Articles

Researchers from the Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, along with collaborators from two universities, advanced NMR analyses for whole cell walls by developing a finely pulverized low-moisture gel-state 2D NMR method. This method produces sharp, high‑resolution spectra across hardwoods, softwoods, and grasses, enabling simultaneous detection of lignin subunits, interunit linkages, and polysaccharides directly from intact biomass. Improved methods for conducting structural analysis of plant cell walls will help facilitate conversion of plant biomass into fuels, chemicals, and other materials.

A new study published in Nature Communications by researchers at the Forest Products Laboratory and the Southern Research Station, and their collaborators, tested several global forest conservation scenarios and evaluated how these scenarios affected harvestable area, roundwood production, and prices within the global forestry sector. These new results challenge previous findings and suggest that increased forest protection could, for most countries, result in a net economic gain.

Research has led to an unexpected new cost-effective approach to producing a key ingredient in life-saving medications.

The USDA Forest Service’s Centennial Research Facility at Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2025, marking over a decade of groundbreaking research, partnerships, and advancements in wood science that support a sustainable future.

A new innovation from the Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, Washington State University, and the University of Florida could reduce food waste while providing a new outlet and use for wood pulp. Barrier coatings for fruit made from naturally-derived, biodegradable compounds could be a safe and effective way to preserve fruit. These coatings are applied to the exterior of fruit peels with the intention of keeping the fruit fresher for longer.

Initial results from Phase I of the WOODWISE test series show that encapsulation may not affect fire temperature but does reduce the total heat release rate and reduce fire spread at the floor-to-wall connections in mass timber. These results also underscore the importance of considering how the type of fuels present in mass timber buildings can change fire behavior.

Research conducted by Forest Products Lab scientists and collaborators has resulted in the first cross-laminated timber (CLT) shear wall seismic force resisting system (SFRS) to be approved in the U.S. model building code. This advance can support more widespread use of CLT in regions of North America with high winds and earthquake activity. It is only the second wood-based SFRS ever approved.