Some resources are free and others are available only
to members; membership is open to all for a small
fee. Members share their expertise so that others can
benefit from and build on their successes, rather than
struggle with trying to overcome the same old bar-
riers. Working together will help to ensure the highest
and best use of our nation's urban forest resource.
A role for the private sector consultant
Demand for urban wood is high in cities across the US,
but lack of consistent supply remains a key obstacle
to high volume utilization. The challenge in realizing a
circular economy model for urban wood is in coordi-
nating across interested parties with limited bandwidth
and resources. Consultants can play a vital role in
coordination, coaching, and connecting the players
crucial to the building of a reliable supply chain. They
are the shared "staff" who can identify and address
the gaps, connect the dots, and build a collaborative
network necessary to take urban wood sales to scale.
The current loosely connected ecosystem of suppliers,
sawyers, mill shops, and fabricators—each individu-
ally capable of producing value-added products from
fresh cut and deconstructed lumber—lack sufficient
capital and labor to satisfy large orders from mid-
level buyers. An aggregation of these sawyers, millers,
and fabricators under the coordination of consultants
and private sector partners could change that and
result in the ability to collectively meet the needs of
larger companies who want to use urban wood but
are not willing to aggregate from multiple sources.
Another key factor calling for the assistance of con-
sultants is identifying the diversity of uses for urban
trees. These uses can range from mulch and firewood
to high-end lumber used in furniture. Technical assis-
tance can play a critical role in identifying end markets
for urban wood across a variety of grades, and ulti-
mately capturing maximum value from this waste
stream. The goal of the consultant is to get the >>
How a tree is removed impacts future options and
potential value of the wood. This slab table represents
a unique and high-value option made from an urban
tree. Photo Courtesy of USDA Forest Service
Upcycled urban timber at Sterling Lumber milling facility
in Phoenix, Illinois. Logs produced from municipal/public
property ash removals were milled and used in the shipping
and construction matting industries. Photo by Jim Semelka
urban-forestry.com 15
