Three Lake States Receive Wood Innovation Grants

The Forest Service approved $105,500,000 in wood innovation grants as summer drew to a close. The grants were part of a competitive process nationally in which 177 different projects were approved to receive funding. Many of the projects were intended to improve the markets for small-diameter timber, which would advance sawmill production.

“The greatest threat to forest landowners and those who use forests is the lack of critical markets in today’s timber and wood products industries,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “There are significant gaps where low-value wood, small diameter trees and restoration byproducts lack viable buyers.

Six Lake States projects were approved with a focus on mass timber or improved sawmill productivity.

Minnesota

Delano Bat Company of Minnesota was awarded $300,000 to boost its production of baseball bats.

Dovetail Partners of Minneapolis is going to use its grant of $300,000 to “accelerate mass timber adoption in the Great Lakes region”.

Wisconsin

Cooper and Sons Timber, LLC of Blue River, Wisconsin, was awarded nearly $200,000 to assist with improvements to its hardwood lumber mill.

Book Ends North was approved for a grant of $157,875 to boost use of mass timber from small diameter wood in student housing projects.

Michigan

Devereaux Saw Mill in Pewamo, Michigan, was awarded $300,000 to assist with improvements to its hardwood sawmill.

Harrison Township’s Library in Michigan is set to receive $299,307 for mass timber construction work.