Multi-story buildings utilizing wood construction are good news for forest products being harvested from forestland we manage. That was the conclusion of our Bird Forestry “Latest News” message last week, “Wood Hi-Rises and Forestland Owners: Part 1” featuring the Jeff Spross interview in The Week magazine, “How to build a skyscraper out of wood” with architect Todd Snapp of the global firm Perkins + Will.
The advantages cited in that interview and shared by a growing number of architects and builders in recent years was not overlooked in the passage of the Farm Bill late in 2018. The Timber Innovation Act in the Farm Bill (S. 58 and H.R. 1380) introduces opportunities to promote the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and other engineered wood products used in tall wood buildings, thereby benefitting forestland owners.
The language of the legislation, discussed in detail by John Greene in his forest2market blog article, “CLT and Engineered Wood Products Poised for Growth in 2019,” focuses on research and development of tall wood buildings; education for architects and builders to accelerate the use of wood in tall buildings; technical assistance from USDA and state foresters to implement education and technical assistance for mass timber applications; and the incentivization of retrofitting of existing facilities in areas of high unemployment to spur job creation in rural areas.
Greene notes in concluding, “Wood building construction directly supports the forest value chain that supports rural American economy. Increased demand for raw wood materials means that landowners will be more likely to manage their land for timber growth and cyclical forests, thereby keeping forest lands forested.”
We want you to know that foresters at Bird Forestry are following the CLT developments closely. Understanding the specifications for the timber that is required in CLT products (i.e., wood density, diameter, rate of growth, etc.) may require adjustments in the management of pine plantations 15 to 20 years prior to harvest. We believe this market is an excellent opportunity to increase your timber revenue in the future.
Keeping the interest of our clients front and center is our job.
