Alaska forest products: using resources well.

Abstract

Despite abundant forest resources in the state, the Alaska forest products industry declined throughout the 1990s and early 21st century. In a state with lots of trees, mills are going out of business and most finished lumber used in the state is imported from the lower 48 United States and Canada. The Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center (Wood Utilization Center) was established in 1999, as part of the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station. Its goal was “to put the value in value-added,” as one observer said—finding technological and economic solutions for a durable forest products industry in Alaska. Forest products work begins when the tree is cut. The Alaska Wood Utilization Center team carries out studies and pilot projects on every step of the process from the forest to the sawmills and on through to retail marketing.

Citation

Rapp, Valerie. 2003. Alaska forest products: using resources well. Science Updates 5. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 12 p