street to store: urban wood reuse webcast
TRANSCRIPT
Street to Store: Urban Wood Reuse
Jessica Simons, Coordinator, The Urbanwood Project (Ann Arbor, MI) The Urbanwood Project is a member of the Urban Forest Products Alliance, which aligns industry, government, and non-profit leaders to put urban forest wood to good use. This group is working across 5 midwestern states to advance sustainable recovery of urban trees in the wake of natural disasters, pests, and disease infestation.
Jason Graham, Recycling Coordinator/School Specialist, Keep Gastonia Beautiful (Gastonia, NC)Keep Gastonia Beautiful operates with the full tree life cycle in mind, creating mulch and ‘black gold’—a potting soil-like substance—from old, removed city trees. Semi-annually, the organization holds a Black Gold & Mulch sale to support their work greening the city.
Jessica Simons
Verdant Stewardship / Urbanwood Project
ACTrees Webcast Training
June 19, 2014
PERSPECTIVES FROM MICHIGAN & ACROSS THE NATION
Street to Store: Urban Wood Reuse
Where We Were… Michigan - 2002
What is killing the trees and where did it come from?
How many dead trees are we talking about?
Where is all of this wood going to go?
How much is this going to cost?
First EAB outbreak = most urban part of MI
These trees are most valued when alive
Wood is viewed as waste
Can we use this to connect cities to forestry?
Why did we focus on urban forests?
Joseph O'Brien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Dead and dying trees from
cities in SE Michigan
could produce
73.5 million bf of lumber each year –
enough wood to build
5,600average-sized homes
Is there any value in the urban forest?
Source: MacFarlane 2007
• Better crisis response
• Lowered disposal costs
• Affordable wood products
• New partnerships
• Full-circle urban forestry
• Resource stewardship
• Job creation
• Carbon-smart
• Meaningful story
What were the possible benefits?
Urban Wood:
Finding the Highest and Best Use
Urbanwood Marketplace Sales Growth
1) Ann Arbor – supply chain details, challenges
2) Chicago – marketing and branding
3) Milwaukee – association, strategic plan
USFS-Funded
Tri-State Project 2010
Finding Value in Urban and Community Trees:
Marketing Green Products from Non-Traditional Forests
VISION
All wood from urban trees is put to good use.
MISSION
The Urban Forest Products Alliance advances the
sustainable recovery and the
highest and best use of the products of urban forests.
UFPA - Basic Beliefs
1. Urban trees have their highest value while
living. When removed, they should be put to
their highest/best use.
2. Recovery and highest/best use are essential to
sustainable urban forestry.
3. Increasing end user demand for urban forest
products is key.
4. We can be more effective with collaboration
and information sharing.
5. We will work with diverse stakeholders who
share our vision and mission.
Market/Supply Chain Development
• Promoting end-user demand
Advocacy and Policy
• Remove barriers & create incentives
Technical Assistance & Standards
• Skills development and networking
Membership Support
• Services and benefits for members
Organizational Capacity and Health
• Promote sustainability of association
UFPA – Strategic Pillars
Looking ahead1. USFS CARP grant for 4-state Midwest program
2. Pilot projects: Raleigh, NC & Baltimore, MD
3. Delta Institute guide for architects
4. TCIA ANSI A300 Standard: Urban Forest Products
5. Active state programs: MI, WI, IL, MO, NC, CA
6. USFS WERC Webinars
Putting all wood from urban trees to good use
Join the Urban Forest Products Alliance on LinkedIn
Join the conversation…
Please contact:Jessica Simons
Questions?
This work has been supported by
www.urbanwood.org
Questions?
Keep Gastonia Beautiful
Black Gold and Mulch
What is Black Gold?
• Organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment.
What is Mulch?
• A layer of material applied to the surface of an area of soil.
Marketing
• Newspaper
• Government Access Channel
• Website
• Postcards
• Email Blast
• Signs
• Black Board Calls
Miscellaneous
• Cost
• Tonnage
• Donations
• Volunteers
Contact Information
• Jason Graham-School Specialist/Recycling Coordinator
Keep Gastonia Beautiful
150 S. York Street
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 869-1008
Questions?
Thank You!
Please take a minute to answer the survey questions that appear at the close of this session.