ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern Corporation, today announced it would provide timber for the construction of a Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation building project at Clemson University. The majority of the wood used for the state-of-the-art building will be longleaf pine harvested from the Brosnan Forest, a 14,400-acre timber and wildlife preserve near Charleston, S.C. The building project will help serve the Southeast as an education and research hub for wood-based construction, sustainable building practices, and will develop the next generation of forestry and environmental leaders. This collaboration also highlights Norfolk Southern’s commitment to workforce development as part of a larger collaboration with Clemson. … By using sustainable forestry methods and strategic partnerships with leading forestry organizations like The Longleaf Alliance, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, and Milliken Advisors, Norfolk Southern’s Brosnan Forest is safeguarding the future of this important tree species.

In 2024 the American Wood Council and WoodWorks hosted their first Climate Week NYC event. The event, Building with Wood: Nature’s Climate Solution, joined the week-long series of climate-focused discussions, panels, and workshops across the city. Building with Wood was a panel discussion featuring three panelists. …Katie Fernholz, president of Dovetail Partners… discussed the myths surrounding how many Americans understand the role of forests and their relationship with them, including the myth that forests are healthier without human management. …Alexis Feitel, the team carbon unit director at KL&A Engineers & Builders, provided further support for the sustainable attributes of US wood products by highlighting their benefits as a low carbon alternative to conventional materials like steel and concrete. …Sandra Lupien, the director of MassTimber@MSU, wrapped up the panel by explaining the opportunities for and barriers to wider adoption of mass timber in the US market.

AUGUSTA, Maine – In honor of Maine Forest Products Week, celebrated from October 20 to 26, 2024, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), in collaboration with the Professional Logging Contractors Northeast and the Maine Forest Products Council, have come together to celebrate and express profound appreciation for the enduring contributions of Maine’s forest sector businesses and their dedicated workforce. …”The people in Maine’s forest industry embody resourcefulness, innovation, and a strong appreciation for the importance of stewarding our state’s forest resources,” DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. …”Today, our foresters, loggers, landowners, and wood product innovators carry that legacy forward, ensuring our forests remain healthy, productive, and accessible for future generations,” President of the National Association of State Foresters Patty Cormier.

In related news: Gov. Tate Reeves has declared this week Mississippi Forest Products Week in the Neshoba Democrat

Government of Michigan: Wood products are everywhere, from tall buildings to touch screens

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A new partnership between Mississippi State and the state’s leading lumber organization is positioning the university as a leader in forest products innovation. The Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association has established the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association Endowed Professorship in Innovative Wood Construction and Design at MSU. The endowment—housed in the College of Forest Resources’ Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, with a joint appointment in the College of Architecture, Art and Design’s School of Architecture—aims to drive innovation in mass timber manufacturing, construction and design, with a research emphasis on sustainable wood construction, strength and durability. Applications for the endowed professorship position will open this fall with an expected starting date of August 2025. …Wes Burger, dean of the College of Forest Resources and director of the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center, said the endowment further positions MSU as an innovator in sustainable building products and design.