by 

the Federal Highway Administration, Forest Service and

university researchers collaborated to evaluate methods 

of protecting wooden bridges from fire and biodegradation. This research and the resulting recommendations 

were consolidated into a guide that provides detailed

information on factors that contribute to vulnerability, 

best practices for minimizing vulnerability, selecting and

applying supplemental preservative treatments, use of 

fire retardants, and fire protection technology. This is 

the first document of its kind to provide such detailed 

information and instructions. It will be used by historic

preservationists and transportation maintenance personnel in their efforts to extend the life of both historic 

and modern wooden bridges.

Highly Unusual Yeast Makes Biofuel 

Production Faster and Less Expensive 

A yeast isolated from 

the gut of wood-boring

passalid beetles can ferment xylose to ethanol 

three times faster than 

it ferments glucose, 

whereas normal yeasts

do not ferment xylose 

at all or at a much slower rate than glucose. It can also ferment different sugars 

simultaneously when presented with a mixture, and can

ferment xylose to ethanol under anaerobic conditions 

on minimal medium. All these features are conducive to 

faster, cheaper biofuels production, and the findings are 

being developed for possible commercial use.
9

Projecting the Future of the U.S. Forest 

Products Industry

FPL researchers developed a detailed model that provides 

projections of future timber demands and timber prices 

under alternative scenarios regarding global economic 

growth and wood

energy consumption. The model 

provides insights 

on how U.S. competition and trade 

in forest products 

could be impacted 

by expanded global 

use of wood for

energy in future 

decades. The model provides a range of new and expanded capabilities, including modeling regional U.S. 

forest product production and trade, stumpage markets 

for hardwood and softwood timber, regional timber

harvest and wood residue disposition calibrated to Forest Service timber data, and the relationship between

housing construction and wood product demands. Using

global economic scenarios, the FPL model showed that

scenarios with large expansion in global use of wood for

energy would likely result in large increases in real timber stumpage prices in U.S. regions, but U.S. producers 

of forest products could nevertheless gain competitive 

advantages if global roundwood prices increase more in

foreign countries than in the United States as a result of 

expanded global wood energy consumption.

Effect of Heat Treatment on Black Locust

Black locust is a fast growing wood species with superior

mechanical properties. It is often used in making furniture but discoloration during drying often limits its application. Heat treatment variables have been shown to

affect color changes in wood. Color change is largely due

to chemical structures within the wood. A better understanding of heat treatment variables during the drying 

of wood allows for enhancement of color in black locust

wood. Heat treatment creates the potential for black locust wood to resemble exotic hardwoods thus increasing

the use of this fast growing wood species and potentially

decreasing demand for exotic foreign species.

Effective Fire Retardants for 

Wood–Plastic Composites (WPC)

Wood composites made 

with highly flammable

plastics are increasingly 

being used in a wide range

of applications. Such applications include decking 

boards and other exterior 

products around homes in 

the wildland–urban interface. Tests have shown that fire

retardant treatments can reduce the potential contribution of the WPC to a fire. Studies have also shown that

increasing the wood fiber content in the WPC significantly improved the fire performance over that of the plastic 

alone.

Public–Private Partnership Moves 

Research Results to Marketplace

Researchers at FPL have developed technology whereby

cellulose fibers can be formed into structural and threedimensional engineered fiberboard panels. Noble Environmental Technologies Inc. (NET), San Diego, Calif., 

has signed an 

exclusive license 

agreement with

the USDA to use 

jointly patentpending technology and structures 

for office furniture 

and packaging applications. These 

naturally bonded 

boards can use fibers produced from a variety of renewable sources including forest thinnings and recycled 

paper fibers. A number of global industries and markets will have access to products and processes that are

design-versatile, non-toxic, 100% recycled content, 100%

bio-based. Such license agreements exemplify the value 

of public-private partnerships in moving basic research 

to valuable market-driven applications. The collaboration between FPL and NET is an excellent example of

government and industry collaboration aiming to meet 

market demands. By combining the unique capabilities 

of NET and FPL, research results have transferred into 

tangible products bringing improved, sustainable options 

to consumers.
10

The Cellulose Nano-Materials Pilot Plant

FPL opened a new Forest Service-funded $1.7 million

nanocellulose pilot plant in 2012. The pilot plant is now

producing about 30 kg of cellulose nano-crystals (CNC), 

or 5 kg of cellulose nano-fibrils (CNF) per week. These

materials are being supplied to three government agencies and six partner universities to accelerate the development of advanced cellulose-reinforced composites, and 

printed, flexible electronic circuits and products. 

Cellulose nano-crystals are rod-like particles of pure 

cellulose, about 5 nm in diameter and 150–200 nm long. 

With the strength of steel at 1/6th the weight, they have

applications in high-performance composites, replacing 

Kevlar and carbon fibers in these materials. Cellulose 

nano-fibrils are string-like particles, 20 nm in diameter 

and up to 2 microns long. They form high-strength clear 

films that can be used in high-performance epoxy layup 

processes, barrier coatings, or because of the very low coefficient of thermal expansion—the backing for printed

circuits. The new pilot plant enables Forest Service R&D

to continue to supply these materials to our partners, 

and make the materials available to dozens of new partner companies. Product applications as diverse as flexible 

solar panels, printed electronic circuits, auto body parts, 

military drones, light weight armor and ballistic glass are

all under investigation by our partners.
11

FPL Capabilities in USFS R&D Priority Areas

Biomass and Bioenergy

Vision

America’s forest resources significantly contribute to 

energy security and independence while reducing greenhouse gases. 

Through sustainable forest management and costeffective harvesting and collection, America’s forests are 

a strategic asset in meeting U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic development needs and effectively contribute to displacing 30% of U.S. petroleum

consumption by 2030. 

Sustainable forest management on public and private 

lands generates excess woody material that can be used

to help meet the Nation’s renewable energy needs.

Biomass management also supports efforts to provide 

economic opportunities, improve ecosystem health, 

decrease catastrophic wildfires, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect watersheds. Sustainable woody biomass

management also mitigates, in part, the impacts of climate change and provides an alternative fuel and chemical source.

In coordination with other federal and state agencies,

academia, businesses, environmental interests, and nongovernmental organizations, we will continue to improve

and deploy technologies and underlying science for biofuels production while applying and supporting sustainable forest management practices on the Nation’s forests. 

Capabilities

Following are some attributes of Forest Service Research

and Development:

•	An integrated platform of innovative field and laboratory research that provides a unique opportunity 

for advancing biofuels feedstock production and 

conversion technology

•	A cadre of wood scientists, biologists, chemists, and

engineers who have already developed partnerships

with universities and industrial partners in cooperative

biofuels R&D ventures

•	Extensive experience with business case analysis for

biorefineries with expanding work relevant to today’s

questions about net energy and net greenhouse gas 

emissions for wood-based biofuels and chemicals

•	A track record of providing leading-edge science and

technology that has formed the basis for new products

and improved efficiency from woody materials in a

manner that is consistent with sustainable forest

management

•	A full spectrum of data and models to help reduce

financial risk

Deliverables

Following are some advances in forest biomass to energy science and technology that we will accomplish and

deploy with an expanded emphasis in biofuels in the

Research and Development mission area:

•	Sustainable forest bioenergy production systems 

and new wood energy crops

–	Best management practices for forestry with expanded biomass removal, while providing important

wildlife habitat, water quality, fuels reduction, and

nutrient management.

–	New varieties of perennial woody crops that are

resistant to disease, fast growing, nutrient and water

efficient, and optimized for bioenergy

–	Strategies to integrate woody plants with agricultural

production of biofuels, so that environmental performance and synergistic outcomes are 

improved
12

–	Experimental deployment and evaluation of woody

bioenergy feedstock that will provide improved understanding of plantation silvicultural practices, soil 

nutrient management, and economics

•	Competitive biofuels conversion technologies that

reduce fossil fuel use greenhouse gas emissions 

–	New chemical and biochemical technologies for

extracting, modifying, and fermenting carbohydrates 

and lignin from woody biomass feedstocks

–	New cost-effective thermoconversion (pyrolysis and

gasification) 

–Demonstration and evaluation of various forest feedstock used with emerging technology such as smallscale gasification, pilot biochemical conversion, and 

thermochemical conversion technologies

– Feedstock selection, sorting, and preprocessing 

technology optimized to meet quality standards for

various biofuels and biochemical conversion technology platforms

– Improved microbes for extracting and converting 

woody biomass to fermentable materials

•	Efficient and environmentally friendly woody

biomass harvesting systems

– Improved harvesting and transportation systems for 

forest biomass, cost and equipment information, and 

options for field processing to improve efficiency and 

mitigate impacts

•	Life-cycle and sustainability analysis for wood

bioenergy systems

Benefits 

An expanded science program in forest-based biofuels 

will provide benefits to a wide range of constituents:

•	Increasing national energy security and independence

as a result of a technically, financially, and ecologically 

sound biofuels systems replacing some fossil fuel 

usage

•	Improving forest health and reduction of fire risk as

excess forest biomass is used for biofuels production.

•	Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increased

financial benefits to non-industrial private forest landowners as they receive credit for carbon sequestration,

emission offsets, and biofuels production

•	Economic development of $120 billion from a new

forest biomass to biofuels industry

•	Reducing or eliminating the need for federal biomass to

bioenergy subsidies
13

Nanotechnology 

Wood-based nanotechnology offers a revolutionary way

to restore the health of our Nation’s forests, while creating new jobs and strengthening America’s forest-based

economy through industrial development and expansion. 

Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of 

matter at dimensions between approximately 1 and 100

nanometers, where unique material properties enable

novel, high performance applications. (For frame of 

reference, a sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers 

thick.) Wood, or cellulose, at the nano-scale is a highvalue material that enables products to be lighter and 

stronger, have less embodied energy, and come from a 

renewable resource.

Nanotechnology will allow for the creation of new

multifunctional materials and devices with a vast range

of applications in many realms, including medicine, 

electronics, transportation, biomaterials, and energy 

production and use. It holds the potential for a dramatic 

impact on the national economy—estimated to be as

much as $250 billion worldwide by 2020.

As for forest health, today we grow about twice as many

trees as we use. Our forests are becoming overcrowded

with hazardous fuels that cause catastrophic fires. The

devastating impacts of these fires are seen time and 

again, with lives lost, homes destroyed, and millions of

acres blackened. The cost of fighting these catastrophic 

wildfires is enormous, sometimes as much as $1 million

per hour. 

Wood-based nanotechnology offers a solution to this 

wide-spread loss. Currently, there are at least 300 million

acres of forests in America needing some type of restorative action. Wood-based nanotechnology will create a

cost-effective way to enable enough hazardous fuels to

be removed so wildfires can remain smaller and become

a tool for improved forest health. It is estimated that a 

strong, established program in wood-based nanotechnology that creates high-value markets from low-value wood

(hazardous fuels) could help restore 20 million forested

acres annually and reduce future fire suppression costs 

by at least 15 to 20 percent—up to $300 to $400 million

annually. 

Potential Markets for Cellulosic Nanomaterials

Cellulosic nanomaterials are expected to find applications within many industrial sectors, many of which are

not currently employing wood-based materials. Being a

light-weight, high-performance, renewable and recyclable

material makes nanocellulose very compatible with the

growing trend of greening products and markets in order

to meet the pressing need to supply sustainable materials 

for the 21st Century. 

Applications include:

•	Structural composite panels

for construction

•	Flexible electronic displays

•	Printed electronics

•	Abrasion resistant/selfrepairing architectural finishes

•	Lightweight armor

•	Ballistic glass

•	Medical devices

•	Aerospace and automotive panels and parts

•	Industrial tools

•	Consumer products

•	Super insulating and sound proofing materials for

buildings, appliances, devices, construction, and 

industrial processing

•	Sensors for food packaging

•	Sensors for structural load applications

•	Actuators and switches

•	Batteries and energy storage devices

•	Photoactive structures for construction materials and

consumer products 

•	Smart labels and packaging

•	Packaging barrier coatings

•	Printing paper coatings

•	Potential component building block in additive

manufacture (3-D printing) 

Within these industrial sectors several companies 

have begun to explore uses of nanocellulose, including: 

Lockheed Martin, PepsiCo, IBM, Hyundai-Kia Motor 

Company, Georgia Pacific, Ecolab, 3M, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, DuPont, Hewlett Packard, Procter

& Gamble and Kimberly Clark.
14

Collaboration

Recognizing the importance of nanotechnology and

wood-derived cellulosic nanomaterials, the U.S. forest

products industry and the USDA Forest Service have 

established a common vision and agenda for the commercialization of cellulosic nanomaterials. Public–private

partnerships that combine the unique abilities of industry, government, and academic entities provide the 

best way to successfully commercialize innovative new

technology platforms, develop new products, and create new jobs. Successful partnering will help to reinvent

the U.S. forest products industry, improve forest health, 

make sustainable and efficient use of America’s abundant 

forest resources, revitalize rural economies, and position

the United States as a world leader in the commercialization of cellulosic nanomaterials.

The United States and other nations will see numerous

benefits from the commercialization of wood-derived

cellulosic nanomaterials. Development and commercialization of new lightweight, high-performance

wood-derived products can help reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while improving

forest health and increasing the potential for rural manufacturing opportunities, including the creation of many 

new high-paying jobs.

FPL’s new facility aids in the commercialization of these

materials by providing researchers and early adopters of 

the technology with working quantities of forest-based

nanomaterials.

The Cellulose Nano-Materials Pilot Plant

The Forest Products Laboratory recently opened a 

$1.7 million production facility for renewable, forestbased nanomaterials. This facility is the first of its 

kind in the United States and one that positions the 

laboratory as the country’s leading producer of these 

materials, also called nanocellulose.
15

Climate Change Adaptation 

and Mitigation

Climate change refers to changes in long-term weather

patterns and in the environment caused by increasing 

levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases 

released into the atmosphere. These gases come from 

natural events such as forest fires and from burning 

wood, peat, and fossil fuels for various uses.

Forest Service researchers have studied the effects of 

climate change and air pollutants on forests and grasslands for over 30 years. This research already identifies 

trends and subsequent effects to ecosystems across 

the United States. The U.S. Forest Service is developing 

a national framework for guiding and directing land

management activities in light of expected changes. 

FPL research is contributing significantly to this effort.

For instance, FPL has been researching fundamental 

genetics and physiology of white-rot fungi for decades.

White-rot fungi are the only microbes known to efficiently break down lignin, a complex chemical compound

most commonly derived from wood and one of the most

abundant materials on Earth. Collectively, the wood- and

litter-degrading brown- and white-rot fungi play a pivotal

role in the carbon cycle and significantly influence forest 

health. 

Researchers at FPL are combining wood fiber with thermoplastic resin to create various composites. Composite 

research has a long history at FPL, and wood composite

technologies have been used for decades to create 

building and home furnishing products. Composites can 

use undervalued materials and improve the economics 

of costly forest restoration because they can be made 

from fiber, particles, or flakes from small trees, especially 

those from invasive species and overgrown forests at risk

of wildfire. By using low-value and problematic timber

(which store great amounts of carbon) and clearing this

material from our forests, new vigorous timber will grow

(sequestering additional carbon). This in turn mitigates 

the uncontrollable release of carbon into the environment by forest fires.

Because transportation accounts for about a third of 

total U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide (an abundant 

greenhouse gas), cleaner transportation fuels can play an 

important role in addressing climate change. FPL economists are evaluating business cases for making biofuels 

using selected biochemical and thermochemical technologies. Trees are one of the best potential sources of 

biological fuel. Although a more challenging process than 

creating biofuel from agricultural matter, converting 

wood resources into liquid fuels and chemical feedstock

is becoming more cost competitive, and FPL is a leader 

in innovative research on forest biomass to energy 

production.

Contributing to the U.S. report under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, FPL researchers

have collaboratively estimated carbon emission offsets 

caused by additions to carbon stored in wood and paper

products. The Environmental Protection Agency will use

these data in their annual greenhouse gas emissions and 

sinks report. 

The Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial

Materials (CORRIM) is a not-for-profit consortium of 

15 research institutions working with the effects of

producing and using renewable materials. FPL has collaborated with CORRIM to conduct life cycle assessments of

carbon offsets caused by forest treatments, fire emission reduction, wood product storage, and wood energy

offset of fossil fuels emissions. We have also collaborated 

with CORRIM to increase wood use in structures, which

will offset carbon emissions of materials that emit more

carbon in production and use. 

FPL scientists have cooperated with the National Council

for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) to estimate 

the carbon emissions/carbon emissions offset footprint 

of the U.S. forest products industry.

Using Unified Standard Format Markers (USFM) and the 

Global Forest Products Model (GFPM), FPL scientists 

have been evaluating the effect of increased use of woody

biomass for energy on forest products markets. Our 

scientists have been using these models to contribute to 

the 2010 Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment. In 

addition to extending the treatment of climate effects, 

resource analyses will continue to be linked by common

assumptions about population growth, economic

growth, and land use change.

FPL researchers were instrumental in estimating countylevel forest biomass supplies (including costs) for a revision of the joint study conducted by the Departments 

of Energy and Agriculture, the USDA/DOE Billion Ton 

Biomass Supply Study. 

The Forest Service Biomass Utilization Grants program is

intended to help improve forest restoration activities by 

using and creating markets for small-diameter material 

and low-valued trees removed from forest restoration

activities, such as reducing hazardous fuels, handling

insect and diseased conditions, or treating forestlands 

impacted by catastrophic weather events. These funds

are targeted to help communities, entrepreneurs, and 

others turn residues from forest restoration activities 

into marketable forest products and energy products. 

FPL researchers are continually evaluating the economic 

effectiveness of projects funded under the grants 

program.
16

Technology Transfer

Patents Program

A partnership with FPL helps advance research by tapping into the expertise of our research personnel, providing access to our extensive laboratory facilities and 

equipment, and creating opportunities for patent and 

licensing agreements.

Our researchers have a history of successful partnerships, and they welcome the opportunity to collaborate

with industry, academia, trade associations, tribes, nongovernment organizations, and federal, state, and local

government agencies to convert research into usable 

information and technology.

Technology transfer agreements were developed to

improve cooperation with commercial firms to convert

research to usable information and technology. This 

cooperation increases the benefits to the public and commercial firms.

Various types of agreements, such as Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, Memorandums of 

Understanding, and Research Joint Venture Agreements,

allow the government and industry to work together in

developing new technologies.

Agreements vary based on the level of contribution from 

each party and the expected benefits, but the ultimate 

purpose of all technology transfer agreements is to better coordinate research activities between the parties so

the results are efficiently transferred to the public. 

A patent is an instrument by which the United States

grants an inventor the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a term of years. To 

qualify for a patent, the invention must be new, useful

and a non-obvious process or product. 

Patenting enables FPL to grant patent licenses, which

provide an important avenue for technology transfer. The 

exclusive nature of patent licenses promotes the transfer 

of technologies to the private sector for commercial markets, The following patents are available for licensing at

FPL: bolted wood connections, concentric finger jointed

timber, break-in resistant wood panel door, hardened

and fire retardant wood products, method and apparatus

for molding three-dimensional objects, and method for 

fiber loading a chemical compound.

Technology Marketing Unit

Similar to the extension services provided by many 

universities, FPL’s Technology Marketing Unit (TMU) 

provides a broad scope of expertise in wood products

utilization and marketing, technology transfer, and

technical assistance. The TMU is part of the U.S. Forest 

Service’s State and Private Forestry, Cooperative Forestry 

Branch. 

TMU’s mission is to promote the efficient, sustainable 

use of wood by transferring technologies developed by

FPL, other Forest Service research stations, universities, and other federal laboratories. The TMU works in

collaboration with many different partners, particularly

the Forest Service’s Research and Development staff, to 

identify opportunities for working with local governments, private landowners, rural communities, and

forest industries. They support the National and international mission of the Forest Service in forest products 

utilization by ensuring ready adoption of forest-based

material technologies to many small, rural forest product 

businesses. 

The breadth of TMU’s work includes forest products conservation, processing, manufacturing efficiency, marketing, recycling, and bioenergy. The technical assistance 

they provide includes publications, technical assistance 

visits, conferences, workshops, meetings, and just simply

meeting with customers face to face or via phone.

TMU also manages and awards over $5 million each year

in grants dedicated to helping improve the utilization of

woody biomass removed from forest restoration projects.

The Woody Biomass Utilization Grant Program is intended to help improve forest restoration activities by using 

and creating markets for small-diameter material and 

low-valued trees removed from forest restoration activities, such as reducing hazardous fuels, handling insect

and diseased conditions, or treating forestlands impacted 

by catastrophic weather events. These funds are targeted

to help communities, entrepreneurs, and others turn 

residues from forest restoration activities into marketable forest products and/or energy products.
Leadership and Research Work Units

RWU 4714

Engineering

Properties of 

Wood, Wood Based 

Materials 

& Structures

Supervisory Research 

General Engineer

Robert J. Ross

RWU 4851

Economics & 

Statistics Research

Supervisory 

Research 

Forester

Kenneth E. 

Skog

RWU 4723

Durability & Wood 

Protection 

Research

Supervisory 

Research 

Microbiologist

Carol A. 

Clausen

Wood Products Research

Assistant Director

Michael A. Ritter

Analytical 

Chemistry & 

Microscopy 

Laboratory

Supervisory 

Chemist

Vacant

Financial 

Resources 

Management

Administrative 

Officer

Vacant

Administration

Assistant Director

Lon Yeary

RWU 4712

Institute for 

Microbial & 

Biochemical 

Technology

Supervisory 

Research Plant 

Pathologist

Barbara L. Illman

RWU 4706

Engineered 

Composites 

Sciences

Supervisory 

Research

Materials 

Engineer

Zhiyong Cai

RWU 4709

Fiber & 

Chemical 

Sciences 

Research

Supervisory 

Research 

Chemist

Alan W. Rudie

Paper 

Test 

Laboratory

Supervisory 

General 

Engineer

Nancy Ross 

Sutherland

Engineering 

Mechanics & 

Remote Sensing 

Laboratory

Supervisory 

General 

Engineer

Steve Kalinosky

RWU 4707

Performance 

Enhanced 

Biopolymers

Supervisory 

Research 

Materials 

Engineer

Gregory Schueneman

Research Facilities 

Engineering

Supervisory 

General 

Engineer

Michael J. 

Kaspszak

National Forest 

Service Library

Supervisory 

Librarian

Julie 

Blankenburg

Wood, Fiber, and Composites Research

Assistant Director

Theodore H. Wegner

Office of Communications

Director

Doug Clawson

Forest Products Laboratory

Acting Director

U.S. FOREST SERVICE Michael T. Rains

Forest Products Laboratory

Organization Chart State & Private Forestry

Technology Marketing Unit (TMU)

Program Manager

Vacant

17
The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and 

activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, 

and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental

status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political 

beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual’s income 

is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited 

bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require

alternative means for communication of program information 

(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s 

TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a 

complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of

Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 

20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 

(TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

For more information, contact

Forest Products Laboratory

One Gifford Pinchot Drive

Madison, WI 53726-2398

608-231-9200

mailroom_forest_products_laboratory@fs.fed.us

www.fpl.fs.fed.us