Central MA Presinar: Full Circle Urban Forestry, Introducing Urban Wood Opportunities

Many common urban tree removal practices in the United States view felled urban trees as costly waste. However, trees removed from our cities and communities due to death, storm damage, or other circumstances are a resource worth saving. When processed, sold, and utilized, the U.S. could produce nearly 4 billion board feet annually to cushion local economies, reduce expenses for communities, and provide a sustainable, renewable resource for distinctive finishes in built spaces.

This presentation will provide an overview of the urban wood industry and include the considerations necessary by designers, specifiers, and contractors wishing to utilize urban wood.

Objectives

1. Learn of the extent of urban wood as a resource available to the construction industry and how it connects with LEED BD+C Homes V4 MR Environmental Preferred products
2. Understand the necessary interconnectivity required between communities, sawmills, and lumber distributors to make the use of urban wood as easy and financially viable as possible and boost LEED BD+C Homes V4 MR Environguage and concepts needed to promote the use of urban wood by designers and owners.
3. Learn the means to correctly specify urban wood for a project; ensuring that the architect, contractor and millworker understand the special procedures needed to use urban wood.
4. Understand the technical challenges of using urban wood. Learn the benefits beyond the application – environmental, economic, and societal and how it can work with LEED BD+C V4 Construction Waste Management